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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ben Davies

Deontay Wilder offered comeback fight against former heavyweight champion

Deontay Wilder has been offered a comeback fight against Joseph Parker.

The 'Bronze Bomber' has not fought since his devastating defeat at the hands of Fury who recorded a late stoppage to retain his heavyweight title.

Wilder is currently pondering his future while he recovers from a broken hand and has even hinted at retirement.

If he opts to make a ring return this year, Parker's promoter David Higgins believes the New Zealander will be keen to follow in the footsteps of his friend Fury across the pond.

“I’m in the United States at the moment, and Joseph Parker has signalled he’d like to do what Tyson Fury has done and go to America and beat Americans," Higgins told Sky Sports.

Deontay Wilder could make a comeback later this year (Getty Images)

"Not many British have done that. Joseph has said he’ll fight any of the big-name and high-ranked Americans. [He’s open to] Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz to Luis Ortiz [and] to Michael Hunter.

"Any of them we would look at. It will be interesting to see if any of these big-name Americans are willing to get in a ring with Joseph Parker.

“We indeed reached out and made it known the opportunity is there. My job now is to model up what the American opportunities would look like."

Wilder has been offered multiple opportunities upon his comeback including a heavyweight clash with British star Derek Chisora.

Parker recently fought Chisora and is eyeing world-level tests in the latest steps to reclaim his status as world champion.

The 36-year-old has hinted at retirement after his previous defeat but was holding 2am phone calls with his trainer Malik Scott in hope of making a winning return.

Who would you like to see Deontay Wilder face if he makes a boxing return? Let us know in the comments section below

Now his rivalry with Fury can be declared over after three fights, Wilder believes that he has completed all the accomplishments he set out to in the sport and remains uncertain on his future.

"It's mixed feelings because ultimately I have accomplished all my goals in this sport. I told my daughter when she was one-year-old that I'd be a champion and I'd be able to support her beyond her belief," he told Kevin Hart on an episode of Cold As Balls on the Laugh Out Loud Network.

"I've done that. There's a lot of things that I've accomplished that I feel I have to prove to anyone because I've already proven [myself].

"Should I push forward? Should I give it a go one more time? Or should I just retire and focus on the other things that I already have, other things that I want to get into?"

During Wilder's previous plans to return to the top, he named British star Anthony Joshua as a potential opponent if a world-title shot presents itself after his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

A fight with his heavyweight rival was set to happen several years ago before his feud with Fury but Joshua rejected a mega-money deal and continued to make defences of his unified crown.

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