Legacy Reloaded : Deontay Wilder’s Return: What To Know About His Next Opponent

Deontay Wilder is returning to the ring. The 39-year-old slugger with a record of 43-4-1 with 42 KOs is set to headline a Global Combat Collective event called Legacy Reloaded.

Wilder will face Tyrrell Herndon on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

The event will be streamed live on BLK Prime. Here’s everything you need to know about Herndon.

Experience

Over his 10-year professional career, Herndon has fought 29 bouts, accumulating 100 rounds of ring time, though mostly against lower-tier opponents.

Professional Record

Herndon has a professional boxing record of 24-5 with 15 knockouts.

Age and Background

Herndon is 37 years old and hails from San Antonio, Texas. Many of his pro fights have taken place in his home state.

Physical Traits

Herndon is 6’3”, so the 6’7″ Wilder will have a massive height advantage.

Last Fight

Herndon is on a three-fight win streak. In his last fight, he knocked off Rudy Silvas by split decision in May 2024. When he steps in the ring with Wilder, he’ll have been out of the ring for more than a year.

Notable Losses

Herndon has been a bit of a gatekeeper for upcoming talent. He was knocked out by Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. in October 2023, and he suffered an 89-second KO loss to Efe Ajagba in 2017.

This is a Dream Fight for Herndon

In a 2019 Instagram post, Herndon wrote, “Manifesting. Idols become rivals eventually…” alongside a photo with Wilder.

As a justifiably massive underdog, Herndon may rue the day he wished for this fight to go from dream to reality.

Deontay Wilder Has a Lot on the Line in this Fight

Even with Wilder’s seemingly depleted state, most would expect him to get past Herndon. The veteran is simply being placed here as an opponent who gives Wilder an opportunity to shine.

If he wins as expected, he’ll have a highlight-reel KO on his recent résumé, which could potentially facilitate a fight with Anthony Joshua—or more likely, a clash with current Professional Fighters League Super Fights MMA heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Deontay Wilder and Ngannou have expressed a desire to fight each other in the past, and the fight has never made more sense than it does now. Ngannou had two unsuccessful dips into the sweet science when he narrowly lost a split decision to Tyson Fury in late 2023, and he was savagely knocked out by Joshua in 2024.

Meanwhile, Wilder has endured back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker. If Wilder can’t just defeat Herndon—but dominate—few will believe he has a chance to beat Ngannou, let alone rise in the ranks to fight for another championship.

Herndon may as well be the Notorious B.I.G. in the classic song “What’s Beef?” He’ll have “nothing to lose tattooed around his wounds, everything to gain, embedded in his brain.”

Any success he enjoys against Wilder will be icing on the proverbial cake. Be on the lookout for more information on the card as we get closer to the event.

After almost over a year off Tyrell Herndon Challenged Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder to return to the ring in June

After almost over a year off, former WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will be returning to the ring.

Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KO’s), a Tuscaloosa native and the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, will return against Tyrell Herndon in a 10-round bout at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The fight will take place on June 27 and will be streamed on BLK Prime.

It will be his first fight since a June 1, 2024 loss to Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) in the fifth round when Zhang got Wilder to spin around and Zhang’s right hand sent Wilder to the mat.

Herndon (24-5, 15 KO’s) stands at 6-foot-3 and has weighed in around 235 pounds, which should help Wilder who has weighed in around 214 pounds for his last fight. Herndon will also be returning after considerable layoff, his last fight was a May 2024 six-round split decision win over Rudy Silvas

READ MORE : After loses in last five fighys, Deontay Wilder’s trainer reveals true thoughts on..

Deontay Wilder has suffered all four of his losses and the draw since 2018, starting with the draw to Tyson Fury. Wilder was 40-0 going into the fight. Over his last five fights, Wilder is 1-4 and has been knocked out three times.

Wilder is the former heavyweight champion using a powerful righthand to climb the ranks, first taking the belt in 2015. He would make 10 defenses of the belt before falling to Fury in their second bout.

Wilder, 39, has contemplated retirement after his last few fights and ahead of a 2022 fight with Robert Helenius he said he would fight until he was 40, which he will turn this October. Wilder has said that a statue unveiling in his hometown back in 2022 helped convince him to return for his fans.

After loses in last five fighys, Deontay Wilder’s trainer reveals true thoughts on fighting in Africa on boxing return

Deontay Wilder could be willing to fight Francis Ngannou in Africa if the conditions are right, according to his trainer Malik Scott. The 39-year-old is targeting a return to the ring after a nine-month absence and rumours of a fight against ex-UFC star Ngannou continue to swirl. Talks have taken place over the past months to discuss a potential mixed-rules fight involving boxing and MMA techniques, with both fighters known to pack a powerful punch. It would prove to be a hugely popular encounter amongst fans and therefore appealing to those with a commercial interest. When asked about his interest in fighting to Africa, Scott revealed that Wilder has always held a desire to fight there – suggesting the bout has a realistic chance of materialising

“Deontay always wanted to fight in Africa anyway. So I’m sure he’s very excited about it. If there’s something that he’s going to entertain, this is something he’s always wanted to do anyway,” Scott told SpaceportSweden.com. “There’s so many times he was supposed to go over there just to visit and do a couple events for people that wanted him to come over. So I’m sure if everything is right he definitely wouldn’t mind going over there.”

The American has lost four of his last five fights, including his initial WBA heavyweight title fight against Tyson Fury and the subsquent rematch. He was also beaten on his last appearance in the ring, which came against Zhilei Zhang back in June 2024.

READ MORE : After back-to-back losses Deontay Wilder Makes Final Decision On Retirement…

Ngannou, meanwhile, learned a harsh lesson in his two fights against Fury and Anthony Joshua after being knocked down early on before conceding defeat – leaving him with a 0-2 record. But the Cameroonian, fighting on his native turf in Africa, would have another motivating to climb back into the ring – especially if MMA rules are allowed.

“We know Ngannou wants to do it. [Saudi adviser] Turki [Al-Sheikh] is saying this thing can happen. Deontay is going to fight again, so it’s all just a win,” he added.

“Boxing fans can be very fickle sometimes. And not just the fans, just the way things go. I don’t know when the last time Francis was in the ring. So there’s just no telling.

“I know he wants the Wilder fight, he always speaks about it. But we just have to see. Him and Deontay will do big numbers, especially in Africa.”