Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder lands himself in hot waters with the law. Apparently, the incident took place in Los Angeles during a traffic stop.
News outlet TMZ was the first to report the matter. They further elaborated that Wilder was driving around in his Rolls-Royce in Hollywood. However, he was pulled over by the cops after they pointed out that the window of his luxury vehicle was tined illegally. On top of that, his number plate was reportedly obstructed as well. The incident happened at around 1:15 am on May 2.
#DeontayWilder was allegedly found with weed along with a handgun after #LAPD stopped his vehicle for illegally tinted windows and license plate. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/rttoXOVxh8
— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) May 2, 2023
After the stop, the cops present on the scene further inspected the vehicle once they apparently got the smell of marijuana.
It led to them discovering a 9mm handgun and weed inside the car. Wilder was taken into custody by the police after the discovery. Since then, he has been charged with the possession of a concealed weapon. But, Wilder did not create a scene and abided by the instruction from the authorities. At around 6:34 am, Wilder walked out on bond.
Deontay Wilder responds to his arrest on May 2
Deontany Wilder is one of the best active heavyweight fighters on the scene at present. While he lost his WBC heavyweight title to Tyson Fury, Wilder bounced back with a spectacular knockout over Robert Helenius. He even made an appearance during the celebrity boxing match between Jake Paul and Tyson Fury’s step-brother, Tommy Fury.
Nicknamed “Bronze Bomber,” Deontay Wilder had humble beginnings and has a reputation for mostly staying out of trouble. Hence, his recent arrest came as a shock to many of his fans. But the man himself has downplayed the situation as he tweeted after his release from custody. Wilder wrote, “I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End.”
The statement seemingly clarifies why he felt the need to carry a concealed weapon with him. Currently, Wilder holds a boxing record of 43-2-1 with 42 KOs. As an amateur, Wilder also won the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. There have been a lot of discussions about who his next opponent may be following the win against Helenius.
In a recently released iFL TV video, another former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua has thrown his name into the mix. He added that there are talks of him vs Deontay Wilder taking place in December. However, due to the ongoing negotiations, there has not been any official announcement on the matter. Will Wilder’s recent legal trouble hamper the bout? Only time will tell.