Heavyweight boxing star Deontay Wilder was arrested during the early morning hours on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
First reported by TMZ, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ was taken into custody and charged with possessing a concealed firearm. According to the report, Wilder was pulled over by L.A. police officers due to tinted windows and an obstructed license plate on his Rolls Royce. While searching the vehicle, officers found marijuana and a 9mm handgun.
Deontay Wilder was said to have been polite and cooperative with the officers. He was released on bond at 6:34 a.m. local time. Shortly after the incident, Wilder took to Twitter with a simple message addressing the situation.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End,” wrote Wilder
I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End
— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) May 2, 2023
Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua Rumored for December Event in Saudi Arabia
Deontay Wilder is one of the biggest names in modern-day professional boxing, holding an impressive record of 43-2 with the two losses coming in back-to-back bouts against ‘The Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury. In October, Wilder scored a first-round knockout against Robert Helenius. It was his 42nd career KO.
Rumors as of late suggest Deontay Wilder will step back inside the squared circle this year for a clash with Anthony Joshua. The two fighters have teased a potential clash on more than one occasion, but Joshua seemingly confirmed the bout would be going down while engaged with a fan on Instagram. “It’s public news, we’re getting it down, we’re throwing it down in December,” Joshua said.
British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn added fuel to the fire, revealing that he had made a recent trip to Saudi Arabia. If the rumors are to be believed, a Saudi-backed heavyweight tournament featuring Wilder vs. Joshua and Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk is in the works for the end of 2023 with each winner of their respective bouts squaring off in a 2024 clash.