Deontay Wilder to Bridgerweight to face Kevin Lerena for WBC title?
By Eddie Sanchez
Deontay Wilder is nearly five years removed from his last reign as a heavyweight champion, coming off a major loss, and for the first time in a long while, he’s on the outskirts of the division.
On the other hand, Kevin Lerena is seeking a marquee fight at bridgerweight, a relatively new weight class introduced by the WBC a few years ago.
Bridgerweight, with its 224-pound limit, sits between cruiserweight (200 pounds) and heavyweight (no limit). While the WBA has followed the WBC in introducing a title for the division, bridgerweight has struggled to attract or keep high-profile fighters.
For instance, former WBC champion Lawrence Okolie recently vacated his bridgerweight title, opting to move up to heavyweight rather than defend against Lerena. As a result, Lerena, previously the interim titleholder, has been upgraded to full champion status.
Now, Lerena wants his first defense to be against Wilder.
“I’d be more than happy to give Wilder the opportunity to face me if he’s willing to make the move down,” Lerena told Phil Jay of World Boxing News.
Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs), known for his devastating power and lightning-fast hands, first captured a world title in January 2015. During his prime, Wilder’s punching power could turn the tide of a fight in an instant. He successfully defended his title nine times between 2015 and 2019, with the sole blemish being a draw against Tyson Fury in 2018.
However, it was Fury who ended Wilder’s title reign, defeating him by a seventh-round stoppage in their February 2020 rematch. Their trilogy fight in 2021 was an epic, but Fury came out on top again, knocking Wilder out in the 11th round.
Wilder returned in 2022 with a quick knockout win over Robert Helenius. But since then, he’s been struggling. In December 2023, Wilder was out-boxed by Joseph Parker, and in June 2024, he suffered a fifth-round knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang.
Wilder turns 39 soon, but according to his trainer, retirement isn’t in the plans. The heavyweight division remains packed with talent and lucrative opportunities. However, if Wilder chooses to drop down to bridgerweight, it wouldn’t be too difficult on his body. Despite standing 6-foot-7, Wilder has consistently weighed between 213 and 214.5 pounds in recent fights, well within the bridgerweight limit.
