Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder seemed destined for retirement after the last few years he has had. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ lost two back-to-back fights to Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021, and hasn’t been the same ever since. While he bounced back with a win over Robert Helenius in 2022, things quickly took a turn for the worse.

2023 saw the Tuscaloosa native lose to Joseph Parker in a one-sided unanimous decision, and another loss to Zhilei Zhang came last year. His final fight marked his fourth loss in his last five fights. Despite the steep decline, a report from journalist Manouk Akopyan suggests Wilder will return to the ring at the age of 39 on BLK Prime sometime in April. The opponent hasn’t been revealed yet, so we asked AI who Wilder’s potential opponents could be.

Possible competitors for Deontay Wilder according to ChatGPT

The first opponent ChatGPT came up with for Wilder was Andy Ruiz Jr. While not as bad as Wilder, Ruiz has also been in a bit of decline since his rematch loss to Anthony Joshua. The pair initially fought in 2019, which saw Ruiz create a huge upset after a 7th-round knockout win over Joshua. However, ‘AJ’ came back in the same year to exact revenge and won the fight via a unanimous decision. 

Ruiz went on a year-long hiatus and came back with wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz in 2021 and 2022. However, he again didn’t fight for the entirety of 2023 as a result of a shoulder injury before failing to secure a win against Jarrell Miller last year—the Miller fight ended in a majority decision draw. So, it raises the question—why does AI think Wilder vs. Ruiz would be a good matchup?

“Ruiz is a former heavyweight champion with a solid name but has struggled with consistency,” it said. “This fight offers Wilder a manageable but credible challenge.” Besides Ruiz, ChatGPT also suggested Joseph Parker as a potential opponent for Wilder. However, this fight is not possible, at least for April. Why?

Well, Parker is slated to square off against Daniel Dubois on February 22. Plus, since Parker’s win over Deontay Wilder was decisive, there’s no need for Parker to take the rematch. Regardless, AI thinks Parker lacks the power to trouble Wilder. “Parker is a former WBO heavyweight champion and a skilled boxer with a respectable reputation,” it said. “However, he lacks the power to truly trouble Wilder.”

ChatGPT had a third name for Wilder—Frank Sanchez. The Cuban boxer is coming off his first career loss against Agit Kabayel in May last year. Wilder could take advantage of Sanchez’s lack of major world title experience, but Sanchez has been more active and also has the advantage in the age department.

“Sanchez is a rising contender with strong technical skills,” AI said about why this would be a good fight for Wilder. “This fight would test Wilder’s current condition against a younger, more technical opponent.” But the question is, should Wilder return?

‘The Bronze Bomber’shouldn’t return; AI predicts bad future

Who Wilder will fight remains a mystery, but a return to boxing may not be the best choice for him—AI has predicted. “Wilder’s age and diminished physical condition are likely to show,” AI highlighted as one of the reasons against Wilder’s return. “While his knockout power remains dangerous, his stamina and defense might falter.”

“A win against a mid-tier opponent is possible, but struggles are inevitable against elite competition.” ChatGPT also doesn’t think Wilder’s future even after a win is looking that great. “Even if Wilder wins his comeback, the risks of further damage and the lack of the same fire in his approach make future success unlikely,” it said.

“Continued fights could lead to further losses, tarnishing his legacy,” it added. However, after four losses within four years, losing a fight might not be Wilder’s concern. Regardless, AI has also shared vital advice for Wilder. “If he does return, one competitive fight followed by a definitive retirement would be a better course of action.”

That said, it appears AI has predicted a few names for Deontay Wilder to fight next, but it’s unlikely any of them will end up being Wilder’s actual opponent. Only time will tell who ‘The Bronze Bomber’ will actually fight. But who do you think Wilder will fight? Do you reckon any of the predictions from AI can come true?