The boxing world erupted in excitement when Deontay Wilder announced his return to the ring after a rough stretch of losses. ‘The Bronze Bomber’, once the most fearsome heavyweight in the world, had unfortunately not fought since his knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang in June 2024 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, marking his fourth career loss in his last five fights. His previous setbacks came at the hands of Tyson Fury, who bested him in back-to-back fights in February 2020 and October 2021. Given his recent struggles, many questioned if Wilder would ever regain his former dominance in the sport.

Rumors about his next fight quickly began to circulate when news arrived of his new deal with BLK Prime. Soon speculations pointed to a bout against former sparring partner Stephan Shaw in April on BLK Prime PPV in Atlanta, Georgia. However, Shaw himself recently refuted the reports, clarifying that he had not received any official offer. “I just woke up one morning and they were talking about the fight,” he confessed in an interview. Just as fans were left in limbo about Deontay Wilder’s next opponent, a new name has now surfaced—Curtis Harper.

Curtis Harper has signed the dotted line but…

Hans Themistode, a respected sports journalist, shared an intriguing update on social media earlier today. Themistode posted a video interview on X where he was in conversation with Curtis Harper and his manager, Jimmy Adams. The caption of the post read, “Just finished talking to Curtis Harper & his manager. They confirmed that they signed a contract to fight Deontay Wilder next. But Curtis is still a little skeptical that it will take place. All signs point to this fight happening next.”

When asked whether Harper had signed a contract to fight Deontay Wilder, Curtis confirmed enthusiastically, “Yes.” However, the 36-year-old added, “But again this is boxing. So there’s no guarantee that this [fight] is going to happen. Love for it too. Love for it to come out of him to do a press release and make something happen. Just secure my spot in the fight.”

This confirmation from Harper himself is huge for the 43-4-1 boxer’s career. After a string of losses and the uncertainty of whether he could still compete at the highest level, this fight could provide the opportunity Wilder desperately needs.

At 39 years old, Wilder’s window to secure a legacy-defining victory is closing fast. Despite his former dominance as a WBC champion, a series of defeats has put him in a precarious position. His sole victory in the last few years came in October 2022 against Robert Helenius through knockout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Bronze Bomber needs a win in his next bout to prove that he is still a force in the heavyweight division, especially before potentially stepping away from the sport for good.

Curtis Harper, on the other hand, with a record of 18-11 with 12 knockouts, could be just the right opponent for Wilder’s career. Harper is coming off a solid year in 2024, having won all four of his fights, including three by knockout. While not as highly ranked as some other contenders, Harper is no pushover. Fans are excited about this fight because it’s an intriguing match-up that could tell us a lot about where Wilder stands at the moment. But before this official announcement, AI predictions about Wilder’s next opponent were already circulating…

AI’s prediction for Deontay Wilder’s next few opponents

Just days ago, our team at EssentiallySports consulted AI to predict possible opponents for Deontay Wilder’s return and these were the results.

The first name ChatGPT suggested was Andy Ruiz Jr. After a win over Anthony Joshua, Ruiz was outclassed by AJ in the rematch. While Ruiz has had success since, over a unanimous decision win against Chris Arreola in May 2021 and Luis Ortiz in September 2022, his record has been a mixed bag. “Ruiz is a former heavyweight champion with a solid name but has struggled with consistency. This fight offers Wilder a manageable but credible challenge,” the model added.

The next name was Joseph Parker. But the fight is not possible because Parker is slated to square off against Daniel Dubois on February 22nd in Riyadh for the IBF heavyweight title. “Parker is a former WBO heavyweight champion and a skilled boxer with a respectable reputation. However, he lacks the power to truly trouble Wilder,” the AI explained.

The last name, according to ChatGPT, was Frank Sanchez. It said, “Sanchez is a rising contender with strong technical skills. This fight would test Wilder’s current condition against a younger, more technical opponent.”

But in the end, ChatGPT predicted that the Bronze Bomber’s return to the ring might not be the best choice, given his age and physical condition. “Continued fights could lead to further losses, tarnishing his legacy,” it added. However, with the official declaration being confirmed about his return to the ring, what do you think? Will this comeback reignite Deontay Wilder’s career or serve as a precursor to his retirement? Do share your thoughts below!