Deontay Wilder, a professional boxer from the United States, made headlines in 2018 not only for his prowess in the ring but also for an incident involving his mascot. The incident occurred during a press conference for his upcoming match against Tyson Fury. Wilder's mascot, a person dressed in a large costume resembling a character from the "Black Panther" movie, was brought out to entertain the audience at the press conference. However, things took an unexpected turn when the mascot playfully confronted Fury, who was also attending the conference. As Fury and Wilder engaged in a war of words, the mascot got involved by playfully shoving Fury. This unexpected interaction led to a tense moment and added to the overall excitement surrounding the upcoming match.
‘Bronze Bomber’ Deontay Wilder Traces His Roots to Edo State
Former World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, has revealed that he has his ancestry in Edo State, Nigeria.
Speaking in a YouTube video that went viral at the weekend, Wilder admitted tracing his roots to Edo and promised he would love to come back home to learn about the culture of the place.
“I want to go back and learn more about my culture and information with things about me. Once I’m done with what I’m doing, I’m going back to see my tribe, Edo.
“I want to see my culture and my ancestors and learn a lot of things. We all have lots of things that we are connected to that we know nothing about. I’ll love to go there and do research about my roots and my tribe,” observed Wilder in the video.
Wilder, who adopted the moniker “Bronze Bomber”, enjoyed a five-year reign as the WBC heavyweight champion between 2015 and 2020, losing his strap in a bout with British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in February 2020.
They both have signed a dealfor a third world heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas on July 24.
The Britain’s WBC champion was ordered by an arbitration court to face Wilder next, thereby disrupting plans for an undisputed world heavyweight unification clash against Nigerian-born British WBA, IBF and WBO champion Anthony Joshua.
It is not immediately clear if Wilder’s realisation of his roots informed his moniker, “Bronze Bomber.”
Another Edo-born Mixed Martial Art UFC Welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman is presently on visit to Nigeria after over 20 years absence.
Fondly called the “Nigerian Nightmare”, Kamaru has promised to assist youths in the country reach their potentials through the funding of a mixed martial art academy.
Several top boxers with successful careers in the heavyweight category have their roots in Nigeria. Apart from Joshua, Samuel Peters, Herbie Hyde and Ike Ibeabuchi, Efe Ajagba’s career is gradually gathering steam.
Boxer Deontay Wilder On ESPN Mascot Punch: “I Thought There Was Going To Be More Cushion”
Heavyweight champion boxer Deontay Wilder has spoken out on what happened when he punched an ESPN Nacion mascot on camera in a TV stunt that went badly.
Wilder last week allegedly broke the jaw of a person wearing the mascot outfit during the stunt showcasing his pugilistic skills.
Wilder, undefeated at 40-0 and nicknamed “The Bronze Bomber,” was invited by the show hosts to kiddingly box the hot dog-like Nacion ESPN mascot in what was supposed to be a jokey moment. Wilder apparently didn’t get the memo, sending the mascot to the floor with a vicious right-hand shot after a few feints.
The mascot did not immediately get up from Wilder’s blow. The Spanish language channel has since said that no serious injury occurred to the man wearing the costume, despite earlier claims that the mascot suffered a broken jaw in the incident.
Wilder gave his side of the story to the Daily Mail. “One minute I’m doing an interview, and the next I look up there’s a big a** burrito to the right of me, waiting on me,” he said. “I didn’t hit no mascots (sic) or anything like that before and I said, ‘Yeah cool let’s make it happen.’ So once I got to select where I got to hit him, I told them: ‘I’m a head-hunter, I like to knock you out! I’m one of the hardest punchers in the world and I thought there was going to be more cushion or whatever. But when I hit him, it was like another opponent, it was crazy.:
“They said I hit him on the chin. I think he was a little bit dazed at first.”
Wilder apologized in an Instagram post and invited the mascot, who has not been identified by name, to his next fight. Wilder will face Tyson Fury on December 1 in Los Angeles.
Boxer Deontay Wilder Didn’t Break a Nación ESPN Mascot’s Jaw, Network Says
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder apologized Sunday after it was widely reported that he broke an ESPN mascot performer’s jaw on live TV. But the 40-0 boxer can rest easy: ESPN says that the performer is just fine. “Reports are innacurate. No injury was caused to the Mascot performer during the Nación ESPN segment,” an ESPN representative told TheWrap on Sunday.
Earlier this month, Wilder sat down with Nación ESPN’s Adicto al Boxeo to talk about his upcoming title-defending bout against British boxer Tyson Fury. Near the end of the segment, Wilder was invited to take out his impatience to get the fight started on a BOB punching dummy brought out just for the occasion.
Wilder went to town on the dummy, actually knocking it to the ground and then, egged on by the hosts, he held a joke-sparring match with the network’s colorful sombrero-wearing mascot to determine the “Heavyweight Nación ESPN.” It went exactly as you’d expect, considering that Wilder has won all but one of his fights by knockout. He punched the mascot in the costume’s face, sending the mascot down on his back pretending to flail about. See for yourself in the clip above. The whole thing was clearly a gag. The hosts were laughing during the whole thing, they expressly invited Wilder to take the punch, and the very game mascot was protected by a costume featuring a sturdy plastic face attached to a thick cloth body suit. The segment ended cheerfully with no indication that anyone was hurt, and the clip went unnoticed for almost two weeks. Then, some time last week, a YouTuber uploaded video of the interview with the title “breaking news! deontay wilder breaks a mans jaw on live tv!” This was followed by uploads from other YouTubers with similar titles, some calling the incident a sucker punch.
And so it is that by Saturday, multiple media outlets reported that the mascot’s jaw was broken, prompting Wilder to issue an apology on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo5fuYuHlSj That’s a great offer, and despite the fact the reports aren’t true, we hope the mascot performer still gets to attend the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury fight on Dec. 1. In the meantime, the performer can at least enjoy being one of the few people to box with Wilder who wasn’t actually knocked out. Good work.
This unexpected interaction led to a tense moment and added to the overall excitement surrounding the upcoming match. While some fans found the incident entertaining, others criticized Wilder for the use of a mascot in a serious boxing environment. They argued that such antics were disrespectful to the sport and took away from the professionalism expected at a press conference.
Ross A. Lincoln
Ross joined TheWrap as a news editor in 2017; he was previously associate editor at Deadline from 2015-2017, and before that comics editor at The Escapist, and features editor at Game Front. As a writer, in addition to TheWrap his bylines can be found at Deadline, Box Office, The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, The…
Wilder defended his decision, stating that the mascot was meant to bring some fun and entertainment to the event and that it was not meant to disrespect his opponent or the sport of boxing. Despite the criticism, the incident certainly grabbed attention and generated buzz around the fight. In the end, Wilder's match against Fury became one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year. The mascot incident added an element of excitement and unpredictability to the build-up, which only heightened the interest of fans and media alike. Although the mascot incident may have sparked controversy, it ultimately contributed to the marketing and promotion of the fight. Wilder's choice to incorporate a mascot into a press conference demonstrated his willingness to push boundaries and entertain audiences beyond the confines of the boxing world. Whether one sees the incident as a marketing ploy or a disrespectful act, there is no denying that the encounter between Wilder's mascot and Fury added an extra layer of intrigue and excitement to an already highly anticipated matchup..
Reviews for "The Controversy Surrounding Deontay Wilder's Mascot"
1. John - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with Deontay Wilder's mascot. It just seemed like a cheap and cheesy attempt to gain attention and distract from his poor performance in the ring. The mascot itself looked amateurish and didn't add any value to his image or brand. Overall, I feel like it was a desperate move that fell flat.
2. Sarah - 1 star
I have to say, Deontay Wilder's mascot was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in a boxing match. It was distracting and took away from the actual sport. I expected more professionalism from a heavyweight champion. It's clear to me that he was just trying to be the center of attention, and it was a huge turn-off. I hope he focuses more on his boxing skills in the future instead of these gimmicks.
3. Michael - 2 stars
The Deontay Wilder mascot was an unnecessary distraction that took away from the seriousness of the fight. I understand that boxers sometimes try to create a persona to stand out, but this was just silly. It felt like a cheap marketing ploy rather than a genuine attempt to add some excitement to the match. I hope Wilder focuses more on his boxing skills and leaves the mascots in the past.
4. Jessica - 1 star
Deontay Wilder's mascot was a complete waste of time and made the entire event feel like a joke. Boxing is supposed to be a serious sport, and this gimmick just made it seem ridiculous. I was disappointed to see a professional athlete stoop this low for attention. It left a bad taste in my mouth and made me question Wilder's professionalism and dedication to the sport.
5. Robert - 2 stars
I was not a fan of Deontay Wilder's mascot. It felt out of place and took away from the focus of the fight. It seemed like a desperate attempt to add some excitement to the event, but it failed to do so. I believe that a fighter's skills and performance in the ring should speak for themselves, and this mascot gimmick only served as a distraction. I hope Wilder takes a more serious approach in the future and leaves the gimmicks behind.