Deontay Wilder is the undefeated WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight champion. Of his 31 bouts he has won all by knockout. He is set to challenge for the world heavyweight title in the near future. Deontay Wilder probably isn’t a man you want to deliberately upset to the point that you end up in a boxing ring with him. But Charlie Zelenoff did just that.
Zelenoff is reported to have abused Wilder on Twitter for three years, including, Wilder claims, racially abusing the boxer, sending death threats and making hurtful remarks about Wilder’s daughter, who suffers from spina bifida.
TMZ Sports reports that, Zelenoff, as part of his overall trolling strategy it seems, challenged Wilder to a bout in the ring. The heavyweight decided he had had enough of the abuse and accepted the offer.
Before the fight Zelenoff signed a waiver that he couldn't sue over any injuries sustained.
"It was a great contract and he was willing to sign it," Wilder told TMZ. "He agreed to all of the terms. He knew what was going on.”
The fight began in the ring at the Hoolywood Gym but after a few seconds Zelenoff made it through the ropes and dashed out the door. The video appears to show that he returned to complete the fight on the gym floor. Despite suffering a fairly convincing defeat, and being saved by the increasingly angry wilder by others in the gym at the time – Zelenoff carried on afterwards, saying: "I'm the best. I'm still the best."
Wilder had mistakenly taken two right handed gloves to the gym, such was his rush. After the fight he admitted that that mistake was a lucky one for Zelenoff, as the left hook he landed could have done much more damage had Wilder been wearing the correct glove.
After the fight Wilder explained what had pushed him to fight Zelenoff: "He said he was going to murder me. He said he was going to tape my daughter's mouth...when dealing with my kids that's below the belt. That's what really got me,” Wilder said.
"I genuinely care for the guy,” Wilder said after the fight.
“I want him to stop [harassing people] before he messes with the wrong person. You never know who you're dealing with."
“I don’t think the kid’s crazy. I think he just wants attention, a lot of it.”
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