Deontay Wilder has reportedly inked his side of the contract for a surprise comeback fight against Curtis Harper, a journeyman best known for exiting the ring at the opening bell of his 2018 bout with Efe Ajagba. Sources tell that both men have signed to meet on April 26 in Atlanta.
The Alabama knockout artist has dropped four of his last five fights, including a punishing points loss to Joseph Parker in December 2023 and a knockout defeat to Zhilei Zhang in June. Prior to those setbacks, he took just one round to dispatch Robert Helenius, but his subsequent matchups under the Riyadh Season banner yielded harsh outcomes. By contrast, Harper is on a four-fight win streak, yet those victories all came against opponents with losing records.
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Harper’s most high-profile moment remains the infamous night he was disqualified for walking out of the ring as soon as the opening bell rang against Ajagba. He later attributed his abrupt departure to a pay dispute. The Florida-based fighter has also suffered defeats to the likes of Zhang, Chris Arreola, and Richard Torrez Jr., but sees this clash with Wilder as a chance to propel himself back into the mainstream spotlight.
BLK Prime is expected to carry the contest on its streaming platform as Wilder aims to recapture the form that once made him the most feared puncher in heavyweight boxing.
Deontay's career is available here.
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