How Deontay Wilder’s daughter’s debilitating condition inspired his boxing career
Former WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is arguably one of the most well-known boxers of the last decade. However, he may never have stepped inside a ring if it weren’t for his daughter’s medical condition.
At 40 years old, Wilder can call himself a former WBC world heavyweight champion, with the ‘Bronze Bomber’ holding the title from 2015 to 2020, when he lost by seventh-round knockout in the second of three fights against Britain’s Tyson Fury.
With millions in the bank and a legacy to look back on, you’d be forgiven for thinking Wilder began boxing at a young age.
However, this was not the case for the Alabama fighter, who grew up dreaming of a career in the NBA.
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Speaking to Boxing Scene ahead of his fight with Derek Chisora at The O2 in London on Saturday 4 April, the American opened up about how he “played everything”, from basketball to American football, before boxing even crossed his mind as a potential profession.
“What got me into boxing is when I realised that I couldn’t go to university any more to pursue a career in professional sport,” Wilder explained.
“I had to lean on the school of hard knocks, you know – that’s whooping people’s arse. I knew that, as a fighter, I could be a professional and earn money for my daughter.”
When Wilder was just 20 years old, his daughter Naieya was born with spina bifida, which “happens when a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not fully develop in the womb. It is usually diagnosed during pregnancy or shortly after birth,” according to the NHS.
Symptoms can range from weakness in the legs and incontinence to issues with walking, as well as a build-up of fluid on the brain. The condition can also impact bone development and feeling in the limbs.
“I had a friend that I was in college with. We used to talk about what we were trying to do to achieve our goals, and I told him that I wouldn’t be able to attend any more because I had a daughter on the way,” the 40-year-old added.
“I said, ‘I’m going to start boxing.’ He thought it was a great idea because, like I said, I never looked for trouble, but trouble always found me. They always saw me knocking heads, you know, knocking people out even before getting into boxing. So he thought it was a great idea. I ended up joining a gym, a local gym that I had no idea about. I went there, walked in and met my long-time trainer, Jay Deas, who is my co-manager now. The rest is history.
“My only plan coming into boxing was to risk my life to save a life – for a girl who was born with spina bifida. I told her when she was one year old, I promised her that her daddy would be a champion and be able to support her beyond her belief. She didn’t understand, she was only one, but I knew I had the fire in me. I had the belief in myself that I would make it to where I needed to be and support her. I’ve overachieved that promise.”
Wilder, who won bronze at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, followed up on his promise when he beat Bermane Stiverne by unanimous decision to be crowned WBC heavyweight champion in Las Vegas over 11 years ago.
The Tuscaloosa-born fighter would later go on to defend his crown 10 times before losing to Fury in 2020.
The ‘Gypsy King’ also beat Wilder by an 11th-round knockout the following year before Wilder got back to winning ways against Robert Helenius in 2022.
Defeats against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang followed before he beat Tyrrell Anthony Herndon last time out in June 2025.
Topics: Deontay Wilder, Boxing, Tyson Fury
Luke Davies