Deontay Wilder has reportedly been arrested and jailed following a routine traffic stop in Los Angeles.
It's understood local police found a gun in the heavyweight boxer's possession within his luxury Rolls Royce.
According to TMZ, Wilder was pulled over by cops in Hollywood at around 1.15am on Tuesday morning.
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Reports suggest the reason for being pulled over was to address the "illegally tinted windows" as well as an "obstructed licence plate".
It is alleged that police then searched the former WBC heavyweight champion's vehicle after smelling "burnt marijuana".
Upon conducting their search, they reportedly discovered a 9mm pistol accompanied with cannabis.
The police then took Wilder into custody, facing charges of "possession of a concealed weapon."
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Jail records show he was bonded out at 6:34am – more than five hours after being stopped.
The 6-foot-7-inch man mountain broke his silence, issuing a short statement via social media.
Once his arrest made its way into mainstream media, Wilder tweeted: "I'd rather be safe than sorry. The end."
In the past week, it was revealed that talks have been underway between Wilder and Anthony Joshua to arrange a bout between the two.
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Wilder, who boasts a record of a 43-2-1 with 42 knockouts to his name, recently bounced back from two consecutive losses to Tyson Fury with an impressive victory over Robert Helenius.
As for AJ, his run of back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk came to an end with a very uninspiring win over Jermaine Franklin, courtesy of the judges' scorecards.
Former unified heavyweight champion Joshua said of Wilder: “He is good, I respect him, I don’t undermine him. That will make me raise my game.
“I respect what he has done and what he has done in this division.
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"It is hard to become a champion and he did it so I have to respect that.
“It’s going to be a tough fight but I am confident in myself. I’m a better, more well-rounded athlete, a better, more well-rounded fighter.
“In terms of it getting delivered [from my side], I honestly believe it is 95 per cent there.”
But with Wilder still facing criminal charges, this long-awaited grudge match against AJ might have to wait a little longer.
Topics: Boxing, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, United States
Max Sherry