One-time heavyweight boxing champion, Deontay Wilder, spent the early morning hours behind bars after he was arrested on Tuesday at a routine traffic stop in Los Angeles.
According to TMZ Sports, The Law enforcement agents told the media panel that Wilder was pulled over in Hollywood at approximately 1:15 AM after LAPD officers noticed his license plate was obstructed. Also, his Rolls-Royce windows were illegally tinted.
Later on, during the stop quest, the cops claimed to smell a stale odor of burnt marijuana from his ride, so they searched the car. The sources said they had found some weed and a 9mm handgun in the vehicle. They then put Wilder into custody. However, it was reported that the 6-foot-7 fighter was cooperative and friendly throughout the ordeal, which was surprising.
The 37-year-old heavyweight boxer was arrested and booked for possessing a concealed weapon. The jail records showed that he bonded out at 6:34 AM.
The professional boxer retained the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020, making up to 10 successful defenses. After winning this title, Wilder became the first American world heavyweight champion since 2007, which happens to be the most extended period in boxing history without an American heavyweight champion. Also recently, in April 2023, he was ranked as the world's second-best active heavyweight by The Ring magazine (TRM) and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. He also held fifth by BoxRec.
Rather Safe Than Sorry
A comment on the news said: You are missing the point. The point is that he didn't have a concealed weapon license at all, Not in California or Alabama. He doesn't need one in Alabama, a non-permit to carry in the state, but he needed one in California.
The boxing champion addressed the incident with a post on Twitter a few hours after his release. He tweeted: "I'd rather be safe than sorry. The End,"
The Next Super Fight
Deontay, a 43-2-1 fighter with 42 knockouts on his portfolio, is rumored to be the next opponent for the two-time former unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. The heavyweight super fight is expected to go down at some point in 2023.