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Deontay Wilder’s shock defeat to Joseph Parker last month wrecked a lot of people’s plans. The “Bronze Bomber” had put pen to paper on a deal to meet Anthony Joshua in a mega-money showdown in Saudi Arabia in March, but the agreement was left in tatters when Parker schooled the former WBC heavyweight champion over 12 surprisingly straightforward rounds in Riyadh on December 23.The boxing world has carried on turning while Wilder has been left staring at the drawing board. The first equation the American must figure out is does he even want to fight again? Certainly, his post-fight interview in the immediate aftermath of the lifeless performance against Parker suggested he was a man who could walk away from the sport content.But the knockout artist will always have an offer to fight somewhere in the world and it seems Saudi Arabia has not been deterred by Wilder’s listless effort just a few weeks ago. According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Wilder has options to fight on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s March 8 showdown with MMA superstar Francis Ngannou – the man many people believe beat Tyson Fury during their bout in the Kingdom in November.With Joshua moving on without him, the belts locked up ahead of the undisputed clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, and his credibility at an all-time low, who next for Wilder? Here are three opponents who could make sense for the 38-year-old to revive his career…Andy RuizWhile Zhang has raised his profile with activity over the past year, the career of Ruiz (35-2) has stagnated since he forfeited his titles back to Joshua a few months after his massive upset win over the former Olympic champion in 2019. The 34-year-old has boxed just twice since, most recently in September 2022 when he outpointed Luis Ortiz.But the Mexican-American is eager to cash in on the Saudi riches being pumped into the sport, attending the “Day of Reckoning” and watching Wilder’s defeat from ringside. It is a matchup that would have the commercial appeal the organisers will be looking for, and it also could come at a favourable time for Wilder. Ruiz’s professionalism has been fairly questioned and after almost 18 months out of the ring, one has to wonder if he has the same hand speed that rocked Joshua at Madison Square Garden.Daniel DuboisThe Englishman picked up a career-best win on the “Day of Reckoning” card, stopping Jarrell Miller after dishing out a 10-round beatdown and he certainly impressed the Saudi bankrollers in the process. Dubois (20-2) is blessed with serious power and is a much younger man at 26 years old, a combination which could put Wilder off.But if the “Bronze Bomber” is eager to prove that his performance against Parker was just a blip, taking out Dubois just a few months later would be a pretty strong statement that could reopen the door to a fight with Joshua.
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