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Former WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder was arrested on a charge of possession of a concealed weapon Tuesday (May 2) morning, according to jail records obtained by TMZ Sports.
Wilder, 37, was reportedly pulled over in Hollywood at around 1:15 a.m. after officers claimed his the windows on his Rolls-Royce were illegally tinted and his license plate was obstructed, according to law enforcement sources. Officers said Wilder's vehicle emitted the smell of burnt marijuana, which led to a search of the vehicle that resulted in a 9mm handgun being found.
Wilder, who officers described as being cooperative and nice while being detained, tweeted about the incident Tuesday morning, hours after being bonded out at 6:34 a.m. local time.
"I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End," Wilder tweeted.
Wilder, known by fans as 'The Bronze Bomber' after winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, is one of the most dominant active heavyweight boxers, currently ranking third among the weight class by The Ring magazine and having held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020, at which point he made 10 successful defenses. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native has a 43-2-1 (42 TKO) professional record, which includes defeating Robert Helenius by knockout in his last bout in October 2022.
Both of Wilder's career losses came in his second and third matches against current WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury after Wilder had initially retained the title via draw in their first bout of the trilogy. The 37-year-old is reported to be in negotiations with British heavyweight Anthony Joshua in relation to an potential upcoming fight.