Deontay Wilder broke down in tears after his last knockout victory.
The former heavyweight world champion, famed for his KO power, has scored 42 finishes from his 43 pro wins and so is very much used to seeing his opponents fall.
However, after suffering his first two stoppage defeats to Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021, Wilder’s attitude appeared to change.
When he returned in 2022, he successfully knocked Robert Helenius unconscious in round one, but this win clearly affected him.
Wilder started crying at his post-fight press conference as he reflected on the potential consequences of his actions.
The thought of Prichard Colon – a boxer who suffered a life-altering brain injury from boxing after a defeat in 2015 – moved the Bronze Bomber to tears.
Initially discussing his win over Helenius, Wilder said: “My heart out goes out to him and I hope he’s doing okay and he’ll be able to go back to his family…
“People always go on about records and all this.
“They say, ‘Oh he lost, oh he’s a bum,’ and all that. Well you get your bum a** in there then…
“Yeah it’s a great knockout, it’s devastating, making history, but how much is that man gonna suffer?
“And we’ve seen what happened, look at Prichard Colon. This man didn’t have no kids.”
At this point Wilder started crying and continued: “They don’t understand man, y’all don’t f***ing understand what we go through man.
“And I don’t even know him like that, but I’ll always be an advocate for us.
“This man will never know what it feels like to be somebody’s father.
“And that’s the most precious thing in the world, to be somebody’s father.
“But he’ll never be nobody’s father.
“This man will never have a natural chance of living again because he got in the ring to support his family.
“But now, his family have gotta take care of him for the rest of his life…
“We don’t know if Robert’s gonna be the same after this. But I just did a job.”
The following day, footage emerged of Wilder visiting Helenius at his hotel and the pair shared a hug in a heart-warming moment.
“You okay? I love you man. I’m sorry,” Wilder was heard saying.
“Don’t be sorry,” Helenius replied.
Wilder has not been the same in the ring since this victory, having fought twice and lost both times – to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.