DEONTAY WILDER broke down in tears as he admitted he fears for Robert Helenius’ health following his brutal knockout win.
A right hand from Wilder in the opening round of his boxing return in New York rendered Helenius unconscious.
The American, famed for his devastating power, let off subdued celebrations at the post-fight press conference.
And Wilder was reduced to tears as he went on to discuss American ex-boxer Prichard Colon, who suffered brain damage in the ring.
He said: “We’ve seen what happens, look at Colon. How he got hit, Richard Collon, correct.
“This man didn’t have no kids… they don’t understand. Y’all don’t f****** understand what we go through, man.
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“And I don’t even know him like that, but I will always be an advocate for us.
“Because this man will never know what it’s like to be somebody’s father.
“And that’s one of the most precious things in the world, to be somebody’s father. But he will never be nobody’s father, man.
“Because he got in the ring to support his family but now, his family got to take care of him for the rest of his life.
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“He was probably the bread winner in his family and now they’re looking and seeking for help and s*** like that.”
Colon, now 30, suffered life-changing injuries in the ring following defeat to Terrel Williams in 2015.
The former light-middleweight contender was left in a persistent vegetative state following repeated blows he took during the bout.
Wilder – who once claimed he wanted a “body on his record” – voiced concern for ex-sparring partner Helenius, 38, following his brutal KO.
He said: “I could say so much about it, man. That’s why you can’t play this, this is serious.
“We don’t know if Robert is going to be the same after this. I just did a job.
“I’m great at what I do but I don’t mean to take people away from the lifestyle they’re living. I’m just trying to support my family as well.”
Wilder returned to the ring for the first time in a year, since suffering a brutal KO loss of his own, to Tyson Fury, 34, in their gruelling trilogy bout.
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And he called out Oleksandr Usyk, 35, following his comeback win but expects to have a fight on his hands in convincing the Ukrainian to fight him.
He said: “I think it’s going to be very difficult. I’ll be very surprised if he sticks to his word.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
