Deontay Wilder’s tirade at LAX made TMZ headlines after the former WBC champion warned Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller to “pay for his grave” and vowed he would “slap the f&^k out of him” if they crossed paths before a contract is even signed. The beef isn’t new: Miller has baited Wilder on social media for more than a year, but the venom suggests the Bronze Bomber is looking well beyond his officially scheduled return in Wichita.
First, Wilder must dispatch journeyman Tyrrell Anthony Herndon on June 27 in a 10‑rounder at INTRUST Bank Arena, his first outing since being by Zhilei Zhang last June. Promoters told ESPN the bout is meant to shake off ring rust and restore confidence after Wilder collected just one win in his last five fights. Herndon called the matchup “my chance to retire my idol,” but bookmakers have installed Wilder as a double‑digit favourite.
Watch Zhang vs. Wilder highlights: Watch
Wilder insists it’s no soft touch. “This is the return of me,” he told reporters, framing Herndon as step one toward “all the belts.” Should he win, the 39‑year‑old says Miller, or MMA‑crossover attraction Francis Ngannou, could headline a second fight before year’s end under Saudi or U.S. PPV money.
Miller has yet to secure a high‑profile bout since his 2023 KO loss to Daniel Dubois, but the Brooklyn native’s trash talk keeps his name in rumours.
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Image Credit: Sky Sports