Deontay Wilder is currently one of boxing’s biggest names.He might have relinquished his heavyweight title to Tyson Fury in February 2020 but the fact remains that the Bronze Bomber is one of the most feared boxers in the heavyweight division.Wilder had won the WBC title in January 2015 and held it up until his rematch with The Gypsy King but before that inaugural championship glory, Wilder had hit the headlines for other reasons.After verbal sparring online, Deontay Wilder travelled to Los Angeles for some very physical sparring in a gym with internet troll Charlie Zelenoff.Zelenoff had directed vile abuse at both Wilder and his daughter. Wilder challenged him.Wilder was fresh off his 31st professional boxing victory, Zelenoff presumably fresh off his keyboard.Wilder even went to the extent of making Zelenoff sign a legal waiver so he wouldn’t sue the boxer for damages.The Bronze Bomber then did what he does best and battered Zelenoff up and down the gym in amongst a sea of people recording the fight for their amusement on their mobile phones.Wilder even wore two right-handed gloves, and handsomely dispatched his opponent.

Wilder has since explained the entire incident, in an interview with ESNews: “You can be a critic and say certain things, but there’s a limit.

“He took it to a whole ‘nother level. One thing I don’t condone is racism and he brought racism to the table.

“He talked about duct-taping my daughter’s mouth and when he said that I visualised him actually doing it and it upset me.

“And then he said he’s gonna kill me, murder me. Those three things, man, I was overboard. When it’s like that, I wanna see you.”

The clip immediately blew up and went viral when uploaded on social media. A lesson, perhaps, that should be learned by online abusers everywhere to remind them that their words online leave a mark.