Former world heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder was arrested in Los Angeles early Tuesday morning on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon.
The 37-year-old fighter's Rolls-Royce was pulled over by police in the city's Hollywood neighborhood due to an obstructed license plate and excessive window tint, the Los Angeles Times reported. During the stop, officers said they smelled marijuana, prompting a search of the vehicle. That's when they recovered a 9 mm handgun, the Times reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Wilder was taken into custody around 1:15 a.m. and released approximately five hours later on a bond of $35,000. Charges were pending.
The Bronze Bomber appeared to address the arrest on Twitter shortly after being released, writing: "I'd rather be safe than sorry. The End," followed by the praying hands emoji.
I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End 🙏🏿
— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) May 2, 2023
Wilder is a former Olympic bronze medalist and holds a career record of 43 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, with all but one of his wins coming by way of knockout. He won the World Boxing Council heavyweight title in 2015 and successfully defended it 10 times before losing to current champion Tyson Fury in 2020.
There have been talks about Wilder potentially fighting former Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua later this year, but it's unclear if his recent arrest will impact those discussions.
