Wilder has now stopped 43 opponents in 44 wins, many in dramatic fashion.

But since his trilogy with Briton Fury – a brutal, history-making rivalry that saw him floored five times and stopped twice – Wilder has never quite looked the same.

Those defeats appeared to drain not just his record but his aura, confidence, and perhaps his trust in the sport.

In the aftermath, Wilder made unsubstantiated claims of loaded gloves, spiked water and betrayal from within his team, drawing ridicule and alienating some fans.

A long-rumoured bout with Anthony Joshua seemed close in late 2023, but Wilder was soundly beaten on points by New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia. It was a flat, uninspired display that derailed the Joshua fight and raised fresh doubts about Wilder’s future.

Then came the crushing fifth-round defeat to Zhang last year – a loss that, to many, looked like the end.

Wilder vanished from the spotlight. He went quiet on social media and drifted off the radar.

He insists he never planned to walk away and says he had been working with a sports psychologist to help him heal and rekindle his love for boxing.

This comeback, he says, was always part of the plan.