How Wichita landed marquee boxing card with ex-heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder
One of the most famous boxers in the world is planning his comeback tour to begin in Wichita.
It was recently announced former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, known as the “Bronze Bomber,” will headline a boxing event dubbed “Legacy Reloaded” at Koch Arena on Wichita State’s campus on Friday, June 27.
Best known for his knockout power and his trilogy of fights with Tyson Fury, which are widely regarded as some of the best heavyweight bouts in recent memory, Wilder, 39, is looking to stage a comeback after losing four of his last five fights.
Not only will Wichita fans be treated to a 10-round heavyweight bout between Wilder (43-1-1, 42 KOs) and Tyrrell Herndon (24-5, 15 KOs), but the card will also feature the return of Wichita native and Olympic medalist Nico Hernandez after a 2-year layoff. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the card starting at 7 p.m. and available to stream on BLK Prime. Tickets can be purchased online through the promoter, Global Combat Collective, or in person at Hernandez Boxing Academy at 1901 N Market St.
“Deontay Wilder is one of the most electrifying fighters the sport has ever seen, and his return is going to be nothing short of legendary,” Global Combat Collective CEO Nelson Lopez Jr. said in a statement. “Legacy Reloaded is about history in the making, and we’re bringing fans front and center for every punch, every moment, and every knockout.”
Wilder has been accustomed to headlining sold-out shows in high-profile venues such as Barclays Center in Brooklyn, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Crypto.com Arena in Las Vegas.
So when his next fight was announced in Wichita, many in the boxing community were surprised.
Brad Pittman, who oversees all athletic facilities at WSU, says Global Combat Collective was impressed by Wichita’s track record of supporting top-notch sporting events, including the USA Boxing National Junior Olympics last summer. Koch Arena also hosted a Hernandez fight in July 2022.
“When you bring in these high-profile events and you do a good job with them, people tend to take notice,” Pittman said. “Wichita is a sports town and we’ve had success hosting a variety of events here, including boxing. People vouched for us as a venue and as an operation that we would do a good job with it. We were here at the right time and the right place for this to happen.”
Wilder isn’t the only one looking to stage a comeback in Wichita.
Hernandez, a North High graduate who most famously won a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, is hoping his fight in June will also launch his career to a title fight.
The 29-year-old has compiled an 11-0 record since turning professional in 2017, but he hasn’t been in the ring since June 2023. Part of that was due to a “management dispute,” but Hernandez also took ownership for his career being on pause.
“I haven’t been doing what I’m supposed to be doing these last two years, but getting the call for this fight, it gave me a lot of motivation to get my life back straight and get things back going in the right way,” Hernandez said. “It’s given me a lot of motivation. Honestly, it’s given me hope for my career. I’ve been through a lot of adversity, but this opportunity is a dream come true and it’s a chance for me to get my career rocking again like how it’s supposed to be.”
Lewis Hernandez, Nico’s father and trainer, believes the exposure from fighting on the same card as Wilder can attract attention from a prominent promoter and resurrect his son’s chances at fighting for a championship belt.
“This is going to give Nico a chance to showcase his talent in front of a lot of people who have never seen him before,” Lewis Hernandez said. “If you’re not from the East or West coast, they couldn’t care less about who you are and what you do. I promise you they’re going to be knocking on his door once they see what Nico can really do. He’s the complete package and once they see that, they’re going to realize that they should have signed this kid a long time ago. Once he gets back in his groove, there’s no stopping him and we’re going to go for what we’ve been coming for.”
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