Deontay Wilder's next fight: Former heavyweight champ returns vs. Robert Helenius on Oct. 15

Former WBC heavyweight boxing champion and Tuscaloosa native Deontay Wilder will resume his career Oct. 15 in New York City.

Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs) will take on Robert Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The fight is billed as a WBC heavyweight title eliminator.

“It’s been a long journey for me, and as of today it continues. I thought so many times about whether I should stay out of the business or come back,’’ said Wilder in a release announcing the fight. “Once I got my statue in my hometown and saw so many people arrive and celebrate with me and my family, to see all the emotions, grown men crying in front of their children and saying he is a real true king, made me feel like my job is not done.

"So, here I am once again, looking forward to returning to the ring. I am looking forward to coming to Barclays Center, a place where I have had my most devastating knockouts and a place I consider my second home. ... It’s time to put on your war gear. And let’s go to work, baby.”

Wilder returns to the ring after falling to Tyson Fury for the second time in October of last year. Wilder last fought at Barclays Center in a 2019 first-round knockout of Dominic Breazeale.

The card is co-featured by a middleweight fight between former champions Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell. Other undercard bouts will be announced.

Tickets go on sale Friday Aug. 19, with presale starting Thursday. Pay-per-view will be through Fox Sports.

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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Deontay Wilder, former heavyweight champion to fight Robert Helenius