Deontay Wilder world exclusive interview: The remarkable inside story of the man behind the mouth

13 years after leaving his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Wilder is on course to bank the biggest payday of his career for his part in December 1's world title defence against the undefeated Tyson Fury

It is just after 6pm when the convertible, anthracite Rolls Royce Phantom sweeps past a row of corrugated iron storage units and pulls in to its allotted spot. “Parking space reserved for Mr. Wilder,” the sign above it reads. “DO NOT PARK HERE.”

Inside units nine and 10, the evening's Skyy Boxing Gym session is in full swing. A local keep-fitter hits one of three punch bags while two heavyweights knock lumps out of each other in the gym's solitary ring. One adopts a questionable English accent to boast: “I can do 10 rounds without a single drop of water.”

Out front, the WBC heavyweight champion silently climbs out of his vehicle and hoists a huge gym bag onto his shoulders. The autumn sun, now gone from the clear Alabama sky, has made way for a chilly evening and he slides his hood up to protect against the cold.

He greets everyone in the gym with a handshake and a bow of the head. He might hold the heavyweight title after racking up a perfect 40-0 record but there are few airs or graces when Deontay Wilder sets foot in the humble gym, which he has called home ever since he first decided to try boxing in 2005.

Turning his back on college education and the chance to play high-level basketball or American Football, Wilder guessed the best opportunity to make money fast was from boxing. He left his hometown of Tuscaloosa, crossed the appropriately named Black Warrior river and headed for Northport, site of the only boxing gym in the area, to seek his fortune.

It was a long time coming but, 13 years on, he is now a rich man. He is on course to bank the biggest payday of his career for his part in December 1's world title defence against the undefeated Tyson Fury. It could well turn out to be his hardest fight yet, too.

As such, there is an intensely serious atmosphere in the gym once Wilder walks in, while the 1982 Flock of Seagulls number 'I Ran' provides a slightly bizarre soundtrack. After the comedy antics of his and Fury's three-city press tour, 33-year-old Wilder is firmly down to business.

“My body is always aching,” he says. “But this is what I do.”

Perhaps it is due to the extreme and potentially life-altering violence in which he trades that makes Wilder's training seem a step more sinister than that of many other boxers. There are few jokes. When cameras are on, he often shouts 'bomb squad' as loud as he can. Now, in the sanctity of his own gym, with nobody to sell to, he does not raise his voice once.

Wilder has not helped those negative connotations. He has spoken of his desire for 'a body' on his record on more than one occasion, claiming his alter-ego the 'Bronze Bomber' carries only the very worst intentions. But to spend any time in his company outside of the ring shines a light on the dark, bad reputation.

Wilder boasts a flawless professional record (Getty)

“Everybody gets this perspective of me in the ring,” Wilder says. “Everywhere I go my reputation gives people this perspective. But that's just boxing, period, because of what we do. But with me I knock people out for real, I does it consistently, over and over again.

“A lot of the time, people just see me doing interviews, talking about killing people and stuff like that. They get a certain perspective from that and I understand that. But actually, do you know what my real passion is? It's acting... it's films. That's my ultimate passion. That's ever since I was a little boy too, I used to love it.

“It's strange because that ring... That ring is the realest place – you can't act there. That's just pure truth up in there. But I love to act. I'm going to get my own production company. I'm very serious about it, it's not just a dream for me. We've already had to knock back a lot of offers.

“A lot of producers and directors and stuff, I blow them away. They say they've never met anyone as nice before. They're already thinking about what to expect from me, but when I come in and I'm totally the opposite, it's unexpected and it blows their mind. I like to have fun. I know what I'm doing on set. It's why people love working with me. people get a little intimidated by me, they don't know what to expect. They think 'you better not get him mad'. But then when they meet me they say 'this dude is so silly'. But that's just me.”

Wilder has trained at the same gym since 2005 (Independent)

His burgeoning reputation as one of the sport's most devastating men, however, could lead to some issues.

He adds: “Everybody would just easily give me the villain part because of what I do in the ring and how people perceive me.

“But when I'm acting I'm me. I'm not the Bronze Bomber, I'm Deontay Wilder. Because of that, I could do any role.

“I don't want to just play the villain. I don't want to be typecast, I'm multi-talented in a lot of areas.”

Skyy Boxing Gym in Alabama

Given his ability to render other men unconscious, Wilder's 10-year career has so far included just 123 rounds inside the prize-ring. As such, he believes he could still have a decade left in the sport.

“I could if I wanted because I started late and don't take much punishment,” he says. “But honestly that's not something I'm looking at. I got other things going on.

“I haven't had acting lessons yet but I've got a coach. We haven't started yet. But I'm a natural so I don't want to stifle it too much. I'm getting a lot of offers.

“We need to get the right fit. Not just getting things for the sake of it, we want the right role, the right network, everything. When I do things I want to be the executive producer, that's why we're starting a production company I want to be able to provide my own input because my mind is so open, I've got an eye for a lot of different things.”

The picture that motivates Wilder (Bongarts/Getty)

Around the gym, which is about the size of a tennis court, hang bright pink signs carrying lime green inspirational quotes. “Pain is nothing. Pain is in the mind,” one reads. “Be more plough horse than show horse,” urges another. Asked to describe his gym in three words, head trainer Jay Deas beams: “Old-school boxing.”

The walls are covered in fight posters spanning generations. Looking out from among them is the stoney faced portrait of Fury, holding his four world title belts in the moments after his famous 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko. In fact, the same picture hangs on two different walls.

Victory over Fury will help pave the way for a showdown with Anthony Joshua, who now holds all the belts from that particular picture, which would probably generate more money than any other heavyweight fight in history.

“Forget the money,” Wilder says.

The American with his WBC heavyweight belt (Getty)

“I'm rich and I'm lucky but that's because I have things that money can't buy: love, peace, happiness.

“I was always meant to be like this. I was prepared for this moment. I just think this is part of the process – it's just the beginning of what I'm going to do.

“It's just a gathering of the people. It's crazy. People really listen. I want men to see that you don't have to be tough all the time. You don't have to have this persona. You can show a sensitive side. It's ok to say you love someone. I show a sensitive, caring side. I show you can be silly or goofy and still do what you want to do. People see that.

“I would hate to be on the outside of boxing, running round like I do now, chanting, saying I'm the baddest man on the planet. I don't want to do that. That's not me, that's not Deontay Wilder's personality. Deontay's personality just likes to be free, we have fun. I'm at peace.”

The pair fight on December 1 (Getty)

The irony of his words are totally lost on him once he's back in the ring. When Deas puts on a body suit and steps through the ropes, Wilder nearly knocks him back through them with a combination which ends with an overhand right.

There is a little over four weeks until lights, camera, action a few miles down the road from Hollywood Boulevard and the champion has already learned his lines.