Deontay Wilder broke down at the post-fight press conference after his victory over Robert Helenius on Saturday (15 October), as the American addressed the dangers present in boxing.

Wilder, fighting for the first time since suffering a second straight stoppage loss to Tyson Fury, knocked out Helenius, 38, in the first round in Brooklyn.

Both heavyweights had been out of the ring for 12 months ahead of the main-event contest, which ended with a short right hand from Wilder, who turns 37 this week.

Expressing concern for Swedish-born Finn Helenius, the American said: “Yeah, it’s a great knockout, it’s devastating, making history and stuff like that, but how much is that man gonna suffer?

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“He may be alright right now – a little bit – but what about the next day? What about two weeks from now? What about a month from now? Maybe years from now?

“We’ve seen what happened, look at [Prichard] Colon. This man ain’t have no kids…” Wilder said, referencing his compatriot and fellow boxer who suffered a brain injury in a 2015 fight, before trailing off in tears.

Read more: Independent