Senate honors heavyweight champ and Alabama native Deontay Wilder

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March 5, 2015

Lt. Governor Kay Ivey, Deontay Wilder, and Tuscaloosa State Sen. Gerald Allen (Twitter)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Thursday the Alabama State Senate welcomed Tuscaloosa native, and recently crowned heavyweight boxing champion of the world Deontay Wilder.

Proudly welcomed Deontay Wilder to ALStatehouse, @WBCBoxing Heavyweight Champ & @tuscaloosacity native! @BronzeBomber pic.twitter.com/oyxt1vMRlW

— Kay Ivey (@LtGovIvey) March 5, 2015

Senator Gerald Allen (pictured above with Lt. Governor Kay Ivey and Deontay Wilder) authored a resolution honoring the heavyweight.

“Deontay Wilder is a champion because of his work ethic and determination,” said Sen. Allen in a press release. “Those are the kinds of traits all of our young people should strive to have. I’m proud to sponsor a Senate resolution honoring his achievements.”

Wilder stunned all the naysayers in January when he defeated former champion Bermane Stiverne, making the former IHOP cook from Tuscaloosa the first American to own the title since 2006.

“Deontay Wilder has come a long way from the days when he was a waiter at IHOP making around $70 a day in tips and then $400 a week working in a Red Lobster kitchen, having been forced to drop out of school to earn money to take care of his ill daughter,” said ESPN boxing analyst Dan Rafael the night of Wilder’s victory. “Now his daughter is doing well, and Wilder is the proud owner of a world heavyweight title courtesy of a superb performance in a one-sided decision victory against Bermane Stiverne on Saturday night before 8,454 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.”