Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has stirred online buzz after revealing his lavish private gym, “King of God’s Army,” in a video posted this week on Wilder’s official X (formerly Twitter) account and reshared across platforms like Boxing Kingdom.

The facility boasts a sleek LED-lit interior, a full-size ring, orderly punching bags, a massage table, lounge area, and warrior-themed murals—an aesthetic befitting Wilder’s “Bronze Bomber” brand. But the timing of the reveal is no coincidence: Wilder is set to return to the ring on June 27 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas, facing journeyman Tyrrell Herndon in a 10-round main event billed as “Legacy Reloaded” on BLK Prime pay-per-view.

This marks Wilder’s first bout since suffering a fifth-round TKO loss to Zhilei Zhang in Riyadh in June 2024, a defeat that followed a unanimous decision loss to Joseph Parker in December 2023. His last victory remains the highlight-reel first-round KO of Robert Helenius in October 2022. With four losses in his last five outings, Wilder’s upcoming fight is being viewed as a must-win moment to keep his elite hopes alive—and potentially reopen the door to mega bouts with the likes of Anthony Joshua or Francis Ngannou.

Deontay Wilder faces rebuke from fans over his extravagant new gym

“Where no actual boxing takes place, just swinging for the hills 24/7,” remarked one viewer sarcastically, a jab referencing Wilder’s often-criticized boxing style that prioritizes wild haymakers over technical fundamentals. Since his back-to-back losses to Tyson Fury, Wilder’s skillset has been under intense scrutiny.

Comparisons to iconic boxing training scenes also surfaced immediately. One commenter posed a rhetorical jab, “There is no fun in training in fancy gyms like this. Did he never watch Rocky 4?” A nod to Rocky Balboa’s raw, snow-covered mountain training as the antithesis to high-tech, soft environments like this. Another fan argued, “Shows he not serious. Any person with grit and hunger would have a gym like the Rocky Movies,” echoing a belief that true champions are forged in humble settings.

One commenter succinctly mocked Wilder’s boxing fundamentals, bluntly joking, “Shame he can’t box 🤣,” echoing long-standing criticisms of Wilder’s perceived lack of technique despite his powerful right hand.

Another expressed disappointment in Wilder’s training choices, questioning, “What’s the point if you’re going to double down on Malik Scott as your trainer?”—a reference to Scott’s controversial role as head coach since 2021, whose corner strategies during the Fury trilogy were heavily criticized.

Yet another viewer took a jab at Wilder’s financial priorities, writing sharply: “Sounds like when you pay for a really expensive interior designer and they try to sell you hard on their design. Waste of money, is anyone going to train or use the facility? Do you plan on making any returns on this investment or just show people you waste money? Wilder sad.” The critique underscores fan frustrations about what they perceive as image-driven spending with little to show in terms of boxing success.

Finally, one user closed with a cheeky remark referencing Wilder’s well-documented knockouts: “Too bad there’s nothing there to train his chin,” referring to the punishing blows he suffered at the hands of Fury and fans’ belief that Wilder struggles to absorb damage in big fights.

While Deontay Wilder’s visually stunning gym undeniably grabbed attention online, boxing fans seem to agree on one thing: no amount of glossy aesthetics can substitute the grit and raw intensity that real boxing demands. As social media buzz continues, Wilder’s next moves inside—and outside—the ring will surely remain under close scrutiny.