(Los Angeles) Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was arrested Monday night in Los Angeles for alleged possession of a concealed weapon, local police said.
The 37-year-old Wilder was taken into custody for several hours before being released around 6:35 a.m. on $35,000 bail five hours later, the same source said.
According to TMZ and the Los Angeles Times, officers arrested Wilder in the Hollywood neighborhood for illegally tinted windows and an obstructed license plate on his Rolls Royce. They smelled cannabis, which led them to inspect the vehicle, inside which they found a 9mm pistol.
The boxer was “cooperative” throughout the incident, said witnesses quoted by TMZ.
In California, carrying a concealed weapon is considered a misdemeanor punishable by one year in prison, a maximum fine of $1,000 and summary probation.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry. Period,” Wilder wrote hours later in a tweet.
The American (43 wins including 42 before the limit, 2 losses, 1 draw) returned to the ring last year after a long absence, resulting from his trilogy against Tyson Fury, which took place in 2018 to 2021.