The Untold Story: Why Deontay Wilder And Telli Swift Split In 2025 And Who His True Wife Is
Deontay Wilder’s personal life has been as explosive and unpredictable as his right hand, often leaving fans and media confused about his true marital status. As of late 2024 and confirmed into December 2025, the man known as "The Bronze Bomber" is no longer engaged to his long-time partner, Telli Swift, marking the end of one of boxing's most high-profile relationships. The highly anticipated wedding between the former WBC Heavyweight Champion and the reality TV star was officially canceled following a turbulent separation that made headlines.
The confusion over who Deontay Wilder's "wife" is stems from his past marriage to Jessica Scales and his lengthy, high-profile engagement to Telli Swift, which was often mistaken for a marriage. This article provides the definitive, most current breakdown of his relationship history, the full biography of the two most significant women in his life, and the complex family structure of the heavyweight icon.
The Women of The Bronze Bomber: A Definitive Biography
Deontay Wilder's journey from a young father fighting to support his family in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to a world-renowned boxing champion is intrinsically linked to the two most important women in his life: his ex-wife, Jessica Scales-Wilder, and his former fiancée, Telli Swift.
Telli Swift: The Ex-Fiancée and Reality TV Star
Telli Swift (real name Shuntel Swift) was the woman most recently associated with Deontay Wilder, gaining significant fame through her relationship with the boxer and her own career in media. Their relationship, which began after Wilder's divorce from his first wife, was a staple of celebrity gossip and reality television.
- Full Name: Shuntel "Telli" Swift
- Role: Reality TV Personality, Podcast Host, Entrepreneur (Fashion/Fragrance)
- Born: January 24, 1987 (Age 38 in 2025)
- Hometown: Philippines (Raised in California, USA)
- Relationship Timeline: Began dating circa 2015; Engaged in early 2018; Separated/Split officially in 2025.
- Child with Wilder: One daughter, Kaorii Lee Wilder.
- Key Facts: She starred on the E! reality show WAGS Atlanta, where her relationship with Wilder and her desire to marry him were a central plotline.
- Current Status (2025): Telli Swift is now referred to as Wilder's ex-fiancée. Reports indicate the separation was finalized in 2025, and she has since been publicly linked to NFL safety John Johnson III. The split was reportedly acrimonious, with Swift obtaining a restraining order against Wilder in late 2024 amidst accusations of domestic violence, a claim that Wilder has strongly denied.
Jessica Scales-Wilder: The First Wife and Family Foundation
Jessica Scales-Wilder is the woman who holds the title of Deontay Wilder’s only official wife to date. She was a crucial part of his life during the most challenging period of his early career, providing support as he navigated the amateur ranks and the immense responsibility of fatherhood.
- Full Name: Jessica Scales-Wilder
- Role: Former Wife, Mother of Four
- Relationship Timeline: Married in 2009; Divorced in 2017.
- Children with Wilder: Four children, including sons Deontay Wilder Jr. and Dereon Wilder, and daughters Ava Wilder and Naieya Wilder.
- Key Facts: Her early pregnancy with their daughter, Naieya, was the driving force behind Wilder's decision to pursue boxing professionally to pay for her medical care. Naieya was born with Spina Bifida, a severe birth defect, and Wilder’s dedication to her care is a well-documented and inspiring part of his life story.
- Current Status: She is reportedly single following the 2017 divorce. She maintains a private life away from the spotlight.
The Bronze Bomber's Eight Children and Complex Family Life
While the focus is often on his partners, the most consistent entity in Deontay Wilder's life is his large family. Contrary to common belief, Wilder is a father to a staggering eight children with four different women. This dedication to fatherhood is a cornerstone of his persona and a frequent topic of discussion in his interviews.
His eldest daughter, Naieya Wilder, remains the primary motivation for his entire career. Her medical condition, Spina Bifida, required expensive care, which pushed Wilder to drop out of community college and begin his Olympic boxing journey at the age of 20, a remarkably late start for a professional boxer. This pro-life decision ultimately changed the trajectory of the heavyweight division.
The total count of eight children, including the four with Jessica Scales-Wilder and one with Telli Swift, demonstrates a highly complex and expansive family structure that he works diligently to support. The concept of family and legacy is a recurring theme in his public life, often overshadowing the drama of his romantic relationships.
The Impact of Personal Turmoil on a Champion's Career
The recent and very public split from Telli Swift has been cited by Deontay Wilder himself as a factor in his recent career performance. Following his losses to Tyson Fury, Wilder publicly admitted that his turbulent private life and the emotional toll of his relationships had a negative impact on his focus and mental health in the ring.
The pressure of maintaining a high-profile engagement, dealing with the reality TV spotlight, and the subsequent breakdown of the relationship with his fiancée—culminating in the canceled wedding and restraining order—created significant distractions for the former champion.
As he prepares for his next phase in the heavyweight division, potentially against fighters like Oleksandr Usyk, the entity of his family life remains a key narrative. His ability to compartmentalize the emotional fallout from the Telli Swift separation and refocus on his trademark knockout power will be crucial for his comeback hopes in 2025 and beyond. The Bronze Bomber's career has always been about fighting for his family, and now, he must fight to regain his personal and professional equilibrium.
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