Deontay Wilder is facing disturbing accusations.
The boxing star’s fiancée, Shuntel “Telli” Swift, filed for and was granted a temporary restraining order for him, according to USA Today, after alleging that Wilder, 38, physically assaulted her at least 10 times.
Swift, 37, reportedly claimed that Wilder had choked her at least five times and attacked her in front of their 6-year-old daughter they share together and her 18-year-old son.
Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion, allegedly choked her until she nearly went unconscious, leaving her with bruises.
Swift also alleged that Wilder slammed her son’s head on the side of her car when he was 11 years old.
She said that Wilder’s mental health has deteriorated since he began struggling in his professional boxing career.
Wilder and Swift have been together since 2015 and got engaged in 2018.
Swift feared how Wilder would react when he came back from from Saudi Arabia following his knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang on June 1.
It marked Wilder’s second consecutive loss, and fourth in his last five bouts.
Swift claims that Wilder “took his anger out on me and our family,’’ according to the report. “I asked him to go to therapy, but he refused to try to get help.
“At that point, he struggled to get fights that could advance his career and he was emotionally unstable. He would cry and yell often in our home.’’
Swift said that his abuse worsened after losing to Joseph Parker, by unanimous decision, in December.
“Deontay has been more emotionally abusive to me than anytime in the past,” Swift said. “I have been suffering in silence despite Deontay becoming increasingly aggressive and controlling, because I did not want him to experience any further mental health struggles.’’
Wilder has at least 12 guns between their three homes, Swift claimed, including a machine gun and assault rifle.
Though it’s worsened, Swift said the abuse is not new.
She claims that she tried to leave him in 2017 while she was pregnant, but Wilder hid her house and car keys and did not let her leave.
Wilder has recently grown suspicious that she’s having an affair, Swift claimed, which she claimed is untrue though she says she has evidence of his infidelity.
Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) rose to stardom with a vicious knockout streak, and was the most well-known American boxer for much of his career.
His knockout-to-win percentage (97.6 percent) is the highest in heavyweight history.
But inside the ring, he’ll be most remembered for his iconic trilogy with Tyson Fury.
They drew their first bout and Wilder subsequently lost the other two, which is when Swift claims his mental deterioration began.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
