Deontay Wilder wants to "change boxing" for future generations as he heads into the final stages of his career, with healthcare for younger fighters a key step in his plan.
The former world heavyweight champion has already made tens of millions during his career, and is now keen to pass on improvements that will leave fighters in a better position as they progress in their journeys. He also harbours ambitions of becoming world champion again, but appears to have ideas of improving situations for other fighters.
Wilder recently returned to the ring for a quick-fire knockout of Robert Helenius, and now appears to be facing Andy Ruiz for the WBC mandatory challenger spot that could earn him a fourth fight with Tyson Fury. But he has one eye out of the ring as he insists that he wants promoters to treat boxers as athletes in other sports are treated.
"My thing at this point in time, I'm looking to change boxing," he told ESNews. "I want to change the way it is. That's my path, right now, that I'm on. I want to change the trajectory of boxing for the fighters now in the future because there's a lot of stuff that goes on now in boxing that they're not knowledgable about."
Healthcare has long been one of the biggest issues in combat sports, with Wilder joining the likes of Jake Paul and Georges St-Pierre as the latest high-profile athlete to come out and discuss the changes he wants to see. And he wants fighters to be empowered to push for better conditions once they understand the complexities of the business.
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"If they are knowledgable about this they're fearful to ask or fearful to go," Wilder continued. "They're not in the position of making demands and commands, they're only in the position of taking orders. If you don't like this then you know where you can go. Open your eyes, look around and see.
"Money, money, money - look around and see do you really love me... I'm going to change it for all fighters. That goes from healthcare, to giving us retirement funds. If this is a sport, treat us like sports. If this is a sport, treat us like every other sport treats its athletes.
"Give us our medical insurance. Because if anybody [in another major sport] needs medical insurance for our life and our families too, some of them treat their girlfriends to it! If any sport needs it then it's this one. We ain't got healthcare? But the promoters only have enough to put on the show? Come on, stop."
