Deontay Wilder got back into the win column Friday with a seventh-round stoppage win in a tune-up fight against Tyrrell Herndon.

Following the victory, just the second in six fights since 2020 for the embattled former heavyweight champion, Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) emphasized he's not diverging from the plan he came in with, outlined by two more tuneups in 2025 before a big one in 2026.

"It felt really good and it was a blessing to get back in there and get the rust off," Wilder told The Ring from his dressing room after the fight at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

"I'm satisfied with the performance, but I'm also not satisfied because there is more to come. I wanted him to throw a little bit more but I appreciate Herndon for dedicating himself. I wanted to work on some countering with the overhand right hand. I don't think he was expecting me to throw the hooks that I was throwing. I wanted to display more than just a right hand."

Wilder rebounded from back-to-back losses to Joseph Parker in 2023 and Zhilei Zhang last June to drop the outmatched Herndon in the second and sixth before ending matters during the seventh in a main event fight staged by Global Combat Collective and BLK Prime.

"A lot of people don't understand how severe my shoulder injury was, or what I have been through, and they'll never understand,” said Wilder. "They don't want to hear any excuses from the fighters. I did the best that I could do to cover it up in my last several fights.

"My shoulder was at like 20 percent. But I'm a fighter and a warrior. I had to do my thing. Now that it's all recovered and healed, I'm able to hold my hand up. I wanted to make sure I got some rounds in, and not be predictable with the right hand."

Wilder turns 40 in September and still has aspirations to become a champion now that he's also overcome mental health issues. He said he's planning for another fight in September, with South Korea being discussed as a possible location, and a December bout at a location to be determined.

"We're going with the plan that we have," Wilder said. "I definitely need a couple of more tuneups. There is a lot more work to be done so I can really feel satisfied and feel that I have truly returned."

Wilder wants the meaningful matchup in 2026 to be against former two-time unified divisional champion Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs), a fight more than seven years in the making.

"It could be against Joshua," said Wilder. "If the fight was set up, we'll be ready to go down those roads. A lot of money is on the line, but sometimes it's not about the money because we have to make sure things are right. We're in the hurt business.

"When we’re ready, everyone will know. … We're just going to take it one fight, and one step at a time. But I have returned, just stay patient with me. I'm back, baby. I'm headed right back to the gym once I get home."

Wilder's manager Shelly Finkel said that he's already received calls within hours of the win inquiring on the former WBC titleholder's availability.

"It's not an issue of opponents for us," said Finkel. "If you look around the landscape, there are not many big heavyweight fights that you want to make. There are a few. Deontay can figure into any of them ... We don't want to fight for the sake of a payday. We want to fight, win [titles], and defend it once he wins like he did before. I hope that the things that have derailed him have made him stronger, and now, he's going to show it."