Deontay Wilder breaks down and cries at press conference after KOing Robert Helenius as he discusses Prichard Colon, who suffered a life-altering brain injury from boxing

Deontay Wilder was overcome with emotion at the post-fight press conference after his first-round KO of Robert Helenius on Saturday night in New York.

The Bronze Bomber made his return to the ring in typical one-punch knockout fashion he fought for the first time since being KOd himself in his trilogy with Tyson Fury.

Wilder and Helenius were friends and had previously been sparring partners.

As a result, the KO appeared to affect the American, who started crying as he discussed the dangers of boxing at his post-fight presser.

Wilder began: "My heart out goes out to him and I hope he's doing okay and he'll be able to go back to his family...

"People always go on about records and all this.

"They said, 'Oh he lost, oh he's a bum,' and all that. Well you get your bum ass in there then...

"Yeah it's a great knockout, it's devastating, but how much is that man gonna suffer?

"And we've seen what happened. Look at Colon, Prichard Colon.

"This man didn't have no kids - -"

At this point Wilder broke down and was comforted by a member of his team.

Colon suffered a life-altering brain injury as a result of a fight in 2015 and is now cared for by his family.

Wilder continued: "Y'all don't f***ing understand what we go through man.

"And I don't even know him like that, but I'll always be an advocate for us.

"This man will never know what it feels like to be somebody's father and that's the most precious thing in the world to be somebody's father.

"But he'll never be nobody's father man.

"This man will never have a natural living again because he got in the ring to support his family.

"Now his family have gotta take care of him for the rest of his life."