It was late 2018. Los Angeles. The air inside the Staples Center was thick with that specific kind of post-fight adrenaline that only heavyweights can generate. Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury had just fought to a controversial split-decision draw—a result that felt like a gut punch to anyone who thought Wilder’s power had done enough to seal the deal.
But the real history wasn't made in the ring. It happened in the hallway.
During a post-fight media scrum, a reporter from Radio Rahim began questioning Wilder about his motivations and the "black vs. white" narrative surrounding the fight. Wilder, draped in a gold chain and still wearing the physical tolls of twelve rounds, didn't just answer. He erupted. He started speaking about the history of African Americans, about centuries of struggle, and then, he hit the phrase.
"Till this day!"
He screamed it. His eyes widened. He leaned into the microphone. Then he said it again. And again. It was raw. It was incredibly loud. It was deeply emotional. And within approximately twenty-four hours, it was also a hilarious reaction clip on Twitter.
Why the till this day meme refuses to die
Memes usually have the shelf life of an open avocado. They’re green and vibrant for a few hours, then they turn into a brown, mushy mess that everyone ignores. Yet, years later, you still see Wilder’s face popping up in your feed. Why?
Honestly, it’s the versatility.
Most people use the till this day meme to exaggerate a minor inconvenience or a long-standing grudge. It’s the perfect digital shorthand for "I am still mad about this thing that happened a long time ago and I will never let it go." You forgot to pay me back five dollars in 2014? Till this day! My favorite TV show got canceled on a cliffhanger in 2010? Till this day!
But there’s a weird tension in its popularity.
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On one hand, it’s a funny soundbite. On the other, the original context was actually quite heavy. Wilder was talking about systemic racism and the displacement of people. He was genuinely hurt. Seeing that raw emotion turned into a GIF used to complain about a McDonald’s ice cream machine being broken is the kind of digital irony that defines our current era. It’s a mix of genuine passion and internet absurdity.
The anatomy of a viral moment
Let’s look at the mechanics. Why did this specific phrase stick?
If Deontay had just said "I’m still upset about it," nobody would have cared. The magic is in the delivery. Wilder has this theatrical, almost Shakespearean way of speaking when he’s fired up. He uses his whole body. When he shouted "Till this day," his neck veins were straining. It was a 10/10 performance in terms of pure, unadulterated energy.
Internet culture craves high-stakes energy for low-stakes situations.
Social media users love a "main character." For that one minute in the hallway, Wilder was the ultimate main character. He was speaking truth to power (in his mind), and the internet took that frequency and tuned it to a thousand different stations. People started remixing it with trap beats. They layered it over footage of people failing at sports. It became a linguistic "Lego" brick that fits into almost any conversation about persistence.
What actually happened in that interview?
If you go back and watch the full footage—not just the ten-second clip—the vibe is much different. Radio Rahim was asking about the "greatest" heavyweights and mentioned the divide in the fanbases.
Wilder took offense to the idea that his passion was being questioned. He started listing the grievances of his ancestors. He mentioned how his people "built this country." When he reached the "till this day" climax, he wasn't just talking about boxing judges. He was talking about a perceived 400-year history of being overlooked.
It’s one of those rare moments where a meme is actually a gateway to a much larger, much more serious conversation, even if 90% of the people posting the GIF don't realize it.
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The cultural impact beyond the ring
You've probably noticed that the till this day meme isn't just for sports fans anymore. It has crossed over into the mainstream in a way that very few boxing memes do.
Think about the "Crying Jordan" meme. That’s the gold standard. Jordan’s face became the universal symbol for losing. Wilder’s meme is different. It’s the universal symbol for unwavering conviction.
- In Music: Producers have sampled the audio for transition drops in DJ sets.
- In Politics: It gets used whenever a politician brings up a decades-old policy failure.
- In Relationships: It’s the "I haven't forgotten what you said during that argument three years ago" response.
The meme has outlasted Wilder’s time as the undefeated WBC heavyweight champion. He lost his belt to Tyson Fury in their second and third fights, but his digital legacy remained untouched. It’s almost like the meme became its own entity, detached from the man who actually shouted the words.
Is it disrespectful to use it?
This is where things get a bit nuanced. Some critics have argued that turning a serious monologue about racial injustice into a joke is "kinda" messed up.
But Wilder himself didn't seem to mind the notoriety. In subsequent interviews, he leaned into it. He realized that the meme made him more famous than his right hand ever could. In the world of modern combat sports, "clout" is currency. If a meme keeps your name in the algorithm, it keeps your paychecks high.
The internet has a way of stripping context away from everything. We see a face, we see a funny expression, we click "share." That’s the cycle. Whether it’s Kim Kardashian crying or Deontay Wilder yelling, the emotion is harvested for content.
How to use the meme effectively in 2026
If you’re going to drop a "Till this day" in the group chat, you have to nail the timing. It’s not for small things. It’s for the absurdly long-term things.
If you use it because your coffee is five minutes late, you're doing it wrong. That’s low-tier meme usage. You use it when you’re talking about how your middle school crush never texted you back. You use it when you’re talking about how the Sega Dreamcast was the most underrated console of all time.
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It requires a sense of drama. You have to channel Wilder’s intensity.
The takeaway for creators
What can we learn from the till this day meme?
First, authenticity wins. Wilder wasn't trying to go viral. He was being himself—loud, angry, and sincere. People can smell a manufactured meme from a mile away. If he had planned that line, it wouldn't have worked.
Second, repetition is key. The reason the phrase stuck is that he said it multiple times with increasing volume. It created a rhythm.
Third, visual storytelling matters. The way he leaned into the camera made the viewer feel like they were being yelled at directly. It was intimate and terrifying at the same time.
Moving forward with the meme
To get the most out of this cultural touchstone, stop looking at it as just a funny video. Recognize the power of emphasis in digital communication.
- Verify the source. Next time you see a viral clip, watch the five minutes before it. You'll be the smartest person in the thread when you can explain what was actually being discussed.
- Apply the "Wilder Energy" to your own content. When you have a point to make, don't just say it. State it with conviction. Use repetition to drive the point home.
- Respect the shelf life. Not every moment needs to be a meme, but the ones that stick around—like this one—do so because they tap into a universal human feeling. In this case, it's the feeling of "I am still right, and I don't care who knows it."
The till this day meme is a reminder that in the digital age, your most emotional moments can become your most lasting legacy. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up for debate. But one thing is for sure: people will be using this clip for a long, long time.
Till this day.
Next Steps for Content Enthusiasts:
Start by auditing your own "long-term" stances. What are the hills you are willing to die on? Use the Wilder framework of high-intensity conviction to frame your next social media post or internal presentation. When you speak with that level of raw honesty, you don't just get views—you get remembered. Just make sure you've got the facts to back up the volume.