The 40-0 puncher, who has been thwarted in his attempts to land an undisputed battle with Anthony Joshua in 2018, has been doing the media rounds to vent his displeasure.
In one particular interview on The Breakfast Club morning show on Power 105.1 FM, Wilder went too far and is now set to be disciplined by the World Boxing Council panel.
Wilder, who once thought he’d killed an opponent in Artur Szpilka, shockingly stated he’d like to finish the job against another challenger in the future.
“I want a body on my record. Yes, I want one. I want one, I really do,” Wilder told the show, speaking of himself as a different personality inside the ropes.
“That’s the ‘Bronze Bomber,’ he wants one. I always tell people when I’m in the ring like I’m the Bronze Bomber. Everything about me changes.
“I don’t get nervous, and I don’t get scared. I don’t get butterflies. And I don’t have any feelings towards the man I’m gonna fight.
“I come here for one thing, and that’s to knock you out and go back home. The power that I have, man; it’s easy to be able to do so. My power is so crazy that I don’t even know the (strength) of it.
“I can only imagine me getting into a fight in the street. It’d be crazy. If I’m putting on 10-ounce gloves and hitting guys like I hit Szpilka, when I came here in Brooklyn and fought him, he was dead three to five seconds. Just imagine. That’s what I don’t condone — violence outside the ring. I don’t want to see it.
“(My hand) is registered. It’s just like having a pistol for me. If I’m at harm, or harm comes at me and threatens me, I have the right to defend myself,” he added.
The comments are obviously from a man highly disappointed at being frozen out of Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn’s heavyweight division. However, there is no place for these kinds of statements in boxing.
Deaths have been an all too common occurrence recently, especially in the UK, following Mike Towell and Scott Westgarth’s tragic losses. Wilder’s comments were highly insensitive and completely unnecessary.
Mauricio Sulaiman’s measures will be as yet unknown, but the WBC President was clearly unhappy when addressing the out-of-character statement.
“This is a serious report which cannot go unattended and, if true, goes against the WBC code of ethics,” said Sulaiman.
“It’s not acceptable, and the WBC disciplinary committee will look into this delicate matter.
“I have known Deontay Wilder for a long time. I respect him and do not believe he could say that he wants to kill someone in the ring,” he added.
Phil Jay is Editor of World Boxing News. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay.
