Deontay Wilder's 'Kill' Comments Not in Spirit of Boxing, Says WBC President

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman tweeted (h/t Dan Rafael of ESPN) that heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder's comments about potentially killing upcoming opponent Dominic Breazeale in the ring were "against the spirit of our sport" and that they would be addressed in a hearing.

Ryan Songalia of The Ring (h/t Bleacher Report) captured video of Wilder's remarks: 

"Dominic Breazeale asked for this. I didn't seek him out. He (came for) me," Wilder said.

"This isn't a gentleman's sport. We don't ask to hit each other in the face but we do anyway. If you ask any doctor around the world he'll tell you the head is not meant to be hit. This is the only sport where you can kill a man and get paid for it at the same time. It's legal. So why not use my right to do so?"

Wilder will face Breazeale at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday.

Wilder, who is making his ninth title defense, sports a 40-0-1 professional record with the draw coming against fellow heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in December.

The 20-1 Breazeale will be getting his first WBC title shot.

Breazeale was bothered by the comments, as he told CBS Sports' Brian Campbell on the State of Combat podcast (h/t Boxing Scene) Tuesday.

"I'm super upset," Breazeale said.

"You never want to hear an individual—and I don't care what sport it is but especially in the sport of boxing—who has the ability to put someone else in a bad state of mind or hurt them physically [talk like that]. I don't think he understands what he's saying. He's just not all there, if that makes sense."

Wilder and Breazeale also have a history, as the two were involved in a hotel lobby skirmish in 2017:

Keith Idec of Boxing Scene provided more context and details.

"Wilder’s younger brother, Marsellos, and Breazeale got in an argument at ringside," Idec wrote Thursday. "Their disagreement turned physical once they arrived at The Westin Birmingham.

"Once Deontay Wilder came to the hotel, he got into a physical altercation with Breazeale as well. They have different accounts of the events of that night, which they briefly debated during the press conference. Breazeale obviously disputes what Wilder says happened."

Of note, Breazeale told Wilder that "you were screaming at my wife’s face, right in that damn lobby, just like the ignorant individual that you are. No class, low-down, dirty scoundrel."

Wilder reportedly replied, "Your wife was yelling like Xena: Warrior Princess. That’s what she was doing. And your kids was with my brother. My brother was protecting your kids, son. My brother was protecting your kids. But you’re gonna pay."

Boxing, MMA and wrestling matches always feature opponents talking a tremendous amount of trash to hype a fight, but the Wilder-Breazeale feud is clearly more personal than the norm.