Deontay Wilder has exclusively told talkSPORT.com he believes Oscar Rivas can win a ‘great big lawsuit’ for not being told about Dillian Whyte’s positive drugs test before their fight on Saturday.
The Colombian boxer was beaten on points by the Brit last weekend, and it was subsequently revealed a UKAD test returned three days earlier stated his system contained metabolites of anabolic steroid dianabol.
Whyte’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, later declared his man underwent an independent panel hearing on the day of the bout and was cleared to compete, with the fighter due to release a statement imminently.
When asked for his initial reaction, Wilder told talkSPORT.com: “I’m just sick of these guys taking PEDs.
“We just had [Maxim Dadashev] lose his life due to taking too many blows.
“How many examples are we gonna have to see to get these organisations behind these belts to start penalising these guys?
“Not six months, that’s not a strong ban, six months is only protocol to some fighters. Fighters sit out already like that long so that’s really not a ban.
“It’s really not a ban so they need to be a little bit more stricter on the bans and these drugs users are gonna think twice about using these drugs.
“It’s just ridiculous, for them to try to cover it up three days prior to fighting Oscar Rivas and not notifying his team, not notifying the WBC, it’s crazy.
“If that B sample comes back positive, which it most likely always does when the A sample does, a second offender as well too.
“If that come back, Oscar Rivas and that team have a big chance of a great big lawsuit against not only Matchroom, but everyone else.”
Following his discussion with talkSPORT.com, the WBC heavyweight champion appeared with Jim White on talkSPORT.
He continued his discussion of the topic there, expressing his scepticism over the situation.
Wilder explained: “I don’t take nothing unless it’s cleared, I’m always tested with VADA and so I’m always getting with Margaret [Goodman, head of VADA] on anything that I need.
“She advises you to do so if you’re not sure.
“These guys know what they’re taking, it ain’t no way in hell they don’t know what they’re taking.
“In these times and days, ain’t nobody just feeding you forcefully to take this, ain’t nobody shooting nothing in your body forcefully.
“You know what it does, you know how it works, you know everything about it and the object of this game.”
Dillian Whyte has intensive workout ahead of Oscar Rivas fight
Rivas’ promoter Yvon Michel put out a statement after the story broke, in which he insisted his team were amazed by the news and has not been told anything until reading it online.
Regarding how he’d feel in that position, Wilder concluded: “I would be furious, furious.
“Because look at the things that is going on, we’re talking about these other two fighters that lost their lives, boxing is in an emotional status right now.
“If it was me, I’m thinking about dead, I’m thinking about, ‘Man it could be me too.’
“I put my life on the line in the ring just like anybody else, I’m human.”
