Wilder says Whyte deserves third chance after ‘failed drugs test’ in huge U-turn after branding him ‘donkey of the year’
DEONTAY WILDER has softened his stance on Dillian Whyte's alleged steroid bust.
The Brixton heavyweight was reportedly found with two illegal substances in his system before his Saturday night win over Oscar Rivas.
And, if found guilty of his second doping offence following a two-year 2012 ban, the 31-year-old could be handed a career-ending eight-year sentence.
The American WBC champion, who Whyte earned a mandatory shot at with his O2 points victory, initially launched into a lengthy attack against his potential opponent, labelling him a "cheat".
But he told GMB on Friday morning that Whyte deserves a third strike before being banned from the brutal sport forever.
Wilder said: “This is his second offence, there should be some punishment, the law must be laid down.
“For me, three strikes and you are out, I believe in second chances but sometimes people get that second chance wrong and do need a third strike, like baseball.
WBC statement on the case
"At of the time of the publication of this Release, the WBC has not received any notification from anyone about a positive anti-doping test allegedly yielded by Dillian Whyte in connection with last Saturday’s fight against Oscar Rivas for the WBC Interim Heavyweight Championship.
“The WBC has requested that the BBBofC, as the local, governing entity that oversaw that fight, formally provide any available information to the WBC.
“The fight’s promoters contracted the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) to perform pre-fight and after-the-fight anti-doping tests on both fighters.
"The WBC is not aware that any of the test’s results VADA has received up to now have yielded any adverse findings. The WBC created the Clean Boxing Program which is administered by VADA, and which is a top priority of our organization.
“The WBC will not make any comments about the situation at hand until it receives the proper, formal communication from the BBBofC.”
“The third one should be a lifetime ban.”
Whyte, who was reportedly found with small trace levels of byproducts from the anabolic steroid Dianabol, is set to issue a statement on Friday.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who has hit back at criticism for allowing the fight to go ahead despite knowing about the failed test, has said the issue has left the fighter “broken”.
And Wilder, 33, insists the dark side of the sport leaves him hating it at times.
He said: “That situation has been going on in boxing for so long, there is just no room for drugs in boxing.
“I can only imagine what I could do if I used PEDs, with the God-given power I have now and the things I can do to these guys, I am a knockout artist.
“Imagine me putting something in my body that allows it to do certain things it is not supposed to do. You would have a weapon, I am already on top.
“It’s a brutal sport, it is not a gentleman’s sport, we only show gentlemanship and respect in the ring after the fight.
“The energy we show in the press conference to build-up the fight, with me it is all real."