Deontay Wilder's trainer Malik Scott claims psychedelic drug suppressed the Bronze Bomber's 'violent instinct' against Joseph Parker but insists he has what it takes to beat Zhilei Zhang

Malik Scott said violence wasn't Deontay Wilder's top priority against Joseph Parker and said Bronze Bomber's love for Ayahuasca was the reason behind his defeat on the Day of Reckoning. 

Wilder's clash with Parker at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia on December 23, 2023 went all 12 rounds, with the judges scoring the bout 118-111, 120-108, 120-108 in the Kiwi's favour. 

Seemingly lacking his trademark ability to land a fight-changing right hand at a moment's notice, Wilder was outclassed in Riyadh, and Scott claimed that a drug retreat the Bronze Bomber had taken before the fight was to blame. 

Prior to his clash with Parker Wilder told The Telegraph that a psychedelic experience on the hallucinogen had left him 'reborn', but insisted that his competitive instincts had not been dulled by the experience. 

The practice has been popularised in the combat sports world by the likes of Joe Rogan and Mike Tyson, with the latter claiming that psychedelic experiences had changed his life for the better.

However, it appeared to hinder Wilder's performance - with the Bronze Bomber having first considered taking the drug after his devastating KO loss to Tyson Fury as a way of deciding whether he should walk away from the sport. 

Speaking to Instant Casinos about Wilder's mentality on December 23, Scott said: 'I think Deontay has a killer instinct in him that you can't suppress, but I think he enjoyed Ayahuasca.

'I think that it possibly did not match the attitude needed in the ring because like he said, it made him a bit content and made him have an understanding of the smaller and softer things in life. And if you're in that type of space then violence is not a top priority.

'But when you're in a boxing ring violence has got to be top priority. Violence wasn't a top priority that night and I think that's why we came up short.

'Deontay is a killer, he's violent, he wants to put holes through you when he punches you, that Deontay didn't show up that night, he couldn't pull the trigger. But that's not the fighter you're going to see in his next fight.

'He's taken the initiative to start training way earlier. He knows our back is up against the wall and we know what we need to do.

'Everything is at stake, not his legacy, he's already a legend, but concerning becoming two time heavyweight champion, that part of his legacy is on the line now.'

Wilder is said to be close to finalising a deal with Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang for a comeback bout in Saudi Arabia. 

The bout is said to be taking place on June 1, the same night as Matchroom and Queensberry go head-to-head in the 5v5 card. 

Both Zhang and Wilder will be looking to bounce back from defeats to Parker, with the Chinese heavyweight losing to the Kiwi on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou undercard.  

Scott says the proposed fight between Wilder and Zhang - which will also feature on the undercard of the undisputed title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol - is a 'very dangerous fight'. 

He said: 'Nothing's finalised in boxing until it's finalised but that looks like the route that we are going down. It's a very dangerous fight, but at the same time a very winnable fight.

'After the performance we had last time we know the chips are stacked against us. We know what most people are thinking, but when Deontay is on, and he is disciplined, and following game plans, he's still the best heavyweight in the world to me.

'I do not have less belief in him, it was just a bad night at the office, I've seen the best of them have those nights.

'Zhang is dangerous, but I'm very comfortable and happy with the fight because big Zhang is someone who makes you stay alert and makes you stay elusive, he's a big man and he can punch but we know what we have to do to operate on him and do surgery on him and that's what we are going to do.

'It's going to be a surgical performance. What I really like about the fight is how dangerous Zhang is, a very dangerous opponent and that's going to make Deontay even better.'