A boxer criticized for suggesting ‘it’s legal’ to kill in the ring.

Deontay Wilder has doubled down on his desire to kill someone inside the boxing ring in comments that are likely to trigger another stern backlash against the WBC heavyweight champion.

Wilder takes on Dominic Breazeale on Saturday night in what is his first fight since retaining the WBC title in a controversial draw against Tyson Fury last December.

Before the Fury fight, Wilder caused controversy by claiming he “wants a body on his record”, which resulted in a number of high-profile boxing names condemning him for his comments in light of recent serious injuries and deaths inside the ring.

But the 33-year-old has risked further anger by going one step further in claiming boxing “is the only sport where you can kill a man and get paid for it” legally, before hinting that he will try to kill Breazeale this weekend.

“[Breazeale’s] life is on the line for this fight and I do mean his life,” Wilder said on Tuesday. “I am still trying to get me a body on my record.

“Dominic Breazeale asked for this. I didn’t go seek him. He [sought] me. So if it comes it comes. This is a brutal sport. This is not a gentleman sport.

“We don’t ask to hit each other in the face but we do anyway. And you can ask any doctor around the world, he will tell you, your head is not meant to be hit.

“On this particular time, we have bad blood against each other. 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?”

The comments come weeks after Wilder told Breazeale to “make some funeral arrangements”.

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who has held long negotiations with Wilder and his team over a future unification fight with Anthony Joshua, said that Wilder’s persistent claims of his desire to kill someone is “bad for the sport”, while in March last year former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew said that Wilder is “a disgrace and senseless idiot”.

Last year, British light heavyweight boxer Scott Westgarth died due to injuries suffered in his victory over Dec Spelman, while Italian Christian Daghio succumbed to injuries following his WBC Asia title fight against Don Parueang after spending two days in a coma.