Carl Froch has insisted former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder should retire from boxing after a hallucinogenic experience caused him to lose his ‘killer instinct’.
After more than a year outside of the ring, Wilder, who held the WBC belt between 2015 and 2020, returned in December to face Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia.
Also featured on the Day of Reckoning event was Anthony Joshua, with the pair slated to finally meet inside the ring should they overcome their respective opposition on the night.
However, despite appearing re-energised in the the lead up to fight night, Wilder looked as shell of his destructive former self in the ring, with Parker comfortably nullifying his vaunted offence and triumphing by a wide margin on the judges’ scorecards.
Seemingly lacking his trademark ability to land a fight-changing punch at a moment’s notice, Wilder was outclassed in Riyadh, and Froch claimed that a drug retreat the ‘Bronze Bomber’ had taken before the fight was to blame.
Carl Froch claimed Deontay Wilder looked like he had lost his killer instinct in his clash with Joseph Parker
Froch claimed that taking a hallucinogenic drug had caused the former heavyweight champion to become gun shy in the ring
‘I think Ayahuasca affected Deontay Wilder’s performance, I think it took away his killer instinct and the desire to cause damage.’ Froch told Lord Ping.
‘I think it chilled him out too much, it’s not good for you. Bad move that. I think he should retire now, he’s lost to Joseph Parker, who lost to Dillian Whyte, come on.
‘He’s going on as well in age, he’s made plenty of money, he’s in touch with his spiritual side now and it’s put him at peace, but he’s no longer in a fighter’s frame of mind. He’s a lover.’
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.
Illegal in most western countries, ayahuasca is ritually consumed part of ceremonies in parts of South America.
Ayahuasca contains DMT and can cause intense hallucinations that can last for several hours after ingestion.
Wilder failed to utilise his vaunted power, and was defeated by Parker over 12 rounds in December
Defeat put an end to plans for Wilder to take on Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia this year
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.
Wilder revealed he had first considered taking the drug after his devastating KO loss to Tyson Fury as a way to decide whether he would step away from the sport.
After an extended hiatus, the 38-year-old returned opted to return to the ring in 2022, 12 months after concluding his trilogy with Fury.
Wilder comfortably defeated fringe contender Robert Helenius on his return, scoring a first-round knockout.
However, defeat to Parker late last year scuppered plans for a long-awaited showdown with Joshua, with AJ instead facing former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou on March 8.