Deontay Wilder should be banned from our shores

The fighter said on American media: "I want a body on my record. I want one. I want one, I really do. That's the 'Bronze Bomber,' he wants one. I always tell people, when I'm in the ring...everything about me changes... I don't have no feelings towards the man I'm gonna fight."

In case he'd been misinterpeted, the WBC heavyweight champ, 32, referred to his most violent knockout, of Artur Szpilka in January 2016 in New York.

"I thought I had one [body] one time, like I said, with Szpilka, because he wasn't breathing when he hit the canvas," Wilder said. "Somebody's gotta go. I want that on my record, because when I'm in that state on mind, like I ain't myself."

Glyn Rhodes, MBE, trainer of Sheffield's Scott Westgarth - who died after a bout in Doncaster last month - tweeted: "I feel sick at the comments of Deontay Wilder - what person would say a thing like that?"

Those remarks were immediately supported by Westgarth's father John, and others in the Sheffield boxing circle, including Jon Buster Keeton and Tommy Frank.

On Facebook, Ian Mcgee posted Wilder "Should be stripped of his title and banned for life, the man is obviously unstable, and a disgrace to the sport I love."

Former Sheffield world champion Clinton Woods said: "Is he really that stupid?

"What he said is absolutely ridiculous - he wants a body on his record? Either he is saying these things just for headlines or he is damaged in his head. He is saying what a sick person would say."

Spud Woollat, for years a Mr Fixit on the South Yorkshire scene, said: "I have met and spent a lot of time with Deontay when he sparred my ex boss David Haye. When I was with him he was thoroughly entertaining and a gentleman."But his most recent comments are truly disgusting and there is simply no excuse for them. Insensitive, disgusting and not the behaviour expected of a World Heavyweight Champion."

Jerome Wilson, who was badly hurt in a boxing match in Sheffield, said: "He’s got issues - he's trying to sound like a bad man."

Bob Westerdale, The Star's boxing writer, who interviewed Penistone-based Westgarth several times before his tragic last bout, said: "How would anybody welcome this horrible man to our shores in the future? He talks about wanting to beat Anthony Joshua - I just hope he never gets the chance.

"Wilder won over a lot of admirers in South Yorkshire when he stopped Audley Harrison in round one on the Amir Khan v Julio Diaz show at Sheffield Arena five years ago, but I imagine he has lost all of them in one fell swoop, not that that will bother him, as he claims to have legions of fans in Britain.

"For me, British boxing should make a statement - and have nothing to do with Wilder at least until he makes a profound and genuine apology for his disgraceful conduct."

Sheffield boxer Chris Dutton accused the American of being: "A disgusting vile creature."