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The war of words between Deontay Wilder and former co-trainer Mark Breland reached another round over the weekend once Breland clapped back at the former heavyweight champion’s claims that he was disloyal, and that he went as far as even spiking Wilder’s water during the TKO loss to Tyson Fury last February.
“[Wilder’s] career is over now, I’m done, and he’s done. I’m done with him. Wilder only has his power, and we’ll see how far that takes him. That’s all I’m going to say. I wish him well and that’s it,” Breland told The Fight Is Right, adding that Wilder rarely jumped rope or hit the bags.
“So many people know me, my character speaks for itself. If you’re looking at tapes or whatever and stuff like that, You don’t ever see water in my hands. And regardless of that, I’m there to help you. My attitude is, ‘When you win, I win.’”
Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) took his turn offering a rebuttal to the former world champion and 1984 Olympics gold medalist, at times sounding confused why Breland would defend himself from the claims Wilder alleged.
“This man was around me for so long. I fed this dude,” Wilder told a YouTube channel by the name of 78 Sports TV. “Even when many people thought I outgrew him. Many wanted me to fire him, but I kept him on board. And to hear all these things that he’s saying, it’s crazy. You should have been gone a long time ago because of the love that I had, to continue to give you a job.
“Even after the fact with all the medical issues that he personally has going on with himself, I still kept him around. For him to betray me and say all this stuff, it is a little hurtful only for these simple facts that how close I had him with my family. It just allows me to believe that he had something deeper rooted about me. I can understand why. What the f–k did I do? He knows what type of person I am. He knows I look out for people. Something deeply embedded in him for him to feel some kind of way.
“Where is it all coming from? Is it because where I was in life and your career was short? It could be a jealousy thing. I can’t understand where it’s coming from. We know what the deal is. We know what’s up man. You would want to debunk something that we all have proof and evidence of. I told [co-trainer] Jay [Deas], ‘I believe Mark did something to the water.’ I’m telling you. I know how I felt in the ring. That wasn’t me. If people understood how I felt. This man has been jealous of me. Now this is all coming out. I told Jay, ‘Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
Wilder fired Breland from his camp six months after the Fury fight in October. Weeks after he separated from his career-long coach, the fighter released a video and proclaimed that his water — and Fury’s gloves — were compromised.
Wilder also opined on how he perceived Breland following his 2018 draw with Fury.
“Even in the first fight, [Breland] wasn’t even in the ring. He left as soon as the fight was over like he was mad or something. In the second fight, it was the same,” said Wilder. “His energy was off. He didn’t want to be around, as if he already knew something was up. Now look at him.He’s running to the UK to do interviews. He’s talking about the end of my career? It’s only the beginning of greatness. But for you my friend, it is the end.
“I’m so glad I won’t die broke. He was definitely part of what was going on. His energy said it during the first fight, and in the second, it followed. You can’t break a king. A king is a king. A king knows how to get back up, dust himself off and continue to lead, because he has people on the outside and the inside waiting for the king to get up.”
Wilder is convinced Breland was envious of stature as the once-reigning WBC champion.
“The only explanation I can get out of it is, he was jealous of me and my career,” said Wilder. “I don’t see anything else, because I didn’t even have a relationship with Mark outside of boxing. Maybe he wanted to be closer to me. I don’t know what it is for him to come out and say all this sh-t all of a sudden. You put another man under the bus. So many people already ridiculed him, and doubted him. He’s wrong for that sh-t. You did that to your own kind. I’m just so happy that I don’t.
“If the shoe was on the other foot, they’d prosecute me. They’d have been all over me. I ain’t going nowhere. They can hate all day. Hating a king like me isn’t going to do the world any good. Let him do what he does. He’s a bitch. Putting another man under the bus because you’re feeling guilty. Man up, you did the crime. Man up.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com