Deontay Wilder furious over Dillian Whyte's positive steroid test in light of recent deaths

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder slammed Dillian Whyte on Friday after it was revealed this week that the world title challenger tested positive for anabolic steroids just three days before his fight against Oscar Rivas.

Whyte (26-1, 18 KO's), 31, a Jamaica native who lives in England, won the interim WBC heavyweight title by unanimous decision against Rivas on July 20 at London's O2 Arena.

On Thursday, Whyte's promoter Eddie Hearn did not deny that his fighter tested positive for a banned substance, but told iFL TV that Whyte was cleared to fight by an indepedent panel.

A controversy has erupted over reports that Whyte attended a hearing on the day of the fight, which would indicate that everyone was aware of the positive test, and yet the fight was still allowed to go on. This also comes as two boxers have died this week following ring injuries, Maxin Dadashev, and Hugo Santillán, which was on Deontay Wilder's mind when he spoke to Talksport radio. The unbeaten fighter said he would have been furious in Rivas' position.

"Look at the things that are going on. We're talking about these two other fighters who lost their lives," said Wilder, referring to the deaths of Dadashev and Santillán.

"Boxing is in an emotional status right now. If it was me, I'd be thinking it could be me, too. I put my life on the line like everybody else. I'm human, too.

"There have been reports that they knew three days prior to this fight happening what was going on and they didn't report it to the WBC or the opponent. If that is so and everything comes back positive, they are in for a massive lawsuit."

According to Rivas' promoter Yvon Michel, no one from their camp was aware that Whyte had tested positive for steroids, nor were they told about the hearing on the day of the fight.

Whyte previously served a two-year suspension for a doping violation. The suspension was lifted in 2014.