Deontay Wilder plans to take psychedelic drug again and reveals why Anthony Joshua fight may never happen

DEONTAY WILDER still plans to take psychedelic drugs – despite his defeat to Joseph Parker being partly to blame for it.

Wilder returned in December, after almost two years away, and did so boasting that he had become a new man in ayahuasca drinking.

But the feared puncher put in a half-hearted performance against Parker and in turn botched his planned superfight with Anthony Joshua.

His own trainer, Malik Scott, suggested the psychedelic drug took away Wilder’s “violent instinct” in the ring.

But Wilder, who faces Zhilei Zhang on Saturday, told Daily Mail: “I’m thinking about going back soon.

“I got it Gary. He’s the owner there in Costa Rica and he always called me.

“He just wants to be careful when I come back that way. And I’m looking forward to it, I can do that after this fight.”

Ayahuasca comes from cooking the leaves and stem of a vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest and is often drunk as tea.

It takes 20 to 60 minutes to take effect and its effects can last up to six hours.

Typical effects include visual hallucinations, euphoria, paranoia and vomiting.

What are the effects of ayahuasca?

Although the drug can affect people differently, some of the common effects include:

• Nausea/vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Anxiety
• Euphoria
• Intense visual and auditory hallucinations
• Powerful emotions
• Increased body temperature
• Feelings of connection and unity

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It contains dimethyltryptamine – or DMT – which is considered a Class A drug in the UK, making it illegal, but it can be taken legally elsewhere.

Before Wilder’s defeat to Parker – where he landed just 39 punches in 12 rounds – he had signed a contract to face Joshua in Saudi Arabia in March.

Instead, AJ knocked out former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 37, as Wilder struggled to get his career back on track.

Joshua, 34, is expected to return in September at Wembley and a stunning victory for Wilder, 38, could see the fight revived.

But the Bronze Bomber admitted that defeat for him or Zhang, 41, could mean the end of their careers and, for him, a fight with AJ.

Wilder said: “I like Zhang, I like his fighting style, I like his big head, he’ll be a big target to hit, he’s an easy target to hit.

“This is like an opportunity to end it all for us, and when it’s like that you get the best out of both fighters.

“This could be the end of my career, this could be the end of his career, it will be exciting to see what happens on Saturday night.”

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