By Keith Idec

Malik Scott took to Twitter and Instagram on Sunday to defend himself against critics claiming he took a dive against Deontay Wilder on Saturday night.

The hard-hitting Wilder stopped Scott, a veteran heavyweight from Philadelphia, just 1:36 into their scheduled 10-round fight in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, to keep his perfect knockout streak intact. Scott was supposed to represent a step up for Wilder, a close friend and former sparring partner, but “The Bronze Bomber” from Tuscaloosa, Ala., hit him with a left hook on the temple that left a disoriented Scott unable to continue in the first round of a bout broadcast by Showtime.

“Congratulations to deontay wilder @BronzeBomber on his victory last night,” Scott wrote on Twitter and Instagram. “No excuses!!!..first they say I took a dive in the Chisora fight like I paid the ref to count me out at the 8/9…smh.. I get hit with a left hook directly to my temple by a pure power puncher now I so called took another dive…smh.. I still love you insipid bitches!!!”

The 33-year-old Scott (36-2-1, 13 KOs) was stopped in the sixth round against England’s Dereck Chisora (20-4, 13 KOs) on July 20 in London, though the conclusion was controversial. Chisora knocked down Scott with an overhand right late in the sixth round. Scott was on his knees, watching and waiting to get up as referee Phil Edwards counted. Scott got to his feet as Edwards’ count reached nine, but Edwards still waived an end to a fight that was highly competitive.

Chisora became the first fighter to defeat Scott in a pro career that began in November 2000. Scott was 35-0-1 entering the Chisora encounter, including a draw with 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (17-0-1, 11 KOs), but had mostly padded his record against pedestrian opposition.

Scott said after Wilder (31-0, 31 KOs) stopped him that, “I got caught. I don’t really remember what happened because I never saw the shot coming. I know he caught me with the left hook. I am so disappointed. I trained really hard. It is just awful.”

Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.