Fight Pick & Preview – Stiverne vs. Wilder:
My opinion is that in the wake of Vitali Klitschko’s retirement and faced with Wladimir Klitschko’s continued dominance of the heavyweight division, the WBC decided to take their green strap across the Atlantic and cultivate some action as the de facto world heavyweight championship of North America. How else to explain how everyone who has been fighting over their belt lately or will be for the foreseeable future comes from that particular area, an area that was noticeably squeezed out of a division that lately has been about the Klitschkos fighting in Germany against mostly European opponents?
The next WBC heavyweight title clash is a case in point. Beltholder Bermane Stiverne, a Haitian-born Canadian living in Las Vegas, will receive the challenge of former U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder. This comes after Stiverne had a pointless rematch with Los Angeleno Chris Arreola forced upon him, and while Phialdelphian Bryant Jennings waits in the wings.
Make no mistake, though. While the WBC’s antics are, as always, farcical, this dance around the WBC belt is a preview of what a post-Klitschko heavyweight division will look like. Cast in that light, whether Stiverne can fend off Wilder is an important question indeed.
Deontay Wilder (32-0, KO 32)
- 6’6 1/2″ tall, 83″ reach, 216 lbs, 29 years old
- American
Along with Bryant Jennings, Wilder is one of the most highly touted heavyweight prospects in the United States. He is a tall, rangy, quick knockout artist. Like the Brown Bomber Joe Louis, the Bronze Bomber has a sound offensive technical base and good boxing skills, although he is not without his defensive flaws. That base combined with his size, speed and athleticism give Wilder frightful power, and he has a 100% knockout percentage to date. That includes some decent gatekeepers such as Malik Scott, Siarhei Liakhovic and Audley Harrison, all three of whom were easily crushed by Wilder.
Against this, Wilder might have a below average chin, tends to leave himself wide open when he misses, and isn’t much of an infighter. It also says a lot about Wilder’s experience base that Stiverne is his sternest test to date. What is more, because of his unbroken string of knockouts, Wilder has never fought 10 or 12 rounds. His longest outing to date went to the 4th, and most of his fights end in a single round. Stats like that suggest Wilder could be waiting for a trip into deep waters for drowning as much as they might suggest the next Mike Tyson.
Yet there is something I always remember when thinking about that last point. Wilder was the man who saved the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team from the ignominy of a first-ever Summer Games without winning a single medal. If nothing else, that victory suggests that when the pressure is on and Wilder must perform, he is the kind of boxer won’t fold under pressure.
Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs)
- 6’2″ tall, 80″ reach, 36 years, 246 lbs
- Haitian-Canadian
“B-Ware” Stiverne is making the first defense of his WBC strap, the title of Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis. The strange thing about this guy is how so many clueless bloggers totally misunderstand him, most likely because they only saw him fight the crude Chris Arreola.
By contrast, I’ve seen several of Stiverne’s fights and have asked pro fighters and trainers about him, and the expert consensus is that Stiverne is not some kind of boxer-puncher. He can counter-punch and infight, but that is the limit of his technical ability. In physical terms, he is tough and can hit.
What makes him a threatening opponent for Deontay Wilder is that a durable infighter and counter-puncher with good power is just the thing to exploit his weaknesses. The only thing lacking in Stiverne’s picture is speed.
Stiverne vs. Wilder Analysis
This fight ultimately hinges on whether Stiverne can take Wilder out of his comfort zone. The Tuscaloosa-native likes fighting at a distance, and if Stiverne can get inside those rangy arms he can wreak serious havoc, countering through the many openings Wilder will give him.
The problem for Stiverne is how he gets there, as he will need to get through the fast, hard punches of a guy packing power the likes of which he has never seen. In my opinion, several bloggers are missing that this is a clash between a guy with above average attributes and a guy with truly elite punching power. That Stiverne can eat punches from Arreola or Ray Austin doesn’t mean squat against a guy like Wilder, and Wilder is quick enough that he will nail Stiverne, and nail him regularly.
Stiverne vs. Wilder Preview
We’ll know who is going to win this fight fairly early, and it all boils down to who lands their Sunday Punch first. If it’s Stiverne, that means B-Ware’s effort to exploit Wilder’s wide punches will meet with success and get him close enough to land. If it’s Wilder, we’ll know he has too much height, reach and speed for Stiverne to counter, leaving the Bronze Bomber in position to peel off the top of Stiverne’s skull.
I’m torn in two directions by my outlook on this fight. On the one hand, I think Wilder’s tendency to throw wide punches and leave himself open begs and screams for someone to exploit it, and Stiverne could be that guy. On the other, Wilder is a whole order of magnitude ahead of Stiverne in terms of ability.
I’m convinced this fight will end by knockout. Although I’m less sure of it, I believe the odds favor Wilder as the man to get that KO.
Prediction: Deontay Wilder KO3 Bermane Stiverne
