Bermane Stiverne: "Wilder, I Will Knock You Out In Less Than Four Rounds" - Pound4Pound.com

Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Bermane Stiverne: "Wilder, I Will Knock
You Out In Less Than Four Rounds"

By Daniel Cloutier

LAS VEGAS –This weekend is full of UFC/MMA action. The heavyweights Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder made a lot of acerbic and provoking comments to each one during the last weeks, but they were far away from each other. Thursday afternoon at the David Copperfield's room at the MGM Grand, where was held the final press conference of their fight, they were sitting at few inches on each one. We could feel the tension and the animosity between them.

Saturday evening in the ring of the MGM Grand Arena, Stiverne (24-1-1), a Montrealer, will proceed to the first defense of his WBC heavyweight championship of the world. Wilder (32-0-0) is the mandatory challenger.

Wilder, a boxer of 6’7’’ from Alabama who has been established favorite (2-1) to win the bout in the Las Vegas sports-books, can become the first American in nine years to capture a heavyweight championship of the world. Shannon Briggs, who was WBO champion of the world in 2006, has been the last American to gain a heavyweight major title.

Wilder has an exceptional record: 32 fights, 32 wins by KO or TKO, all obtained in less than four rounds.

Stiverne won a vacant title last May at the USC Galen Centre in Los Angeles, in beating the Californian Chris Arreola (35-4-0) by TKO in the sixth round. Stiverne became that night the successor of the Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko (45-2-0), who gave up the title in January 2014 to start a political career in Ukraine.

When the promoter Don King, Stiverne’s promoter, asked to Wilder to get up to talk to the media at this final press conference, the fighter from Alabama did it with a great smile. “In few hours, I will live the dream of my life, said the WBC mandatory challenger, in fixing Stiverne directly in the eyes. I will be the new WBC heavyweight champion of the world, an achievement which will certainly please the American nation. No American has been heavyweight champion of the world since 2006. I had a marvelous training camp, I suffered a lot in the gym to be perfectly prepared, but Saturday, it’s you, Stiverne, who will suffer. Trust me, I will kick your butt and capture your WBC belt.”

In the last two months, Wilder never stopped to predict he will knock Stiverne out in less than four rounds… like he did with his 32 previous opponents.

When Stiverne has been invited to the microphone at his turn, he was talking in fixing directly Wilder in the eyes. “Man, I will hurt you Saturday like you have never been in pro boxing, promised the Montrealer. I won’t be surprised at all if you feel to quit boxing after this week-end. Me too I got a fantastic training camp. I am ready for a war. I will show up in the ring with the WBC belt over my head, and leave the ring with the belt over my head. Wilder, do you want to know my prediction? I will knock you out in less than four rounds. You like to win in less than four rounds? You are used to win in less than four rounds? Saturday, you will learn to loose in less than four rounds. I am the new WBC heavyweight champion of the world, and believe me, I will keep my crown for the next years».

Don King said: «I said it and i repeat it: Bermane is the new Mike Tyson of the pro boxing. He can punch and fight brilliantly. I know Wilder is a young heavyweight extremely proud, but he has no idea how much Bermane is good and determined.”

One of the greatest fighter of our generation, the former world champion Bernard Hopkins (55-7-2), was present at this press conference. He was celebrating his 50th birthday. The hostess of the MGM Grand brought him a birthday cake.

“It will be a magic moment Saturday, said Hopkins. I can’t wait to see it. I cannot remember the last time we got in USA a heavyweight championship bout of this magnitude. My prediction? With these two explosive punchers, the fight won’t go to the limit of 12 rounds…”

The Wilder’s trainer and manager, Jay Deas, promised that his fighter will become the new WBC heavyweight champion of the world. “Stiverne is good fighter, a mature boxer who is probably at his peak now, said Deas. When Deontay will beat him Saturday, he won’t be only the new WBC champion of the world, he will become also an hero for our nation. Don’t forget that no American became heavyweight champion of the world for the last nine years. Sunday, the Deontay Wilder’s name will be on the lips of almost of all the Americans sports fans.”

Before the press conference, we asked to Stiverne if was surprised to see Wilder established as favorite to win by 2-1 by the Las Vegas bookies. “Wilder is the favorite, and it’s absolutely perfect for me, said Stiverne. It will be my great pleasure to prove that the prediction’s bookies, like the Wilder’s predictions, were totally wrong.”

And Stiverne said he felt insulted when Wilder said publicly he would get his 33rd win by KO or TKO in less than four rounds Saturday evening. “Wilder loves to brag he has 32 wins, 32 KO or TKO in less than four rounds, but I am positive I would have exactly the same record than his if I would fought the 32 fighters he faced so far, said Stiverne. Wilder never fought a boxer of a high caliber in pro boxing. When he is predicting he will knock me out in less than four rounds, I understand he believes I am not better than his previous opponents. It’s pretty insulting. Wilder is clearly mixing fiction and reality. If he really believes I am not better than his 32 previous opponents, he will have the surprise of his life when the fight will start. I will give him a boxing lesson and hurt him each time I will connect him. The fight will be short. Wilder is tall and he is a good puncher, but me, I am not only a puncher. I am a mature technical fighter, a crafty boxer who use strategies and tactics to surprise the opponent. Saturday evening, I will celebrate in getting out of the ring, and he will be so down…”

Don King said this fight will be a memorable moment. “Its the most significant heavyweight bout presented on the American territory since the rematch between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson in 1997, said King. I am sure that Showtime will have a big rating Saturday evening. And I am positive we will assist to a memorable fight… and live a memorable moment.”

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