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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Deontay Wilder: "I Am Expecting
A Short & Spectacular Win"
By Daniel Cloutier
Photo: William Trillo
LAS VEGAS - The heavyweight Deontay Wilder seems hungry like
a starving tiger who did not eat since 7 days… and see
suddenly a juicy prey in the valley! He is just waiting the
moment to jump on his prey.
Former bronze Olympic medalist, Wilder has the conviction he
will become in few days the first American in nine years to
win a heavyweight championship of the world.
In 2006, Shannon Briggs, a boxer from New York, was WBO
heavyweight champion of the world, the last American to
detain a world title in the biggest weight division.
Saturday evening in the ring of the MGM Grand Arena in Las
Vegas, Wilder will try to dethrone the Montrealer Bermane
Stiverne as new WBC heavyweight champion of the world.
Stiverne (24-1-1) became the successor of the Ukrainian
Vitali Klitschko as WBC heavyweight champion of the world
May 10th at the USC Galen Centre of Los Angeles, in beating
the Californian Chris Arreola (36-4-0) by TKO in the sixth
round in a vacant title bout. Last year at the same time,
Vitali Klitschko gave up his WBC crown to start a political
career in Ukraine.
Mandatory challenger, Wilder, a fighter from Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, has 32 pro bouts, 32 wins by KO or TKO, all in less
than four rounds. In few hours, he will live his first
experience in a world championship bout in pro boxing.
“No doubt in my mind, I will be the next WBC heavyweight
champion of the world, said Wilder. No American won a world
heavyweight title since nine years, then, I will break this
sad sequence Saturday. Our country needs an American as
heavyweight world champion, a long tradition in the previous
decades. I saw Stiverne in action few times, and believe me,
he did not impress me at all. He is an old boxer (36 years
old) very predictable in the ring, I will kick his butt. I
will certainly knock him out. I am expecting a short and
spectacular win. In less than four rounds… like I always do,
and probably in the first two rounds. It’s very easy to be
motivated to face that guy. There are so much animosity
between him and me since several months. I know he has no
respect for me. He really believes I built my winning record
against a bunch of nobodies. We will see what he gonna say
after the bout…”
Wilder said if Stiverne is facing him Saturday, it’s because
he had no choice. “I am the mandatory challenger, then,
Stiverne could not avoid me, said Wilder. The WBC
championship committee obliged him to face me. If he would
tried to avoid me, he would loose his belt out of the ring.
He his certainly not comfortable in thinking he will face me
in few days, I am sure that almost of all the heavyweights
in the world are scared to fight me. Witch fighter can be
enthusiast to face a destroyer like me, knowing he has no
chance to avoid a lost by KO or TKO? I am certainly the most
powerful and destructive puncher in the world. Stiverne will
understand what I mean when I will hit him with my first
power shot Saturday. Yes, I am like a starving tiger
actually. Stiverne will suffer on each of my power shot, and
it just a matter of time before you see him on his knees or
on his butt in the ring. Stiverne will see in the first
round the difference between fight Chris Arreola and me. He
will feel I have bricks in my gloves…”
Wilder has clearly the intention to score his 33rd
consecutive KO, and another one in less than 12 minutes of
action.
Former WBA welterweight champion of the world, Mark Breland
is part of the Wilder’s trainer’s team. “When I was
fighting, I was taking advantage of my long reach in the
ring, and Deontay has the same advantage, said Breland. He
is 6’7’’ (versus 6’3’’ for Stiverne), then, he has a reach
helping him to keep the opponent at the perfect distance. At
the perfect distance to connect him with a power shot. I
cannot see who can beat him actually in the heavyweight
division.”
Wilder said he is courageous fighter, inspired by the
courage of his daughter, Naleya, who born 10 years ago with
spin bifida, a spinal condition preventing her to walk
normally.
“My daughter is a great inspiration for me, said Wilder. Her
courage increased my determination to become world champion.
I want to win the WBC heavyweight championship for her like
for the American nation.”
The Californian trainer Joe Goossen, who saw Wilder et
Stiverne in action last year, said: “May 10th at the USC
Galen Centre, Stiverne was staying in the ropes during the
first two or three rounds, inviting Chris Arreola to hit
him, said Goossen. Logically, Stiverne was hoping to push
Arreola to make a mistake or to waist energies. The strategy
has finally paid for Stiverne, who won the bout by TKO.
However, if Stiverne is trying the same strategy with
Wilder, it could be serious trouble for him. Wilder has
really a destroying punch to the head like to the body. No
doubt the first rounds will be extremely risky for Stiverne.
If the fight past the mid-point, it will become very
interesting to watch.”
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