Are the heavyweights back?

[Bonzo]

Stiverne Defends Against KO Artist Wilder Jan. 17 On Showtime At MGM By [/URL] | December 14, 2014 |

[URL="http://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/stiverne-defends-against-ko-artist-wilder-jan-17-on-showtime-at-mgm/36983"]http://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/1-Stiverne-Media-Workout-4-2014.05.06-420x280.jpg (http://www.boxing247.com/author/showtime-boxing)


The most significant heavyweight matchup in the United States in a decade was formally announced on Saturday night. Hard-hitting WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, is set to defend his title against unbeaten knockout specialist and mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Jan. 17. The potentially explosive bout between the two big-punching heavyweights will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and be televised live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7p.m. PT).
The event is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and will feature undefeated IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) defending his belt against a challenger to be announced.


Ticket information for the event will be announced shortly.
SHOWTIME Sports® will offer the latest installment of the award-winning original documentary series ALL ACCESS the week prior to the heavyweight showdown on Friday, Jan. 9 at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
Stiverne vs. Wilder is set up to be a gripping, intense encounter for as long as it lasts. Neither boxer is a fan of the other and, with a combined 54 knockouts in 58 fights, both men expect to win by knockout.
“Don’t blink on Jan. 17. I am the heavyweight champion of the world and nobody is going to beat me,” Stiverne said. “I’m excited and I’m looking forward to making a statement. Talk is cheap. I do my talking in the ring.”
“I’m expecting a short night because we have bad blood,” Wilder said. “I really want to hurt this guy, and I haven’t felt this way in a long time. I want to show him this is no joke, this is real. This is business. This is the hurt game and my power is real. I told him that I’ll whoop his ass and I’m going to keep my promise.”
If triumphant, Wilder will become the first United States-born heavyweight champion since Shannon Briggs, who captured the WBO title in November 2006 and lost the crown in his first defense.
“Now I can make all my dreams come true, I can make it a reality,” Wilder said. “America is yearning for a heavyweight world champion. We haven’t had a real one since the days of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Everyone just sits back and remembers the glory days. America has been waiting for their champion and I’ve arrived.”
“This will be a momentous day in heavyweight boxing history,” said legendary Hall of Fame promoter Don King. “Just more than 40 years removed from the Rumble in The Jungle with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, the heavyweights, WBC world champion Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder, will “Return to Glory” live at MGM Grand on SHOWTIME. The little guys in boxing are great but it’s the heavyweights that have always excited fans the most. Bermane, he’s a knockout artist just like Mike Tyson. Wilder, he talks trash but is a good fighter, too. This is a must-see fight. The heavyweights are back and ready to “Return To Glory.’ ”
“Fight fans across the United States have been clamoring for an American heavyweight
champion for nearly a decade — and Deontay Wilder may well answer their wishes on Jan. 17,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Stiverne brings power and experience. Wilder brings power and youth. This is set up to be an explosive fight that I can’t wait to see.”


Stiverne, the first-ever Haiti-born boxer to own any portion of a heavyweight crown, will be making his first defense of the WBC title he won with a convincing sixth-round technical knockout over Chris Arreola in his last fight on May 10, 2014. It was Stiverne’s second consecutive impressive victory over Arreola and earned him the WBC belt vacated in December 2013 when Vitali Klitschko retired. Stiverne was a 5:1 underdog going into their first fight on April 27, 2013. Stiverne won that fight via clear 12-round unanimous decision.
Since suffering his lone loss in July 2007, the supremely talented 6-foot-2 Stiverne, 36, has emerged as one of the world’s most feared and destructive heavyweights. He is 12-0-1 in his last 13 starts, 10 of the victories coming inside the distance. Of his 21 knockouts, 18 came inside three rounds, 14 of them in the initial three minutes.
“I’m all business,” Stiverne said. “The only time he’s going to get my attention is the night of the fight. I promise you, he will get more than he bargained for and more than he’s expecting.”
The 6-foot-7 Wilder, 29, hasn’t come close to putting in a full night’s work. He has gone four full rounds just one time since turning pro in November 2008. The virtually untested slugger has fought a total of 58 rounds, an average of 1.8 rounds per outing. He’s registered 18 knockouts in the first round, eight in the second.
“I can’t help that I always knock my guys out,” Wilder said. “It’s not my fault I make it look easy. When I knock Stiverne out I don’t want to hear any whispers; I don’t want to hear people say that he was a bum. I want the world to bow down and praise the heavyweight champion of the world. They have to finally admit that I’m just that good.”
In his bout before last in March, in what was expected to be his most demanding assignment, Wilder blasted Malik Scott in 96 seconds. Wilder is coming off a fourth-round technical knockout over Jason Gavern in August 2013. Wilder dropped Gavern twice, once in the third and once in the fourth. The referee halted the one-sided proceedings at the end of the fourth round.
A 2008 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist and the last American male boxer to medal in The Olympics, Wilder will once again enter a boxing ring while carrying the weight of U.S. boxing fans on his shoulders.
“We have a fight between two huge punchers,” said boxing historian and SHOWTIME expert analyst Steve Farhood. “There’s going to be a lot of drama because you’ll want to see who lands first. Who lands first may end the fight. It’s that kind of matchup.
“Stiverne is a big puncher and more proven than Wilder, having fought Chris Arreola twice. He’s an exciting heavyweight because of his power, and he’s proven to be the type of fighter that will take two to give one.

[Bonzo]

Deontay Wilder looks to prove himself against heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne http://www.dailynews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/storyimage/LA/20141226/SPORTS/141229638/AR/0/AR-141229638.jpg&maxh=400&maxw=667 Deontay Wilder, seen during his first-round knockout of Malik Scott in March, takes on Bermane Stiverne for his world heavyweight title Jan. 17 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. (Ricardo Arduengo/The Associated Press)
By Robert Morales (http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20141226/deontay-wilder-looks-to-prove-himself-against-heavyweight-champion-bermane-stiverne#author1), Long Beach Press-Telegram
Posted: 12/26/14,




Heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder has knocked out everyone he has faced as a professional. Thirty-two have come up, 32 have gone down inside the distance. His ring record is void of anyone of real note, however, and that has many still wondering just how real he might be.
One thing’s certain: Wilder and the rest of the boxing world will find out Jan. 17 when Wilder challenges Bermane Stiverne of Canada for his world title at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime).
Wilder, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., has heard the talk. He knows the doubters are out there.

“I don’t want anyone to make excuses to me,” he said. “I don’t want people to discredit me anymore. The time has come to change that. I have heard nothing but excuses for my 32 wins by KO and when I get 33, I don’t want to hear anything about it.”
Count Stiverne among those who believe Wilder’s list of opponents (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=468841&cat=boxer) leaves something to be desired.
“He’s fought nobody,” Stiverne said.
Perhaps Wilder’s best victory came in the form of a first-round knockout of Malik Scott in March. Scott was 36-1-1 going in, but he’s not even a top 15 heavyweight.

Wilder also knocked out Siarhei Liakhovich in the first round in August 2013. Liakhovich held a title briefly in 2006, but at 38 is no longer anywhere near that fighter.
That’s probably why Wilder, 29, is eager to prove he’s legitimate.
“I have a chance to shock the world and I can’t wait for it,” he said. “I think this is the most anticipated heavyweight bout in a long time. There’s a lot of energy in my home city. This is my time. This is me.
“I don’t want to be compared to other fighters. I want to build my own legacy.”

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Wilder cannot wait to get in the ring.
“I’m so passionate about this fight,” the 6-foot-6 1/2-inch Wilder said. “I wish it were tomorrow. I have no doubt at the end of this fight my hand will be raised as the new heavyweight champion of the world.”
If that happens, Wilder will be the first American to own a piece of the heavyweight championship since Shannon Briggs in 2006-07.
Not going to happen, Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=324806&cat=boxer) said.
“Nobody will beat me,” Stiverne, 36, said. “This belt isn’t going anywhere. Jan. 17 is going to be a short night, and it’s going to be a painful night.”

This has the potential to be an exciting fight. Stiverne won’t run from Wilder, which means some solid leather figures to land.
But here’s why Wilder is not going to have an easy time in this one: Stiverne is not just talking when he says winning the vacant title with a sixth-round TKO of Riverside’s Chris Arreola (http://bigstory.ap.org/article/stiverne-stops-arreola-win-wbc-heavyweight-belt)in May just isn’t enough.
“The belt is great; it’s meant a lot,” Stiverne said. “But I’m still hungry. I still want more.”



Sergey Kovalev must be commended for defending his three light heavyweight world titles against former champion Jean Pascal on March 14 at Bell Centre in Pascal’s backyard of Montreal, Quebec, Canada (on HBO). A lot of champions won’t do that.

Apparently, Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=505927&cat=boxer) is not concerned about falling victim to a hometown decision. Nor does the notion of all the fans being for Pascal worry him.
“The ring is the same everywhere,” the Russian said. “I plan to show who I am to Canadian boxing fans, and I aim to do the things they like to see in a ring.”
Smart guy. He’s already trying to endear himself to Pascal’s faithful.
As for Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs) (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=290691&cat=boxer), he has nothing but praise for Kovalev’s accomplishments. Kovalev won his first title in August 2013 and has made four defenses. His most recent defense included taking Bernard Hopkins’ two titles in a unification bout in November.

“I respect Sergey Kovalev because he is the king of the light heavyweight division,” Pascal said. “This will be the greatest challenge ever faced by a Quebec-based boxer. But with discipline and heard work, as well as the support of local boxing fans, nothing is impossible.”
Pascal, 32, was born in Haiti. He moved to Laval — less than 30 miles from Montreal — when he was just 4.



Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, this week was named Boxing Promoter of the Year by Sports Illustrated. ... After Wilder-Stiverne, the next big card will take place the following Saturday when Mike Alvarado (34-3, 23 KOs) of Denver and Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (32-2-1, 23 KOs) of Oxnard square off for the third time. They’ll tangle at 1stBank Center in Bloomfield, a suburb of Denver, on Jan. 24. Rios stopped Alvarado in the seventh round in October 2012 at Home Depot Center, and Alvarado (34-3, 23 KOs) won the rematch with a unanimous decision in March 2013 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. ... Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) will defend his title against Martin Murray of England on Feb. 21 in Monte Carlo, Monaco (on HBO). This will be the second time Golovkin has defended his title there.

[rudee]

Wilder vs Stiverne cannot be missed guys.... don't go to the fridge and take a leak before
the 1st round.. someone is gonna go here!
Going out on a limb and taking Wilder... Stiverne takes too many blows.

[aquariusone]

I am with you, Rudee, on this prediction!

[Bonzo]

Exactly Rudee he can take a blow but your boy Wilder is still out on a limb on that one.
Once B-Ware connects I think the Bomber goes to sleep.

[rudee]

Should be a good one guys! lets just hope it goes at least 5 rounds...

[Bonzo]

WBC SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION LEO SANTA CRUZ TO DEFEND AGAINST JESUS RUIZ; TALENTED AMIR IMAM RISKS UNDEFEATED RECORD AGAINST FIDEL MALDONADO JR. SATURDAY, JAN. 17, LIVE ON SHOWTIME® FROM...

[rudee]

Gonna be a great night of boxing..another excuse to drink!!! :bump:

[Bonzo]

ohhh Yeeeaaaahhhhhh

[Bonzo]

Jackie Kallen: 2015 Starts Off With Heavyweight Title Clash in America


December 31st, 2014




by Jackie Kallen
The heavyweight division has been a troubled sea for many years. At least for Americans, who have been searching high and low for a successor to the Klitschko monopoly.
After all, the heavyweight division was pretty much our domain from the Joe Louis days to the Ali days to the Tyson days. It was bad enough when Lennox Lewis took it away from us. But the Klitschko brothers, the now-retired Vitali and younger brother Wladimir, stole the crown and have run away to Germany with it.
When Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne, a 36-year-old Haitian-Canadian, beat Chris Arreola in a rematch title eliminator for the WBC belt in May, a piece of the title came home. He stopped Arreola in the 6th round and walked out with the belt. Many fans could not be happier, even if they did not know much about the new champ, who now lives here in America in Las Vegas, and has applied for citizenship.
The title fight at the MGM on January 17 will pit Stiverne against a native American. Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder is as wholesome as apple pie and hot dogs. Born in Tuscaloosa, AL, he is 6’6 ½” of red, white and blue, and a bronze medal winner at the Olympics. Undefeated, with a perfect record of 32-0, 32 knockouts, he is menacing (to say the least). None of his opponents have gone the distance, and none have been able to avoid his power and dominance.
Will the newest heavyweight champion be able to find the key to success? In his favor, he is fighting in his adopted home town. I don’t see that as much of an advantage in this case, but he might. Also to his advantage is the fact that he is the current champ. You have to be pretty convincing to take away a man’s title (unless you KO him.)
But I haven’t talked to too many people who give Stiverne much chance of holding on to his belt. With Wilder’s impeccable record and Superman-like skills, it seems like he’s in for an easy night at the office. Stiverne may have other plans for him, but Wilder’s confidence is sky-high.
http://www.boxinginsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bermane-stiverne2-234x300.png (http://www.boxinginsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bermane-stiverne2.png)Bermane Stiverne: easy work for KO artist Deontay Wilder? Poor Stiverne. Most champions get a few softies as their first title defenses. They get used to being a title-holder and get to take on a couple of mediocre challengers. To draw a giant like Wilder right out of the box is major bad luck. But Stiverne isn’t balking and is up to the challenge.
The question mark here is Wilder’s chin. If Stiverne, a solid counter-puncher, gets a chance to test it, fans will get the answer. On the other hand, if Wilder keeps that right hand cocked and happens to land it precisely on Stiverne’s button—it will be all over. Stiverne has a habit of keeping his left hand low, so a smart boxer will time it and be able to clock him.
I, like most fans, am hoping this will be a competitive, well-fought bout. Boxing fans are thirsty for a battle on our shores. If Wilder wins the belt, he will be the man to beat for every other big man on the planet. With his looks and personality, he’d be a good role model and a welcome addition to the heavyweight ranks of heroes.

[Bonzo]

All Access: Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder airs Friday January 6, 2015


Showtime will air an All Access episode devoted to WBC titleholder Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder on Friday at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT in advance of their Jan. 17 heavyweight clash at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the network announced on Tuesday.
Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 knockouts) is the first heavyweight beltholder of Hatian descent, and Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) is attempting to become the first American titleholder since Shannon Briggs in 2007.
In the co-feature, Leo Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) will defend his WBC junior featherweight title against Jesus Ruiz (33-5-5, 22 KOs). Also on the card will be junior welterweight prospect Amir Imam (15-0, 13 KOs) against hammer-fisted southpaw Fidel Maldonado Jr. (19-2, 16 KOs).
All Access: Stiverne vs. Wilder will precede the 11 p.m. ET/PT broadcast of Showtime tripleheader whose main event features lightweight prospect Ivan Redkach (17-0, 13 KOs) opposite gatekeeper Yakubu Amidu (21-5-2, 19 KOs) in an event being promoted by Lou DiBella.

[Bonzo]

Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne only 13 days away By Jeff Sorby| January 5, 2015 |

http://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/wilder555555.png (http://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/deontay-wilder-vs-bermane-stiverne-only-13-days-away/37265)


The Bernane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) and Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) heavyweight clash is only 13 days away before the two large fighters battle it out on January 17th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Stiverne, 36, has been pretty quiet in the build up to the fight, as he’s taken a lot of verbal and written abuse from the 6’7” Deontay.
Stiverne’s quite nature comes across to some boxing fans as him being intimidated by the hard punching Wilder. However, Stiverne has always been a quiet fighter, so this is kind of the norm for him. He does his speaking in the ring with his fists rather than talking trash outside of it.


Deontay is so convinced that he’ll beat Stiverne that it’s hard not to buy into him accomplishing the task. Deontay has a big size advantage along with his advantage in hand speed and youth. At 29, he’s seven years younger than the 36-year-old Stiverne. But Stiverne is a young 36, and he doesn’t look to have aged at all since his late 20s. That doesn’t mean Stiverne will win the fight though.
If he gets caught by one of Deontay’s big hands it’s going to be tough for him to weather the storm. Once Deontay has one of his opponents hurt, he’s a furious finisher. He unloads with both hands with huge shots, and it’s next to impossible to survive that kind of an onslaught.
Stiverne is going to need to remember to keep his left hand high in front of his chin, and he’ll need to stay off the ropes if he wants to keep from getting poleaxed by Wilder.
”I’m on a mission to rescue @SophiaTheBelt and become the NEW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP!! Join me on my journey #RoadToSophia,” Deontay said today on his Twitter account.
Wilder’s chin is going to be tested in a major way in this fight. We don’t really know how good of a shot that Wilder can take, because he’s been knocking out his woeful opposition so quickly since he turned pro in 2008. Stiverne can take a good shot. If he’s able to survive Deontay’s hard shots long enough to land one of his hard left hooks, we could see Deontay get beaten for the first time in his career.

[Bonzo]

DON HOUSE: "THE PRESSURE IS ALL ON WILDER...FOR BERMANE, OH, IT'S PERSONAL"By Percy Crawford | January 06, 2015

http://www.fighthype.com/images/content/large/d/donhouse.jpg



"We had to slow him down. He wants this fight so bad... we got a guy that can put some combinations together and throws a lot of punches and he's strong...the pressure is all on Wilder. Here is a guy with the whole American nation on his shoulder. I would like to have a American heavyweight champion too, but guess what? I got a Haitian one. He is 32-0 and he has got to be 33-0...We coming after this boy, here. To him, this is personal. To me, it's just business. It's just another guy we gotta get rid of before we can go to unify these titles. But for Bermane, oh, it's personal," stated Don House, world-class trainer of WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, who talked about their upcoming showdown with undefeated heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder. Check it out!

PC: The fight you guys have been wanting is just weeks away. How has preparation been, House?

DH: Everything is going great right now.

PC: Every trainer looks for something out of their fighter to assure them that their fighter is ready. Have you seen what you wanted to see from Bermane?

DH: Yeah, about a month ago. We had to slow him down. He wants this fight so bad. When they magically made this boy the #1 contender, I said to Bermane, "We don't have to take this fight." He said, "No, no! I want him because if I don't take him, he gonna be a thorn in our side. Let's get rid of him right now." I told him I was with him.

PC: That has to make you feel good as a trainer to have a guy want the fight everyone wants to see. We are in an age now, hate to use the word ducking, but we are in an era where a lot of guys bypass certain fights...

DH: (Cutting in) You saying the right word...duck! My thing is, if you feel you got the best, then guess what? Bring it on! One thing about Bermane, he doesn't care who he fights. They asked him, "Who would you like to fight next?" Well, Wilder is #1. "Well how about if the #2 guy move up to 1 and the #3 guy move to 2 and we fight the next guy?" What about the ranking system. That doesn't matter anymore? So it doesn't really make a difference who he fights. The only thing I want is you make sure you bring the money with that. "But I think they trying to do another mandatory," I don't care. Pay the money! It don't make me no difference.

PC: You have supreme confidence in your fighter.

DH: Listen, he's strong and fast, he can crack with both hands, and he moves. You know how the heavyweight division has been for the last 10 years anyway. It's been lackluster anyway. Now we got a guy that can put some combinations together and throws a lot of punches and he's strong. If he was American, we would have the key to the country, but we're not, he's Haitian, so that's the way it is sometimes.

PC: For a casual fan of the sport that takes a look at Wilder's record and sees 32-0 with 32 knockouts, they feel like this is the next coming of a prime Mike Tyson. Do you feel his record is deceiving?

DH: No, I'm not blown away by his record and I'll tell you why. When I go to the barbershop to get my hair cut, if they ask me something about basketball, I can't tell you nothing about basketball. I can only tell you about what I hear in the barbershop. So the first barber likes the Lakers, the second barber likes the Rockets, and the third one likes the Pacers. I know who they like because I listen to them argue every time I go and get a haircut. So like I said to one barber, if the Lakers could pick whoever they want to play day in and day out, what record do you think they would have? So if you could pick who you want, man, you should be 32-0 with 32 knockouts. But the pressure is not on us. Listen, my guy done went the distance, he's been beat, we got a draw, he's been hurt and he keeps coming. That's a fighter, man. That's what fighters do. No one on this planet is perfect; nobody! So when you got a record of 32-0 with 32 knockouts, how come you didn't fight Bermane when you was 21-0 with 21 knockouts if he that good. Go look for a title fight at 21-0 with 21 knockouts. 32-0, that's unheard of. But I'm taking it as this, he's either great or he's not. There is no in between. He's either what he say he is or he not. It's very simple.

PC: Wilder has never gone the distance and you just named everything that Bermane has been through during the course of his career. Do you think Bermane's experience will be the difference or something else?

DH: I think the difference in the fight will be skills; his speed and power. Wilder hasn't had to fight anyone like Bermane before and that's unfortunate for him. I think they did him a disservice. I would always want my fighter tested before I go and put him in there with somebody real. This game is about being tested and unfortunately, now they are trying to test him or get lucky at this level. This ain't luck. We didn't get here by luck; not us. We didn't get the red carpet rolled out; no one paved our way. Listen, we were begging for fights, chased Klitschko around, we fought for the number one spot twice, and then we had to fight the guy the second time to win the title, so they didn't pave our way. We went on about our business. We never complained. The only thing we said is, "You know what? We are a young team. Let's go get it. Let's go get the belt." The minute his managers thought we had an argument with Don King, they hurried up and made a fight between Wilder and Chris Arreola; had the network and the date. Trust me, they don't want to see this boy in that ring. They been trying everything on the planet to get this belt. The only way you can get it is to show up January 17th and get in that ring with us.

PC: Some may have thought that Bermane would have a letdown after winning the WBC title and having to wait through the negotiations, but you say that's not the case at all.

DH: We been in the gym, man. We don't play around. All of our fights have been hard for Bermane since day one. I told him, "Listen man, you strong, you fast, and we gonna always have to find you opponents and pay them double. They not gonna wanna fight you. It should be easier when you get the title." Boy was I wrong (laughing). We got something to offer; we got a world title, come get it! No, it's not that easy. Man, look, they just barely made this fight and this should have been a simple fight to make. Okay, you're #1, we got the title, let's set a date. It wasn't that easy because see, they trying to figure out how to take this belt other than getting in that ring. Nah brother, you got to show up. You gotta come get it. And you can't run and get it; you gotta fight us and that's what I want. The pressure is all on Wilder. Here is a guy with the whole American nation on his shoulder. I would like to have a American heavyweight champion too, but guess what? I got a Haitian one. He is 32-0 and he has got to be 33-0. The pressure is on him and it is so hard protecting that 0. Nothing against my boy Floyd, but guess what? When he was at 46...47-0, you can kind of feel how certain opponents is coming at him. It gets a little nerve racking because it's like, wait a minute, I'm trying to get to 50-0. It's different when you got that 0 to protect. Brother, we ain't got no 0. We got a loss and a draw, so we fighting. We biting down on that mouthpiece and we coming forward.

PC: When you're dealing with that kind of height, you have to try and somewhat emulate that in training. Do you feel like you guys have tackled that aspect during training?

DH: Yeah, we had great training. In fact, we finished up today. Today was our last day with the sparring. I think we had a great training camp and we just on cruise control now because, like I said, he was ready a month ago. It's hard when you got a guy that's ready to go and you gotta keep pulling them back and pulling them back. So now we are just waiting on the date!

PC: I look forward to this fight. I think it's gonna be a good fight between two hungry guys. Best of luck to you and the team. Is there anything else you want to add?

DH: Hey, like Bermane said, don't blink. We coming after this boy, here. To him, this is personal. To me, it's just business. It's just another guy we gotta get rid of before we can go to unify these titles. But for Bermane, oh, it's personal!

[aquariusone]

This is such a convoluted interview with House chomping on words like a chimpanzee on training. Just about the only thing he said that makes sense is his remark about....well...you know who.....that "it's 'nerve wracking' to get to...50-0."

Then he goes on to say, "It's personal for Wilder (trying to get to 33-0)". Then he concludes (read it!) "But for Bermane, oh, it's personal." (Whereas he proclaimed earlier that "It just business."

Anyhow, I see this as a Cormier Jones fight with the big man winning.

[Bonzo]

Stiverne Plans To Hurt Wilder








http://socontent.affino.com/AfcIcon/Icons/Blank.gif
WBC heavyweight champion Bermane "B. Ware" Stiverne (24-1, 21 KOs) has trained to hurt, not just knock out, undefeated, mandatory challenger Deontay "The Bronze Bomber" Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), on January 17 in his first title defense.

Stiverne won the vacant title last May with a sixth-round technical knocked of Chris Arreola (35-4).

The 12-round Stiverne-Wilder championship fight headlines "Return To Glory," co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Don King Productions, airing live on Showtime Championship Boxing from MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Much of the fight hype has surrounded the trash-talking Wilder, the 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist from Alabama, and his bid to become the first American to hold a portion of the world heavyweight title since Shannon Briggs more than eight years ago.

"No, it (Wilder’s trash talk) doesn’t bother me," Stiverne said. "I’m focused on beating him. I’m not going to just knock him out, I’m going to hurt that kid. His job, I guess, is to make himself big by talking; I feel like I’m fighting Muhammad Ali(Stiverne joked). He’s a great promoter, better than his or my promoter. There’s a lot of hype about him and that’s great for our fight because it’ll come down to everybody knowing who beat him after the fight."

Wilder’s critics question the quality of his 32 opponents and the fact he hasn’t fought past four rounds. Stiverne, though, is happy to let his fists do the talking when he faces the 6’ 7" Wilder in the ring.

"I don’t say anything about who he’s fought or him not going past four rounds," Stiverne explained. "Those questions should be directed to him. I really don’t care. I’m going to chop him down and, if those things are factors, it’ll show in our fight. I’m just doing my job. I’ve been down and came back to knockout my opponent. I’ve also won 12 rounds fights. I know I still have power in later rounds."

Stiverne (R) explodes on Arreola - (photo courtesy of Naoki Fukuda)

"Bermane and I have discussed this fight, of course, and he told me this guy is a clown and that Wilder thinks this is the WWE," Stiverne’s manager Camille Estephan commented. "This fight is for real, no joke, and Bermane is ready. He really dislikes this guy and I believe him when he says he’s going to hurt Wilder.