This content is protected Coming up next week on 17th, 8 Year anniversary of Wilder beating Bermaine to become HW Champ for the 1st time. Wilder has gone on to conquer the World since then and become a legend
Powerful man with a killer punch, yes. Conquer the world and become a legend, not so much. I do like the guy and I would love to see him fight Joshua or Usyk.
So sloppy and unimaginative just throwing for no reason, no setting up, just one-two one-two all night. Joe Louis would be chomping at the bit to get in there. I can imagine Joe saying to his manager "how many millions am I getting to murder these guys?? Can you line them up every month??"
He has improved a lot since Stiverne I, or at least he did between 2015-18. He showed more movement in Stiverne I but wasn't comfortable offensively for much of it. But the aggression and spirit at end of 2nd round is why I've enjoyed watching him so much. He brings excitement to his fights and they feel like big events, win or lose.
A disappointing release from Deontay Wilder. I don't understand why Wilder didn't knock Bermane Stiverne out, and my personal opinion is that it's a weak mind. Far from Wilder being unable to knock out Bermane Stiverne, the fact that he won the title like this challenges Wilder as a boxer. Bermane Stiverne was never meant to be heavyweight champion. Even Bermane Stiverne's peak is far from today's Top 5 heavyweights (top 10?). Disappointing boxing considering it's a title fight. In the same year (2015), other belts changed holders, but that fight has no resemblance to this one. The difference in quality.
He broke his right hand when he floored Stiverne (and Stiverne drug them both to the floor) ... the first of multiple times he'd break the hand in title fights ... So he had to box his way to a 12-round decision. Contrary to having a weak mind, he lost his best (and some on this board would claim his only weapon) early in his first title fight ... And he still had the presence of mind to use the boxing skills he had as an amateur when he won the National Golden Gloves and the US Amateur Championships to win a 12-round unanimous decision.
The same year, Wlad won a boring 12-round decision over Bryant Jennings and Tyson Fury won a boring 12-round decision over Wlad. Compared to those two excrutiatingly boring fights, Wilder-Stiverne I was a heavyweight classic.
I’ve always liked this fight. Never really a Wilder fan but props to him for being consistently entertaining in every single bout.
Stiverne isn’t much better than Charles Martin. I also heard he was super lazy in the gym while preparing for this fight.
He was likely demotivated due to the WBC forcing him to take this fight rather than getting a chance of a pay-day/undisputed fight against Klitschko. Heck they didn't even allow him a voluntary after winning the title. When the org you are the champion for is actively working against you, it probably makes you question a lot of things.