The cauldron of truth: Wilder vs. Stiverne

Sub Lead02-Nov-17by John J. Raspanti

By Allan Cerf with additional words by John J. Raspanti

Wilder vs. Stiverne

This Saturday night at the Barclay’s in Brookyln, New York (Showtime, TV) It’s the “Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder vs.“B. Ware” Bermane Stiverne for Wilder’s WBC heavyweight championship.

Background: I’ve called boxing a cauldron of truth. Pour in eye of newt, and decision o’ ref, stir that stuff around and the truth will eventually come out. The truth in our sport is ignored by gambling syndicates, tv syndicates, refs and judges - but generally, the fans can see who won and who lost.

Deontay - "I tell you I’m so great," Wilder, he of the great height and murderous right - takes on Stiverne, who - in some way, knowing the first time he fought Wilder, that, regardless how well he did, he couldn’t win a decision, committed the sin of entering the ring listless and out-of-shape. That ’bad,’ is on him.

Every time Wilder bellows he’s the greatest, he’s a year older. He reminds me of Roy Jones, except that Jones at one time, was all-world. Wilder, like Joshua is a huge guy whose back story - KOed in sparring by Haye, is suspect. He’s desperate to fight Joshua. Actually, he’s desperate to fight any of the top fighters. He talks the talk, can he walk the walk?

Scorecards: (Speed, Power, Defense, Reach, Age, Stamina, Experience)

Wilder: B+ A B- A B- B, B- (Average of all) B

Stiverne: B B+ B C+ C- B- B Average of all) C+

Reality Check: I believe Wilder has far better stamina than Joshua. Joshua’s ‘unbelievable’ arms - as a boxing sage noted last Sunday, makes it difficult for him to punch at times – it’s as if those arms need extra oxygen. The author feels that the real story is not opponent Stiverne, but Wilder getting by him so that... ’sometime’ in 2018, he can fight Joshua.

Wilder’s lucky in that Joshua’s very poor performance vs. Carlos Takam means that if he isn’t impressive vs. Stiverne, he has some slack cut in his favor, in advance. I again see Stiverne suffering conditioning issues. Sad- he has real ability and if perfectly tuned-up, an excellent shot at defeating Wilder. Neither AJ nor Wilder has figured out how to deal with movement from opponents owing to their late start in the sport.

In his few bouts vs. skilled opponents, Wilder fought nervously, looking for a big punch to end things – not the accepted: “Fight correctly and go for the KO only if it presents itself." To his credit he’s made the knockouts materialize. Wilder is a sharp cookie. His rep is to get a championship fight and huge money - and then on to accolades, and finally, commentating, ala Ward. One either loves or hates Ward. While I don’t hate him, I’m not in the love camp - but at least Ward has long years of credentials to merit a commentating career. Nowadays however, a big fight and back story seem to be all that’s required for the commentator gig.

Wilder vs. Stiverne

Personal:Wilder: Covered before

The 39-year-old Stiverne captured the WBC title in 2014 by defeating Chris Arreola. Inactivity has been a killer. After losing to Wilder, Stiverne wasn’t seen in a ring for 10 months. When he did return, he won, but also tasted the canvas against Derric Rossy. Like Wilder, Stiverne has something to prove. He’ll get his chance on Nov.4.

“He wasn’t able to put me out on my worst day,” Stiverne told me last year. “If I had a record like him where he’s knocked out all of his opponents, I would want to face the only man I was not able to knock out as a champion. I am his worst nightmare and he knows it.

Fight and Result: I see a poorly-condition Stiverne making Deontay look awfully average before succumbing to those huge rights and (why not!) another ridiculously early stoppage as was the case with Takam. IF, on the unlikely, other-hand, Stiverne is sporting career-best mental and physical conditioning, Deontay is in a world of peril. Unlikely - give me a much-too-early stoppage, rounds 7-9 in favor of the long, mean, Alabaman.