Interview: ESB catches up with Bermane Stiverne sparring partner Izu Ugonoh

01/14/2015 Bryce Wilson

This Saturday at the MGM, Las Vegas finds boxing in an unusual place that it hasn’t occupied in quite some time, a heavyweight title fight that has the fans talking and polarizing opinion.

Practically every man and his dog has had a crack at calling the outcome for this fight so we thought we’d get some feedback from someone close to the action, undefeated Polish heavyweight Izu Ugonoh (10-0, 8KO’s.) Izu has served as one of Bermane Stiverne’s chief sparring partners for this fight and ESB took the opportunity to ask him how the camp has gone for Bermane and who he thinks will win the fight and why.

Deontay Wilder: Stiverne has never fought anyone with my athletic skills

01/13/2015 Jeff Sorby

6’7” American heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) figures that his athletic skills will be too much for the 36-year-old Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) in their fight this Saturday on 1/17 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Wilder intends on showing an athletic side to his game that he feels that the short, and slightly pudgy looking Stiverne has never seen before in his 10-year pro career.

Deontay wants to get in quickly, nail Stiverne with a big right hand to knock him out, and then get out of there so that he can move on to bigger and better things in his career like a fight against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. That’s where Wilder will begin to start making the big money.

Deontay Wilder can beat Stiverne in 3 or 4 rounds, says Foreman

01/12/2015 Jeff Sorby

Former heavyweight champion George Foreman believes that American Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) has what it takes to unseat WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) this Saturday night in their fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Foreman thinks that the 6’7” Deontay has to fight the way that brought him this far by him being aggressive and not letting up on the shorter 36-year-old Stiverne.

Foreman thinks that Deontay needs to be smart but aggressive at all times. He can’t play it safe against Stiverne and expect to win.

“If he stays aggressive, Deontay Wilder wins but he’s got to fight downhill and stay aggressive against Bermane Stiverne. As long as Wilder remains aggressive, then I think I could have [Stiverne] out of there in three or four rounds,” Foreman said via RingTV.com.

Deontay Wilder has a choreographed career, says Stiverne’s manager

01/11/2015 Jeff Sorby

Camille Estephan, the manager for WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), sees #1 WBC challenger Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) as a fighter who has been carefully managed to get him to the point where he’s unbeaten and challenging for the title this Saturday night on January 17th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

There’s no denying that the 6’7” Deontay has a record that is filled with weaker opponents. He’s not really faced a solid B level opponent as of yet unless you count Malik Scott, a fighter who crumbled after getting hit with a glancing blow in the 1st round of their fight last year in April.

Stiverne, Wilder Talk Training Camp And Their Place In Heavyweight History

09/15/201601/09/2015 Golden Boy Promotions

“One man has the hype, the other the belt. But you need both to make heavyweight history.” – ALL ACCESS: STIVERNE VS WILDER premieres tonight, Friday, Jan. 9 at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT during SHOWTIME® Free Preview Weekend and immediately preceding the first SHOBOX: The New Generation of 2015 (Redkach vs. Amidu, 11 p.m. ET/PT; live on SHOWTIME).

Take a peek behind the scenes of Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder’s training camps in advance of their WBC Heavyweight World Championship showdown. Get into the action with this full episode of ALL ACCESS, and don’t miss the United States’ most anticipated heavyweight battle in a decade on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT; live on SHOWTIME.”

Stiverne vs. Wilder: Bombs Away!

01/09/201501/09/2015 Mark Klimaszewski

In what could be the liveliest heavyweight scrap of recent times, reigning WBC champ Bermane Stiverne will face undefeated KO artist Deonte Wilder, on January 17th at the legendary MGM Grand, Las Vegas. This could be the fight to bring heavyweight glory back to its rightful home, and finally reignite the spark that has been absent from the big boys’ division for far too long.

Will Wilder’s undeniable power be enough to overcome Stiverne’s solid chin and vicious countering abilities? Or will the young lion be ‘exposed’ following his widely considered ‘soft’ opposition? With a genuine ‘anything can happen’ element to this potential classic, there’s a lot to be excited about. Jim Lampley’s famous “theatre of the unexpected” tag will be more than appropriate here.

Stiverne has proven himself a fierce adversary with a string of strong performances in recent years, icing his cake with a stoppage win over the usually iron-chinned Cris Arreola in their rematch in May of last year.

Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne only 13 days away

01/05/2015 Jeff Sorby

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.

Wilder getting tips in how to beat Stiverne

01/03/2015 T.Baker

Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) has been using sparring partner Demetrice King (15-20, 13 KOs) as a source of information to get him ready for his fight in two weeks from now against World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. King, 29, stopped Stiverne in the 4th round of their fight in 2007.

There was a little bit of controversy involved with the stoppage, however, because Stiverne was still standing and fighting back. He’d been hurt moments before by a big left-right from King, who then proceeded to land a flurry of head shots while Stiverne attempted to cover up on the ropes.

2014/2015 Previews & Reviews: Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Bermane Stiverne, Demetrius Andrade, Mikey Garcia, Abner Mares, Jermell Charlo, & Felix Verdejo

01/03/2015 Vivek Wallace

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

2014 was simply a continuation of the pattern Klitschko has seen for quite some time now. Two unknown opponents, two more victories, and two more defenses of a title that he’s rarely been tested for. While critics will jump at the chance to tear down this ‘great wall’ of talent, the truth is that no talent can choose the era in which they dominate.

Wladimir unfortunately came along at a point where the talent pool in the heavyweight division is about as tough as that last ply of toilet paper on the roll. No fault of his own, which has to mean something when scanning over his lifeless resume. 2015 could offer a few interesting twist, as suddenly, the heavyweight division has received a shot in the arm that few saw coming.

Deontay Wilder looking to KO Stiverne on 1/17

12/20/201412/18/2014 T.Baker

Unbeaten Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) has little doubt that he’ll be victorious next month in his fight against WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) on January 17th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Wilder feels that he’ll get the win but he might not get the credit for the victory because he thinks that a lot of boxing fans will still doubt him.

Beating the 36-year-old Stiverne will go a long ways towards proving Deontay’s many detractors wrong, because Stiverne is considered to be a good fighter by a lot of fans. However, for the 6’7” Wilder to really prove himself, he’s going to need to beat other contenders like Bryant Jennings, Alexander Povetkin, Carlos Takam, Tyson Fury and Kubrat Pulev.