Bermane Stiverne Predicts Knockout Win Over Deontay Wilder

Published

5 years ago

October 3, 2014

Bermane Stiverne told TSS he expects to knock out undefeated challenger Deontay Wilder whenever the two finally tussle for Stiverne’s WBC heavyweight title. Wilder is the mandatory challenger for Stiverne. The two are expected to meet in December or January.

“It’s not going 12 rounds,” said Stiverne. “Somebody will get hurt, and it won’t be me.”

Stiverne said he has all the advantages going into the bout, and he expects to exploit them on fight night. But don’t expect much trash talk during the promotional buildup.

“I know I’m here to entertain the fans in the ring. Outside the ring, I don’t do that trash talk. I believe trash belongs in the trash. But I’m all about business. When it comes to it, you can talk all you want. But can you deliver when the bell rings?”

Stiverne believes he’s already proved to be the type of fighter who can deliver. He knocked out Chris Arreola in Round 6 in May to win the vacant WBC heavyweight title. He said unlike Wilder, he wasn’t the type to try to garner attention for himself outside the ring. Rather, he said he puts all his effort into making sure he’s ready to perform when and where it counts.

“Most of the fighters that talk, talk, talk. The night of the fight? They can’t even do what they were talking about. If anyone is looking for someone to trash talk, or act up or have some type of weird behavior outside the ring or use foul language and stuff like that, they’re going to wait a long time. It’s not who I am. I was never like that.”

Stiverne said it wasn’t a question of if he’ll defeat Wilder, but how.

“I’m not worried about the win. I’m worried about my performance and how it’s going to be done. The win is obviously something that will be the outcome of the fight. I will win the fight, but you can win many fights. But the way I win the fight is more important.”

Stiverne-Wilder is one of the most intriguing heavyweight bouts in recent history. Stiverne is a patient, hard-punching technician with real skill. Wilder appears crude to some but has knocked out every fighter he’s ever faced.

Stiverne admits the hype around the fight is the most intense of his career.

“Yeah, but people think it’s big because of who he is, how he talks and his record with 32 wins and 32 knockouts. So I think that’s where the excitement and hype comes from. But this fight is really a fight that I’m looking forward to. I want to make a statement. I don’t like to talk about [things]. I’d rather answer the questions that everybody has the night of the fight. All the questions will be answered then.”

I asked Stiverne if he thought he was more skilled than Wilder overall.

“Most definitely. I feel like I’m in my prime, and all I have to do is put my work in at the gym. Because just when you hit your prime, it doesn’t mean you get to relax. I feel good. I feel confident. Especially psychologically. I feel great. I feel amazing, and not because I feel like I’m in my prime will I take my preparation likely.”

I also asked Stiverne if he thought his combination of speed and power would be too much for Wilder, someone who hasn’t faced very high level competition up to the present.

“I do. I really do, because of my amateur background. First of all, in my amateur days, all I used to fight were guys that were 6’4” and up. I really feel like skill-wise, with my speed and also my power, I am the better fighter.”

Stiverne fought in the amateur ranks as a member of the Canadian national team from 1999-2005. He said he moved from Miami to Canada because he missed the chance to compete in the Golden Gloves tournament in the United States, and that having family in Canada helped him gain the necessary citizenship requirement to compete there.

Stiverne said he had 93 fights as an amateur, losing only seven. “I had a good time in Canada. I was very active. We went to all types of tournaments everywhere in the world. That’s where I got all my experience and learned my basics. It really helped set up my professional career.”

After turning professional in 2005, and overcoming a couple of early setbacks, Stiverne defeated Arreola 11 years later to become the WBC heavyweight champion, something he takes great pride in.

“Being heavyweight champion of the world is something I always wanted to be. It’s the reason why I started my career in boxing. So obviously it feels good.”

Stiverne is perhaps most famous for being Don King’s last hope at heavyweight promotional relevance. King was an integral part of the heavyweight boxing scene from 1974’s Muhammad Ali versus George Foreman bout in Zaire to Mike Tyson’s impressive run in the 1990s.

King and Stiverne were embittered in a legal battle last year over promotional disagreements but settled the dispute outside of court. I asked Stiverne how his relationship was with the enigmatic King now.

“It’s normal. Nothing special. He’s good at what he does, and I’m good at what I do. The combination has been great. It’s a good one.”

Stiverne said he recognized the importance of his career to King’s continued hopes of rekindling past promotional glory.

“Obviously, once upon a time, he used to control all of that, and I kind of got him back on the map. I don’t know what the future holds for me and Mr. King, but for now, it’s a great duo.”

I couldn’t help myself. Does King treat you better now that you’re the WBC heavyweight champion, Bermane? Has that made it easier to work with him?

“Everybody treats me a little better! Everybody does. But it’s all love. I don’t hate nobody. It comes with the title!”

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Kelsey McCarson

Avila Perspective, Chap. 76: Welterweights Vergil, Terence and More

Published

15 hours ago

December 12, 2019

David A. Avila

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In the words of many boxing journalists, fighters, trainers and promoters “styles make fights,” and those differences can lead to unpredictable outcomes. The weekend brings a few stylish welterweights on display from California to New York.

Welterweight ingénue Vergil Ortiz Jr. (14-0, 14 KOs) enters the world of unpredictability when he meets Brad Solomon (28-1, 9 KOs) a swift-moving veteran on Friday, Dec. 13, at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, Calif. DAZN will show the loaded Golden Boy Promotions fight card.

It’s Ortiz’s third year as a professional and fifth time performing at the Indio casino. It’s also where he made his pro debut back in July 2016 when he began his remarkable string of 14 consecutive knockout wins.

Solomon, 36, has made a career of fighting pressure fighters and making them miss or defusing their power. Only Russia’s Konstantin Ponomarev, who was trained at the time by Abel Sanchez, was able to hang a loss on the Georgia fighter’s ledger.

Can Ortiz handle the style difference?

“Vergil can do more than people think,” said Vergil Ortiz Sr., father of the lanky welterweight slugger. “He can box any style.”

As a professional, Ortiz has yet to fight someone like Solomon with his juke and move style of fighting. As an amateur he did face speedsters like Ryan Garcia. As a pro, this will mark his first in the prize ring. It should be interesting.

Power Packed Support

Knockout artist Ortiz leads a power packed-boxing card that includes a number of Golden Boy’s best knockout punchers like Bektemir Melikuziev, Alberto Machado and Luis Feliciano. All of these guys can punch and are looking to put the cap on 2019.

That’s a lot of firepower.

But also on the card is someone fighting for 360 Promotions named Serhii Bohachuk, otherwise known as “El Flaco.” Just like Ortiz, Bohachuk has never allowed the final bell to be rung against 16 foes so far. He is going for 17 when he fights Carlos Galvan (17-9-1) in a super welterweight fight set for eight rounds. Don’t expect to hear the final bell whenever the Ukrainian trained by Mexican style coach Abel Sanchez gets in the ring.

Bohachuk could be following in the footsteps of another guy formerly trained by Abel Sanchez named Gennady Golovkin. It’s still too early, but he looks pretty good so far.

New York City

Top welterweight Terence Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs) defends the WBO welterweight title against Lithuania’s Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (21-0-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday, Dec. 14, at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. ESPN will televise the Top Rank card.

In the crowded and talented world of the welterweights, Crawford could very well be the best of them all. If only he could prove it. The Omaha-Nebraska prizefighter has tried every enticement possible to lure Errol Spence Jr., Danny “Swift” Garcia, Shawn Porter and Manny Pacquiao. Nothing works.

What does work for Crawford has been a reputation as one of the best prizefighters in the world pound for pound. Some tab him as the very best especially when it comes to speed, agility and the ability to innovate on the spot. He has few peers.

Facing Crawford will be Kavaliauskas who trains in Oxnard with a number of Eastern Europeans including Vasyl Lomachenko. They share the same management. He’s never faced anyone close in talent to Crawford. Except, maybe inside of his own gym.

“I’m not focused on no other opponent besides the opponent that’s in front of me. My goal is to make sure I get the victory come this weekend, and that’s the only person I’m focused on now,” said Crawford. “Anyone else is talk. It goes in one ear and out the other. He’s young, hungry and I’m not taking him lightly.”

Crawford has been chasing stardom for a number of years. What better place than New York City’s Madison Square Garden to showcase his skills to the public. At age 32, Crawford is running out of sand.

Lightweight Title Fight

The co-main event on Saturday at Madison Square Garden features IBF lightweight titlist Richard Commey (29-2, 26 KOs) defending against wunderkind Teofimo Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs).

But this weekend truly belongs to the welterweights.

Next Week

Southern California will be packed with boxing. It’s a last gasp before the end of 2019.

Ontario, California will be hosting a very large Premier Boxing Champions fight card at the Toyota Center on Saturday Dec. 21.

WBC super welterweight titlist Tony Harrison finally defends against Jermall Charlo in a rematch and it won’t be friendly. These guys hate each other.

“He’s fake,” said Harrison when they last met in Los Angeles for a press conference.

It won’t be pretty when they meet next week.

Tickets are on sale. Go to this link for more information: https://www.toyota-arena.com/events/detail/premier-boxing-champions

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 4:30 p.m. Vergil Ortiz (14-0) vs Brad Solomon (28-1); Serhii Bohachuk (16-0) vs Carlos Galvan (17-9-1).

Sat. Facebook 5 p.m. Diego De La Hoya (21-1) vs Renson Robles (16-6).

Sat. ESPN 6 p.m. Terence Crawford (35-0) vs Egidijus Kaviliauskas (21-0-1); Teofimo Lopez (14-0) vs Richard Commey (29-2).

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A Toast to Busy Bee Emanuel Navarrete, a Fighter from the Old School

Published

21 hours ago

December 12, 2019

Ted Sares

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In the last 12 months, super bantamweight Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete has fought five times. That’s close to Old School-type activity.

No one in Mexico gave Navarette much notice until he stopped Luis Bedolla Orozco (18-2) in Guadalajara in 2017. He turned more heads when he KO’d Filipino veteran Glenn Porras in January 2018 and fans outside Mexico began to take serious note of this no-nonsense youngster (now just 24) when he stopped Columbia’s “El General” Jose Sanmartin (26-4-1) five months later.

That win, his eighth straight by stoppage, earned him an interim belt and opened the door to a world title shot. It came on Dec. 8, 2018 at Madison Square Garden against undefeated (20-0) WBO world super bantamweight champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe.

Navarrete, five inches taller at 5’7”, shocked the hard-punching Brit (by way of Ghana) to win a decision and become the new champion. The scores were 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112, but more to the point, Dogboe’s post-fight face looked like it had gone through the proverbial meat grinder. The tall Mexican had fought tall and picked the much smaller Dogboe apart with precise and pinpoint punching.

The rematch proved that Emanuel’s first win was no fluke as he showed late round power in stopping Dogboe in the 12^th. He again used his height advantage, showed great stamina and strength, was accurate with his punches, and once again the too-short Dogboe’s face looked like he was on the wrong end of a big city mugging.

His first title defense came against Francisco De Vaca (20-0) who is a fixture at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona. This one lasted three rounds as Vaquero (“cowboy” in English) used a neat uppercut to stun De Vaca in the second and then rendered a terrible beating in the third to end the fight—one that should have been halted earlier by referee Raul Caiz Sr. who seemed far more “brave” than the fighters.

On September 14, 2019, Navarrete used his signature wide left hooks and uppercuts to end matters in the middle of the third round against Juan Miguel Elorde (28-1). Juan Miguel, the grandson of Filipino boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, made the mistake of engaging Navarrete in a firefight and lost. This one took place at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and boxing fans now knew who this tall super bantamweight was.

In his most recent fight — this one in Mexico — Navarrete put on another display of accurate power punching to stop Francisco Horta (20-3-1) at 2.09 of round 4. After a somewhat typical slow start, Navarrete found his groove and began serious stalking, using looping combinations at strange angles inside and outside, finally catching Horta on the ropes in the fourth, ending matters with stunning closure. It was his 25^th straight win dating back to 2012 when he was defeated by one Daniel Argueta by a 4-round decision.

Navarrete, one of seven current Mexican world title-holders, is now looking to unify at 122. He also might be interested in fighting Naoya Inoue if “Monster” moves up in weight, and given Inoue’s recent fight with Nonito Donaire in which he showed that he is human after all, this one could be a sizzler.

As to his chances for “Fighter of the Year,” they are probably slim, but that has nothing to do with whether he deserves it and everything to do with poor public relations. Yes, a solid case can be made for Josh Warrington, but enough with the Canelo, Loma, Usyk types who fight twice a year.

Emanuel Navarrete is more active than any other title-holder or top contender and has a KO percentage of 84% despite the fact that his last five opponents had a combined record of 108-5-1 coming in. And he has a fan-friendly style, stalking, stunning, and closing his opponents with controlled violence. In many respects, he fights like a pre-scandal and prime Antonio Margarito, except he is more technically sound. The fact is, Vaquero, the pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec, is super exciting and doesn’t seem to have any noticeable weaknesses.

Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel

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NEWS FLASH: Leon Spinks Hospitalized; Reportedly Fighting for His Life

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2019

TSS Press

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The gossip site TMZ is reporting that Leon Spinks is hospitalized in Las Vegas and is fighting for his life. TMZ acquired this information from Spinks’ wife Brenda Glur Spinks after spying her social media post. “It’s been a tough year for us,” she wrote. “Leon has endured a lot of medical problems. I’m reaching to ask that you pray for my Beautiful Husband Leon. So that he may overcome the obstacles that crossed his path.”

Her sentiment was echoed by Leon’s son Leon Spinks III who posted this message on his facebook page: “My Dad isn’t doing so good now and his wife Brenda Glur Spinks and I ask that u pray that he weather’s this storm. My dad is all I have left and I really appreciate it if yall let God know that he is not in this battle alone.”

A gold medal winner at the 1976 Olympics, Spinks, 66, is best remembered for upsetting Muhammad Ali in 1978 to win the world heavyweight title. He lost the title back to Ali in his next fight.

This is a developing story. As new details emerge, we will share them with you.

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