Deontay Wilder threw down the gauntlet to Britain’s Heavyweight supremo Anthony Joshua in devastating fashion as he smashed Bermane Stiverne to defeat inside the opening round this weekend.
Wilder landed his big right hand early to floor Stiverne heavily, who got to his feet unsteadily only to have ferocious follow up send him to the canvas once more. The end was inevitable and ‘The Bronze Bomber’ finished the job emphatically seconds later to improve his winning record to a very impressive undefeated tally of 39 wins, with 38 ko’s.
Stiverne himself being the only man to take Wilder the distance in their first encounter when Wilder with a damaged hand went the full 12 rounds for the only time in his career in January 2015.
This was the perfect counter to a disappointing performance by Anthony Joshua who laboured to impress in beating late substitute Carlos Takam the previous Saturday.
Wilder was fast, athletic and brutal in the manner in which he destroyed Stiverne, unlike Joshua’s almost plodding effort in being handed a premature stoppage to a game and competitive Takam.
Surely Wilder v Joshua unification is a natural fight to be made for spring 2018 in a stadium in the UK or USA and it would be a huge sporting extravaganza but one suspects Wilder may well have shot himself in the foot with such a dominate destruction and could be offered well below his worth by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport, in an attempt to delay the inevitable and buy Joshua more experience, which indeed it does look like he needs after the Takam showing.
Deontay Wilder is the man to beat in heavyweight boxing in what is becoming the great competitive division it once was. There’s undefeated Kiwi Joe Parker, the WBO champion, in the mix and now with Tyson Fury looking like he is about to join the party it’s going to get even better.
Wilder, Joshua, Parker and Fury all undefeated 109 wins 0 losses between them. Young and in their prime, 2018 looks a year to saviour in Heavyweight boxing, let’s hope the fans get the fights they want and we find out who is the next Heavyweight king.
READ MORE:
Deontay Wilder Decimates Bermane Stiverne In The First Round
Eddie Hearn: Joshua-Wilder Nothing Compared To Joshua-Fury