Saturday 4 November 2017 09:20, UK
Deontay Wilder will take on Bermane Stiverne in a rematch this weekend as he looks to set up potential clashes with the likes of Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.
The American puts his WBC world title on the line against mandatory challenger Stiverne at the Barclays Center, New York, live on Sky Sports, this Sunday morning, on a bill which also features Shawn Porter and heavy-hitting super-lightweight Sergey Lipinets.
The 32-year-old makes the sixth defence of his coveted green and gold belt, a title he won when he first fought Stiverne almost three years ago.
'The Bronze Bomber' won convincingly in taking the WBC strap, but it remains the only occasion in a 38-fight career in which the unbeaten Alabama knockout-artist has been taken the scheduled distance.
Wilder has defended his title against the likes of Eric Molina, Chris Arreola and most recently Gerald Washington, but the American has also had his share of bad luck and frustration after Alexander Povetkin and Luis Ortiz both failed drug tests ahead of challenging him.
The champion says that he is ready to unify titles and has set his sights on a huge showdown with WBA and IBF beltholder Anthony Joshua for next year.
It seems a long time ago that Stiverne briefly held the WBC world title after he stopped Chris Arreola to claim the title in 2014 and the Haiti heavyweight has only had two fights since then.
The first of those was, of course, that punishing defeat at the hands of Wilder and ten months on from that, 'B. WARE' returned to winning ways with a decision victory over Derric Rossy.
Stiverne has been out of the ring since, but now he gets a mandatory shot in a rematch. He claims that he was ill when he took Wilder the distance last time out, but time will tell whether he really can reverse the outcome and shock the towering American.
The rematch marks Wilder's sixth defence and many, including Wilder himself, feel it is time for the hard-hitting Alabama native to face the division's fellow elite fighters, including 'AJ' and WBO champion Joseph Parker.
Wilder showed that he could box in that first beat-down of Stiverne, but many still perceive the American to just be a one-dimensional power puncher. In stopping most of his opponents, that perception continues to run true to an extent.
Win here and Wilder is bound to unify or face Dillian Whyte, who is itching to get his hands on the green and gold belt. There is no doubt that the American will be a central figure in the heavyweight division next year.
It is almost always guaranteed to be an early night when Wilder fights and a highlight reel knockout normally coincides.
Stiverne though, remains the one man to take the American the distance in a fight and he will be keen to improve on that 'accomplishment'.
Wilder is bound to take on one of Britain's leading heavyweights in the future, maybe even on British shores, and it is a chance to see what the WBC world champion brings to the table and the destructive power he possesses.
Popular Las Vegas welterweight Shawn Porter takes on Mexico's Adrian Granados for the vacant WBC Silver title and the American brawler will hopes victory sets up a rematch with WBC and WBA world champion Keith Thurman.
Granados though is never in a dull fight and the 28-year-old has been toughly matched throughout his career, only narrowly losing to Adrien Broner last time out.
Feared Russian Sergey Lipinets also features as he takes on Japan's Akihiro Kondo for the vacant IBF super-lightweight world title, while heavyweights Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina face off.
Watch Deontay Wilder defend his WBC world heavyweight title against Bermane Stiverne, live on Sky Sports, in the early hours of Sunday morning at 1am. Before that, Dmitry Bivol, Jamie McDonnell, Dereck Chisora and Scott Quigg box in Monte Carlo, live on Sky Sports from 7pm this Saturday.
