WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will defend his title against mandatory challenger Bermane Stiverne on Saturday, Nov. 4 live on SHOWTIME in a rematch of their 2015 world title fight. The event is presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
By Jeff Aranow: The World Boxing Council is reporting that they are no longer sanctioning the heavyweight title fight between WBC champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) and Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs) due to the adverse test results from the 38-year-old Cuban during a recent pre-fight drug screening.
By Jim Dower: Despite Luis Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs) testing positive for 2 banned drugs in his pre-fight test by VADA, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) says he’s still going to be fighting on November 4th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
By Jim Dower: Former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) is close to agreeing to step aside so that WBC champion Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) can face #1 WBA Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs) on November 4 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Wilder-Ortiz fight will be televised on Showtime Championship Boxing.
By Scott Gilfoid: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” is on the verge of facing one of his toughest tests of his 9-year pro career in unbeaten Luis “King Kong” Ortiz. Negotiations between the two fighters are in the works for a fight on November 4 I Brooklyn, New York, according to RingTV.com.
By Jeff Aranow: #1 WBC Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1 21 KOs) has turned up his nose at the idea of him sharing the ring with #2 WBC heavyweight contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs) in what would be a World Boxing Council eliminator bout.
Stiverne, 38, says he has other options on the agenda for his near future. He’s not interested in fighting the soon to be 38-year-old Ortiz. It’s unclear what big fight Stiverne has on his plate. He’s not fought in over a year since beating Derric Rossy by a 10 round unanimous decision on November 14, 2015. Stiverne lost his WBC title to Deontay Wilder in January 2015 in a 12 round decision loss. Since that defeat, Stiverne has rarely fought.
By Scott Gilfoid: With Alexander Povetkin looking like he’s out of the running for a title shot against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, #2 WBC Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) could wind up facing #10 WBC Dillian Whyte (20-1, 15 KOs) in a WBC heavyweight eliminator match. This is what the 28-year-old Whyte is saying on his social media site.
If Whyte is going to be the one fighting in an eliminator, he would be leapfrogging over a lot of higher ranked contenders in the World Boxing Council’s rankings in order for him to get that title shot. Would be that fair? Whoever said boxing was fair? The sport isn’t conducted like normal sports where you have teams that fight their way to the top by beating good teams.
In the aftermath of Saturday’s news that the WBC Interim heavyweight title fight in Russia between former heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne and top-ranked Alexander Povetkin had been cancelled because Povetkin tested positive for drugs again, Hall of Fame promoter Don “Only In America” King offered a simple solution:
Declare his fighter, Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, the interim champion.
STATEMENT FROM BERMANE STIVERNE: Former World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) Heavyweight Champion BERMANE STIVERNE (25-2-1, 21 KO’s), of Las Vegas, Nevada, has elected not to face #1 ranked contender ALEXANDER POVETKIN, (30-1-0, 22 KO’s) today after Povetkin tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine and the World Boxing Council withdrew their recognition of the fight.
By Eric Baldwin: Former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) has allegedly failed a drug test for his fight against Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1,21 KOs) for his fight tonight at the Ekaterinburg, Expo, in Ekaterinburg, Russia. The World Boxing Council has withdrawn sanctioning of the Povetkin vs. Stiverne fight. (read Stiverne statment here). Povetkin may face Johann Duhaupas tonight now according to news from Russia.
The fight was supposed to be for the interim WBC heavyweight title. The winner was then to face WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder. Now it’s unknown what’s going to happen. This is bad news for the career of the 37-year-old Povetkin, because it’s the second time he’s failed a drug test.