As per the WBC, a return meeting between the governing body’s heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder and former champ Bermane Stiverne is on the way; ordered as the rematch has been. Wilder, who took the green belt he now holds from Stiverne back in January of 2015, wants to unify the titles, but he will seemingly also have to accommodate the man he out-pointed (Wilder’s best win to date).
Bermane Stiverne
Bermane Stiverne responds to talk of possible eliminator with Luis Ortiz: “It isn’t happening”
Former WBC heavyweight champ Bermane Stiverne has felt the urge to respond to the growing suggestions that he and unbeaten Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz could soon meet in a final eliminator for the WBC title currently held by the unbeaten Deontay Wilder.
The talked of match-up has intrigue to it and fight fans would certainly tune in to watch it, but it’s not happening – not according to Stiverne anyway. Taking to social media to let his thoughts be known, “B-Ware” wrote the following short, to the point message:
Hearn in favour of WBC eliminator between Luis Ortiz and Bermane Stiverne
Unbeaten Cuban heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz has plenty of options, the most appealing of which just might be the mooted WBC final eliminator between Ortiz and former WBC heavyweight champ and current WBC NO.1 contender Bermane Stiverne. Ortiz, who is currently ranked at NO.2 with the WBC, would likely take the Stiverne fight if it were indeed offered to him – so says his promoter Eddie Hearn.
Dillian Whyte-Bermane Stiverne final eliminator for shot at Wilder could take place – Whyte wants it
British heavyweight Dillian Whyte has Tweeted how he and Bermane Stiverne could soon meet in a final WBC eliminator, the winner to challenge champ Deontay Wilder. As fans know, former WBC heavyweight champ Stiverne was to have fought Alexander Povetkin this past Saturday, the winner to face Wilder, but Povetkin failed a drugs test and fought late sub Johann Duhaupas instead (winning by violent 6th-round KO).
King comments on Povetkin vs. Stiverne
Top rated heavyweights Alexander Povetkin and Bermane Stiverne were scheduled to fight for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Interim Heavyweight title on Saturday night at the Ekaterinburg Expo Center in Ekaterinburg, Russia. However, the WBC withdrew it’s sanctioning of the bout due to a Povetkin failed drug test. The WBC informed both camps of their decision Friday evening and advised the Stiverne camp they should not go through with the fight. The WBC abides by “Safety First” protocol in their Clean Boxing Program.
Povetkin (31-1, 23 KOs) from Checkhov, Russia was going into the fight rated No. 1 by the WBC. No. 2 rated Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) was born and raised in Haiti, now residing in Las Vegas. They were to fight for the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title, the winner becoming mandatory challenger to current champion Deontay Wilder, who has been incapable of defending due to injury.
Don King To WBC: Declare Stiverne Champion
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.
Povetkin-Stiverne fight in serious jeopardy as Povetkin fails (another) drugs test
News broke late last night US time stating how Russia’s Alexander Povetkin failed a drugs test, the announcement coming from the WBC President Jose Suliaman just hours before Povetkin’s scheduled fight with Bermane Stiverne. The fight, which was set for today, and would contest the interim WBC heavyweight title (the winner to face full champ Deontay Wilder some time next year) is now in serious jeopardy.
The WBC has been forced to withdraw its sanction of the bout, meaning that if the fight does still go ahead it will be a non-title clash. Povetkin reportedly tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine, the fighter’s sample, given to a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, reportedly coming up positive for the drug. As fans will no doubt recall, Povetkin also tested positive for medonium ahead of his scheduled fight with Wilder back in May.
Watch: Povetkin vs Stiverne: Weigh-In Video
Weigh-In Results: Povetkin – 101,5 kg (223,7 lbs), Stiverne – 113,1 kg (249 lbs)
Former WBC heavyweight champ Bermane Stiverne could well be having the last big fight of his career on Saturday night in Ekaterinburg. The 38-year-old faces Russian hero Alexander Povetkin in an attempt at becoming the interim WBC champ and Stiverne says he knows he needs a KO to win.
Speaking with RT Sport just after the official press conference, a smiling and relaxed-looking Stiverne, 25-2-1(21) said there is no way he will get a decision over Povetkin should the fight go the full 12 rounds, and that he has trained for the KO.
WBC ruling on Bermane Stiverne’s test results
WBC RULING REGARDING BERMANE STIVERNE’S
WBC CPB ADVERSE FINDING
ISSUED BY WBC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
November 14, 2016
I. ADVERSE FINDING
On November 11, 2016 VADA notified the WBC that Bermane Stiverne’s anti-doping test taken from his November 4, 2016 sample (the “Test”) pursuant to the WBC Clean Boxing Program (“CPB”) yielded an adverse finding for the banned substance methylhexaneamine (also known as dimethyamylamine or “DMAA”).
Alexander Povetkin-Bermane Stiverne will take place in Russia, December 17th
The final two months of 2016 are shaping up to be very eventful in boxing, perhaps making up for what has generally been viewed as a pretty lacklustre year overall. In particular, the heavyweight division has been slow and lacking in big fights, due of course to the unfortunate circumstances with troubled, now former champ Tyson Fury.
But now, with interesting title fights such as Lucas Browne-Shannon Briggs, Joseph Parker-Andy Ruiz Jnr and Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua either set or in the works (the Joshua-Klitschko fight pencilled in for next March – providing AJ beats Eric Molina on December 10, this being an interesting second defence for the reigning IBF champ) the division is moving again.