Deontay Wilder delivers crushing first-round KO to Bermane Stiverne in title rematch.
Unbeaten heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder put on a Tyson-esque performance at Barclays Center.
"The Bronze Bomber" knocked Stiverne down three times in the first round, the first time a devastating one-two combination that caught the Haitian challenger on the nose. Seconds after Stiverne got back to his feet, Wilder landed another clean combination with a big left and an overhand right that sent a stunned Stiverne back to the canvas. The final blow came in the waning moments of the opening round as Wilder landed four clean punches to the face of a wobbly Stiverne.
Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. almost literally had to wrestle Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) away from doing even more damage, waving the bout over at 2:59 of the first.
Stiverne, who was fighting for the first time since November 2015, came in at 254¾ pounds, 15¾ pounds heavier than when they first fought on January 17, 2015, which Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) won by a lopsided unanimous score.
The second time around Stiverne (25-3-1, 21 KOs) really had no chance.
- Topics
- Wilder vs Stiverne
