The highly anticipated WBC heavyweight title showdown between the champion Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder is just two days away and all the fighters took part in the final press conference Thursday at the David Copperfield Theater inside the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
After waiting for Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) who arrived fashionably late, around 40 minutes past the 1 p.m. PT start time, the delay proved to be worth as both main event fighters traded verbal blows.
Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) took to the podium first and as he has been in the lead up to the fight, was confident, funny and very animated, drawing laughs from the press at hand.
Wilder insulted the usually reserved Stiverne, claiming that everyone in his camp was doing the talking for him, but they can’t fight for him.
Stiverne’s promoter, the infamous Don King, wasn’t immune from the trash-talk either, as Wilder claimed that he heard that if he took the belt away from him that King would be fired.
All the talk seem to wake the sleeping giant in Stiverne as when he got his chance to talk after Wilder’s lengthy set, the normally quiet Stiverne blew up and more than held his own against Wilder in the war of words.
As Stiverne went off, he mentioned a a legal situation Wilder was in a few years ago after Wilder ended his turn on the mic with, “I’m about to out this Haitian on a permanent vacation.” Stiverne fired back saying, “Speaking of vacation, didn’t you on vacation for domestic?”
Wilder was arrested on charges of felony domestic violence in May 2013 in Las Vegas when he was in town for the Folyd Mayweather Jr. versus Robert Guerrero bout, but all charges against him were dropped in September of that year.
While Stiverne continued in on his challenger, Wilder tried to interrupt him a few times, to which Stiverne answered, “You best shut the hell up, I’m the champ, I’m talking.”
After the entertaining presser Stiverne and Wilder had an intense, several minute long stare down ( three minutes and 17 seconds to be exact), one that might be the longest in the history of the sport.
Eventually after several failed attempts to separate the two, both fighters dispersed and Wilder spouted out, “I’m going to keep my promise” over and over, reiterating the fact that he plans to hurt Stiverne Saturday night.
If the hype wasn’t behind the bout before, is definitely is now after one of the most heated pre-fight press conferences in recent memory.
Watch the action go down Saturday, Jan. 17, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on Showtime.
