WE all know that Deontay Wilder has power. His heavy punching has characterised his reign as WBC heavyweight champion.
But one of his victims, Bermane Stiverne is adamant that Wilder has been using a secret weapon. After an operation to treat an accident Wilder had metal rods inserted in his arm. Stiverne has claimed that Wilder used a forearm smash to secure his knockout victory over him when they fought in 2017.
“It was a forearm behind the head and I just couldn’t recuperate,” Stiverne said. “He threw a combination with the jab and the right hand. I went down. I went down because I wanted to gain time. Tried to shake it off. I got up. I was just hurt.
“If you look at his fight with [Luis] Ortiz, he did the same thing. Forearm behind the head. We all know with the accident he had with the motorcycle, he’s got a metal plate. He used it.
“But hey what can I say, it’s part of the game. I just wish that it would be more something that the referee should look at. The way he uses his forearm.”
Stiverne though did not look in good condition going into that fight. However he insisted that in fact “I was ready”.
Despite Wilder weaponising his forearm Stiverne does not consider him the most fearsome heavyweight in the world. He reckons Tyson Fury is the number one in the division.
“I was impressed with him especially,” Bermane said. “Him having all his issues after the Klitschko fight, which was whatever he had going on and to see him come back and perform the way he did I was very impressed so you know in my book I think he is the man to beat.”
