Will Beating Bermane Stiverne Earn Deontay Wilder a Shot at Wladimir Klitschko?

If undefeated heavyweight Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) defeats Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) on Saturday night in Las Vegas, as he suggested he would to Bleacher Report earlier this week, he will earn the distinction of holding one of the four world title belts that have traditionally meant something in the sport of boxing.

Stiverne is the WBC heavyweight champion. If Wilder beats him, he’ll take that title and wear it proudly.

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But boxing fans know who the real heavyweight champion of the world is, and his name is Wladimir Klitschko.

Klitschko holds the rest of the significant alphabet boxing belts. He is the WBA, WBO and IBF titleholder, and he also wears the IBO belt around his waist, along with The Ring Magazine championship trinket.

Most importantly, though, Klitschko is the lineal heavyweight champion of the world, something he could only earn by defeating the No. 2 heavyweight contender.

According to the authoritative tracker of such lineages, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (disclosure: I am a TBRB member), Klitschko became lineal champion in October 2013 when he dominated previously undefeated WBA titlist Alexander Povetkin.  

So will Wilder earn a shot at Klitschko after defeating Stiverne? Current TBRB rankings suggest he would.

Wilder is currently ranked the No. 6 heavyweight in the world. The hard-hitting heavyweight has looked sensational at times, knocking out every single opponent he’s faced.

Still, his resume isn’t filled with top-10 contenders. In fact, Wilder holds exactly zero appearances against anyone currently ranked in the top 10 by either the TBRB or The Ring Magazine.

That will change on Saturday. Wilder is facing the No. 3-ranked heavyweight contender to Klitschko’s championship throne, per the TBRB. A win makes him a real contender. 

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Moreover, a win over Stiverne, especially one by knockout, could vault Wilder up past No. 2-ranked Tyson Fury by virtue of Fury’s similar lack of credentials.

Regardless, a win over Stiverne would absolutely set Wilder up as a serious contender to Klitschko. The long-dominant heavyweight from Ukraine has essentially cleaned out the division of contenders over age 30.

Klitschko has already defeated the likes of Povetkin, Kubrat Pulev and Ruslan Chagaev, helping to knock the latter out of serious contention altogether. 

Now, Klitschko seems ready to face a new crop of heavyweight hopefuls.

Of the most likely fighters in the group to give Klitschko trouble—Wilder, Fury and Bryant Jennings—Wilder seems fit to lead the pack. Unlike fellow American Jennings, who, per Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com, Klitschko is negotiating to face next, Wilder has the physical tools to match Klitschko.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

At 6’7”, Wilder will actually be one of the few heavyweights who can look down on the 6’6” champion, and his 83” reach will exceed Klitschko’s by two full inches.

Perhaps even more importantly, Wilder is one of the few fighters in boxing who can match Klitschko’s impressive athletic gifts. It’s one thing to be tall and heavy; it’s quite another to be tall, heavy and lean.

Both Wilder and Klitschko are exceptional athletes with fast feet and hardly an ounce of fat on their incredible physiques.  

Punching power is something else Wilder has in his corner. His ridiculous power has been remarkable in his run up to the WBC title shot, and he’d need every bit of it against an equally strong Klitschko.

And no, Wilder isn’t near the technician Klitschko is right now. He’d be in deep waters against Klitschko almost as soon as the bell rings, but Wilder is likely the most serious contender to Klitschko’s throne should he prove good enough to usurp Stiverne on Saturday night.

That doesn’t mean he should rush into things.

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Wilder told Bleacher Report he could see a bout against Fury for himself next if Klitschko goes through with the proposed Jennings bout.

And that would be ideal for him. Fury is a poor man’s Klitschko. He’s a natural fighter who is similar in stature but doesn’t have the same speed and agility as Wilder or Klitschko. He'd struggle against both. 

A win over Stiverne would make Wilder a serious contender to Klitschko’s title, but the smart move would be to bide his time against other solid contenders like Fury—something his 32 previous bouts sorely lack—to make sure he gives himself the best possible chance to not just contend with Klitschko but actually beat him.

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