Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder: Viewing Info and Preview for Title Fight

Bermane Stiverne is set to defend his WBC heavyweight title against undefeated American Deontay Wilder. It's a highly anticipated bout, with the challenger having an opportunity to score a breakthrough with a triumph on Saturday night.

The fight marks the first title defense for Stiverne. The Canadian veteran won the belt with back-to-back wins over Chris Arreola, the latter to secure the vacant championship. His only career loss came against Demetrice King all the way back in 2007.

A high-profile clash with Wladimir Klitschko could very well be next for the winning boxer, adding even more incentive. Let's check out all of the important details for the fight followed by a preview and prediction for how it will play out.

Viewing Information

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada

When: Saturday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. ET

Watch: Showtime

Fight Preview

This should be an entertaining bout regardless of which fighter picks up the victory. Stiverne has 21 knockouts out of his 24 wins, while Wilder has astonishingly won by knockout all 32 times he's stepped into the ring as a professional.

BoxNation passed along the tale of the tape:

It will be interesting to see how Wilder handles the moment. He's been nothing short of dominant throughout his career. This fight, however, represents a step up in the level of competition and could lead to much bigger things moving forward if he comes out on top.

He certainly doesn't lack confidence. In fact, he guaranteed he'll walk away as the new champion. Dan Rafael of ESPN passed along the rising star's comments in which he states he doesn't want to hear any excuses after the bout:

"

When I do the unexpected, I don't want you all to degrade this man, Stiverne. I don't want you to call him another bum or make excuses for my victory. Stick by your word. Let this be a test for me and watch me pass my test. I guarantee I will do it. I know everyone has been speaking for you, Bermane, but they can't fight for you. They can only make it worse for you.

"

On the flip side, Stiverne finds himself in an interesting position. Despite being the champion, most of the attention has been focused on his opponent, which has allowed him to prepare without the added burden of high expectations from the outside.

He doesn't believe Wilder is anything more than a flash in the pan. The Don House trainee doesn't speak out quite as much as most other boxers looking to sell fights, but he made some pretty bold remarks to Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports:

"

After this fight, you'll never, ever hear about Deontay Wilder again. […]

It's going to be a real fight, a fight like you've never seen before. I'm no cab driver. I'm no one-hit wonder. This is the real deal. This belt here isn't going anywhere.

"

If he wants to prove that forecast right, he must survive the early rounds. Wilder knows this is a major opportunity and will likely come out firing on all cylinders. The more fighting done at close quarters, the better the challenger's chances of scoring the desired quick knockout.

Stiverne features plenty of power in his own right, of course. But he's developed more weapons for his arsenal over the years. Trying to match the American shot for shot probably isn't his best option. He needs to get a little more creative.

That said, if he can survive that early barrage without too much damage, he should be in good shape. Ryan Songalia of Ring Magazine agrees with that outlook:

This is a tricky fight to call. Wilder is the boxer with more upside and if he's able to impose his will in the early rounds, this bout could end extremely quickly. Stiverne is experienced and will provide some unique challenges, though.

Ultimately, the prediction is for Wilder to score a knockout in the middle rounds. It wouldn't be a surprise if he's able to pull it off even quicker given the nature of the fight. But if it extends beyond that, the edge will shift toward the champion.

Prediction: Wilder by sixth-round knockout