By Edward Chaykovsky
Heavyweight puncher Deontay Wilder (31-0, 31KOs) believes WBC champion Bermane Stiverne is intimidated and attempting to avoid a potential fight between them. Wilder is the mandatory challenger to Stiverne, who capture the vacant belt with a rematch knockout of Chris Arreola.
Stiverne's promoter preferred a unification with heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko, but the WBC rejected that idea and ordered their champion to face Wilder next - unless an agreement was reached for Wilder to step aside.
"I know he’s scared now, I hope he has nightmares about me each and every time. He better be sleeping with that belt up by his pillow because when the fight time comes, I’m gonna take that off him and he ain’t gonna have to worry about it no more," Wilder told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.
"I think it’s gonna be a first round fight and it’s gonna be a knockout, that’s for certain. No matter how many rounds it goes, it’s definitely not going to decision, I promise you that, I can put money on, it’s not going to a decision, it’s gonna be a knockout and he’s gonna get knocked out!"
