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When Deontay Wilder Punched Bermane Stiverne So Hard It Bent The Metal Rod In His Hand

When Deontay Wilder Punched Bermane Stiverne So Hard It Bent The Metal Rod In His Hand

"I realised it because my hand started going numb," Deontay Wilder said of his injury. "I knew what it was because I had it happen before."

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

Deontay Wilder showed how much of a destructive puncher he is when he landed a brutal right hand on Bermane Stiverne that bent the metal rod in his surgically repaired hand.

The 'Bronze Bomber' stepped in the ring with Stiverne for the WBC championship back in 2015 and went on to win the belt.

The initial Stiverne bout, which was Wilder's 33rd professional fight, was the first time that the current WBC champ went the full distance and secured a victory on points.

The WBC kingpin might have walked away with the WBC championship -- which he has defended on nine occasions since then -- but he also suffered a broken right hand in the bout.

Despite the horrific injury in the same right hand that he had previously broken, Wilder made swift work of Stiverne and dominated in the one-sided fight.

When the 'Bronze Bomber' was asked if the metal rod in his hand had been bent, he responded: "That is true. Somewhere in the third or the fourth round.

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"I realised it because my hand started going numb. I knew what it was because I had it happen before.

"The first time I did it I knocked him out and I didn't have to go through the entire fight.

"With this one it felt OK during the fight. It just let me know that through adversity anything is possible if you have the will and the mind to accomplish your goal. That's what champions are made of.

"When you go to battle you're going to do everything you have to do to win.

"That wasn't the only injury. I had one eye going into the fight. I was handicapped the whole fight.

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"The night before the fight I was stretching with a band. It came off my feet and hit me in the eye.

"When I woke up the next day I couldn't see anything. Good thing I had my private doctor there. He treated the eye.

"I was seeing black and white before the fight, but I was already there and I was going to go through with the fight."

Wilder would rematch Stiverne two years after their initial bout and quickly dispatched of his opponent with a stunning first-round KO.

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Wilder's feared punching power has seen plenty of his fights end within the first three rounds.

But Tyson Fury, who is eying up a rematch with the KO artist in early 2020, is the only man to have felt the full brunt of his power and not suffer a defeat to Wilder.

While many fans would make the case that Wilder should have lost the fight, the WBC champ continues to push forward with his objective of unifying the heavyweight division.

Wilder is scheduled to rematch Luis Ortiz on 23rd November ahead of his rematch with Fury.

Featured Image Credit: PA/Showtime

Topics:ย Bronze Bomber, Boxing News, Boxing, Deontay Wilder