Bermane Stiverne: “Wilder’s not an issue for me. I can say that I’ve fought better competition in my amateur days!”

I recently had a chance to speak with the recently crowned WBC heavyweight champion, Bermane ‘B. WARE’ Stiverne. Stiverne made history by becoming the first Haitian born heavyweight champ last May when he TKO’d Chris Arreola in the sixth round. A number of topics were discussed in this interview, including his thoughts on his title winning effort with Arreola and his strategy for the fight. Stiverne also commented on his future, and the talk that he may fight either Deontay Wilder or Wladimir Klitschko as his first title defense. Lastly, Bermane Stiverne speaks on the possibility of a fifth Pacquiao-Marquez fight. Here is what Bermane Stiverne had to say.

Robert Brown: How does it feel to be the first heavyweight champion of Haitian decent?

Bermane Stiverne: It feels great. It’s an honor also, to be the first heavyweight. What can I say? It feels better than winning the lottery, this is something that I accomplished and I made history. I’m very happy.

Robert Brown: Over the years you’ve had contractual and promotional issues, as well as injury problems. Was there a time that you thought you’d never get the opportunity to win a heavyweight title?

Bermane Stiverne: Yeah there were difficult times that I had. I had different thoughts, but even though I had those thoughts, I just kept going and not let anything or anybody else distract me from what I wanted to accomplish.

Robert Brown: You laid back on the ropes in this fight, were you just waiting for the counter opportunity? Were you worried that one of Arreola’s shots might hurt you?

Bermane Stiverne: No, not at all. I was on the ropes because I wanted to be on the ropes, not because he put me on the ropes. That was the plan. I think I exceeded my plan in the third round, but he never hurt me, my hands were high and I don’t think Arreola had the power to hurt me.

It looked like I was in danger when I watched the fight but I was never hurt, I was always conscious and knew what was going on. The only shot that he hurt me with was a body shot in the second round, that was a decent body shot that got my attention, but I wasn’t in danger at all.

The plan was really to be let him be comfortable because when he gets comfortable he’s an emotional fighter and he just makes mistakes — dropping his hands and being lazy — that’s where I took advantage of the situation and threw the right hand that caught him on top of the head.

Robert Brown: Deontay Wilder is your mandatory but Wladimir Klitschko has been making noises about wanting to take the belt. Would you have a preference on who you would like to fight?

Bermane Stiverne: I don’t have a preference. I’m the champion and whoever is next is whoever is next. I’m not here to duck nobody, if my party and whoever’s party agree to some type of agreement, then lets do it. Right now I’m here to defend my title as much as I can. I’m not here to duck anybody.

Right now there’s a bunch of names in the air but till it’s announced or till there’s a contract, I can’t talk about anything right now. I don’t pick my opponents, I don’t have a preference. I’m really here to fight and defend my title pretty much.

Robert Brown: Are you looking to have an optional defense before the mandatory and get back in the ring as soon as possible? What are your plans?

Bermane Stiverne: Like I said, I don’t have any preferences. If it’s mandatory, if it’s optional, if it’s unification, I’m all for it. I just want to fight and defend the title, that’s all I want to do.

Robert Brown: Wilder has been saying that you’re just keeping his belt warm and that you’re going to be an easy one round knockout for him. What is your response to those comments?

Bermane Stiverne: I don’t have any response. I don’t fight with my mouth, I fight with my fists in the ring. I don’t have any comments. As far as I’m concerned, I’m the champion. I’m not interested in any of the things that he does or he’s saying. It doesn’t bother me, and it won’t bother me.

Robert Brown: What do you think your strengths would be against Wilder and how do you think you can beat him?

Bermane Stiverne: Wilder’s not an issue for me. I can say that I’ve fought better competition in my amateur days.

Robert Brown: I want to get your views on other fights in the sport. It looks like Pacquiao and Marquez may fight again. If they fight for a fifth time, who would you pick?

Bermane Stiverne: I don’t know. First of all if I was Pacquiao, I don’t think after a knockout like this, I don’t think I would go any further with my career. Also, we know he has issues with the IRS and I just think Pacquiao is fighting for the wrong reasons. I gotta go with Marquez on this one.

Robert Brown: Anything you want to say to all your followers around the world?

Bermane Stiverne: Thank you very much, I appreciate it. I try to respond to everybody the best I can. I do my best to get back to everybody. I thank everybody from the bottom of my heart.