Bermane Stiverne vs Ray Austin
ST. CHARLES, Mo.–We’re all set for our first televised bout of the evening pitting heavyweights Ray “Rainman” Austin (28-5-4, 18 KOs) and Bermane “B-Ware” Stiverne (20-1-1, 19 KOs) (left) against each other for some type of WBC trinket. We all know any heavyweight belt not torn from the grasp of Klitschko is bullshit so we’re going to just appreciate this fight for what it is: a match-up of two quality U.S.-based heavyweights (Stiverne is from Haiti by way of Miami). That’s nothing to sneeze at.
First two rounds see both men come out cautiously, but there is some definite bad blood between them. One exchange continues after the bell in the opening round and Austin bumps Stiverne with his chest after the third, costing him a point. Stiverne is showing better quickness and landing some solid left hooks while Austin is trying to use his size and reach to keep the fight on the outside.
Austin sticks to a very conventional attack: long pawing jabs followed by a heavy, slow straight right. Stiverne looks to have more variety and has shown the ability to wobble Austin with some of his heavier shots. Stiverne looks to be using feints to try and bait Austin into throwing his slow right hand so he can counter with the left over the top. He has come very close to landing that punch several times and it will likely turn out the lights on Austin if it reaches his chin.
Austin looks positively ornery at the start of the 5th round; having already lost a point he’s likely down on the scorecards and facing a much quicker man with the power to hurt him. B-Ware is coming forward steadily and using some herky-jerky head movement to throw Austin off his game. Stiverne keeps coming close to landing one of those sweeping hooks.
A quiet sixth round sees Stiverne land another big right that staggers Austin but the Rainman has a terrific chin and quickly shakes it off. B-Ware catches Austin backing straight up in the 7th and follows with a right hand. Austin is absorbing these blows like George Foreman.
Austin gets caught again early in the 8th and is forced to tie up to stay standing. Stiverne’s head shots are starting to take their toll but we can’t help but think if he had gone to the body early he would have won by now. Austin trying to keep Stiverne away with his left but the Haitian won’t be deterred. His left hook is getting through Austin’s guard regularly now and the right isn’t far behind.
Not much action in the 9th as both men stay mostly on the end of their respective jabs. The 10th sees Stiverne land a big combination that drops Austin like a stone. The ref stops the fight. Wow. That came out of nowhere.
Great fight. Official time 43 seconds of the 10th round. Stiverne impressed tonight. Looking over the shoulder of Larry Merchant the replay shows it was a right hook to the top of the head that felled Austin. That’s why the folks at HBO make the big money and not yours truly. Definitely a better TV fight than Bundrage-Powell.