It’s the uneagerly-awaited sequel to the first forgettable fight between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (38-0) and challenger Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1).

The pair meet this weekend in Brooklyn for undefeated 32-year-old’s WBC title, but rewind the clocks almost three years and it was Stiverne who entered the ring as the champion against Wilder with the green belt in his corner.

That was way back in January 2015 when Stiverne had only recently become the WBC King after stopping Chris Arreola in six-rounds to pick up the strap that had been vacated by Vitali Klitschko.

Wilder won handily and became a world champion for the first time in his career, and has reigned supreme ever since.

It was a dominant, one-sided victory for “The Bronze Bomber” but he did lose something that night as well. It was his perfect 100 per cent KO ratio that Stiverne took from him, and B.WARE remains the only person to have lasted the full 12-rounds with the man from Alabama.

Some saw it as an excellent display of boxing produced by the new champion on the night, using his superior stature to its full ability to outland, outreach and outclass Stiverne toward a clear and impressive unanimous decision win.

At the time, all I saw was an incredibly poor world champion concede his title to someone more slightly more suited to the status. I hate to say that because I’m the last person to want to criticise anyone but that was my view at the time, and apparently Bermane later blamed his under-par performance on an illness.

I hope that this fight will see a better test and improved performance from a fitter Stiverne, having said that he was under the weather last time; however, just one win in the bag since then and this being his first fight in two years makes me question that querulously.

I’m not sure what the Haitian, who turned 39 just days before this bout, will be able to bring to the table that was any different from the last time they met.

I just pray that he gets up for this bout and goes out on his shield, and makes it a better spectacle than the first viewing.

However, the 32-year-old green belt holder in the other corner has not really fought any completely credible opposition yet and, to be fair, that’s not entirely his fault alone.

He was due to defend his title against a dangerous No. 1 challenger, Alexander Povetkin, even willing to travel to Russia for it but a last-minute failed drug test ended matters before they even started.

Then, Wilder was initially set to defend his title against unbeaten Luis Ortiz this weekend, but the Cuban also failed a drug test and lost his shot at the WBC crown, so, the sanctioning body installed Bermane Stiverne as mandatory challenger instead.

Wilder has had a quintet of defences since claiming the belt from Stiverne and each one has been a talking point.

Eric Molina turned out to be tougher than Wilder expected but managed to end things in the ninth, although Anthony Joshua dealt with matters much quicker by blasting him out in just the third-round with very little difficulty.

Last year, Artur Szpilka – a boxer I rate highly – gave Wilder plenty to think about before being brutally knocked out by an incredible right hand in the eighth-round. The scorecards were very close up until then, but that punch was the first time I ever sat up and really took notice of Wilder.

I always thought that he was brash and raw, and not as talented and technical as a world champion should be, but that shot was fucking awesome!

Some of Wilder’s recent performances look like he hasn’t been motivated enough due to the disappointments placed in front of him.

However, with the ebullient heavyweight scene thriving at the moment, with Joshua, Fury, Haye, Parker, Ortiz as potential lucrative fights ahead, I’m sure he will be looking to make a statement against former victim Stiverne.

If he is not interested, then I expect we will witness another laborious points win, but if he is game for this one, then he will likely stop Stiverne, but only later on in the bout, probably past round-nine.

Don’t blame me if it’s another 12-round borefest though.