AND THE NEW…

Catch The Replay On Monday, Jan. 19 At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME; Also Available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^® and SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®

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LAS VEGAS (Jan. 17, 2015) – And the new WBC Heavyweight World Champion…

America finally has its heavyweight world champion as Alabama’s Deontay Wilder dethroned defending champion Bermane Stiverne via unanimous decision (118-109, 119-108, 120-107) Saturday on SHOWTIME^® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs), who had never fought past the fourth round and had knocked out all 32 of his professional opponents, boxed brilliantly behind a stellar jab to become the first U.S.-born heavyweight champion in nearly a decade. The towering 6-foot-7 Tuscaloosa native capitalized on his reach advantage, jabbing consistently to set up a powerful straight right.

Fighting on Hall of Famer Muhammad Ali’s 73^lawm birthday, Wilder became the first undefeated American heavyweight champion since Riddick Bowe in 1992 and the first American champion since Shannon Briggs won the crown in 2006.

“I’m just excited and happy to bring this belt back to America,” Wilder said. “It’s going to mean a lot. I think I answered a lot of questions tonight. We knew we could go 12 muab suav. We knew we could take a punch. We knew we could do it.”

Heading into the first heavyweight championship fight at MGM Grand since the infamous Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield ear bite in 1997, there were questions from boxing insiders if Wilder, who had never been truly tested, could handle the power of a true heavyweight and last in the later rounds. But Wilder answered those questions with a disciplined game plan, landing more than double the total punches and throwing 420 jabs to Stiverne’s 139.

“When I saw he could take a great punch we knew we were in for the long run. Twelve rounds is nothing. I want to bring excitement back to the heavyweight division. Whoever is ready, I’m ready.”

Stiverne (24-2-1, 21 KOs) was able to stagger Wilder with a few shots, but he did not throw enough jabs or cut off the ring effectively. Wilder was allowed to circle the ring and pop his jab at will. Stiverne landed just 39 jabs compared to Wilder’s 120.

“It wasn’t my night,” Stiverne said. “I felt 100 percent before the fight but once I got in the ring I couldn’t cut the ring, I couldn’t move my head like I usually do. What can I say? Congrats to him.

“I knew I was trying to throw combos of four or five punches and I could only throw two of them. I just felt like I was flat in the ring. What I know I could do I didn’t do. I just have to go back and learn from my mistakes and find out what happened tonight.”

WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defended his crown for the fourth time with an eighth-round TKO of Jesus Ruiz and afterword called out fellow champions Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux in the co-feature of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

The early rounds were close and competitive and Ruiz, a heavy underdog, seemed to be a tougher test than he looked on paper. But it was clear that Santa Cruz was landing the cleaner shaper punches. The former bantamweight world champion landed some meaningful shots and had Ruiz in trouble in the seventh and, for the first time, it appeared that he could finish Ruiz.

Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) came out blazing in the eighth, landed a big right cross to kick off the round and continued to tee-off on the challenger. In trouble against the ropes and not fighting back, referee Kenny Bayless jumped in and stopped the bout with Ruiz (32-6-5, 21 KOs) still on his feet at :29 of the eighth round. The champion landed 43 percent of his total punches and nearly 50 percent of his power punches, while landing an impressive 73 power shots to the body.

“Like I expected, it was a war,” Santa Cruz said. “He came prepared. We hurt him and we didn’t let the chance go away. We kept going after him and we stopped him. I hurt him with the right hand. I knew he was hurt so I went after him. I knew Kenny Bayless would stop it because he wasn’t throwing punches.

“I want the best and I want to please the fans. I want (Abner) Mares, I want (Guillermo) Rigondeaux. Hopefully our next fight is against one of the best.”

Ruiz, who only landed 22 percent of his total punches, disagreed with the stoppage.

“I want a rematch,” Ruiz said. “I don’t feel they should have stopped the fight, but I have to accept it. But I’m fine. Look at me – I’m not cut. He didn’t even drop me.”

In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, undefeated super lightweight Amir Imam floored Fidel Maldonado Jr. four times and scored a fifth-round TKO in a brawl that featured five total knockdowns.

Maldonado was the busier fighter, but Imam floored the Albuquerque resident for the fourth time in his career with a short right just a moment before the bell rang to end the second. Then, in an early candidate for Round of the Year that featured three knockdowns, Maldonado responded by knocking down Imam for the first time in his career 30 seconds into the third with a solid straight left. Imam bounced back and sent Maldonado to the canvas with a huge right with 20 seconds left in the third and then again with a straight right as part of a vicious attack with less than 10 seconds left in the round.

The action continued and Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) floored Maldonado for the fourth time in the fight with a short right followed by a left hook just seconds before the bell to close the fifth. Maldonado (19-3, 16 KOs) got up but was wobbling and referee Robert Byrd halted the contest at 2:59. Imam’s power was the difference, landing 50 percent of his power shots.

“It was a tough knockdown, but champions get up and finish the fight hard and that’s what I did,” Imam said. “I just had to stay composed and do what I had to do. “I started timing him. When I hit him with that good shot he was out. I could see it. That was the rope-a-dope. I was swinging for the fences and that was it, baby.

“I’m ready for the title shot right now. I just want to fight for the title.”

Four of the five knockdowns occurred with less than 30 seconds left in each round. After the fight, Maldonado admitted that he simply failed to protect himself when the rounds were winding down.

“I just got caught with a couple of punches,” Maldonado said. “He kept his composure and he came out with the W. I just got caught. I got lazy in there and he capitalized. He was the better man tonight. I got kind of bored at the end of the rounds and I paid for it.”

In the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME, undefeated light heavyweight prospectVyacheslav Shabranskyy (12-0, 10 KOs) kept his perfect record intact with a thoroughly convincing TKO victory of Garrett Wilson (13-9-1, 7 KOs).

Shabranskyy kept his distance and was very effective; landing 48 percent of his power shot and threw more than 60 punches in each round. The Ukrainian prospect scored a knockdown with a right in the closing seconds of the second and another with a clean right in the final 10 seconds of the eighth, sending Wilson face first to the canvas. Wilson beat the count but was saved by the bell as Shabranskyy unloaded more than a dozen consecutive punches.

The durable Wilson took a tremendous beating in the ninth and seemingly didn’t land a punch, forcing referee Jay Nady to stop the bout after the ninth upon suggestion of the ringside physician.

In the opening bout of the SHO EXTREME telecast, heavyweight Eric Molina (23-2, 17 KOs) defeated Raphael Zumbano (32-9-1, 25 KOs) via eighth round TKO in a one-sided affair.

Molina, who landed 76 percent of his power shots and more than 50 percent of his total punches, was connecting at will when referee Russell Mora halted the contest at 1:28 of the eighth.

In a non-televised swing bout, Cesar Quinonez (1-0, 1 KO), a Las Vegas native and the first fighter to go professional from Fernando Vargas’ gym Feroz Fight Factory, made his professional debut and scored a knockout win over Chula Vista’s Joan Valenzuela (1-2) in the second round at 2:13.

# # #

“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship took place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and was co-promoted by Don King Productions thiab Golden tub Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defended against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam faced Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will aired live on SHOWTIME (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast was also available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts were televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com thiab www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing thiab www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.

“There’s something about Deontay….I’m gonna keep his record clean, because he isn’t getting past four rounds.”

— Bermane Stiverne

“You are all in for a treat. I’ve never been so ready to whoop a man. I don’t play games. It doesn’t get any realer than this.”

— Deontay Wilder

THIS SATURDAY, JAN. 17, LIVE ON SHOWTIME^®

FROM MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA IN LAS VEGAS, NEV.

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Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

Tickets Still on Sale!!!

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 15, 2015) – There is no love lost between WBC Heavyweight World ChampionBermane “B. Ware” Stiverne and unbeaten No. 1 contender Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, who didn’t mince words while participating in often tense, trash-talking-filled volatile final press conference Hnub plaub for the “Return to Glory: Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder” fight card taking place this Hnub vas xaum, Jan. 17, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. LI/7 p.m. PT) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The hard-hitting Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, defends his title against the unbeaten knockout specialist Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala.,- in two days, but if they had their way they’d fight tonight.

The event is co-promoted by Don King Productions thiab Golden tub Promotions and will featurecrowd-pleasing WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) putting his title and unbeaten record on the line in a 12-round bout against Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (33-5-5, 22 KOs).

Promising world-ranked undefeated junior welterweight Amir “Young Master” Imam (15-0, 13 KOs) will face hard-hitting Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (19-2, 16 KOs) in a 10-round fight for the WBC Continental America’s 140-pound title that will open the SHOWTIME telecast.

Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 thiab $50, thiab tsis muaj kev tsub thiab se. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) thaum lub $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com los siswww.ticketmaster.com.

Below is what the fighters, promoters and trainers had to say today at the David Copperfield Theatre:

BERMANE STIVERNE, WBC Heavyweight Champion

“It’s going to be a real fight, a fight like you’ve never seen before. I’m no cab driver, I’m no one-hit wonder, this is the real deal. This belt here isn’t going anywhere. This green belt is staying right here in this green hotel.

“Everyone who has supported me, you won’t be disappointed. I’ve seen plenty of guys like Wilder, even guys who talk more than him.

“I don’t worry about how I go in the ring, I worry about how I get out of the ring.

“There’s something about Deontay ….I’m gonna keep his record clean, because he isn’t getting past four rounds.

“This is a real fight and this belt is staying right here in my home town. You’re going to get hurt, the worst thing you did was have me take you seriously, and I’m taking you seriously.

“This is going to be a terrific fight. After this fight you will never ever hear about Deontay Wilder.”

DEONTAY WILDER, Unbeaten No. 1 WBC Mandatory Contender

“You are all in for a treat. I’ve never been so ready to whoop a man. There’s been a lot of talk, a lot of stuff on social media. But through all that, it’s been real. I don’t play games. It doesn’t get any realer than this. We risk our lives every time in that ring.

“If you only knew the whooping I’m going to put on this boy, you all want the first American champ, but this is for me. I am not scared to walk with my head held high because I am ready for any test.

“This is the most exciting heavyweight bout in years. This is the awakening of the heavyweight division and there’s nowhere else to have it than at MGM Grand.

“This is the number one spot to have boxing and I’ve just been waiting for this for so long. The training, the heartache, the pain and the suffering has been a long journey.

“Many people wrote me off early in my career. People say I’m not supposed to be here. People still write me off and I thank them for that. Because when they write me off I still go to another level and push forward.

“People don’t know what it took me to get here. Nothing has been given to me and I appreciate every little thing I have. This made me who I am in life.

“I knew it was going to take hard work to get that belt and I’m ready for that test. This is my time; I don’t think my opponent understands purpose because this is my time.

“When I do the unexpected, I don’t want you all to degrade this man, Stiverne. I don’t want anyone to make excuses for my victory. Stick by your word. Let this be a test for me and watch me pass my test. I guarantee I will do it.

“I know everyone has been speaking for you, Bermane, but they can’t fight for you. They can only make it worse for you. They have made it worse for you. You don’t understand what type of man you’re about to get in the ring with.

“You’ve only been champion for a short period of time but you walk around like it’s been a long time. You’re only a tourist to that belt.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

“I’m 100 percent ready. I’ve been training for this fight like all of my fights. I’ve been training really hard.

“It’s not going to be an easy fight, he’s a tough fighter. A lot of guys have tried to take the belt away from me and none of them have. I know he’s hungry for the title but I’m not going to let that happen.

“I want my opponent to come ready and leave it all in the ring. I want to steal the show and be the fight of the night.”

JESUS RUIZ, Super Bantamweight Contender

“I want to thank everybody who helped me get this opportunity and I promise not to let you down.

“There’s a lot of naysayers out there and a lot of people who don’t know anything about me. ComeHnub vas xaum I’ll have to show the world who I am. I’m not here to collect a paycheck or take a dive, I’m here to win a world title. I’m going to give everything I have Rau hnub Saturday to bring that title back to Mexico.

“I’m expecting Leo Santa Cruz to come here in great shape because this is going to be a great fight. I’m going to lay it all out on the line and I promise to bring that title back to Mexico.”

AMIR IMAM, Undefeated Super Lightweight Contender

“I’m ready to put on a show for you all. I want to thank my whole team. I don’t think you know what you got yourself into, Fidel. You’re going to be the one laying on the mat come Hnub vas xaum hmo ntuj. You’re scared and I can see it in your face.”

FIDEL MALDONADO, JR., Super Lightweight Contender

“I know I’m not underestimating this fight but come Hnub vas xaum we’ll see how it is when he’s out on the floor.”

DON KING, Hall Of Fame Promoter

“The fact of the matter is, the heavyweight title has not been the world championship. It’s been the German championship.

“Now, the heavyweight title is back here with Bermane Stiverne and it’s great to be able to present it in the world’s capital of boxing, Las Vegas. To be at the great MGM Grand is a delight.

“Deontay is a tremendous fighter with a perfect record of 32 fights and 32 knockouts. Bermane has 21 knockouts so it’s going to be a heck of a fight.

“We want the fans to know that we are bringing boxing back to the people. That’s what really counts. The enthusiasm and passion of a promotion leads to people asking ‘when is the next one?’ That’s what we’re aiming to do here.

“This is going to be a great fight so don’t blink. Don’t go up and get any water or anything because this fight is going to be super sensational.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall Of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner

“I’m proud that Don King has been a part of my history. What I constantly hear is, ‘is boxing in a good position?’ I feel like more businesspeople coming to boxing and making the best fights is great. Don King has laid the foundation for that. If we all think one way, we have to think about what is best for boxing.

“We know that the drought in the heavyweight division has gone on long enough and I believe that hnub Saturday no, whoever wins this is going to be talked about. I don’t see this going 12 muab suav. This is good for boxing.

“I’m here in Las Vegas, on my 50^th birthday, I get to be here sharing it with Don King and all of you in this sport that I passionately love so much. This is about a sport that gave me a second chance in life. I put the challenge out to everyone in the sport, let’s do what is right for the people who buy our sport.

“I’m proud to sacrifice this time that I could be with my family to be here for this fight and be here for this sport that has done so much for me.”

ROBERT GASPARRI, COO of Golden Boy Promotions

“Golden Boy Promotions is thrilled to be promoting this great card alongside legendary boxing promoter Don King. On behalf of Oscar De La Hoya and everyone at Golden Boy Promotions, I would like to thank the MGM Grand, Corona, Mexico Tourism and all the fighters that are working extremely hard to make this a successful event.

“Golden Boy wants to make the best matches and work with all the promoters, thiab Hnub vas xaum night is no exception. This is a heavyweight title fight in America with the potential of having the first American heavyweight champion in a decade.”

RICHARD STURM, President and COO MGM Resorts Entertainment and Sports

“Tus 2015 Las Vegas boxing calendar kicks off Hnub vas xaum night with the most anticipated heavyweight fight in the United States in a decade. We are confident that the sports fans watching will enjoy this fight card.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive General Manager and Vice President, SHOWTIME Sports

“I can’t think of a better fight to kick off this year than Stiverne vs. Wilder. It’s the most significant heavyweight fight in the U.S. in at least a decade. It’s the biggest heavyweight title fight here at the MGM Grand since Tyson-Holyfield II in 1997.

“When we talk about a Return to Glory, there’s no more history than here at the MGM and in the heavyweight division.

“We’re very proud to have this fight on SHOWTIME and we’re very proud to be in business with these two young men. They’re both intelligent and articulate people who are great representatives for our sport. We’re proud to have these men on SHOWTIME and we’re proud to call them SHOWTIME fighters.

“This is a high quality card of boxing and a high quality card of young men, top to bottom.”

JAY DEAS, Wilder’s Trainer and Manager

“This is going to be a tremendous fight. Not a lot of people think about Alabama and boxing, but if you know boxing you know that Joe Louis was born in Alabama, Evander Holyfield was born in Alabama, Ernie Shavers was born in Alabama. Those guys left Alabama to get their careers going, but Deontay stayed and he’s looking to bring Alabama to the party come Hnub vas xaum hmo ntuj.

“We know Stiverne is a great champion, we know he’s at his peak and we know that he’s at his best and that’s how it ought to be. It’s a great fight between two great heavyweights.”

STACY MCKINLEY, Imam’s Trainer

“Amir Imam is a young version of Bernard Hopkins. You have fighters out there throwing punchers like rock em’ sock em’ robots. I took a look at this kid Imam and I knew I had to go drop everything and train him.

“Imam trains every day, all he does is train. Even when he’s walking through the mall he’s shadow boxing. He wants to be one of the greatest that’s ever lived.

“This is a young man who has the skills of Ray Robinson, the defense of Joe Gans. He also has the skills of Harry Armstrong. You put that together and there’s nothing left, that’s how he became the ‘Young Master.’

“You’re looking at the future of boxing, he’s going to be the future face of boxing. Boxing needs a superstar. Imam can fight any style and that’s why he’s The Master.”

# # #

“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Hnub vas xaum, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME^® (10:00 p.m. LI/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. LI/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com thiabwww.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing thiab www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog athttp://theboxingblog.sho.com/.