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.
DON KING: I would like to say first that Amir Imam will be on the card also. He is a super-sensational fighter and we are looking forward to seeing him. This program is “Return to Glory” America’s return to glory in the heavyweight division. The WBC champion Bermane Stiverne against the mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder. It is something that is going to be a great event but it is a fight for Peace. Then with the Bombs Away is an addition to. This is going to bring boxing back to where it should be and get the country back to where it should be – being able to bring the glory back to the heavyweight division, which has been lacking for quite a while now. We are going to celebrate this at the MGM Grand with a salute to Kirk Kerkorian, the founder of bringing the MGM and all the rest of the then in Las Vegas and making it the boxing capital of the world. I am very excited about this and I know you’ll be too. It is going to be a super-sensational card and a lovely night at the MGM Grand and the lion shall roar. We are very happy to be able to present this to you. Keep in mind this is a fight to unify – unify, solidarity and togetherness and you are going to have a peoples’ champion – a guy that’s name is Bermane, who reminds me of Mike Tyson the awesome devastating puncher, meeting another puncher named Deontay Wilder. I am very happy to be able to address you about it and look forward to seeing you at the fight.
Undefeated prospect Ivan Redkach (18-0, 14 KOs) was impressive in a sixth-round knockout victory over Yakubu Amidu (19-6-2, 17 KOs), who failed to get off his stool following the sixth round in Friday’s main event of ShoBox: The New Generation from Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif.
Working for the first time with new trainer Robert Garcia, Redkach, of Los Angeles by way of Ukraine, started out slow as he found his range, with the durable Amidu handling his power in the opening rounds. Amidu, of Los Angeles by way of Ghana, started slow but picked up the pace in the fourth and then was docked a point by referee Ray Corona for repeated low blows in the fifth.
Aggressive-minded Jesus “El Jinete” Cuellar (26-1, 20 KOs), of Santa Fe, Argentina, won his ninth in a row and retained his interim WBA Featherweight Championship for a third time with a rock-solid fifth-round knockout over fellow southpaw Ruben “Kanelito” Tamayo (23-5-4, 17 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, in the Goossen Promotions main event Saturday on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME from Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash.
In the co-feature, world-ranked featherweight Gary Russell Jr. (25-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., pitched a near-shutout against Christopher Martin (28-5-3, 9 KOs) of Chula Vista, Calif., winning a lopsided 10-round decision.
Jo Jo Dan won another razor close split-decision over hometown favorite Kevin Bizier in a welterweight rematch of their 2013 bout, scored 115-112 Dan, 114-113 Bizier, 114-113 Dan.
The early rounds were extremely close with back-and-forth action that could have gone either way. Bizier had his best round in the seventh, landing 38 punches to Dan’s 12 and flooring the Romanian for the first time since 2011. But the Quebec City native may have punched himself out, as Dan rallied and was the more active fighter from that point on. Dan landed 113 to just 78 for Bizier from the eighth through the 12th rounds.
QUEBEC CITY (Dec. 19, 2014) – Adonis Stevenson defended his WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship for the fourth time with a devastating fifth-round knockout of Russian challenger Dmitry Sukhotskiy in the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION on Friday at Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada.
Known for his knockouts, the southpaw champion was patient early, not forcing the action against a defensive Sukhotskiy. When Sukhotskiy did decide to punch, Stevenson was extremely effective with his counter shots and floored the challenger with a straight left in the closing seconds of the second round.
The most significant heavyweight matchup in the United States in a decade was formally announced on Saturday night. Hard-hitting WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, is set to defend his title against unbeaten knockout specialist and mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Jan. 17. The potentially explosive bout between the two big-punching heavyweights will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and be televised live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7p.m. PT).
The event is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and will feature undefeated IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) defending his belt against a challenger to be announced.
Amir Khan won a convincing 12-round unanimous decision victory over Devon Alexander in a matchup of two of the fastest welterweights in the world on Saturday in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The impressive victory was nearly a shutout, with Khan winning 119-109, 118-110 and 120-108 to remain undefeated at 147 pounds and extend his winning streak against southpaws to seven.
In just his second fight at welterweight pounds, Khan was the supremely accurate boxer. The former unified super lightweight world champion landed 54 percent of his power punches to Alexander’s 32 percent and 43 percent of his total shots versus Alexander’s 20 percent. But it was Khan’s hand speed and combinations that were too much for Alexander, who couldn’t get inside against and take any chances against the Brit.
Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (20-2-2, 12 KOs) retained his WBA Super Welterweight World Championship with a convincing 12-round unanimous decision victory over Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (26-7, 12 KOs) in the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION main event Friday night from The Illusions Theater at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
After a strong first round for Smith, Lara dominated the remainder of the fight using a combination of movement, speed and accuracy to secure the decision 117-111, 119-109 twice.
An IBF super middleweight elimination bout between 168-pound contender Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and veteran spoiler Derek “The Black Lion” Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas, has been confirmed as a 12-round co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition quadrupleheader on Friday, Dec. 19, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Quebec.
For the switch-hitting Dirrell, the elimination bout for the IBF’s No. 2 position behind No. 1 James DeGale and champion Carl Froch will be his first start on SHOWTIME and fifth overall since getting injured against then-undefeated Arthur Abraham in his second Super Six World Boxing Classic fight on SHOWTIME on March 27, 2010.