SHOWTIME Sports will present live streaming coverage of fight week events as WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder defends his title for the ninth time against mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale this Saturday live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
In the main event of Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast, Wilder will make the ninth defense of his title in a matchup of 6-foot-7 heavyweights with a combined 90 percent knockout ratio. America’s only heavyweight champion, Wilder seeks to join elite company alongside Hall of Famers Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and more as just the 10th fighter in history to make nine or more consecutive successful heavyweight title defenses.
In the co-featured bout, WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. defends his title against former world champion Kiko Martínez and unbeaten super lightweight contender Juan Heráldez faces former world champion Argenis Méndez in a 10-round attraction that opens the telecast.
SHOWTIME will present live streaming undercard action and pre-fight analysis on social media platforms beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN will see former Cuban Olympian Robert Alfonso face Iago Kiladze in a 10-round showdown, 2016 Haitian Olympian Richardson Hitchins returning for his eighth fight at Barclays Center in an eight-round super lightweight bout against Alejandro Munera and 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell facing Marcos Mojica.
THURSDAY, MAY 16 – 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT
Final Press Conference – Barclays Center
FRIDAY, MAY 17 – 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT
Official Weigh-In – LIU Athletic Center
SATURDAY, MAY 18 – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN – Barclays Center
SATURDAY, MAY 18
Post-Fight Press Conference – Barclays Center
SHOWTIME Sports will provide live streaming coverage of three Wilder vs. Breazeale undercard bouts:
Unbeaten cruiserweight Deon Nicholson will take on Brian Howard in a 10-round fight and undefeated heavyweight and former Cuban Olympian Robert Alfonso will face Iago Kiladze in a 10-round showdown as two of the BombZquad’s rising prospects take center stage. The streaming coverage also includes Brooklyn native and 2016 Haitian Olympian Richardson Hitchins returning for his eighth fight at Barclays Center in an eight-round super lightweight bout.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN streams live on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page leading up to the evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® event. The three-fight SHOWTIME telecast begins live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder as he makes the ninth defense of his title against mandatory challenger Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale.
Tickets for this BombZquad event can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
The undercard action at Barclays Center includes unbeaten rising contender Antonio Russell (13-0, 11 KOs) in an eight-round bantamweight fight and 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell (8-0, 8 KOs) stepping in for an eight-round super lightweight attraction. Additionally, 20-year-old Dylan Price (7-0, 5 KOs) competes in a six-round super flyweight matchup and Staten Island’s Kenny Robles (5-1, 2 KOs) enters the ring for a six-round 140-pound attraction.
Representing Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the same hometown as heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, Nicholson (11-0, 11 KOs) will look to keep his 100-percent knockout ratio intact when he steps in on May 18. The 28-year-old has fought professionally since 2016 and defeated then once-beaten fighters Shamarian Snider and Charles Dale by knockout in his two most recent fights. He will be opposed by Atlanta’s Howard (14-2, 11 KOs), who most recently knocked out Garrett Wilson on March 1.
Originally from Havana, Cuba and currently residing in Orlando, Florida, Alfonso (18-0, 8 KOs) was a highly-decorated Cuban amateur who represented Cuba in the 2008 Olympics in addition to capturing a gold medal in the Cuban National Championships. The 32-year-old owns amateur victories over heavyweight contenders Luis Ortiz, Oscar Rivas, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Michael Hunter. Alfonso was victorious three times in 2018 before defeating Ray Austin in his 2019 debut in February. He will take on the 33-year-old Kiladze (26-4, 18 KOs), who is originally from Georgia but now lives in Los Angeles. Kiladze will look to rebound from his last outing, a loss to rising heavyweight Joe Joyce.
At just 21-years-old, Hitchins (8-0, 4 KOs) has quickly become a BROOKLYN BOXING staple, competing in seven of his first eight bouts at his hometown arena. The 2016 Haitian Olympian most recently stopped David Morales after three rounds at Barclays Center in March and will look to pick up his third victory of 2019 when he steps in on May 18.