Champion Detonay Wilder

America has a new Heavyweight Champion. Detonay Wilder went the full twelve against the former champion (118-109, 119-108, 120-107) using his 6’-7” height and reach advantage to hold the former champion at bay for the majority of the fight. In doing so he has become the first undefeated American heavyweight champion since Riddick Bowe in 1992. He is also the first American to win the title since Shannon Briggs in 2006.

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Detonay Wilder Defeats Bermane Stiverne Photo Credit Ester Lin/ShwotimeBoxing

Any questions as to whether Wilder had the stamina to go the full twelve have been answered. The former champion was able to stagger Wilder occasionally, but was unable to connect with his opponent for most of the night. For comparison, where Wilder threw 420 jabs, Stiverne threw only 139. 120 of 420 jabs landed for Wilder. Just 39 of 120 made contact for Stiverne.

Following the fight, Wilder commented, “I’m just excited and happy to bring this belt back to America. It’s going to mean a lot. We knew we go 12 rounds. We knew we could take a punch. We knew we could do it.”

As for Stiverne, “It wasn’t my night. 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.”

In the co-feature, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz demonstrated for the fourth time why he is the reigning king. His eighth round TKO of challenger Jesus Ruiz capped a contest which highlighted the champion’s fitness, skill and raw power.

Despite close early rounds, the challenger lacked the ability to land significant shots. Santa Cruz experienced no such difficulty. Sharp, directed punches slowly wore down Ruiz. In the eighth, Santa Cruz unleased a punishing flurry which placed Ruiz against the ropes and stunned him. Referee Kenny Bayless – seeing that Ruiz had ceased to defend himself – rightly stepped in to call the contest.

Of his challenger, 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.”

In the opener, undefeated Super Lightweight Amir Imam popped open a can of “Whoop” on challenger Fidel Maldonado Jr. Imam decked Maldonado four times and took the fifth round TKO win, but it did not come without Maldonado knocking down Imam (for the first time in his career) in the third.

Later when asked about his turn on the canvas, Imam commented, “It was a touch knockdown, but champions get up and finish the fight hard…and that’s what I did. I just had to stay composed and do what I had to do. When I hit him with that good shot [in the fifth], he was out. I could see it.”

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