Deontay Wilder proved the doubters wrong over night by winning the WBC world heavyweight title beating the holder Bermane Stiverne on points over 12 rounds 118-109, 119-108 and 120-107.
Wilder who had won all 32 fights up to last night by KO and never been past 4 rounds proved that he can go the distance and won’t crumble the first time a guy dosen’t go over. He came in in great shape and worked well behind a good jab landing shots 3-1 against Stiverne.
For Wilder who is the first American heavyweight champ in the last decade the world is now his oyster with possible big fights like a unification with Wladimir Klitschko as one possibility.
Stiverne looked one dimensional in this fight and got dropped at the end of the second but it wasn’t ruled a knockdown and then wobbled in the 7th which all 3 judges gave Wilder 10-8 even with no knockdown.
Great win by Wilder who I’ve rated since seeing him stop Audley Harrison in Sheffield and said then he’d become a world champ, much to the dismay of most boxing experts and fight fans.
Pictures Esther Lin/SHOWTIME