A heavyweight title fight that was marked in the pre-fight run-up by some especially strong taunts from World Boxing Council champion Deontay Wilder toward his mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale, ended in spectacular fashion with 43 seconds remaining in the first round, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday night.
The pre-fight mudslinging included Wilder telling Breazeale's family to make funeral arrangements for the fighter, according to CBS Sports.
The fight was broadcast live on Showtime.
Wilder, 33, hurt Breazeale, also 33-years-old, with a right hand to the top of the head earlier in the round. But the challenger, who came into the fight with a record of 20-1 with 18 knockouts, according to BoxRec, survived Wilder's subsequent onslaught and drove Wilder back with a right hand of his own. But just as the fight appeared to be settling into an even matchup, Wilder unleashed a roundhouse right hand that landed flush on Breazeale's chin, dropping him instantly.
Referee Harvey Dock completed his 10 count just before the clearly dazed Breazeale was able to rise to his feet.
"I think the ref stopped it a little early because I could hear him saying seven and eight, but that's boxing," Breazeale said after the fight, as quoted by CBS Sports.
Video of the spectacular knockout quickly went viral on social media Saturday night. Watch the KO in the video below.
