By Rick Reeno

MGM Grand, Las Vegas - Nobody could have expected this fight to go the full twelve - but it did. Deontay Wilder (33-0, 32KOs) captured a wide unanimous decision over Bermane Stiverne (24-2-1, 21KOs) to capture the WBC heavyweight championship. The scores were 118-109, 119-108 and 120-107.

Wilder started with his long jab and Stiverne was coming forward and applying the pressure. Wilder landed a good shot at the end of the round, Stiverne took it and they traded punches at the bell.

They were still trading shots in the second. Wilder was getting off better and pumping his long jab. At the end of the round, Stiverne got rocked when Wilder unloaded a barrage of punches. Stiverne fell forward, taking Wilder down with him. No knockdown was scored.

In the third, Stiverne seemed to recover, but still got outworked with Wilder pumping a hard jab. Stiverne started taking over the fight in the fourth, landing good shots to the body and started to connect to the head.

For the first time in Wilder's career, he entered the fifth round. Stiverne continued to apply the pressure and was targeting the body. Wilder again buzzed Stiverne near the end of the round and they traded shots. Wilder had the edge with the connects.

Stiverne controlled the entire sixth, landing good shots to the body and going upstairs. Wilder was barely throwing his jab and seemed to take the entire round off. The seventh went right back to Wilder, who buzzed Stiverne and unloaded with hard shots from both hands. Stiverne was trying to counter and unload back. Both were missing homerun swings.

Stiverne once again took over in the eight, going back to the body, applying pressure and landing a good combination to Wilder's chin. Wilder again seemed take a round off in activity. Wilder was handling himself well in the ninth, going back to boxing with his long jab as Stiverne looked exhausted. A close tenth that went Wilder's way in terms of activity.

Stiverne controlled most of the eleventh. He pushed the tempo and was digging hooks to the body of Wilder. The twelfth was once again edged by Stiverne, who knew he was behind and was looking for something big to land. Wilder stayed away, worked the clock and stayed very close to Stiverne to smother his shots.