LUCAS MATTHYSSE BLASTS LAMONT PETERSON IN THIRD ROUND TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT WIN; DEVON ALEXANDER OUTCLASSES AND STOPS LEE PURDY

Referee Steve Smoger counts as a dazed Lamont Peterson struggles to regain his footing. Lucas Matthysse looks on in the background as he paces back to a neutral corner. (Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME)

“It is literally like a bomb exploding every time (Matthysse) lands a punch.”

– SHOWTIME^® Boxing analyst Paulie Malignaggi

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Telecast Will Replay Sunday Morning

At 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME^® and Tuesday, May 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on

SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

ATLANTIC CITY (May 19, 2013) — It took knockout artist and WBC Interim Super Lightweight World ChampionLucas Matthysse only three rounds to claim his 32^nd knockout against IBF Junior Welterweight World ChampionLamont Peterson in front of an excited crowd Saturday night.  In the co-main event from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Devon Alexander outclassed Lee Purdy with a seventh-round technical knockout win after Purdy’s corner waved the fight off.

Matthysse (34-2, 32 KO’s) used the first round to feel out Peterson and promptly picked up the pace in the second.  The Argentine began landing with ferocity and eventually dropped Peterson (31-2-1, 16 KO’s) with a left hook late in the round.  Early in the third, another left hook landed flush sending Peterson down again.  The IBF World Champion beat the count, barely, and was on wobbly legs when Matthysse came in for the finish.  Moments later, after the third knockdown courtesy of a left hook, referee Steve Smoger waved off the fight at 2:14 of round three.

During the fight SHOWTIME boxing analyst Paulie Malignaggi spoke of Matthysse’s power and said, “It is literally like a bomb exploding every time he lands a punch.”

After the fight, Matthysse spoke through a translator, “The first round I was trying to find out what I was bringing to the fight.  After the second round I started connecting with more force.  I had two and a half months of preparation for this fight and that was the difference.”

Feeling confident, Matthysse boasted, “Now I know I am the best at 140 pounds because no one has ever dominated Peterson the way I did tonight.” 

When asked by SHOWTIME reporter Jim Gray if he would like to fight Unified Super Lightweight World ChampionDanny Garcia, who was in attendance at Boardwalk Hall, Matthysse responded, “Golden Boy and Al Haymon will get me that fight.  I’m ready for that fight.  I want to fight him.”

Gray also spoke with Peterson right after the fight and asked how he felt following the three knockdowns.  Peterson said, “I feel good.  There is nothing physically wrong with me right now.  Of course I am upset that I lost, but so far I feel good.” 

On his performance, “I think I got a little lazy with the jab.  I started relaxing a little bit…I guess he hit me with a good shot.  He did a good job.  I recovered from that first knockdown and I was okay for a while and then, eventually, he hit me again and he hurt me again.  I still thought I could have fought through it but the ref did the right thing.  I guess tonight he was (the better fighter).  He won the fight fair and square tonight.  He’s a good fighter.”

In the co-feature, Alexander (25-1, 14 KO’s) went to work immediately, wasting no time in taking control of the fight, confusing Purdy (20-4-1, 13 KO’s) at times with a good variation of body work and shots to the head.  Purdy was able to stay in punching range for the first few rounds, even getting off some damaging shots of his own, but he was never able to hurt Alexander who easily stayed in control, firing shot after shot.  After the seventh, Purdy’s corner threw in the towel. 

Alexander admitted that he wasn’t able to fight to the best of his ability due to an injury.  “I hurt my left hand in the first round actually.  I hit him on top of the head.  I hurt my hand, but I had to get that out of my mind.  I had to fight to win.  I wanted to impress tonight.  My left hand was on point in camp.  When I hurt my biceps, that strengthened my left hand so it would have been popping real hard, but I hurt it.  I had to set it up softly.  I wanted to use my hook and my upper cut but I couldn’t.”

He continued, “There are going to be a lot of critics saying Purdy wasn’t all that anyway, but he’s a good fighter.  Over in the U.K. he beat some good guys and I think he was very suitable.  He came to fight and he gave me a good fight.  I got the win.  I got the technical knockout.” 

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast featuring the dominant performance by Matthysse will replaySunday at 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and Tuesday, May 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.  It will be availabe on SHOWTIME On Demand beginning May 19. 

Results from tonight’s SHOWTIME EXTREME televised preliminary bouts:

In a battle of unbeaten contenders, Shawn Porter (21-0-1, 14 KO’s) defeated Phil Lo Greco (25-1, 14 KO’s) via unanimous decision in a 10-round junior middleweight bout. 

Hot prospect Thomas Williams Jr. (14-0, 10 KO’s) defeated veteran Otis Griffin (24-13-2, 10 KO’s) by unanimous decision in an 8-round light heavyweight bout. 

2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist Anthony Ogogo (2-0, 1 KO) of England defeated Edgar Perez (5-5, 3 KO’s) via unanimous decision in a 6-round middleweight bout.  . 

The SHOWTIME EXTREME undercard bouts will re-air on Thursday, May 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Peterson vs. Matthysse, a 12-round 141 pound catch-weight fight, took place on Saturday, May 18 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  The event was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Corona and AT&T and was televised live on SHOWTIME^®.  In the co-main event, IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander defended his title against IBF number four rated welterweight contender Lee Purdy. 

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING FEATURE – LAMONT PETERSON

SNEAK PREVIEW: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf_6Klln34Q

“I thought that the only way to get over in life was to take things… to hurt people.” –Lamont Peterson commenting on his youth

Watch a sneak preview of Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING feature on Lamont Peterson—a study in perseverance, humility and achievement. Even by boxing’s standards, Peterson’s backstory, and his paternal bond with trainer Barry Hunter, is unique and inspirational.

TWEET NOW: Lamont Peterson—a study in perseverance, humility and achievement. Preview this @SHOSports feature:http://s.sho.com/13q1p1u @kingpete26

Peterson, the current IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion is set to take on arguably the biggest puncher in boxing, WBC Interim Super Lightweight World Champion Lucas Matthysse, this Saturday, May 18, in the headline attraction of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (live at 9 p.m. ET/PT) at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

# # #

ABOUT “PETERSON VS. MATTHYSSE”:

Peterson vs. Matthysse, a 12-round 141 pound catch-weight fight, will take place Saturday, May 18 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Corona and AT&T and will be televised live onSHOWTIME^® at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: MAYWEATHER vs. GUERRERO Epilogue. In the co-main event, IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander defends his title against IBF number four rated welterweight contender Lee Purdy. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

LIVE FROM NEW YORK: FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FROM LAMONT & ANTHONY PETERSON, DEVON ALEXANDER, LEE PURDY & ANTHONY OGOGO ABOUT MAY 18 FIGHTS AT BOARDWALK HALL IN ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY

LIVE SHOWTIME® TELECAST TO SHOWCASE  LAMONT PETERSON VS. LUCAS MATTHYSSE & DEVON ALEXANDER VS. LEE PURDY FOR ALEXANDER'S IBF WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OGOGO TO BE FEATURED LIVE ON SHOWTIME EXTREME IN UNDERCARD ACTION       Click HERE To Download Photos Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME NEW YORK (May 15, 2013) - All five of the fighters in attendance at Wednesday's press conference at Lucille's Bar & Grill (located inside B.B. King's Blues Club) in New York City were confident and ready for fight night as they discussed their upcoming bouts taking place this Saturday, May 18 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J live onSHOWTIME® (9:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). In the main event IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Lamont Peterson (31-1-1, 16 KO's), of Washington, D.C., faces power-punching WBC Interim Super Lightweight Champion Lucas Matthysse (33-2, 31 KO's), of Trelew, Argentina, in a 12-round bout at a catch-weight of 141 pounds. In the co-featured attraction on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®, Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KO's), of St. Louis, will defend his IBF Welterweight Championship against number four rated IBF welterweight contender Lee Purdy (20-3-1, 13 KO's), of Colchester, England. Fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME®, airing beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT, will include a scheduled 10-round bout between promising, world-ranked, unbeaten welterweightsShawn Porter (20-1, 14 KO's), of Akron, Ohio, and Phil Lo Greco (25-0, 14 KO's), of Toronto, Canada, and a six-round middleweight bout between highly regarded 2012 British Olympic Bronze Medalist Anthony Ogogo (1-0, 1 KO), of Lowestoft, England, who'll be making his United States debut against Puerto Rico's Edgar Perez (5-4, 3 KO's). Haroon Khan (1-0), Amir Khan's brother, of Bolton, England, will make his United States debut against Vicente Medellin of Riverside, CA in a four round bantamweight bout which, time permitting, will also air on SHOWTIME EXTREME®. In non-televised undercard action, Anthony Peterson (31-1, 20 KO's), Lamont's younger brother and also from Washington, D.C., will face slick veteran Dominic Salcido (18-4, 9 KO's) of Rialto, CA See below for what the Peterson brothers, Alexander, Purdy, Ogogo, Golden Boy Promotions COO David Itskowitch and SHOWTIME Sports EVP and General Manager Stephen Espinoza said Wednesday. LAMONT PETERSON, IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion "I'm looking forward to a great fight this weekend. "This is a great card. I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for signing me. This is our first fight and I think we're going to do great things together. "If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, you need to. I'm hoping there's a monitor for me in my locker room to watch the whole card. There are a lot of my friends fightingSaturday night and of course my brother. "You've got Anthony Ogogo, Khan's brother Harry, the Cincinnati boys and D.C.-native Thomas Williams. I'm excited to see everyone on the card and I encourage everyone to go get tickets." DEVON ALEXANDER, IBF Welterweight World Champion "'Finally' is the key word here. My fight with Kell Brook was postponed three times. I was supposed to fight him many times, but now I'm fighting Lee Purdy who's a very suitable opponent for me. "I'm ready. It doesn't matter what Lee Purdy is going to bring Saturday night. He's in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm ready to fight. I've been ready to fight. "This fight will lead to bigger and better things with SHOWTIME." LEE PURDY, Number Four Rated IBF Welterweight Contender "I'm a big underdog in a lot of peoples' eyes. I'm here to fight and put on a good show for the fans. "Fans are paying their hard earned money for entertainment and they don't want to see fighters holding for 12 rounds. "This is a fight that I've wanted. I'm coming to bring the upset." ANTHONY PETERSON, Lightweight Contender "I'm excited about my fight, but I'm more excited about my brother's. He gets to eliminate this so called 'Boogey Man.' I know that's what's going to happen Saturday night. "My brother is a solid guy all around, inside and outside of the ring, so that's going to make a big difference on Saturday night. "My brother is going to take out his [Matthysse's] power, and it's going to be a big problem. "Matthysse only knows how to go one way, and that's forward. He doesn't know how to work the inside and Lamont does, so that's going to be the difference in the fight." ANTHONY OGOGO, 2012 British Olympic Bronze Medalist "I'm really thrilled. This is why I wanted to sign-up with Golden Boy Promotions, to fight in places like Boardwalk Hall. "I'm an ambitious young man and I want to get to the top of world boxing. I know that's a few years down the road, but right now I need to take these opportunities as they come, learn and keep getting better and better. "I'm looking forward to the future." DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO of Golden Boy Promotions "This main event is probably one of the best fights that can be made in a very talent rich weigh class. "Lucas Matthysse is probably one of the most feared fighters on the planet and I think that's one of the reasons Lamont Peterson wanted to fight him. "Devon Alexander is a great fighter. That's all that needs to be said because it is the truth." STEPHEN ESPINOZA, EVP & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports "During the past few weeks SHOWTIME has been showcasing the best fighters in the world in the 140, 147 and 154 pound weight divisions. "We have been bringing fans not just competitive and exciting fights, but competitive and exciting fights from the biggest names and most skilled fighters in the sport.  That is something that, right now, fans are only getting on SHOWTIME.   This weekend is no exception. "Lamont Peterson versus Lucas Matthysse promises to be one of the hardest hitting fights of the year." # # # Peterson vs. Matthysse, a 12-round 141 pound catch-weight fight, will take placeSaturday, May 18 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: MAYWEATHER vs. GUERRERO Epilogue.  In the co-main event, IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander defends his title against IBF number four rated welterweight contender Lee Purdy.  SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP).  Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

KEY SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SHAWN PORTER AND PHIL LO GRECO TO BE FEATURED ON SHOWTIME EXTREME® ON MAY 18 LAMONT PETERSON VS. LUCAS MATTHYSSE UNDERCARD FROM BOARDWALK HALL IN ATLANTIC CITY

ANTHONY PETERSON, 2012 OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST ANTHONY OGOGO, HAROON KHAN AND 2012 U.S. OLYMPIANS RAU'SHEE WARREN AND JAMEL HERRING ALSO IN ACTION ATLANTIC CITY, May 15 - The explosive May 18 match-up between unbeaten contenders Shawn Porter and Phil Lo Greco at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey will air as part of the event's SHOWTIME EXTREME® telecast live at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  2012 British Olympic Bronze Medalist Anthony Ogogo will also participate one of the featured undercard bouts.  With both Porter and Lo Greco currently ranked in the top 15 (Porter #5 by the WBO and Lo Greco #12 by the WBA and #13 by the WBO), the stakes have never been higher for these fighters who will look to not only ignite the crowd at Boardwalk Hall, but also move further up the welterweight ladder to challenge the division's elite as they square off in a 10-round 150 lb. catch-weight bout. The evening of fights is headlined by IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont Peterson facing Argentinian power-puncher and WBC Interim Super Lightweight World Champion Lucas Matthysse and IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander defending his title against IBF number four rated welterweight contender Lee Purdy of England.  The undercard will also feature Lamont Peterson's brother and lightweight contender Anthony Peterson, Washington, D.C. rising star Thomas Williams, Puerto Rico's Cesar Seda, Amir Khan's younger brother Haroon Khan, 2012 U.S. Olympians Rau'shee Warren and Jamel Herring as well as undefeated prospect Robert Easter Jr. Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Akron, Ohio's Shawn "Showtime" Porter (20-0-1, 14 KO's), one of the United States' top amateurs for years, is on his way to even greater success as a professional.  Unbeaten in 21 bouts, the aggressive 25-year-old scored the biggest win of his career last July when he defeated Alfonso Gomez for the NABO welterweight title.  After battling to an exciting draw against Julio Diaz last December, he will look to turn back fellow undefeated contender Lo Greco and move a step closer to his first world title shot. An international star that is now making a name for himself in the United States, Toronto's Phil "The Italian Sensation" LoGreco (25-0, 14 KO's) made his return to the ring after nearly a year off in 2012, thrilling fans in Atlantic City and Las Vegas with his victories over Hector Orozco, Brandon Hoskins and Daniel Sostre.  On May 18, Lo Greco will make his Boardwalk Hall return in pursuit of victory against Shawn Porter. In the SHOWTIME EXTREME opening bout, Lowestoft, England's Anthony Ogogo(1-0, 1 KO) makes his Untied States debut in a six-round middleweight bout againstEdgar Perez (5-4, 3 KO's) of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.  The 24-year-old Ogogo took home a Bronze Medal in the 2012 London Olympics and on April 27 he made a spectacular pro debut, stopping Kieron Gray in two rounds on the Amir Khan vs. Julio Diaz undercard in Sheffield, England.  Perez will look to regain his winning ways after losing on points on April 27 to hot prospect Boyd Melson at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 22-year-old Bolton, England native Haroon Khan (1-0) will meet Riverside, California'sVicente Medellin (0-5) in a four-round bantamweight bout which will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME, time permitting.  The brother of British superstar Amir Khan, Haroon is a former amateur star who got his pro career off to a rousing start on April 27 when he won a four- round decision over Brett Fidoe on his big brother's undercard in Sheffield. Competing in an intriguing 10-round light heavyweight bout will be Washington, D.C. prospect Thomas Williams (13-0, 10 KO's) and veteran Otis Griffin (24-12-2, 10 KO's) of Sacramento, California.  The 25-year-old Williams is already 2-0 in 2013, stopping 8-1 Jason Smith and 20-7 Kevin Engel in three rounds each.  The winner of the reality program "The Next Great Champ," Griffin is a former USBA Light Heavyweight Champion looking to get back on track after some tough recent outings. The blockbuster undercard will also see the return of Anthony Peterson (31-1, 20 KO's) after a 17-month layoff.  The talented Washington, D.C. product, who owns wins over Javier Jauregui, Daniel Attah, and Luis Arceo, with his only loss a controversial disqualification against Brandon Rios, will meet Rialto, California's Dominic Salcido (18-4, 9 KO's) in a 10-round lightweight contest.  A slick boxer who isn't afraid of standing toe-to-toe and trading punches, the flashy Salcido always puts on a show when he steps between the ropes. Fresh off of their stint at the 2012 Olympics, United States team members Rau'shee Warren (3-0, 1 KO) of Cincinnati and Jamel Herring (2-0, 1 KO) of Rockville Centre, New York continue their pro careers in Atlantic City this weekend.  Bantamweight Warren will face Chicago's Angel Carvajal (2-1) and lightweight Herring meets San Juan's Victor Galindo (1-1), both in bouts scheduled for four rounds. In an eight-round bantamweight fight, Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico's Cesar Seda (24-1, 17 KO's) will face off against Ciudad Obregon's Miguel Tamayo (13-5-2, 11 KO's) with the undercard being rounded out by a four-round lightweight match between Toledo, Ohio'sRobert Easter Jr. (3-0, 3 KO's) against Antoine Knight (2-3) of Merrillville, Ind. Peterson vs. Matthysse, a 12-round 141 pound catch-weight fight, will take placeSaturday, May 18 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: MAYWEATHER vs. GUERRERO Epilogue.  In the co-main event, IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander defends his title against IBF number four rated welterweight contender Lee Purdy. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP).  Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

ENGLAND'S LEE PURDY SET TO REPLACE INJURED KELL BROOK AND FACE DEVON ALEXANDER FOR IBF WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON MAY 18 LIVE ON SHOWTIME® FROM BOARDWALK HALL IN ATLANTIC CITY

LOS ANGELES, April 30 - England's Lee Purdy, the number four rated IBF welterweight contender, is set to face IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander in place of Kell Brook who had to withdraw from the May 18 bout against Alexander at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey after suffering a foot injury.  The bout will be telecast live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® along with Lamont Peterson vs. Lucas Matthysse as the main event. "We look forward to Devon facing a formidable opponent in the U.K.'s Lee Purdy," said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions.  "We have a great card for fans in Atlantic City and those watching at home on SHOWTIME and it will be an exciting night for everyone on May 18th." St. Louis' Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KO's) is a master boxer who has already won world titles in two divisions despite being only 25 years old.  Alexander is the former IBF and WBC world title holder at 140 pounds, with wins over Lucas Matthysse, Juan Urango and Junior Witter to his name.  In 2012, "The Great" made his move to welterweight and by the time he was finished defeating former World Champions Marcos Maidana and Randall Bailey, he was crowned the IBF Welterweight World Champion. Fighting out of Colchester, Essex, Lee "Lights Out" Purdy (20-3-1, 13 KO's) has amazed British fans by sailing to the top of the welterweight division despite having no amateur career.  A pro since 2006, the 25-year-old brings a knockout streak into his first world title fight, having finished off four consecutive opponents, including longtime contender Cosme Rivera in March. Peterson vs. Matthysse is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Corona and AT&T and will air live on SHOWTIME at 9:15 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: MAYWEATHER vs. GUERRERO Epilogue which will air at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.  In the co-main event, Devon Alexander faces off against Lee Purdy for Alexander's IBF Welterweight World Championship.  SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP).  Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).         Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are on sale now and are available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.