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Business Wire,  Sept 10, 2007  

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Event to Be Largest World Championships in History

CHICAGO -- USG Corporation (NYSE:USG) announced today that it will be the Presenting Sponsor for the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships to be held in Chicago October 23 to November 3, 2007 at the University of Illinois--Chicago Pavilion. AIBA (Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur) governs amateur boxing worldwide and works to ensure a fair, safe and drug free sport. The AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 will serve as an Olympic qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

"USG is proud to team up with AIBA and the City of Chicago as the Presenting Sponsor of the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007," said James S. Metcalf, president and chief operating officer, USG Corporation. "With nearly 700 boxers from more than 120 countries and territories, this eleven-day event will be the largest world boxing championships in history and allow us to demonstrate our city's hospitality and cultural diversity."

The championship bouts on Saturday, November 3rd will be broadcast live by Fox Sports immediately following the National Football League game that afternoon. It's estimated that the international broadcast of the tournament will be seen by boxing fans in more than 120 countries during October and November.

"Chicago is a sports town, and this adds a new dimension to world-class sporting events held here," Metcalf said. "USG has a long history of sports sponsorship. Over the years, we have been a major sponsor of NASCAR racing and supporter of the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition in Chicago."

AIBA has governed Olympic boxing since its inception more than 100 years ago. The World Boxing Championships are held every two years, where the world's top boxers compete.

"We're delighted USG is taking a leadership role in acting as Presenting Sponsor of the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007, " said Robert (Bob) J. Pickens, vice president of the Board of Commissioners for the Chicago Park District, who is also a former Olympic medalist and member of the Chicago Bears from 1967-69. "USG's sponsorship is a testament to the strong relationship among the City of Chicago, the Chicago business community and the residents of this great city who are joining together to host this major sporting event."

To kick off the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007, two Olympic contenders, Christopher Downs and Rau'shee Warren, will demonstrate their boxing skills September 10th aboard a barge floating up the Chicago River.

Christopher Downs is an Iraq War veteran, a member of the Army's World Class Athlete Program and the oldest U.S. boxer in Olympic history at age 33. Rau'shee Warren is two-time national champion in the flyweight class and was a bronze medalist at the 2005 AIBA World Boxing Championships. He was also the youngest male member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team.

"We wanted a unique way to highlight Chicago's hosting of the AIBA World Boxing Championships," said Jack Sandner, chairman of the Organizing Committee for the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007. "We know that Chicagoans will support this important Olympic qualifier and the development of boxing around the world."

Previous AIBA World Boxing Championships helped launch the careers of several well-known Olympic boxers including Floyd Patterson, Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar de la Hoya.

"USG is proud to further the long history of the AIBA World Boxing Championships and support these amazing athletes," Metcalf said. "The values these boxers bring into the ring--like excellence, passion and commitment--are the same values that the 14,000 USG employees bring to work everyday."

USG Corporation is a Fortune 500 manufacturer and distributor of high-performance building systems through its United States Gypsum Company, USG Interiors, Inc. and L&W Supply Corporation subsidiaries. Headquartered in Chicago, the company serves the residential and non-residential construction markets, repair and remodel construction markets, and industrial processes. USG's wall, ceiling, flooring and roofing products provide leading-edge building solutions for customers, while L&W Supply center locations efficiently stock and deliver building materials nationwide. For additional information, visit www.usg.com.

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