Errol Spence Jr. continued staking his claim as the best fighter in the world with a thrilling SD12 over Shawn Porter on Saturday night to add the WBC welterweight title to his own IBF belt. Spence (26-0, 21 KO’s) was pressed hard throughout the fight by a very determined Porter (30-3, 17 KO’s). An 11th round knockdown likely sealed the deal for Spence as he won by scores of 116-111, 116-111 and 112-115.
Most observers had it closer than 116-111, at worst seven rounds to five for Spence with the two-point round for the knockdown.
The welterweight division is the class of boxing and this matchup of champions was highly charged and lived up to all of the hype. A boisterous crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles got its money’s worth and more.
As Spence continues to establish himself as the absolute best at 147, Terence Crawford looms as the WBO champion and, in the minds of some observers, the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. Manny Pacquaio holds the WBA belt and Danny “Swift” Garcia is the WBC’s #1 contender. That’s a lot of star power for one division.
Here’s hoping all these titans can ultimately meet like Leonard, Duran, Hagler and Hearns did in the 1980’s.
