Errol Spence Jr. thrills in split-decision win against Shawn Porter

Shawn Porter was a considerable underdog going into his championship bout with Errol Spence Jr. but produced a fight of the year candidate.

On Sept. 28, Shawn Porter and Errol Spence Jr. united in a welterweight unification bout and gave boxing fans a fight of the year candidate.

Porter was a 5-1 underdog heading into the bout despite being the WBC champion, but he gave IBF champion Spence all he could handle and more.

Porter was energetic in round 1. He bounced on his toes on the outside. Porter moved his head a lot, and he needed to because Spence was hunting him down. It was a challenging round to score, but Porter was definitely amped.

Spence tried to establish his jab in round 2. He used it to control the distance. Porter tried to catch Spence when he moved in but missed most of the time. Spence got tripped up on his feet, but it was a balance issue, not a punch.

Porter tried to jump on Spence to begin round 3, but Spence was elusive. Porter was aggressive, and a brawl broke out. Both men connected, but Spence got the better of the action and tattooed Porter to the body. Several of Spence’s punches strayed low, and he was warned by referee Jack Reiss.

Porter brought the fight to Spence to kick off round 4. His punches to the body were most effective. Spence’s left hand connected several times to Porter’s head, but Porter returned the favor. There was a lot of back and forth action, but Porter excelled in this round.

Porter looked a bit winded to begin round 5. His punches were wide, and he looked slightly out of control. Spence stayed measured and landed his left hand. Porter slowed, and Spence scored with precise punches. Porter flurried again, but his shots were wild and inaccurate.

Spence came out hot in round 6. He caught Porter on the ropes and punished him to the body, but Porter got out and retaliated. Bodywork was Spence’s focus, and he invested wisely. Porter had to hold for breathing room.

Porter’s activity level started strong in round 7, but many of his punches missed. Spence was reserved and took the first half of the round off. He pressed Porter during the second half, but there was a lot of holding and wrestling. Porter may have won it by just throwing more punches. The punches Spence did throw were low, but he wasn’t warned for his transgressions.

Spence went back to the jab in round 8. Porter attacked wildly but missed a lot. Spence loaded up on left hands that were partially blocked. They traded, and Porter made it ugly which benefited him, but Spence regained control by creating distance.

Spence’s straight left wobbled Porter in round 9. Porter took it well, but he was hit cleanly more often than in previous rounds. Porter smothered Spence in the last minute and tagged Spence with numerous right hooks. It was anybody’s round.

Before the start of round 10, Spence danced in his corner, looking confident, but Porter brought the fight to him. They wrestled on the inside, and both scored. Spence got Porter on the ropes and winged punches to the body. They clashed heads and went back to battling. Porter ended the round swinging.

Spence was cut on the left eye from the headbutt but didn’t seem phased in round 11. They fought at close distance and traded. It was a close round until Spence landed a crushing left hook perfectly on Porter jaw that hurt Porter and knocked him down. Porter recovered, but that punch left its mark.

They swung for the fences un round 12. Spence tried to knock Porter out, but he remained on his feet. Porter looked a bit damaged but hit Spence with his hook. Spence walked through it and continued to apply pressure. There was no quit in Porter, but Spence won the championship rounds.

It was a fight of the year candidate, but Spence ended the match in style. The judges returned scores of 115-112 for Porter and two scores of 116-111 for Spence. The split-decision was a bit of a surprise, but the fight was so close before round 11 that it was almost understandable.

Spence now has the IBF and WBC welterweight titles. A rematch would be valid, but Spence could fight Manny Pacquiao next, but Danny Garcia was in the ring after the fight.

“I’m here to say, I want next,” said Garcia to Spence after the fight.

Whoever is next, the world will be watching.