IBF welterweight world champ Errol Spence Jr. successfully defends title for the first time against former two-division champ Lamont Peterson.
Undefeated welterweight world champion Errol Spence Jr. retained his IBF title with an impressive stoppage of former champion Lamont Peterson in the main event of Saturday night’s SHOWTIME card from Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York.
In his first defense since dethroning Kell Brook last May, Spence (23-0, 20 KOs) out boxed a tough Peterson (35-4-1, 17 KOs) from start to finish, showcasing a wide array of skills, speed and power. The fight was stopped prior to the start of the eighth round after Peterson’s trainer, Barry Hunter, called for the stoppage.
The fight played out similar to how both fighters predicted, starting in a cagey tactical affair before it turned into an aggressive fight in the middle rounds. Two minutes into round five, Spence used a blistering left hook to send Peterson to the canvas. The Washington, D.C. native returned to his feet and continued to battle, but Spence proved to be too much. The 2012 U.S. Olympian out landed Peterson 161-45, while connecting on 49% of his power punches to just 31% for Peterson.
Peterson, who fought valiantly against the younger Spence, respected the decision of his trainer to stop the fight, “If he asks me to fight a million people, I will. If he asks me to stop. I will stop. I will never question his decision. I know he has my best interests at heart.”
(Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)
