Kell Brook won the IBF Welterweight championship with a 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated Shawn Porter at the StubHub Center in Carson, California
Early on it was Brook looking to jab and hold on when he Porter would make a surge on the inside. In round two, Brook was cut over the left eye from an accidental headbutt. Brook was timing Porter coming with his nice jab. In round six, Porter was cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt.
Brook was able to thwart any brief momentum that Porter could muster up as he landed the more telling combinations.
Brook, 146 1/2 lbs of Sheffield, UK won by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 114-114 and is now 33-0. Porter, 146 3/4 lbs of Akron, OH is now 24-1-1.
“You can tell how much it means to me by my reaction,” said Brook, who was cut over the left eye in the second round. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was nine-years old. It’s unbelievable.
“I was scrappy tonight, and not as slick as I wanted to be. But I’m the world champion now, baby. I was born to do this.
“I’m ready for a mega, mega fight next. I’ll take on Keith Thurman or Floyd Mayweather. Amir Khan should get in queue now. I’m the world champion now so they’re all going to want to fight me.”
Porter, a former U.S. amateur standout, thought he had done enough to win his second title defense despite getting cut over his right eye in the sixth.
“I think I’m still the champion,” he said. “I’m 24-1 and Team Porter will be back to the drawing board. There are no excuses. I do want the rematch.”
Anthony Dirrell wrestled the WBC Super Middleweight title away from Sakio Bika via 12-round unanimous decision.
The fight was very sloppy throughout the contest. When given distance, Dirrell was able to land the more telling blows. Bika was deducted a point in round eight for low blows. Dirrell hit the canvas several other times from Bika’s “veteran” tactics.
Dirrell, 167 3/4 lbs of Flint, MI won by scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 114-113 and is now 27-0-1. Bika, 167 3/4 lbs of Australia is now 32-6-3.
“This journey has been amazing and I can’t even fathom it,” Dirrell told SHOWTIME’s Jim Gray afterward. “I already overcame the biggest fight of my life by beating cancer. I can’t see anything being bigger than this. I was never close to giving up. I stuck to it and now I’m WBC world champion.
“This means the world to me, what else can I say? After beating cancer, making it back from a motorcycle accident and getting a second chance at boxing, I just knew I was going to make the best of it.
“Tonight the referee did a wonderful job. Bika is rough, he’s a helluva fighter. But I’m glad to finally have him in my rearview mirror. I’m not gonna complain about the close scores. I got a unanimous decision and I couldn’t be happier.
“The difference between this fight and our first one is that I wasn’t on the ropes this time. I came out and boxed. But I know I got his attention at the start.”
Said Bika: “I fought very hard. He was a better fighter tonight. I’m going to go back to the gym and come back stronger. This (losing) happens.”
Omar Figueroa defended the WBC Lightweight title with a 9th round stoppage over mandatory challenger Daniel Estrada.
It was a phone booth fight early with Estrada taking the early lead by landing the harder punches in close. Figueroa began to pick up in the middle rounds as he got in close and started landing combinations.
Round nine was action packed as the two traded shots in close. Figueroa was cut around the left eye from a clash of heads. Figueroa seized that moment to land a nice flurry only to see Figueroa come back just before the bell.
That did not deter Figueroa as he came out in round nine and dropped Estrada with a big right hand. Estrada got to his feet but Figueroa was all over him and landed a big combination on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:00 of round nine
Figueroa, 135 lbs is now 24-0-1 with 18 knockouts. Estrada, 134 1/2 lbs is 32-3-1.
“I don’t think I did that great and obviously felt I could be more explosive and maybe get him out of there earlier,” said Figueroa, who suffered a bad cut above his left eye from an unintentional headbutt in the ninth. “I was a little concerned that the referee or doctor would stop the fight because of the cut. I knew Estrada would be open for the right hand. I was playing a little possum when I caught him.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” said Estrada, who was making his U.S. debut and fighting less than three weeks after a sister and her daughter were killed in an automobile accident in Mexico. “Initially I felt good but he hurt me and I couldn’t recuperate. I had the mentality to win, but I was up against a great champion.”
Deontay Wilder tuned up for a fall title shot with Bermane Stiverne with a stoppage win over Jason Gavern after round four in their scheduled 10-round Heavyweight bout.
Wilder boxed from the outside while Gavern tried and occasionally got through with an overhand right. In round three, Wilder scored a knockdown when a right hand landed around the ear. Gavern complained that the punch was behind the head. Wilder scored a 2nd knockdown in round four from another straight right. After the round, Gavern encouraged his corner to stop the fight and they obliged.
Wilder, 224 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is now 32-0 with 32 knockouts. Gavern, 247 lbs of Kissimee, FL is now 25-16-4.
“This was fun,” Wilder said. “I wanted to go some rounds. A lot of people are still asking so many questions to me; I tried to answer some of them today.
“Of course, I could have landed my right hand more in the first couple rounds. He was leaving me openings, but I didn’t want to show off everything. I wanted to save that for next time.
“I’m ready for that world title fight. I want the WBC champ Bermane Stiverne next, hopefully in late November.”
Jorge Linares tuned up for a title shot with a 2 round demolition of Ira Terry in scheduled 8-round Lightweight bout.
Linares hurt Terry at the end of round one with a hard right that was followed by a combination. Linares finished the fight with a perfect right to the face that plummeted Terry on the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:20 of round two.
Linares, 137 lbs of Venezuela is now 37-3 with 24 knockouts. Terry, 132 lbs of Memphis, TN is now 26-12-1.
“This was the kind of fight I didn’t expect but that I wanted,” Linares said. “I was able to watch tapes o him extensively so I was well prepared. I definitely want to fight for the world title next. That’s why I was here and took this fight. I’m just waiting for my opportunity.
“That was a good straight right hand I landed on him. Once I connected I knew it was over.”
Lydell Rhodes remained undefeated with a stoppage after 4-rounds over John Nater in a scheduled 8-round Welterweight bout.
Rhodes was dominant with his hand speed. He dropped Nater in round four with a four punch combination where Nater took three steps back to the ropes and took a knee. After the round, Nater decided he had enough and the bout was stopped.
Rhodes, 142 lbs of Las Vegas is now 22-0 with 11 knockouts. Nater, 144 lbs of Bayamon, PR is now 13-7.
Former Irish Olympian Jason Quigley scored a stoppage victory over Fernando Najera in a scheduled 4-round Middleweight bout.
Quigley dominated and opened up a bad cut over Najera’s left eye in round three. Iromically, Quigley was cut over his left eye as well but Najera’s openinh was much worse and Najera’s corner stopped the bout.
Quigley 160 1/2 lbs of Ireland is now 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Najera, 158 1/4 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 1-4.
