Errol Spence Jr. gave his hometown what they wanted. That was a 1st round stoppage over Carlos Ocampo to retain the IBF Welterweight title at The Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.
Spence landed a perfect left to the body that sent Ocampo down on all-fours, and he did not beat the count at 3:00.
Spence, 146 3/4 lbs of Dallas, TX is 24-0 with 21 knockouts. Ocampo, 146 3/4 lbs of Ensenada, MEX is 22-1.
“I was a little disappointed. I wanted to give the crowd their money’s worth,” Spence said. “I wanted him to sustain a bit and give him some punishment, but the body shot got him and I dropped him.”
“I knew if I hit him again he would probably drop,” Spence said. “That was my game plan. I’m the body snatcher. If he reacts weirdly, I just keep going to the body and I keep breaking him down.”
After the fight, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones joined Spence in the ring to congratulate him on the victory.
“This moment is a dream,” Spence said. “I wanted to play for the Dallas Cowboys and now I’m fighting in front of the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones. Thank you to the whole Dallas Cowboys organization.
“We’ll definitely be back after I unify some titles. We’ll make this an annual thing where I fight here.”
“This room was full of Dallas Cowboys football players supporting you,” Jones said. “They share your passion. I saw a guy in this ring who knew what he wanted. When you knock a guy out by hitting him once on the side of his back, you’re bad to the bone.
“I love his awareness. He had a plan from the beginning. He is exceptionally gifted. He has family that is behind him and our family, the Cowboys, want to be behind him as well.”
“I want to fight the best,” Spence promised. “Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter are fighting each other (for the WBC title) and I definitely want to make that a unifying fight. We both have the same management, we both fight on SHOWTIME. Why not make that happen? I definitely want that fight whenever it’s available.
Danny Roman made the 2nd defense of the WBA Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Moises Flores.
Roman beat down the body of Flores as he focused on the rib area with both hands. He landed 175 body shots and 174 head shots and was very consistent throughout the bout.
Roman, 121 3/4 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 120-108, 118-110 and 116-112 to raise his record to 24-2-1. Flores who missed the weighed at 123 lbs is now 25-1.
“I was trying to box him. We tried to do a smart fight,” Roman said. “We tried to take him out, but unfortunately we couldn’t.
“I would like to unify. I would like to challenge any of the champions. I’d love to face Rey Vargas or Isaac Dogboe. I don’t mind going back to Japan either.”
“I know I messed up in training,” Flores said. “I didn’t make the weight, but I still wanted to perform and give it everything I have.
“We both hit each other a lot. I hit (Roman) with some good shots, I just couldn’t finish him. I was probably around 60 percent energy-wise. From the fifth round on I had to just fight with pure heart.
“(Roman) put on a great show for the fans, and that’s what makes me feel great. That’s all I wanted was to put on a good fight.”
Javier Fortuna and Adrian Granados fought to a no-contest when Fortuna could not continue in round four of their scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.
The fight got ugly in round four when Fortuna was docked points for using his head and holding. Seconds later, Granados pushed Fortuna out of the ring, and Fortuna’s head smashed into the cameraman post. Fortuna was immediately put in a neckbrace and taken out on s stretcher.
The bout was ruled a no-contest at 2:50. Fortuna, 139 3/4 lbs of La Romana, DR is 33-2-1-1. Granados, 139 3/4 lbs of Chicago, IL is 18-6-2-1.
“I didn’t push him. I think he fell with his own,” Granados said. “I think he was looking for an excuse on his way out. We were both battling, but I knew he could feel I was getting stronger. He caught me with a shot and it just turned me up.
“First and foremost I just want to pray that he’s OK. Let’s do the rematch. I’ve been dying for a fight at 140.”