At the AT & T Stadium in Arlington, TX, Saturday night IBF World Welterweight champion and IBF World Lightweight champion fought on a TGB Promotions and Ringstar Sports promotion on PPV.
IBF World Welterweight champion southpaw Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr., 25-0 (21), of Desoto, TX, won a lopsided decision over WBC World Lightweight champion Mikey Garcia, 39-1 (30), of Moreno Valley, CA, over 12 rounds.
In the first round Spence had his jabs blocked by Garcia for the most part but countering nothing in return. Halfway through Spence landed a left to the mid-section of Garcia. Inside the last minute Garcia started throwing. In round two Garcia got more offensive. Halfway through the round Spence got a double jab into the chin of Garcia. Toss up round with Garcia busier.
In the third round Spence controlled with his jab. The best punch up until then was a lead left to the chin from Spence. Garcia wasn’t able to get any offense started. In the fourth round Spence landed a double jab to the chin of Garcia. Spence landed a good left to the chin of Garcia. In the final half minute of the round Garcia landed his first non-jab a left hook to the body.
In the fifth round Spence became more offensive landing the lead left to the chin of Garcia. In the final half minute Garcia landed his best punch a right on the chin. Garcia was fighting a defensive fight not throwing let alone landing anything of importance. Spend got in some solid punches in the final thirty seconds.
In the sixth round after a minute Spence landed a solid left to the chin of Garcia. With a minute remaining in the round spence got in the best punch up until then a solid left on the chin. Spence was too big and fast through six.
In the seventh round Spence continued his offense. Garcia got in a left hook to the chin. Spence landed a lead left to the chin rocking Garcia. In the eighth round Spence continued out working and out landing Garcia. For someone who asked for this fight Garcia has not been able to penetrate the defense of Spence who halfway through the round drove Garcia into a corner with body and head shots. Spence drove Garcia against the ropes with a flurry of punches.
In the ninth round what little Garcia had offensively still couldn’t penetrate the defense of Spence. Halfway through the round Spence landed several head shots hurting Garcia. After each round Garcia shakes his fist in the air as if he did well which he didn’t. The tenth round was more of the same as Garcia’s face started showing swelling. This may have been the first round with a clinch.
In the eleventh round Spence seemed he would like to get a knockout but Garcia’s defense wouldn’t allow it. Spence landed half a dozen punches without return in the final minute. In the twelfth and final round Spence continued dishing out punishment. Halfway through the round a left from Spence rocked Garcia. Garcia in the final minute from the southpaw stance landed a short right. The overall fight had little excitement. It seemed Garcia couldn’t or just wouldn’t mix it up.
“I can box, I can move my head if I want. The game is to be smart. It’s the sweet science. I give Mikey Garcia all the credit for taking the fight. I am now pound for pound the best,” said Spence.
Scores were 120-107, 120-108 twice. This writer had it 119-109 only giving Garcia the second round. Garcia was never in the fight. The attendance was 47,000.
Super Middleweight David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez, 21-0 (18), of Phoenix, AZ, stopped J’Leon Love, 24-3 (13), of Las Vegas, NV, at 1:14 of the second round in a scheduled 10.
In the first round Love opened up almost immediately going to the body. Then the taller Benavidez hit him with a combination to the head. Benavidez hammered Love with uppercuts. In the second round Love kept bobbing and weaving getting clobbered. Referee Cole wisely stopped the fight.
Bantamweight southpaw Luis “Pantera” Nery, 29-0 (23), of Tijuana, MEX, stopped the former IBF Super Flyweight champion southpaw McJoe Arroyo, 18-3 (8), of Fajardo, PR, at the end of four rounds.
In the first round Nery was the aggressor chasing down Arroyo. Under a minute left in the round Nery landed a combination to the chin having Arroyo against the ropes. In the second round Nery had Arroy’s face scarlet red. He almost dropped him with a combination. Arroyo was hit with a counter with his glove touching the canvas, but referee Laurence Cole didn’t see it that way. It may have been a trip.
In the third round it was more of the same with Nery chasing down Arroyo. Arroyo got in several counter punches but Nery did the out landing. In the fourth round Nery scored a pair of knockdowns. The Arroyo corner wisely stopped the mismatch.
Heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola, 38-5-1 (33), of Escondido, CA, stopped Haitian southpaw Jean Pierre Augustin, 17-1 -1 (12), of Cranston, RI, at 2:03 of the third round.
In the first round it was more like a wrestling match. Referee Neal Young had his hands full. In the second round the action picked up some when Augustin bloodied the nose of Arreola. In the third round Areola came out looking for bear driving Augustin into the ropes with a right hand. Arreola dropped Augustin with a left hook and one on the back of the head on the way down. Augustin beat the count but Arreola jumped on him beating him until referee Young wisely stopped it.
Former IBF World heavyweight champion “Prince” Charles Martin, 26-2-1 (23), of Carson, CA, defeated Gregory Corbin, 15-1 (9), of Dallas, TX, over 10 rounds.