TGB Promotions – Tom Brown and Sampson Boxing – Sampson Lewkowicz brought to the Staples Center in L.A., CA, a unification bout between IBF World Welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr. and WBC World Welterweight champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter Saturday night over USA FOX PPV.

In the Main Event IBF World Welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr., 26-0 (21), #147, of Desoto, TX, won by split decision over WBC World Welterweight champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter, 30-3-1 (17), #147, of Las Vegas, NV, over 12 rounds.

In the first round both fighters felt their way with little action as Porter forced what punches were landed. In the second round Spence got busy backing Porter up. Porter would come in low while Spence landed body shots with uppercuts.

In the third round Spence got away with several low punches as Porter was throwing more punches. The fourth round both fighters got in the better of the other. Spence landed the harder punches while Porter landed more. In the fifth and sixth rounds Spence landed the more effective punches as Porter may have landed more.

In the seventh round Porter kept up a steady attack while Spence landes the hard punches with both going south of the border. In the eighth round the pace picked up with Porter swarming over Spence who countered.

In the tenth round Porter came in low missing as many as landing. Spence seemed to get in the more effective punches. Porter ended the round with a flurry of punches. Spence had a small cut on the outside of his left eyebrow. In the eleventh round a flurry of punches ending with a crushing left on the chin by Spence doubled Porter over causing one of his gloves to touch the canvas causing referee Reiss to administer a count.

In the twelfth and final round Porter was coming forward getting countered well by Spence. Seemed Spence was the fresher of the two in the end.

Judges scores were Rey Danseco and Steve Weisfeld had it 116-111 Spence while Larry Hazzard, Jr. had it 115-112 Porter. This writer had it 115-112 Spence.

In the co-feature two-time WBC World Super Middleweight champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell, 33-2-1 (24), #167.6, of Flint, Michigan, lost his title to the former WBC World Super Middleweight champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez, 22-0 (19), #167.6, of Phoenix, AZ, at 1:39 of the ninth round due to a cut. This writer had Benavidez in front 77-75 at time of stoppage.

In the first round Benavidez kept coming forward with Dirrell keeping a stead jab and an occasional right in his face. In the second round Dirrell kept up countering well while Benavidez kept his hands high blocking some of them. In the final minute Benavidez landed a flurry of punches trying to pull the round out.

In the third round Benavidez backed Dirrell against the ropes countering a missed right with his own right to the chin. He seemed to outwork Dirrell. In the fourth round Dirrell came back having Benavidez against the ropes landing a flurry of punches. Benavidez was dropping his guard in this round egging Dirrell to come on and he did.

In the fifth round at the halfway point Benavidez landed a dozen unanswered punches to the head and body of Dirrell. Dirrell would come back in the final minute as both fighters were talking to each other. In the sixth round Benavidez opened up a cut on the right eyelid of Dirrell.

In the seventh round Benavidez kept forcing Dirrell against the ropes working on the cut with an effective jab. Referee Thomas Taylor brought the ring physician in to check the cut of Dirrell’s. In the eighth round Dirrell turned southpaw trying to turn the tide of the fight with little success.

In the ninth round Dirrell was on the end of quite a bit of punishment from Benavidez with nothing in return from the champion. The corner signaled to stop the fight giving Benavidez the belt.

Super Lightweight Mario “Azteca” Barrios, 25-0 (16), #140, of San Antonio, TX, won a close decision over southpaw Batyr “Batuhan Gozgec” Akhmedov, 7-1 (6), #139.4, UZB and Crimea, RUS, for the vacant WBA Super World Lightweight title, over 12 rounds.

Through the first three rounds most of the fight was in the middle of the ring with Barrios showing more power against the southpaw Akhmedov. In the fourth round a double left hook from Barrios on the chin of Akhmedov made him touch the canvas with both gloves ruling it a knockdown.

In the fifth round Akhmedov kept coming forward with both fighters winging punches. The man from Russia seemed to finally may have won a round though close from Barrios. In the seventh round Akhmedov landed several right hooks causing a cut on the outside of Barrios left eyebrow.

In the eighth and ninth rounds Akhmedov kept the pressure on Barrios landing double left’s on the chin of Barrios who is getting outpunched with him countering. In the twelfth and final round once again a right from Barrios on the chin of Akhmedov had drop forward with his gloves touching the canvas ruling a knockdown by referee Jerry Cantu.

Judges scores were Jim Cheatam 115-111, Jeremy Hayes 116-111, and Zachary Young 114-112. This writer had it 114-112 for Akmedov.

Welterweight, John “The Gladiator” Molina, Jr., 30-9 (24), of Covina, CA, was knocked out by Josesito Lopez 37-8 (20) , of Riverside, CA, at 0:35 seconds of the eighth round.

In the first round Molina got hit with a chopping right on the chin and down he went midway through the round Half a minute later a body shot from Lopez dropped Molina again. He managed to fight his way until the bell. In the second and third rounds Molina managed to hold his own for the most part though Lopez took the rounds.

In the fourth and fifth rounds both fighters were swinging for the fences as Lopez got himself back into the fight possibly taking the round though close enough to go either way. In the seventh round a pair of left hooks followed by a right from Lopez on the chin dropped Molina for a third time in the final twenty seconds of the round.

In the eighth round after half a minute Molina was stopped by Lopez. The referee was Ray Corona.