(BBC) Errol `The Truth’ Spence Jr., beat Shawn `Showtime’ Porter on a split decision to unify the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight titles in what proved a blockbuster battle Saturday night.
Spence Jr., 29, edged it on the judges’ scorecards to remain unbeaten following a punishing 12 rounds at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
It left the Texan unbeaten after 26 bouts, while compatriot Porter, 31, suffered only the third loss of his career.
Spence Jr., will face Danny Garcia next. Two of the judges scored the pulsating back and forth fight 116-111, 116-111, for Spence Jr., while the third had it 115-112 in Porter’s favour who suffered an 11th round knockdown.
“Shawn Porter is a rough and awkward fighter. He made it real awkward for me,” Spence Jr., said.
Garcia, who lost to Porter last September – climbed into the ring 0 announce the fight shortly after Spence Jr., was awarded the victory.
Many boxing fans had been hoping for the winner of Saturday’s fight to face WBA champion Manny Pacquiao or WBO title holder Terence Crawford next.
Earlier, American David Benavidez’s ninth-round stoppage of compatriot Anthony Dirrell saw him win back the WBC super-middleweight title.
Benavidez, 22, had lost the title following a positive drug test last year but won it back after opening a deep cut over his opponent’s right eye in the seventh round.
Two rounds later, with Dirrell unable to see out of that eye, his camp threw in the towel.
Benavidez’s record now stands at 22-0 with 19 knockouts.
A third title fight on the bill saw American Mario Barrios beat Batyr Akhmedov of Russia for the WBA world light-welterweight title. Barrios was awarded a controversial unanimous decision which was greeted by booing from the crowd.