Brook Delivers Upset Special To Porter; Showtime Triple-Header Results

StubHub Center, Carson, California– The main event of Showtime’s triple-header featured a world title upset as Kell Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) took the IBF welterweight title from Shawn Porter (24-i-1, 15 KOs) via majority decision by scores of 114-114, 117-111, and 116-112.

A close contest through twelve (The Boxing Tribune scored the bout 114-114), it was a tough fight to watch and a tougher one to score as Brook’s clearly superior outside work clashed against Porter’s flailing, mauling inside game.

The end result was pure ugliness through thirty-six minutes and cuts over both fighter’s eyes as they bumped bodies and heads frequently.

The Brook victory opens up the possibility of a long-awaited Brook-Amir Khan all-Brit showdown or, perhaps, the realization of Floyd Mayweather’s talked-about Wembley Stadium, UK challenge.

Meanwhile, on the televised undercard–

It was a frustrating and often ugly fight at times, but Anthony Dirrell (27-0-1, 22 KOs)prevailed over Sakio Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) to take the WBC super middleweight title via unanimous decision by scores of 114-113, 116-111, 117-110.

A point deduction against Bika for low blows was not a factor in this rematch of their December draw. At the end of twelve, it was simply a matter of Dirrell being quicker and sharper with his shots than the mauling, brawling Bika.

In the battle-heavy television opener, Omar Figueroa (24-0-1, 18 KOs) defended his WBC lightweight title against tough challenger Daniel Estrada (32-3-1, 24 KOs) via TKO 9.

A tough battle throughout, Figueroa came into the ninth round ahead on the scorecards and bleeding heavily from a deep cut over the inside edge of the left eye caused by an accidental headbutt at the end of the eighth.

The drama of the ugly cut was short-lived, though, as a hard overhand right from Figueroa dropped Estrada early on in the round and put him in bad shape. A follow-up flurry from the defending champ would force the ref to rescue a helpless challenger seconds later.

After the bout, Figueroa said that he would be moving up to the junior welterweight division.