Porter silences Broner, wins unanimous decision

MANILA, Philippines – After weeks of pre-fight hype and numerous verbal jabs, ex-welterweight titleholder Shawn Porter had the last laugh by outpointing 3-division world champion Adrien Broner in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions’ NBC-televised card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 21 (PH Time).

Ringside judges Eric Cheek and Dave Moretti had 118-108 and 115-111, respectively for Porter, but Adalaide Byrd surprisingly scored it with a close 114-112 mark.

Porter picked up the pace early on and clearly hurt Broner in the first round when he clobbered three left hands and sent Broner into the ropes.

The 27-year-old native of Akron, Ohio pressed the action throughout the 12-round welterweight contest as he pounded his opponent’s head and body, but Broner had to hold on as he tried to collect himself and kept him in defense mode for every minute of each round.

Broner was able to counter quite a bit with his right hand, but Porter usually negated his foe’s response with voluminous shots upstairs and down.

Broner tried frustrating Porter with endless clinching, but his tactic backfired in the 11th round when referee Tony Weeks deducted a point after issuing several warnings for excessive holding.

Aware that he was down on the scorecards, Broner came out charging in the 12th and final frame, where he dropped Porter with a wide-open left hand.

Porter was able to beat the count, but Broner nailed him with several more thudding shots to the head that rocked him a few more times. 

The former IBF welterweight titleholder was able to stave off Broner in the frantic final minute of the bout to secure the unanimous decision triumph.

Here's a closer look at @AdrienBroner's knockdown of @showtimeshawnp in round 12! #PBConNBC pic.twitter.com/qEAHoMTbX8

— PBC (@premierboxing) June 21, 2015

“He got me with a good shot and that’s what true champions do. But true champions also get up from those shots and win. That’s what I did,” Porter said in his post-fight interview.

Porter improves his professional record to 26-1-1 with 16 knockouts, while Broner tastes his second career loss and downgrades to 30-2, 25 KOs. 

Per CompuBox statistics, Porter landed 149 of his 590 punches. On the other hand, Broner connected just 88 of 309 blows. 

– Rappler.com