D.C. welterweight Lamont Peterson’s bid for a fourth world title was halted Saturday by the younger, stronger and dominant IBF welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in the eighth round at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Spence started quickly, using accurate body and head shots. Peterson, as usual, got off to a slow start but managed to stay right in front of Spence despite the ferocity of the champion’s onslaught. Peterson came back with a solid fourth round but in the fifth, Spence landed a solid left hand that dropped Peterson. However, the D.C. native showed tremendous heart and battled back to stay in the contest, but Spence was just too powerful, seemingly walking right through Peterson’s best shots.
By the seventh round, Peterson’s trainer and father figure, Barry Hunter, became increasingly concerned about the condition of his fighter, whose eyes were swollen to the point that it looked like he could barely see. At the beginning of the eighth round, Hunter decided enough was enough and had the contest stopped on behalf of Peterson.
“I thought we took too much damage early in the fight and we got too far behind,” Hunter told reporters afterward. “If he never fights another day in his life, it’s OK by me
Peterson is now 35-4-1, 17 KOs. Spence, making the first successful defense of the IBF welterweight title, is now 23-0, 20 KOs and has stopped his last 10 opponents.
On the undercard, Peterson’s brother, Anthony, was dominant in winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Eduardo Florez of Puerto Librador, Colombia. There were no knockdowns in the contest but Peterson won by scores of 100-89 and 100-90 (twice). Peterson is now 38-1, 24 KOs while Florez falls to 23-9, 19 KOs.
Also, D.C. welterweight Keyshawn Williams opened the card and battled to a split-decision draw against Denis Okoth of Siaya, Kenya. Each boxer received a 39-37 score from two of the judges while the third saw a 38-38 draw. Each boxer is also 1-0-1, one KO.