L.Peterson Stopped By Spence In Eighth Round!

(Photo by Emily Harney)

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. of Dallas, TX in the eighth round at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  The bout was the main-event on a DiBella Entertainment card that was televised live on Showtime.

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 DC native showed tremendous heart and battled back to stay in the contest, but Spence was just too powerful as he seemed to walk 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.  Peterson's eyes were swollen to where it looked like he could barely see.  At the beginning of the eighth round, Hunter decided enough is enough and had the contest stopped on behalf of Peterson.  The official time was one second of the eighth round.

 “I thought we took too much damage early in the fight and we got too far behind. If he never fight another day in his life it’s OK by me,"  Hunter told the press after the bout.

Peterson is now 35-4-1, 17 KO's.  Spence makes the first successful defense of the IBF Welterweight title and he is now 23-0, 20 KO's and has stopped his last 10 opponents.