Kell Brook, the poised boxer-puncher from Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, upset IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter by majority decision?
Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, Kell Brook (33-0, 22 KOs), the poised boxer-puncher from Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, upset Shawn Porter (24-1, 15 KOs), from Akron, Ohio, to win the IBF welterweight title. The final scores after 12 rounds of fighting were 117-111, 116-112, and 114-114.
It?s always satisfying when the underdog wins. It?s even more satisfying when the judges, who have suffered their fair share of lambast in recent years, manage to get it right.
Shawn Porter, the favorite, fighting out of the blue corner in red, white and blue trunks, brought the fight and his reputation as a rugged competitor to the ring. His intensity knows no equal, but his skills, which are integral to boxing, leave something to be desired.
Kell Brook on the other hand, fighting out of the red corner in red trunks with gold and blue trim, was as composed as a fighter can be. No matter what Porter threw at him, and he threw plenty, Brook kept his cool, relying on his jab and ring IQ to outsmart, outbox, and ultimately outfight the former champ from America?s heartland.
To the untrained eye, Porter was the busier fighter. One might not like his swarming come-forward style but it?s impossible to ignore. It?s exciting. It?s menacing. It?s as much a part of the fight game as a lead right followed by a left hook. But rather than get sucked into Porter?s invitation to brawl, Kell stuck to his gameplan, counterpunched the aggression out of Porter, at which time he began to lead.
It?s easy to forget that boxing?s not a strength sport, it?s a skill sport, and skill has never been held in such low regard. But the object of boxing is to hit and not be hit, and that?s as true today as it was in Regency England.
Porter may be able to overpower the likes of Paulie Malignaggi, but Kell Brook is no Paulie Malignaggi. Both he and Paulie can box and box beautifully, but Kell can punch with power and deadly accuracy. Had Brook succumbed to temptation, had he fallen into the trap to make it a dogfight, the decision wouldn?t have gone in his favor. But he fought smart, he fought within himself, and round after round, only three of which Porter won on our scorecard, he busted up the champion and eventually broke him down.
It was a brilliant performance.
After the fight, Kell was as cool, calm and collected as he had been for the previous 48 minutes.
?You can tell from my fans how much this means,? he said. ?Twenty years mean a lot. Nine years old, dreaming of being world champion? I?m the champion of the world. To be honest with you, I looked a bit scrappy. But I did what I had to do with him because he dips at the knees, he?s scrappy. I didn?t come across slick. I?m a slick fighter. I was scrappy at times, but I?m the champion. I kept calm, listened to my corner, did what I needed to do. Twenty-eight years. I?ve traveled, come here, and I took care of him in his backyard. I was born to do this. I always find a way. I always deliver. The better the opposition, the better I am. You?re going to see me in some mega fights. I?m not showing anybody up, but Keith Thurman and Floyd Mayweather, all the top fighters are probably watching this fight now and I welcome their fights. I think Amir Khan can get in the queue now. It?s been a long time coming, but it?s working now.?
Our brothers in Great Britain must be celebrating Kell?s victory. But there are fight fans on this side of the pond celebrating as well.
