Spence keeps defence of welterweight title short and sweet

AMERICAN boxer Errol Spence made quick work of Carlos Ocampo, knocking out the Mexican challenger in the first round on Saturday to retain his International Boxing Federation welterweight title.

Southpaw Spence improved to 24-0 in easily recording his 21st career knockout over the previously unbeaten Ocampo who was fighting outside of his native Mexico for the first time.

The fight ended when Spence hit Ocampo with a right hand to the body that sent the challenger to the canvas in front of a sold-out crowd of 12 000 at the Ford Centre facility in Texas.

“I was a little disappointed,” said Spence. “I wanted to give the crowd their money’s worth. I wanted him to sustain a bit and give him some punishment, but the body shot got him and I dropped him.

“It was a great victory. It was really short, so it is hard to describe. I took my time and tried to use my jab. He was a little bit awkward, but I caught him and was able to hurt him,” Spence said.

“I don’t get paid for overtime. If I can get him out in the first, great, but I wanted to carry it, go to the fourth or fifth round for the fans.”

Spence has not been taken the distance in four years, winning 11 stoppages in a row, including last year’s knockout of Kell Brook before his home fans in England and January’s stoppage of American Lamont Peterson in his first defence of the crown.

Spence now hopes to fight the winner of the vacant World Boxing Council welterweight championship decider in August between Americans Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter.

Ocampo, who stopped countryman Dario Ferman in November in his most recent start, was completely overmatched in his first world title bout.

“I got overconfident at the end of the round and he caught me,” said Ocampo, who fell to 22-1 with 13 knockouts. —