Robert Easter Jr fought Javier Fortuna on the undercard, claiming a hard-fought points victory.
Sunday 21 January 2018 09:17, UK
Errol Spence Jr dominated Lamont Peterson as he secured an eighth-round technical knockout to make the first successful defence of his IBF welterweight world title.
Spence Jr strengthened his reputation as one of the best of boxing's rising stars as he claimed his 10th straight win inside the distance as he improved to 23-0 with 20 knockouts on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old, who claimed the title from Britain's Kell Brook in May, dominated from the opening bell at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, peppering Peterson with combinations to the head and body.
Spence sent former two-time world champion Peterson to the canvas in the fifth round with a combination that included a left hook to the head.
Both of Peterson's eyes were swelling shut by the seventh round, and as the bell sounded to start the eighth, his trainer Barry Hunter called for it to be stopped by referee Harvey Dock.
Amir Khan could be a future opponent for Spence, who has already stated he would like to fight him. Khan was beaten by Peterson in 2011.
On the undercard, IBF lightweight world champion Robert Easter Jr. remained unbeaten with a split-decision victory over Javier Fortuna.
Easter's title was not at stake after Fortuna failed to make weight on Friday but Dominican southpaw Fortuna made things awkward for the 26-year-old champion with his counter-punching style.
Easter was largely unable to use his superior height and reach, but the point deducted from Fortuna early in the bout for repeated blows to the back of Easter's head ultimately proved costly.
One ringside judge scored it 114-113 to Easter, another saw it 114-113 for Fortuna and a third made it 115-112 for Easter.
