Quijano: Spence takes care of business

LOOKS like we are finally inching closer to that super-fight between Errol Spence and Terence Crawford, the best fighters in the welterweight division -- though our very own Manny Pacquiao might have something to say about that.

Spence took care of his end of the business by outpointing Danny Garcia to earn a much deserved unanimous decision verdict.

Garcia was game throughout and never too far behind in the fight, but Spence was just a little bit too good and too slick.

THE FIGHT. Both men started out at a fast clip, working behind their jabs. Garcia landed a big right hand in the first round, but Spence shrugs it off and wins the round via some good body work.

In Rounds 2 and 3, Spence lands some left hands that catch Garcia off-guard. Spence can pose problems for his opponents because at times he seems awkward with his angles and is difficult to hit cleanly.

Garcia lands some body shots and hooks in Round 4, and we get some good two-way action in Rounds 5 and 6. At the midway point, the busier Spence is ahead slightly.

In Round 7, Garcia’s eye starts getting marked up courtesy of that right jab from southpaw Spence, and you can see that Garcia is starting to get bothered a bit by the cut.

In Round 8, Spence lands some good shots as Garcia is backed up against the ropes, but Garcia bounces back in Round 9, landing a couple of flush right hands.

The championship rounds are close, but Spence outworks Garcia just a little bit more. In Round 11, he starts to get busy flummoxing Garcia with combinations.

He continues to outbox Garcia in the 12th, but the latter finishes strongly in the last few seconds of the fight, though by this time it hardly mattered enough to turn the verdict in his favor.

The judges had it 116-112 (twice) and 117-111 all in favor of Spence, and I thought these were emblematic enough of the nature of the proceedings.

PROGNOSIS. Spence will always be a tough cookie to crack for any opponent. Garcia is one of the top-tier welterweights and was always in the fight even up to the last round, but Spence was just a little too good and I thought he was bigger too and his punches had more pop.

As if that were not enough, he was clearly the faster fighter and this allowed him to get to his spots with ease and land his shots.

This gives you the sense that Spence could have done better if he had decided to go for the knockout, but I also concede that playing it safe was a good strategy especially since this was his first fight after a long layoff owing to that car accident back in September of last year, right after his victory over Shawn Porter.

Either way, this demonstrates his versatility, which could come in real handy depending on how he matches up style-wise against his opponent. Against Crawford who is more of a boxer-counter-puncher, he can opt to slug more and mix it up.

If he squares off against Pacquiao, who is a devastating puncher, he can box and move and give him different looks.

Garcia (36-1, 21 KOs) was able to win a belt at the 147lb division, but now with losses to Spence, Porter and Keith Thurman, three of the biggest names in the division, it would probably be in his best interests to move back down to super lightweight, a division he previously dominated.

VERBATIM. “I do much better when I box but that s##t is just boring to me.” -- Errol Spence (www.boxingnews24.com)

LAST ROUNDS. Are on lovebirds Joren Macion and Talisay City Assistant Pros Benjo Luther Macion who celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary this week. Cheers!

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