Joey Spencer went deeper than ever before to secure his latest win.
Arriving to mixed reviews, the 22-year-old prospect fended off a stiff challenge from Kevin Salgado. Judges Pam Hayashida (100-90), Sergio Caiz (99-91) and David Solivan (99-91) scored in Spencer’s favor in a Fox-televised battle of undefeated junior middleweights Sunday night on Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Spencer admitted after his last fight, an untelevised eight-round win over Ravshan Hudaynazarov on March 26, that he needed opposition to force him to rise to the occasion. Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) bosses honored those wishes, as Salgado came to test the heart and mettle of the 22-year-old prospect and recent father. The San Antonio-based Mexican presented a similar challenge in a draw with Bryant Perrella earlier this year.
The first few rounds saw both fighters work their jab. Spencer folded the gun in hopes of landing a right hand behind her. Salgado fired his cane as a weapon, sometimes driving Spencer back, but not active enough to capitalize on those moments.
Spencer benefited from being the busier of the two, albeit in a modestly paced affair. Salgado changed his attack in the third round, pushing past Spencer’s left to land a right uppercut. However, it was a rare moment as Spencer was able to restore the desired distance and keep Salgado at the end of his jab.
The two-way action came in the final moments of the fourth round. Spencer continued to rely on the jab but was forced to switch after Salgado worked his way inside. Both fighters connected with left hooks upstairs, while Salgado landed a looping right hand to Spencer’s midsection.
Salgado picked up the pace in the fifth round. Spencer was still the more active fighter, but was forced to stand and trade after boxing comfortably for three rounds.
Spencer connected with an overhand right hand near the end of the sixth round, his most effective punch of the fight to that point. He came up behind a jab and prompted Salgado to complain about being hit behind the head. Salgado landed a left hook in the final 30 seconds, which Spencer took well and answered to close out the round.
Salgado was more effective in his assumed aggressor role in later rounds. Spencer boxed behind a tight guard, fending off Salgado’s right hand and landing a combination late in the eighth round. Salgado briefly stopped punching before throwing a jab and attempting to position himself for an overhand right, though Spencer had already made the defensive adjustment to get out of her opponent’s striking range.
Spencer entered the ninth round for the first time in his boxing life, though he barely won over the crowd as he found himself in uncharted territory. The fight was steady and competitive, if a bit monotonous up to that point. Salgado doubled his jab, but Spencer caught it with a right hand.
The fight continued to the rhythm of a game of chess in the tenth and final round. Salgado let go of her hands during the rare moments he made his way inside, with Spencer playing defense and not taking any chances. Salgado was too aggressive in the closing seconds, going wide and leaving himself open for a right hand from Spencer.
Spencer moves to 16-0 (10KOs) with the win, marking his third fight from a distance in his last four starts. Salgado suffers his first loss, falling to 14-1-1 (9KOs) after fighting to a ten-round draw with Perrella on an April 9 Showtime card.
Spencer-Salgado aired live on Fox, before a four-fight Fox Sports Pay-Per-View (also airing on Fite.tv and PPV.com). Headlining the show, former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz (34-2, 22KOs) takes on two-time title challenger Luis Ortiz (33-2, 28KOs) in a scheduled twelve-round WBC heavyweight semifinal eliminator. .
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
