Porter dethrones Alexander, Malignaggi decisions Judah
Shawn Porter (23-0-1) took the IBF welterweight title from Devon Alexander (25-2) with a unanimous points victory on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The challenger got the nod from the three judges at ringside by scores of 116-112 (twice) and 115-113.
Both men finished the 12 rounds sporting cuts, Porter's injury requiring a check from the doctor after he had been on the end of a big shot in the ninth.
However, he had already bloodied Alexander by then, catching him in the fourth, and his superior work ethic saw him crowned champion in his first attempt to win a title.
"We worked hard and it came through in the ring," Porter said. "We made it look easy."
Alexander, who took the belt from Randall Bailey last year and then successfully defended it against Englishman Lee Purdy in May, admitted afterwards he had paid the price for not following orders.
"I am disappointed," he said. "I didn't follow the game plan as much as I should have.
"He was rushing in and I didn't capitalise on that."
Also on the same card, Paulie Malignaggi (33-5) won the 'Battle of Brooklyn' against fellow local boy Zab Judah (42-9) despite being knocked down in the second round.
The 33-year-old climbed off the canvas to hand Judah his third loss in four fights, with the judges scoring it 116-111 and 117-110 (twice) in favour of Malignaggi.
Sakio Bika (32-5-3) retained his WBC super-middleweight title with a 12-round draw against Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1).
Bika was put down in the fifth round and also had a point deducted for a low blow in the 11th but still was awarded the bout 114-112 by one of the judges.
Another scored it 116-110 for Dirrell, while the third had it 113-113, meaning Bika keeps hold of the strap he claimed by beating Marco Antonio Periban at the same venue in the summer.
In a fight for the vacant WBA junior middleweight title, Erislandy Lara (19-1-2) dominated former champion Austin Trout (26-2) in beating him by a 12 round unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight 118-109, 117-110, 117-110.
Lara knocked Trout down with a straight left hand in the 11th. Lara was just too fast for Trout, and he was able to tag him with shots throughout the fight.