ARLINGTON, Texas – Errol Spence Jr. definitely felt pop on some of Danny Garcia’s punches Saturday night. (photo by Ryan Hafey)

None of those shots buzzed Spence, though, in their 12-round welterweight title fight at AT&T Stadium. Among other things, Spence proved that he still could take flush punches from a top opponent in his first fight following a car accident in October 2019 that temporarily impacted the IBF and WBC 147-pound champion’s career.

“I felt some of his punches, but they weren’t hard enough to hurt me or, you know, to wobble me or discourage me,” Spence said during a post-fight press conference, after beating Garcia by unanimous decision. “Or they wasn’t really nothing like, ‘Man, like this dude can really punch.’ He was more strong than anything. But I give him all his kudos. Great fighter, iron chin, came to fight and, you know, I think, you know, he basically, you know, tried to take my title and, you know, I defended it well at home. So, much respect to him for just giving me this opportunity and accepting the fight and coming to Dallas and fighting me.”

The 30-year-old Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), a southpaw from nearby DeSoto, Texas, definitively defeated Philadelphia’s Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs) by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112.

Spence’s stinging jab caused swelling beneath Garcia’s left eye and helped Spence comfortably out-point him in their FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event. The former two-weight world champion took Spence’s best shots well, although Spence sensed he affected Garcia at times both with punishing punches to his head and body.

“Yeah, I think I hurt him a little bit, but Danny Garcia’s very tough, very gritty – iron chin, iron body,” Spence said. “And he’s not gonna, you know, basically, you know, cower down to anybody. So, I think I hurt him a little bit, but, you know, he’s still, he’s gonna fight, regardless.”

Neither fighter was visibly hurt by any of the power punches landed during their 12-round fight. Angel Garcia, Danny’s father and trainer, suspected Spence was hurt at one point in their battle, but his son couldn’t capitalize on that moment.

“[Danny] took shots well,” Angel Garcia said. “You know, he gave ‘em back. One time, I thought he hurt Spence a little bit, in one round. He didn’t drop or nothing, you know, but he hurt him. I seen him buckle a little bit. But Danny let him get back into the fight.”                                                                     

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.