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Brook edges Porter, claims IBF welterweight title

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Kell Brook waited years for a world title shot, honing his skills through numerous injuries and postponements. When the English welterweight finally got in the ring with a champion, the patient challenger had a perfect plan.

Brook won a majority decision over Shawn Porter on Saturday night, claiming Porter’s IBF 147-pound title.

“Since I was 9 years old, I’ve been training to be a champion,” said Brook, who collapsed to the ring in joy after the decision was announced. “I looked scrappy, but I did what I have to do.”

Brook (33-0) claimed the welterweight belt in just his second fight outside Britain, outboxing the American champion with a smart game plan and consistent elusiveness at the outdoor StubHub Center south of Los Angeles.

Brook joined elite company with the win: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao hold the other three major welterweight titles.

“I dealt with business,” Brook said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, and I can’t get my head around it.”

With a small coterie of English fans cheering his moves, Brook stayed outside the champion’s power range and held inside when necessary, never allowing Porter (24-1-1) to find a consistent range in his first defeat.

Brook won 117-111 and 116-112 on two American judges’ cards, while English judge Dave Parris scored it a 114-114 draw. The Associated Press saw it 115-113 for Brook.

Omar Figueroa also stopped Daniel Estrada early in the ninth round to defend his WBC lightweight title belt in an entertaining action fight, and Anthony Dirrell claimed Sakio Bika’s WBC 168-pound title with a messy rematch victory.

But the star was Brook, who had been waiting nearly two years for his shot at the IBF belt. Three bouts against former champion Devon Alexander fell through before he received the mandatory title shot at Porter, who beat Alexander last year.

Brook had a canny game plan from the start, keeping Porter at bay with his superior reach and landing well-timed shots when Porter attempted to force the action. Both fighters were cut early on by accidental head-butts, but the injuries didn’t appear to affect them.

Brook became more assertive in the later rounds, stalking Porter to the ropes while landing cleaner punches. The Englishman connected with several big shots in a dominant 11th round and finished impressively, getting carried on his cornermen’s shoulders after the final bell.

Brook landed 36 percent of his 441 punches, while Porter connected with just 25 percent of his 626 shots. Brook thoroughly outjabbed Porter, who threw 308 more power punches, but landed a much lower percentage.

Porter, who never landed his vicious left hook consistently, wasn’t surprised by the decision in his first bout since a dominant defense against Paulie Malignaggi in April.

“I thought that I was effective with my attack, but he was ready,” Porter said. “I’m not giving any excuses. I want the rematch. I’ll find him where he’s at, and I’ll take it from him.”

Brook is much more interested in a lucrative matchup with fellow British champion Amir Khan, who tweeted his congratulations to Brook moments after the fight ended.

“Shawn Porter is a true champion, but I think Khan can get in queue now,” Brook said. “I think that the British public needs to see this fight against Khan.”

Dirrell (27-0-1), a lymphoma survivor from Flint, Michigan, claimed his first world title in a sloppy, flop-filled rematch with Bika (32-6-3), a Cameroon native fighting out of Australia. Dirrell tumbled to the canvas several times in the second bout, and Bika was docked a point in the eighth round.

“It means the world to me, coming off cancer,” said Dirrell, who also survived a serious motorcycle accident in recent years. “I was staying off the ropes. I outpunched him, I outlanded him and I got the job done.”

Figueroa (24-0-1, 18 KOs), a rising star from Texas, put on another crowd-pleasing display against Estrada (25-3-1). Both fighters traded enormous shots in an exciting eighth round, but Figueroa dropped Estrada with one devastating right hand early in the ninth before finishing the bout with a lengthy flurry of punches.

Figueroa intends to move up to 140 pounds for his next bout.

Unbeaten heavyweight Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) stopped Jason Gavern after four rounds in an early fight, shutting down an overmatched opponent to keep busy while he waits for his mandated shot at injured WBC champion Bermane Stiverne.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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