Errol Spence vs Shawn Porter live stream: Free links to watch welterweight fight spread online amid piracy crisis
Boxing fans will seek pirated streams on social media sites though experts warn there are major hidden risks
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IBF Champion Errol Spence Jr is set to take on WBC Champion Shawn Porter in a welterweight fight that will unite the boxing division.
The bout will be available on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event in the UK, and on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View in the US.
However, some may be tempted to turn to illegal streams.
LIVE: FOLLOW UPDATES OF SPENCE VS PORTER
A recent report from the Industry Trust for IP Awareness, the UK's film, TV and video industry's consumer education body, revealed the extent of online piracy when it came to major sporting events, with figures suggesting illegal streaming has hit "peak levels" in 2019.
Major boxing contests in recent months have seen free live streams spread across the internet in the build-up to the fight, with pirated links shared across social media platforms. Countless pirated streams also appear on major search engines.
June's heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz saw over 13 million people around the world use unauthorised channels to watch the upset, according to figures from digital piracy authority Muso.
The increased levels have led industry figures to warn of the "very real risks" to people seeking out pirated online streams of the fight.
While many pirate sites seek to generate revenue through their illegal streams by hosting numerous pop-up ads to their websites, some look to underhand methods of gaining even more illicit income.
These tactics range from malware that hijacks a person's computer in order to secretly mine cryptocurrency, to sophisticated phishing attacks designed to steal a person's credit card details.
“Fake sites and redirects are a popular tactic used by cyber criminals and the fans paying to watch tonight’s match need to be aware of them, even if they look legitimate," Joseph Woodruff, a threat intelligence analyst at cyber security firm EclecticIQ, told The Independent.
"Cyber criminals use these sites to target users by telling them they have malware on their machine, recommending they call a support number and during the phone call, installing software which allows them into the system. It’s from here that other damage can be done, whether that is stealing payment details or installing ransomware."
So, up next we've got:
Josesito Lopez vs John Molina Jr
Mario Barrios vs Batyr Akhmedov (WBA super-lightweight title)
Anthony Dirrell vs David Benavidez (WBC super-middleweight title)
Right! It's fight time.
John Molina Jr is on his way to the ring.
This one promises fireworks.
John Molina comes in with a record of 30 wins and eight defeats, with Josesito Lopez winning 36 and losing eight too.
Round-by-round updates to follow.
Round one: Lopez 10-7 Molina
Molina is dropped twice and somehow survives the round! I don't think he wanted to. It was a big overhand right that dropped him initially and the onslaught just continued from there, with Lopez dropping him again late in the round.
This one surely won't last long...
Round two: Lopez 20-16 Molina
Another big round but Molina's legs do a bit better there, nevertheless he is an easy standing target for Lopez.
Lopez is mixing up his onslaught nicely, jabbing to the head and cutting the body.
Round three: Lopez 30-25 Molina
More of the same there. Lopez now fighting the smart fight, he knows he has this in the bag and he's not being wreckless with it. Molina will only be able to take this for so long, he's working nicely behind the jab and waiting to set something nice up for himself.
With around 30 seconds of the round left, Lopez puts in a good body combo to sustain the pressure.
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