As competitive and entertaining as their fight was, Shawn Porter isn’t high on Errol Spence Jr.’s list of potential opponents.
Porter would welcome a rematch with Spence, but Spence is intrigued more by higher-paying, larger-profile fights against Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford. The unbeaten IBF/WBC welterweight champion wants to face a top opponent in October or November, even though that’ll mark the first time he’ll have fought since sustaining injuries in a one-car accident October 10 in Dallas.
Spence explained why he isn’t seriously considering a rematch with Porter during the most recent episode of Showtime’s “All The Smoke” podcast, which is co-hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
“I know he’s been calling for a rematch, but unfortunately that’s gonna have to wait,” Spence said. “You know, I’ve got a lot of bigger fish to fry. You’ve got guys like Manny Pacquiao that I’ve been, you know, trying to fight. He the cash cow right now. He’s the cash cow. So, that’s a guy I definitely want.”
The Philippines’ Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) is 41 years old, but he also is the WBA’s true welterweight champion and one of boxing’s biggest active stars. Nevertheless, Spence and Porter produced one of the best action fights of 2019.
Spence dropped Porter in the 11th round of their closely contested welterweight title unification fight September 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Porter lost a split decision that night, yet he provided Spence with the toughest test of his career.
Judge Larry Hazzard Jr. scored that 12-round bout 115-112 for Porter. Hazzard was overruled by judges Rey Danesco and Steve Weisfeld, each of whom scored it 116-111 for Spence.
Spence (26-0, 21 KOs), of DeSoto, Texas, retained his IBF 147-pound title and won the WBC crown from Las Vegas’ Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs).
“I thought I beat Spence,” Porter said recently as part of a Facebook Live interaction with fans. “When I heard split decision, I thought it was gonna be a split draw. I really did think that I beat him. I know I gave him a boxing lesson. And if a rematch is there for me, I would love to do it.”
The 30-year-old Spence is working out at trainer Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and doesn’t expect to be restricted by any of the injuries suffered during his accident 6½ months ago. He told Barnes and Jackson, however, that he won’t be cleared to spar until the three dental posts put in his mouth following that accident are replaced by permanent teeth (https://www.boxingscene.com/spence-t-spar-posts-mouth-replaced-by-permanent-teeth–148556).
–boxingscene.com
