Shawn Porter recently pointed out that he is the best opponent Terence Crawford has agreed to fight in any division, not just the most formidable welterweight Crawford will have encountered.
Porter explained his confidence to “Get Up!” host Mike Greenberg during a brief joint interview with Crawford on the ESPN show.
“I mean, that’s the confidence you’re supposed to bring to the ring,” Porter said. “Beyond that, I have looked at his resume. I’ve dissected everybody he’s been in the ring with, and I just think that I have a combination of things that no one he’s been in the ring with to this point has had.”
The 33-year-old Porter spoke while a video clip of his victory over Danny Garcia aired to promote their November 20 bout in Las Vegas.
“You see right there power,” Porter said, “being able to get low, get to the body, the head movement, head shots, up and down. I can mix it up. I know that Terence can, too, which is what makes this a great fight. But that, along with the confidence, along with the skills, the preparation, everything that I do, that’s why I guarantee a victory. But every fighter should go into the ring guaranteeing victory. I just know it to be so.”
While Crawford is undefeated (37-0, 28 KOs) and a three-division champion, Porter has fought better opponents overall. Las Vegas’ Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) has lost three 12-round decisions in his 13-year pro career, all against champions or former champions who were undefeated at the time Porter opposed them.
Kell Brook, whom Crawford stopped last November 14 in Las Vegas, topped Porter by majority decision in August 2014 at StubHub Center in Carson, California. Thurman edged Porter by unanimous decision in an action-packed, back-and-forth fight in June 2016 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Porter also gave Spence the toughest fight of the unbeaten IBF/WBC champion’s career in September 2019, when Spence won a split decision at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Porter, a former IBF and WBC 147-pound champ, also has defeated such current or former champions as Yordenis Ugas, Garcia, Adrien Broner, Paulie Malignaggi, Devon Alexander and Julio Diaz.
Despite his opponent’s resume, the intelligent, skillful Crawford, of Omaha, Nebraska, is listed by numerous Internet sports books as at least a 4-1 favorite versus Porter. Their 12-round, 147-pound title fight for Crawford’s WBO belt will headline an ESPN+ Pay-Per-View show from Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.
–boxingscene.com
