Category: Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter

Good, bad, worse: Terence Crawford finally has his moment

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The verdict is in. The boxing world has demanded that Terence Crawford beat a top-tier welterweight to validate everything he has accomplished in boxing. That’s what he did on Saturday in Las Vegas, …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The verdict is in.

The boxing world has demanded that Terence Crawford beat a top-tier welterweight to validate everything he has accomplished in boxing. That’s what he did on Saturday in Las Vegas, becoming the first to knock out Shawn Porter.

It wasn’t easy, as those who have followed Porter’s career expected. The former titleholder boxed with clever aggression, which kept much of the fight close and presented a puzzle for Crawford.

That allowed the champion to demonstrate his greatness in the second half of the fight, as he gradually solved the riddle, began landing hard, damaging punches and then finished the show by putting Porter down twice and stopping him in the 10th round.

Crawford was never better, even at 34. Errol Spence Jr. and Keith Thurman beat Porter but they couldn’t destroy him as Crawford did.

Persistent critics might say that Porter wasn’t at his best. Why else would he announce his retirement afterward? And what about Kenny Porter’s comments? The challenger’s father/trainer said his son didn’t prepare properly.

C’mon, let’s be fair. We’ve been clamoring for Crawford to fight someone at Porter’s level. He finally made it happen. And then he did his job in the ring. Period.

I have believed for some time that Crawford is the best fighter in the world pound for pound, better than Canelo Alvarez. Most consider the Mexican star No. 1 but they have to acknowledge that the case for Crawford is stronger after Saturday.

And let’s hope this is only the beginning. Are you listening Errol?

 

BAD

That was a tough way for Porter to go out.

He was brilliant in the first half of the fight, which was a chess match between two masters. Neither could separate from the other. Porter was still in the fight almost until the end, as the scorecards after nine rounds indicate: 87-84, 86-85 and 86-85 in Crawford’s favor.

Indeed, Porter had a real chance to claim his own defining victory. And then he didn’t, as Crawford took control in the second half of the fight and finished the show.

Porter announced his retirement at the post-fight news conference, which was surprising on one hand. He fought on even terms with arguably the best in the business for seven or eight rounds. Does anyone doubt that he can still compete with the top 147-pounders?

On the other hand, he has already begun a successful career as a television analyst. Maybe he had one foot in the ring and one out of it, which is a good reason to call it quits.

If Porter’s career is over, he can look back on it with pride. He’s a two-time titleholder. He fought more top 147-pounders than any active welterweight, beating Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas but losing to Keith Thurman, Spence and now Crawford.

The losses to Thurman and Spence were so close that they enhanced Porter’s reputation. Only Crawford was able to stop him.

Porter might’ve realized one of his fears on Saturday, that he will be remembered as a good fighter who came up short in most of his biggest fights. That’s probably the reality. The loss on Saturday might mean he’ll fall short of induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, too.

At the same time, there is little doubt that Porter was one of the better welterweights of his era. And he was always fun to watch. He’ll be remembered fondly.

 

WORSE

Kenny Porter’s interview immediately after his son’s loss to Crawford was bizarre.

The elder Porter was asked why he stopped the fight. “Honestly? His preparation,” he responded. That was disturbing on at least two levels.

One, the implication was that Shawn Porter was less than 100% for the fight, which would mean the fans were cheated out of his best effort. I’m guessing they merely butted heads over how to prepare for Crawford, nothing more than that.

And, two, he made the declaration in front of the packed crowd at Mandalay Bay with the fighter standing next to him immediately after the fight. It was embarrassing to watch.

Kenny Porter must’ve known that Shawn had planned to retire after the fight. What purpose did his comments serve? It seemed like an I-told-you-so moment directed at his son, an expression of frustration at the expense of someone he loves.

And, two, the notion that the younger Porter might not have been at his best also served to diminish Crawford’s accomplishment, however slightly. That was another reason Kenny Porter should’ve kept his thoughts to himself.

I wish he would’ve simply said that he stopped the fight to protect his son, who was taking a beating from a better fighter. That was the truth. And it would’ve sufficed.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Crawford, a free agent after Saturday, announced at the post-fight news conference that he is ending his relationship with long-time promoter Bob Arum. The fact Crawford fought for Top Rank and the other top 147-pounders were affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions limited Crawford’s chances of getting the fights he wanted, including one with Spence. “I’m pretty sure my decision is made already,” Crawford said. “Bob couldn’t secure me the Spence fight when I was with him, so how is he gonna secure me the Spence fight when I’m not with him? I’m moving forward with my career right now and I wish everybody the best.” We’ll see whether this leads to the Crawford-Spence showdown. … Demetrius Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) on Friday demonstrated again that he deserves a shot at the top middleweights, putting Jason Quigley (19-2, 14 KOs) down three times before stopping him in the second round in New Hampshire. Was Quigley a significant test? No. The Irishman is a solid fighter, though. And Andrade demolished him. The WBO titleholder deserves a shot at the Gennadiy Golovkin–Ryota Murata winner or Jermall Charlo in a title-unification bout. It has to happen eventually, right? …

I want to reiterate that I admire anyone with the courage to step through the ropes and engage in hand-to-hand combat. That goes for McWilliams Arroyo, the longtime flyweight contender. That said, he appeared to quit against WBC champ Julio Cesar Miranda (18-1, 14 KOs) on the Andrade-Quigley card. Arroyo (21-4, 16 KOs) suffered two cuts above his right eye, which were attributed to an accidental head butt in a bloody second round. After the round, the ring doctor asked Arroyo whether he could see out of the eye and he said he couldn’t even though it wasn’t bleeding at that moment. Thus, the fight was stopped and declared a no-contest. Sometimes boxers take advantage of opportunities to get out of fights when things look bleak. Is that acceptable? You can be the judge of that. … Junior featherweight titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev (10-0, 7 KOs) gave an impressive performance on the Andrade-Quigley card, easily outpointing Jose Velasquez (29-7-2, 19 KOs) to retain his belts. However, it was Velasquez’s toughness that stood out to me. The late replacement from Chile took dozens of power shots from a big puncher but never blinked. He has to have one of the best chins in the sport. I hope he gets more opportunities.

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Good, bad, worse: Terence Crawford finally has his moment

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The verdict is in. The boxing world has demanded that Terence Crawford beat a top-tier welterweight to validate everything he has accomplished in boxing. That’s what he did on Saturday in Las Vegas, …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The verdict is in.

The boxing world has demanded that Terence Crawford beat a top-tier welterweight to validate everything he has accomplished in boxing. That’s what he did on Saturday in Las Vegas, becoming the first to knock out Shawn Porter.

It wasn’t easy, as those who have followed Porter’s career expected. The former titleholder boxed with clever aggression, which kept much of the fight close and presented a puzzle for Crawford.

That allowed the champion to demonstrate his greatness in the second half of the fight, as he gradually solved the riddle, began landing hard, damaging punches and then finished the show by putting Porter down twice and stopping him in the 10th round.

Crawford was never better, even at 34. Errol Spence Jr. and Keith Thurman beat Porter but they couldn’t destroy him as Crawford did.

Persistent critics might say that Porter wasn’t at his best. Why else would he announce his retirement afterward? And what about Kenny Porter’s comments? The challenger’s father/trainer said his son didn’t prepare properly.

C’mon, let’s be fair. We’ve been clamoring for Crawford to fight someone at Porter’s level. He finally made it happen. And then he did his job in the ring. Period.

I have believed for some time that Crawford is the best fighter in the world pound for pound, better than Canelo Alvarez. Most consider the Mexican star No. 1 but they have to acknowledge that the case for Crawford is stronger after Saturday.

And let’s hope this is only the beginning. Are you listening Errol?

 

BAD

That was a tough way for Porter to go out.

He was brilliant in the first half of the fight, which was a chess match between two masters. Neither could separate from the other. Porter was still in the fight almost until the end, as the scorecards after nine rounds indicate: 87-84, 86-85 and 86-85 in Crawford’s favor.

Indeed, Porter had a real chance to claim his own defining victory. And then he didn’t, as Crawford took control in the second half of the fight and finished the show.

Porter announced his retirement at the post-fight news conference, which was surprising on one hand. He fought on even terms with arguably the best in the business for seven or eight rounds. Does anyone doubt that he can still compete with the top 147-pounders?

On the other hand, he has already begun a successful career as a television analyst. Maybe he had one foot in the ring and one out of it, which is a good reason to call it quits.

If Porter’s career is over, he can look back on it with pride. He’s a two-time titleholder. He fought more top 147-pounders than any active welterweight, beating Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas but losing to Keith Thurman, Spence and now Crawford.

The losses to Thurman and Spence were so close that they enhanced Porter’s reputation. Only Crawford was able to stop him.

Porter might’ve realized one of his fears on Saturday, that he will be remembered as a good fighter who came up short in most of his biggest fights. That’s probably the reality. The loss on Saturday might mean he’ll fall short of induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, too.

At the same time, there is little doubt that Porter was one of the better welterweights of his era. And he was always fun to watch. He’ll be remembered fondly.

 

WORSE

Kenny Porter’s interview immediately after his son’s loss to Crawford was bizarre.

The elder Porter was asked why he stopped the fight. “Honestly? His preparation,” he responded. That was disturbing on at least two levels.

One, the implication was that Shawn Porter was less than 100% for the fight, which would mean the fans were cheated out of his best effort. I’m guessing they merely butted heads over how to prepare for Crawford, nothing more than that.

And, two, he made the declaration in front of the packed crowd at Mandalay Bay with the fighter standing next to him immediately after the fight. It was embarrassing to watch.

Kenny Porter must’ve known that Shawn had planned to retire after the fight. What purpose did his comments serve? It seemed like an I-told-you-so moment directed at his son, an expression of frustration at the expense of someone he loves.

And, two, the notion that the younger Porter might not have been at his best also served to diminish Crawford’s accomplishment, however slightly. That was another reason Kenny Porter should’ve kept his thoughts to himself.

I wish he would’ve simply said that he stopped the fight to protect his son, who was taking a beating from a better fighter. That was the truth. And it would’ve sufficed.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Crawford, a free agent after Saturday, announced at the post-fight news conference that he is ending his relationship with long-time promoter Bob Arum. The fact Crawford fought for Top Rank and the other top 147-pounders were affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions limited Crawford’s chances of getting the fights he wanted, including one with Spence. “I’m pretty sure my decision is made already,” Crawford said. “Bob couldn’t secure me the Spence fight when I was with him, so how is he gonna secure me the Spence fight when I’m not with him? I’m moving forward with my career right now and I wish everybody the best.” We’ll see whether this leads to the Crawford-Spence showdown. … Demetrius Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) on Friday demonstrated again that he deserves a shot at the top middleweights, putting Jason Quigley (19-2, 14 KOs) down three times before stopping him in the second round in New Hampshire. Was Quigley a significant test? No. The Irishman is a solid fighter, though. And Andrade demolished him. The WBO titleholder deserves a shot at the Gennadiy Golovkin–Ryota Murata winner or Jermall Charlo in a title-unification bout. It has to happen eventually, right? …

I want to reiterate that I admire anyone with the courage to step through the ropes and engage in hand-to-hand combat. That goes for McWilliams Arroyo, the longtime flyweight contender. That said, he appeared to quit against WBC champ Julio Cesar Miranda (18-1, 14 KOs) on the Andrade-Quigley card. Arroyo (21-4, 16 KOs) suffered two cuts above his right eye, which were attributed to an accidental head butt in a bloody second round. After the round, the ring doctor asked Arroyo whether he could see out of the eye and he said he couldn’t even though it wasn’t bleeding at that moment. Thus, the fight was stopped and declared a no-contest. Sometimes boxers take advantage of opportunities to get out of fights when things look bleak. Is that acceptable? You can be the judge of that. … Junior featherweight titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev (10-0, 7 KOs) gave an impressive performance on the Andrade-Quigley card, easily outpointing Jose Velasquez (29-7-2, 19 KOs) to retain his belts. However, it was Velasquez’s toughness that stood out to me. The late replacement from Chile took dozens of power shots from a big puncher but never blinked. He has to have one of the best chins in the sport. I hope he gets more opportunities.

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Kenny Porter says son didn’t prepare properly for Terence Crawford

Kenny Porter said his son didn’t prepare properly for his fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday.

Kenny Porter didn’t provide details but he made it clear that he wasn’t happy with his son’s preparation for his fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday, which he lost by 10th-round knockout.

The elder Porter stopped the fight after the second of two knockdowns to save his wounded son from further punishment.

He was asked in the ring immediately afterward, with the Mandalay Bay crowd listening, why he made that decision.

“Honestly? His preparation. He didn’t prepare like I wanted him to,” said Kenny Porter, which drew boos from the spectators and a smile from an embarrassed Shawn Porter. “That just makes me say, ‘You know what? I don’t want him in that situation.’

“He fought a great fighter. The guy’s super sharp. And [Shawn is] at a deficit. It’s like fighting this guy blindfolded when you’re in a deficit like that. So I wasn’t going to let that happen to him.”

The trainer was asked how his son could’ve been better prepared.

“When guys get to a certain level they believe they know what they’re doing and they don’t necessarily take all the information,” he said. “So this is where we’re at with it. And I had to make that decision.

“I was an easy decision for me. Easy. He lives right across the street from me. I’ll be having breakfast with him in the morning.”

Easy, indeed. He didn’t hesitate to end matters when things looked bleak.

“Shawn was hurt,” he said. “And moving forward, this guy, like I said, he’s a sharp fighter. And my kid is at a deficit at that point. He can’t defend himself like he should. And I had to protect him.”

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Kenny Porter says son didn’t prepare properly for Terence Crawford

Kenny Porter said his son didn’t prepare properly for his fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday.

Kenny Porter didn’t provide details but he made it clear that he wasn’t happy with his son’s preparation for his fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday, which he lost by 10th-round knockout.

The elder Porter stopped the fight after the second of two knockdowns to save his wounded son from further punishment.

He was asked in the ring immediately afterward, with the Mandalay Bay crowd listening, why he made that decision.

“Honestly? His preparation. He didn’t prepare like I wanted him to,” said Kenny Porter, which drew boos from the spectators and a smile from an embarrassed Shawn Porter. “That just makes me say, ‘You know what? I don’t want him in that situation.’

“He fought a great fighter. The guy’s super sharp. And [Shawn is] at a deficit. It’s like fighting this guy blindfolded when you’re in a deficit like that. So I wasn’t going to let that happen to him.”

The trainer was asked how his son could’ve been better prepared.

“When guys get to a certain level they believe they know what they’re doing and they don’t necessarily take all the information,” he said. “So this is where we’re at with it. And I had to make that decision.

“I was an easy decision for me. Easy. He lives right across the street from me. I’ll be having breakfast with him in the morning.”

Easy, indeed. He didn’t hesitate to end matters when things looked bleak.

“Shawn was hurt,” he said. “And moving forward, this guy, like I said, he’s a sharp fighter. And my kid is at a deficit at that point. He can’t defend himself like he should. And I had to protect him.”

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Shawn Porter says Terence Crawford is best he has faced

Shawn Porter said after losing to Terence Crawford that Crawford is the best fighter he has faced.

Shawn Porter has fought more of the top welterweights of the current era than anyone else. And he said Terence Crawford, who stopped him in 10 rounds Saturday, is the best of the bunch.

Porter has fought arguably the five best active 147-pounders, beating Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas but losing to Keith Thurman, Errol Spence Jr. and now Crawford.

The former champ gave arguably the best performance of his career against Spence in September 2019, losing a split decision. On Saturday, Crawford, defending his WBO belt, overcame a spirited effort from Porter to become the first to stop him.

Porter didn’t hesitate when asked to name his toughest opponent.

Shawn Porter went down twice before the fight was stopped. AP Photo / Chase Stevens

“There’s no doubt,” he said. “That man hit me more than anybody I’ve been in the ring with. He was on point, A to Z. … He’s got it. And I said that multiple times in interviews.”

Father/trainer Kenny Porter had similar praise for Crawford, who had a narrow lead on the scorecards when he put Shawn Porter down twice. Kenny Porter stopped the fight to save his son from further punishment.

“You know what? To name just one thing (about Crawford), I can’t,” the elder Porter said. “But all things combined, he can do everything that needs to be done … offense, defense, switching sides, speed, quickness and power.”

Shawn Porter was surprised when the fight was stopped but didn’t question his father’s decision.

“He’s doing what he knows he needs to do,” he said. “I didn’t expect that. We never had a conversation about that. We just always kind of had an unspoken understanding that if he sees what he needs to see, he’s going to do what he did.

“… The punches he was catching me with were too clean. And I think that’s what my dad saw.”

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Shawn Porter says Terence Crawford is best he has faced

Shawn Porter said after losing to Terence Crawford that Crawford is the best fighter he has faced.

Shawn Porter has fought more of the top welterweights of the current era than anyone else. And he said Terence Crawford, who stopped him in 10 rounds Saturday, is the best of the bunch.

Porter has fought arguably the five best active 147-pounders, beating Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas but losing to Keith Thurman, Errol Spence Jr. and now Crawford.

The former champ gave arguably the best performance of his career against Spence in September 2019, losing a split decision. On Saturday, Crawford, defending his WBO belt, overcame a spirited effort from Porter to become the first to stop him.

Porter didn’t hesitate when asked to name his toughest opponent.

Shawn Porter went down twice before the fight was stopped. AP Photo / Chase Stevens

“There’s no doubt,” he said. “That man hit me more than anybody I’ve been in the ring with. He was on point, A to Z. … He’s got it. And I said that multiple times in interviews.”

Father/trainer Kenny Porter had similar praise for Crawford, who had a narrow lead on the scorecards when he put Shawn Porter down twice. Kenny Porter stopped the fight to save his son from further punishment.

“You know what? To name just one thing (about Crawford), I can’t,” the elder Porter said. “But all things combined, he can do everything that needs to be done … offense, defense, switching sides, speed, quickness and power.”

Shawn Porter was surprised when the fight was stopped but didn’t question his father’s decision.

“He’s doing what he knows he needs to do,” he said. “I didn’t expect that. We never had a conversation about that. We just always kind of had an unspoken understanding that if he sees what he needs to see, he’s going to do what he did.

“… The punches he was catching me with were too clean. And I think that’s what my dad saw.”

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Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: live round-by-round analysis, results, full coverage

Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: live round-by-round analysis, results, full coverage.

Terence Crawford is set to defend his WBO welterweight title against two-time former champ Shawn Porter on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The fight will be available on ESPN+ Pay-per-view for $69.99. No other outlets will carry it.

Boxing Junkie will post live round-by-round analysis and then the final result. Simply come back to this post after each round and at the end of the fight.

And, finally, full coverage — a fight story, photo gallery and more analysis — will follow on separate posts.

[lawrence-related id=25944,25938,25928,25911,25819]

Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: live round-by-round analysis, results, full coverage

Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: live round-by-round analysis, results, full coverage.

Terence Crawford is set to defend his WBO welterweight title against two-time former champ Shawn Porter on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The fight will be available on ESPN+ Pay-per-view for $69.99. No other outlets will carry it.

Boxing Junkie will post live round-by-round analysis and then the final result. Simply come back to this post after each round and at the end of the fight.

And, finally, full coverage — a fight story, photo gallery and more analysis — will follow on separate posts.

[lawrence-related id=25944,25938,25928,25911,25819]

Shawn Porter determined not to squander opportunity vs. Terence Crawford

Shawn Porter is determined not to squander the opportunity he has against Terence Crawford.

Shawn Porter smiled when he was asked about the odds for his pay-per-view fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Most outlets have Crawford as about a 6-1 or 7-1 favorite to successfully defend his welterweight title, which are wide numbers in boxing and perhaps surprising given Porter’s accomplishments during his 13-year professional career.

“Some people are going to win money, some are going to lose money. Bet wisely,” Porter told Boxing Junkie.

Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) has one of the deepest resumes in the division, with fights against Julio Diaz, Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi, Kell Brook, Adrien Broner, Keith Thurman, Andre Berto, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas, Danny Garcia and Errol Spence Jr.

And all three of his losses – against a prime Brook, Thurman and Spence — were close decisions, meaning he’s never been out of a fight.

His performance against Spence, in September 2019, was particularly impressive even though he ended up on the wrong end of a majority decision. He essentially fought a pound-for-pounder on even terms, which underscored his own reputation as an elite talent.

At the same time, he squandered an opportunity to score the biggest victory of his career. He doesn’t want the same thing to happen again on Saturday.

“I’ve been in a couple of Super Bowls. This is a Super Bowl fight. … I feel like if I don’t win this Super Bowl, it’ll be kind of a Dan Marino effect on my career,” said Porter, referring to the great Miami Dolphins quarterback who never won the big game.

“People will say he was really good, he fought all the best, but he couldn’t beat the best. I can’t allow that.”

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Porter acknowledges that it won’t be easy. He has always admired Crawford’s all-around ability. That hasn’t changed.

He simply believes that he has the tools to beat anyone, as he has demonstrated so many times. Even those who have beaten him have had to go through hell to do it, the result of his swarming, but intelligent fighting style.

“He’s as good as billed,” Porter said of Crawford. “I think I’m better than billed. I have everything it takes. That’s it. I think who I am as a boxer, who I am as a fighter and who I am as a person … those are the intangibles are what it takes to beat someone like Terence Crawford.

“… And it’s going to open up the door for more big fights to be had in the welterweight division.”

One question going into the fight centers on whether Porter might be spread too thin. He has embarked on a successful broadcasting career, which included the Olympics in Tokyo. And he has a weekly podcast.

Can a fighter juggle two careers and remain focused on what he needs to do in the ring, especially against someone as talented as Crawford?

Not a problem, Porter insists. He’s all in, just as he was when he fought Spence.

“This it for me,” he said. “I put everything else on the back burner. Everybody understands what I’m doing. I’m working for NBC. They said, ‘We’ll wait for you to get done.’ Fox is waiting for me to get this done, as well. The podcast, too.

“Nothing else matters to me but the win.”

Shawn Porter determined not to squander opportunity vs. Terence Crawford

Shawn Porter is determined not to squander the opportunity he has against Terence Crawford.

Shawn Porter smiled when he was asked about the odds for his pay-per-view fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Most outlets have Crawford as about a 6-1 or 7-1 favorite to successfully defend his welterweight title, which are wide numbers in boxing and perhaps surprising given Porter’s accomplishments during his 13-year professional career.

“Some people are going to win money, some are going to lose money. Bet wisely,” Porter told Boxing Junkie.

Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) has one of the deepest resumes in the division, with fights against Julio Diaz, Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi, Kell Brook, Adrien Broner, Keith Thurman, Andre Berto, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas, Danny Garcia and Errol Spence Jr.

And all three of his losses – against a prime Brook, Thurman and Spence — were close decisions, meaning he’s never been out of a fight.

His performance against Spence, in September 2019, was particularly impressive even though he ended up on the wrong end of a majority decision. He essentially fought a pound-for-pounder on even terms, which underscored his own reputation as an elite talent.

At the same time, he squandered an opportunity to score the biggest victory of his career. He doesn’t want the same thing to happen again on Saturday.

“I’ve been in a couple of Super Bowls. This is a Super Bowl fight. … I feel like if I don’t win this Super Bowl, it’ll be kind of a Dan Marino effect on my career,” said Porter, referring to the great Miami Dolphins quarterback who never won the big game.

“People will say he was really good, he fought all the best, but he couldn’t beat the best. I can’t allow that.”

[lawrence-related id=25938,25928,25911,25819]

Porter acknowledges that it won’t be easy. He has always admired Crawford’s all-around ability. That hasn’t changed.

He simply believes that he has the tools to beat anyone, as he has demonstrated so many times. Even those who have beaten him have had to go through hell to do it, the result of his swarming, but intelligent fighting style.

“He’s as good as billed,” Porter said of Crawford. “I think I’m better than billed. I have everything it takes. That’s it. I think who I am as a boxer, who I am as a fighter and who I am as a person … those are the intangibles are what it takes to beat someone like Terence Crawford.

“… And it’s going to open up the door for more big fights to be had in the welterweight division.”

One question going into the fight centers on whether Porter might be spread too thin. He has embarked on a successful broadcasting career, which included the Olympics in Tokyo. And he has a weekly podcast.

Can a fighter juggle two careers and remain focused on what he needs to do in the ring, especially against someone as talented as Crawford?

Not a problem, Porter insists. He’s all in, just as he was when he fought Spence.

“This it for me,” he said. “I put everything else on the back burner. Everybody understands what I’m doing. I’m working for NBC. They said, ‘We’ll wait for you to get done.’ Fox is waiting for me to get this done, as well. The podcast, too.

“Nothing else matters to me but the win.”