Sebastian Formella is in new, dangerous waters. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The undefeated German welterweight, who has never fought outside Europe, faces one of the top fighters of any weight in Shawn Porter behind closed doors Saturday night at Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The fight is on Fox.
Formella is giddy at the opportunity. The resident of Hamburg wants to join the big boys of the division. And the only way to do that is to beat one or at least hold your own.
“Shawn Porter is a complete fighter, but we have a plan to beat him, and that’s what we will do on Saturday,” Formella said on a conference call. “It’s very important for me to get this win and open the door for more big fights.
“Welterweight is a strong division in the U.S., and I have to do everything I can to earn more opportunities.”
Formella (22-0, 10 KOs) isn’t a well known quantity in boxing circles but Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) has done his homework, watching videos of his foe.
The former two-time 147-pound titleholder said Formella has an amateur style, one in which he’s more likely to jab and move than slip and counter. “He has a very well developed style of fighting that has helped him get to where he is,” Porter said.
Formella agrees with that assessment, adding that he’s also not a big puncher.
“I’m a fighter who moves very well, and I have good defense,” he said. “I know how to keep my distance. I’m not the hardest hitter, but I’m a very smart fighter. I make my opponent have to think and make it very difficult for them. Fast feet and fast hands will be the key.
“My jab is going to be very important. Porter is going to attack me very hard and fight on the inside. I have to make sure I don’t fight inside with Porter too much. I’m going to keep the distance.”
Formella has never faced anyone near Porter’s level, at least not in a sanctioned bout. He sparred with one of the top 147-pounders to prepare for this fight, Yordenis Ugas.
The Cuban, an excellent boxer, gave Porter a scare when they met in March of last year but lost a disputed split decision. Formella said his work with Ugas was a test of his own ability and he believes he passed, which has given him added confidence.
“That was the first time I sparred somebody in the Top 10 welterweights,” he said. “I was very excited to [learn] … what is my standing. One week of sparring went very well. We did more than six, eight rounds together [per session].
“I would say it was very good for my mindset. I [thought], ‘OK, I can fight with these guys.’”
Ugas can be aggressive but is more of a boxer. Porter typically swarms his opponents, giving them little room to breathe let alone punch. Errol Spence Jr. learned that in their grueling fight last September, which Spence won by decision to take Porter’s title and become a unified champion.
Formella knows he’ll have to stay on his toes, both physically and mentally.
“My movement is going to be the most important, but also my mindset,” he said. “I say all the time, ‘Strong mind and strong life.’ I’m going to be something new for him, and I’m going to make it an interesting fight for everybody watching.”
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