Shawn Porter is coming off arguably the biggest fight of his career, a riveting brawl with Errol Spence Jr. last September. Porter lost a competitive, split decision but made a strong statement by pushing his elite opponent to the limit.
On Saturday, he faces Sebastian Formella of Germany. Who? Exactly.
Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) will be taking a significant step down in opposition behind closed doors at Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Formella (22-0, 10 KOs), a solid boxer and good athlete, is unbeaten but also relatively unknown.
Is there a chance of a letdown? No way, Porter said. He has big plans in the welterweight division and he knows he has to get through Formella to realize his ambitions.
“It’s easy when you have a trainer like my dad (Kenny Porter),” said Porter, who began training in April and hasn’t let up. “He doesn’t allow me to be anything but my best. He got a lot out of me in this camp. The energy is the same, the focus, the integrity.
“It’s always the same whether I’m fighting Errol Spence or another fighter.”
Porter, a two-time 147-pound titleholder, wants a shot at a trifecta. And one is on the horizon. He’s ranked in the Top 10 by three of the four major sanctioning bodies — No. 1 by the WBC — and has a big name, which gives him an edge over other contenders.
He has nothing to prove to himself or those close to him; they know his capabilities. However, he believes he has more people to win over even after fighting Spence on even terms.
When pundits or fans talk about the best welterweights in the world, they usually start with Spence and fellow titleholder Terence Crawford. Of course, Manny Pacquiao’s name also comes up even at the 41 years old after his victory over Keith Thurman.
Porter? He’s respected but essentially an afterthought. He believes that’s the result of perception more than reality.
He believes strongly that his resume stacks up against that of anyone in the division. He has victories over Devon Alexander, Adrien Broner, Andre Berto, Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas, as well as close losses to Kell Brook, Thurman and Spence.
Had he beaten Spence, he believes, the perception of him would be entirely different.
“That’s what the media are saying, what the people are saying,” he said, referring to Spence and Crawford in the 147-pound hierarchy. “Someone says it. Then that pushes others to believe it. Those end up being the guys people talk. I don’t think they talk as much about me.
“I think I’m very much one of the best in the world. It just takes others to acknowledge it.”
How does a fighter become the guy people talk about? Easy. Beat them.
That seemed to be within reach against Spence but the Texan, who put Porter down in Round 11, emerged with a a 116-111, 116-111 and 112-115 victory to take his opponent’s WBC belt and become a unified welterweight champion.
Assuming he gets another chance – he has his eye on the winner of Spence vs. Danny Garcia but is open to facing anyone — he expects a different outcome.
“The fight with Spence demanded a lot both before and during the fight,” he said. “A lot went into the game plan and a lot went into executing the game plan. I think I did a fantastic job that night. Was that the best I can be? It was a very, very good me, but I’m always looking to improve.
“And by that I don’t mean just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. I do think I’ve grown since that fight. I think I’m better.”
If that’s the case, Formella and whomever he faces after that are going to have their hands full.
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