By Sean Crose
“I think the quarantine helped me,” Shawn Porter claims.”When this all began, I just took some time, and I believe that it refreshed and rejuvenated me. It gave me the opportunity to make some adjustments and we’ve all grown from it.” Porter, one of the most entertaining fighters in the sport, returns to the ring this Saturday night when he battles undefeated Sebastain Formella at LA’s Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The card will be aired live on Fox beginning at 8 PM eastern time.
Porter views his position as one of the sport’s more popular participants with a sense of obligation. “Once I knew that we were coming back to boxing,” he says, “I wanted to take on the responsibility of bringing big-time boxing back. I’m one of the first big names to come back and I’m proud to represent my team and my family by getting back in the ring sooner than later.” Although his opponent this weekend is clearly an underdog, Porter knows Formella has some slick skills in his own right.
“I know that Formella is a boxer who likes to move and use the outside and box,” Porter claims. “We’re prepared to take the fight to him. We’re going to be smart and tactical, but aggressive as always. We’re going to go in there shining, looking great and make a statement to the world that boxing and Shawn Porter are still here.” Porter, who has been a two time titlist, is now thirty two years of age. Although he’s beaten such competition as Danny Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi, Devon Alexander, and Adrien Broner, he’s lost to the likes of Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, and Errol Spence respectively. As high level boxing makes its way back onto the public stage, it’s important for Porter to let people know he’s still prominent in the welterweight division.
In order to keep his career moving forward, then, Porter has made it a point not to overlook the slipperiness of Formella. “I’m different from most fighters,” Porter says. “It’s a trend in boxing where fighters look past opponents, but I learned a long time ago that you have to focus on what’s in front of you and make the most of it. In my dad’s mind, we did even more for this fight than we did in getting prepared for Errol Spence, Jr.”
“The plan is to get back into a world title fight,” Porter continues. “I don’t know exactly when that plan will come together, but I’ll be ready.”