By: Sean Crose
Devon Alexander. Paulie Malignaggi. Adrien Broner. Keith Thurman. Andre Berto. Danny Garcia. Errol Spence Jr. All these are well known names in the crowded sport of boxing. All these are also names of onetime and current world title holders. Lastly, all these are names of Shawn Porter opponents. That’s an impressive list, especially in this age of safety first fighters. Porter isn’t a Twitter troll. Porter is a professional fighter. A good one. A very good one. And it’s clear he’s afraid of no one. On the eve of Porter’s bout this Saturday with Terence Crawford, the Ohio native once again is pitting himself against one of boxing’s bigger talents.
Although the Crawford-Porter match is one of the most interesting battles of 2021, the undefeated WBO champion Crawford is expected by many to win. He’s skilled, Crawford, perhaps the most skilled of all of Porter’s opponents to date – and that’s saying something. Don’t expect Porter to be hesitant in the ring, though. This is a fighter of extreme confidence. He’s also one of the most focused and disciplined athletes in the world. Should Porter end up besting Crawford Saturday night in Las Vegas, it would be an upset, but not THAT much of an upset. Make no mistake about it, both men are going to bring it. It’s just in their respective natures to.
That sort of thing promises a good battle. Indeed, few are expecting Crawford-Porter to be a dud. Porter may try to surprise Crawford with a new strategy, but as a rule, the man is a pitbull. Watching his destruction of Paulie Malignaggi years ago was like watching a modern version of an old Jack Dempsey fight. Even in the three fights he’s lost – to Spence, Thurman, and Brook, respectively – Porter has been wildly game. And lets not forget how hard some of Porter’s opponent’s can hit.
The truth is that Saturday night might well represent a turning point for both men. Porter, however, has less to lose than Crawford. Not only is it Crawford’s belt that will be at stake, but Porter has proven he can take a defeat well and keep on being successful. In a sense, the man’s legacy is already secure despite what may happen inside the ring. It’s good to be Shawn Porter. Why? Because he puts it all on the line over and over again. There should be more like him.
