Is Shawn Porter’s resume down-played and overlooked?
Although dense with top-flight killers, when it comes to the welterweight division, many view Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr the most dangerous of them all. So much so, that pairing these two in the ring is one of the highest priorities in the sport.
Sadly, there is a bitter promotional divide gumming up the gears of production. Short of finding a peaceful middle ground, the boxing world will continue to pine for this mouth-watering super fight.
Often left out amid the welterweight “king of the hill” discussions is Shawn “Showtime” Porter. Undoubtedly, the decorated destroyer would proclaim himself as the best in the division. Totting more than confidence and tough talk, Porter has a pedigree that warrants substantial praise.
Prior to launching his impressive professional career, he was a major problem in the amateurs. To be more specific, “Showtime” can claim victory over Shawn Estrada, Demetrius Andrade, Daniel Jacobs and Oleksandr Usyk, to name but a few.
Check the Record
Now, as a professional, Porter easily has the most decorated resume at 147. Win, lose or draw, “Showtime” has tangled with Adrian Granados, Yordenis Ugas, Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi, Andre Berto, Adrien Broner, Kell Brook, Danny Garcia, and Keith Thurman.
Having traversed that treacherous gauntlet, Porter has only come up short twice. Even then, the rugged Ohio native was never dominated or outclassed. In fact, his loss to Thurman remains highly debated to this day. Futerhmore, while Kell Brook employed an excellent game-plan early on to stave off the pressure, Porter had his moments which kept him in the fight.
Therefore, while Spence Jr and Crawford can still revel in being undefeated, they cannot say they’ve traveled anywhere near the same long, rocky road.
Next up, the energetic, dynamo has signed up to face Spence Jr. Despite the unfinished business with Crawford, the IBF champion is widely regarded as the unofficial kingpin of the division. If successful, “Showtime” could then chase the valuable scalps of Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford or rematch with dangerous rivals Keith Thurman or Danny Garcia.
No matter how you approach it, Porter is a monster who is too regularly overlooked. This is truly a shame. He is a tremendously versatile fighter. Although, habitually labeled as a wrestler prone to roughhousing, he has successfully debunked this notion.
In both prizefights with Ugas and Garcia, Porter utilized polished boxing techniques and terrific patience. In every fight, Porter showcases his enviable stamina and a pressure style that would give any fighter fits. On top of all this, as mentioned before, all the Ohio bruiser wants to do is fight the best.
Perhaps victory over the much celebrated Spence Jr will garner the respect that he is fighting for. We will see!
By: Bakari Simpson
