There was a time I was all in. (photo by Ryan Hafey)
Just more than five years ago, as I sat a few rows from the ring at the DC Armory – in town to do a story on the latest Adrien Broner renaissance – I believed Shawn Porter was the future of the welterweights.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. was still 13 months away from starting a Pacquiao/Berto farewell tour, but there was already a herd of young bucks angling to be the next big post-Money thing at 147 pounds.
Porter joined the belted class that night with a four-round splattering of then-IBF champ Paulie Malignaggi, banishing an admittedly less-than-vintage “Magic Man” from the upper echelon with a beating that was nevertheless so thorough that it left a visceral image of ferocity.
He battered a tough city kid to a point where I actually feared for the Brooklyn native’s safety.
The sky’s the limit, I recall thinking as I made a midnight walk across the parking lot to the subway.
Turns out, though, that it was a little more mirage than masterpiece.
Porter’s time atop the IBF heap ended in his first defense against Kell Brook, and even though he’s laid claim to the WBC belt amid a subsequent run of six wins in seven fights – I’ve never regained the vibe.
Beating the pedestrian likes of Broner, Erick Bone and Adrian Granados wasn’t worthy of a needle move, and even a surprise (to me) defeat of Danny Garcia late last summer was followed up with a springtime split nod over Yordenis Ugas that even ardent Porter supporters could accurately label as “generous.”
He’s rugged, yes. He’s determined, OK.
But it’s been a meh few years at best.
And I’m not expecting the buzz to come back this weekend.
Oh sure, the Ohioan billed as “Showtime” will share a pay-per-view unification stage with another champ – Brook’s IBF successor Errol Spence Jr. – this Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Still, regardless of how confident he looks in staring contests, the reality is that Porter’s basically a name-brand jobber whose role is to provide some fan-friendly antagonism while getting Spence over.
In other words, his style will make for a fun fight.
But he’s too limited to get too far beyond highlights with a guy on a much higher plane.
A guy who, incidentally, broke Brook’s left eye socket in the Brit’s backyard.
So it’s no surprise that Spence’s trainer sees Saturday going that way, too.
“Errol is serious when he says he's going to punish Shawn and knock him out. Errol knocked out Brook, but it's like people forgot,” said Derrick James, in a Premier Boxing Champions interview.
“This is a separation fight clearly distancing Errol from the pack at 147 pounds, demonstrating he's the elite welterweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound.”
Speaking of elite welterweights and pound-for-pound kings, Ray Leonard is all in, too.
Though the “Sugar” man’s unification at 147 – in the “Showdown” with Thomas Hearns – warranted much higher significance than this bout, there are some dots to be connected to Leonard’s final pre-Hitman fight against burly, aggressive 154-pound champion Ayub Kalule.
The Ugandan was considered a dangerous pre-PPV foil by some, but his come-forward style was actually tailor-made for the welterweight to get off his toes, dig in his heels and use a few more tools in the toolbox. Leonard won by a ninth-round TKO, then beat Hearns in a classic 83 days later.
Porter is considered the stronger man, too, and will bank on his aggression.
But, like Kalule against Leonard, the bull will be facing a taller (5-foot-9½ to 5-foot-7), longer (72 inches to 69½) and supremely skilled matador in Spence. Leonard, by the way, was 5-foot-10 with a 74-inch reach, compared to Kalule’s muscled-up 5-foot-9 and 73 inches.
“I've watched (Spence) from Day 1 and I've seen improvements in him,” Leonard told Sky Sports.
“I’ve seen him gain experience. His assets are speed, poise, his balance. Here's a young man who has the whole package. Every time he gets to the ring, he improves.
“From what I've seen, Errol Spence is the real deal.”
No argument here, Ray. Bring on the Crawford showdown.
* * * * * * * * * *
This week’s legit title-fight schedule:
SATURDAY
IBF/WBC welterweight titles – Los Angeles, California
Errol Spence Jr. (IBF champ/No. 2 IWBR) vs. Shawn Porter (WBC champ/No. 4 IWBR)
Spence (25-0, 21 KO): Fourth IBF defense; Decision win in last fight ended 11-fight KO/TKO streak
Porter (30-2-1, 17 KO): Second WBC defense; Lost IBF title in second defense (L MD 12 Kell Brook)
Fitzbitz says: Porter is good enough and rugged enough to make anyone’s night difficult for 12 rounds, but Spence is a special talent and should shine against a foe who’ll pressure him. Spence in 10 (85/15)
WBC super middleweight title – Los Angeles, California
Anthony Dirrell (champion/No. 3 IWBR) vs. David Benavidez (unranked WBC/No. 5 IWBR)
Dirrell (33-1-1, 24 KO): First title defense; First WBC reign ended in first defense (L MD 12 Badou Jack)
Benavidez (21-0, 18 KO): Third title fight (2-0); One TKO, two decisions in three 12-rounders (3-0)
Fitzbitz says: I appreciate Dirrell’s toughness and the resilience he’s shown in returning to the title level. Benavidez, though, is simply too skilled at this point in his career. Benavidez in 9 (90/10)
This week’s bogus title-fight schedule:
SATURDAY
Vacant WBA “world” super lightweight title – Los Angeles, California
Mario Barrios (No. 2 WBA/No. 44 IWBR) vs. Batyr Akhmedov (No. 3 WBA/No. 31 IWBR)
Why it’s bogus: To those lamenting why certain title fights make the “legit” list, rationalize this from one of your precious “major” bodies. There’s a WBA “super” and a WBA “gold” champion at 140 already, but sure, let’s go ahead and add a third to make sure we’re covered. If you’re OK with it, you’re a fool.
Last week's picks: 1-0 (WIN: Lerena)
2019 picks record: 74-14 (84.0 percent)
Overall picks record: 1,085-357 (75.2 percent)
NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full-fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA "world championships" are only included if no "super champion" exists in the weight class.
Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. He is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.
