What's Shawn Porter's excuse for not fighting Errol Spence?

[Ray*]

I have listened to so many excuses, the first it was when he came over to England to watch Spence destroy Brook. He was asked that question, but he claim he was only over here to support Spence and how they were friends and he wouldn't want to fight a mate etc.

Then spence got interviewed and he basically debunk that by saying he would fight Porter if Porter want it. Then Porter started with the WBC belt and him being a mandatory etc I really cannot keep up with the excuses.

[N/A]

Spence fights the way Porter wishes he did. I think he knows it's a sure loss.

I don't think that's the issue. He likely loses to Thurman as well.

But fighting Thurman will pay more and Thurman is likely available sooner.

Spence is not on the table for Porter right now. I'm sure they'll fight eventually. But it's not the way Haymon has things positioned for 2018.

[N/A]

I have listened to so many excuses, the first it was when he came over to England to watch Spence destroy Brook. He was asked that question, but he claim he was only over here to support Spence and how they were friends and he wouldn't want to fight a mate etc.

Then spence got interviewed and he basically debunk that by saying he would fight Porter if Porter want it. Then Porter started with the WBC belt and him being a mandatory etc I really cannot keep up with the excuses.

Ray, you're one of the few reasonable posters on this site. We always seem to have productive discussions, so I'm hopeful you'll consider some key factors in this situation.

#1 - Spence is not available. The IBF has ordered a mandatory defense and the IBF doesn't mess around.

#2 - Porter isn't even ranked by the IBF.

#3 - Fighting Thurman is a bigger payday.

#4 - Beating Thurman comes with more glory as he is the unified champion and top dog in the division.


But another key factor in all of this is -- Al Haymon. He meticulously arranges mandatories to keep non-Haymon promoters away from his belts as much as possible.

Fans can say all they want that Porter should blow off his mandatory status, but he's in that position for a reason. Haymon has paid for multiple eliminators. Haymon has to do a lot of planning to make sure that when one of his welterweights finally emerges as unified WBC/WBA/IBF champion, that they won't be immediately stripped or immediately risking all of the titles against a non-Haymon fighter.

So it's not like Porter can just snap his fingers and get the Spence fight. Thurman vs. Porter II is what Haymon wants to build to next. In the meantime, Haymon is getting Danny Garcia lined up as a unified WBC/WBA mandatory so that Garcia's next title shot will clear two mandatories for whoever is unified champion.

All of this takes a lot of planning. Haymon maps out his big welterweight fights years in advance sometimes. This is a very complicated business. There are a lot of factors fans don't consider.

[Joe Beamish]

Spence is the scary guy among the proven welters, nobody wants to fight him. He's too much.

[Cracaphat]

Porter fights like a caveman with his brawling,mauling style.Spence would take him apart and stop him late.

[Derranged]

I wouldn't have a problem if he fought Garcia instead, but we all know how hard it would be to make that fight. They'd have to both fight at least one "tuneup", most likely next year on the same card for the fight to "marinate". If the fight happened at all, it would probably be in 2020.

I'm not against letting fights marinate, but I don't see the point in this case.

[Beercules]

He has no excuse.