Kenny Porter admits he was wrong about Terence Crawford. (photo by Ryan Hafey)

The veteran trainer and father of former welterweight titlist Shawn Porter offered a mea culpa after Crawford thoroughly dismantled Errol Spence Jr. in their undisputed welterweight championship last Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Crawford dropped Spence three times before referee Harvey Dock waved off the bout in the ninth round.  

Kenny Porter had Spence beating Crawford going into their matchup, citing Spence’s size and aggressive pressure style. Porter's son, Shawn, competitively fought both Spence and Crawford but came up short each time.

In a recent interview, the elder Porter not only acknowledged he was wrong about his prediction but proceeded to praise Crawford, describing his performance against Spence as utterly singular in the past decade and a half.

“Well, since you mention his name, congratulations to Terence Crawford,” Porter told FightHubTV. “I bow down to him. I actually thought Errol would win the fight. Terence—like myself and lots of other people, he has made us all believers. He put on a spectacular performance—second to none in my recent memory. The last 10, 15 years, off the top of my head, I can’t recall anyone putting on that type of performance at that high level.

Porter’s son, Shawn, retired after losing to Crawford in their welterweight title fight in 2021. Kenny Porter stopped the fight after his son suffered two knockdowns in the 10th round.

The younger Porter lost to Spence in their welterweight title fight in 2019 by split decision.

“When we talk about a high level fighter against the lower guy, yeah, we’ve seen it," Porter continued. "But when we talk about elite against elite, we haven’t seen that type of performance put on the way he did it. So much respect to him. I am truly a believer. In my eyes, [Crawford is the] pound-for-pound top fighter of the world.”

Sean Nam is the author of Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.