Shawn Porter: record, next fight and profile →
LAS VEGAS – Shawn Porter doesn’t think Keith Thurman is lying. The WBC welterweight champion expects Thurman to try to knock out Manny Pacquiao early in their welterweight title fight Saturday night. Thurman made news Wednesday, when he said he would bet on himself at MGM Grand’s sports book to win by knockout in the first round, second round and seventh round.
LAS VEGAS – Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter apparently have a date and site for their welterweight title unification fight. The Athletic’s Lance Pugmire reported Wednesday that Spence-Porter will take place September 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. September 28 has been the rumored date for their FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event, but Barclays Center in Brooklyn was a potential spot for their 147-pound title fight as well.
LAS VEGAS – We still don’t know when Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter will square off in their welterweight title unification fight. They’ll come face-to-face Friday, though, as part of FOX’s coverage of the Manny Pacquiao-Keith Thurman pay-per-view fight. Spence (25-0, 21 KOs), the IBF welterweight champion, and Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs), the WBC 147-pound champ, will be guest analysts for FS1’s Pacquiao-Thurman weigh-in show Friday at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
The predictions are in from around the boxing world and the expert group that was polled is nearly split 50-50, but overall gives eight-division champion Senator Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao a slight edge over WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith "One Time" Thurman ahead of their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event this Saturday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Shawn Porter expects Keith Thurman to be better against Manny Pacquiao than he was when he fought Josesito Lopez. Thurman still won’t be good enough, according to Porter, to top Pacquiao in their welterweight title fight July 20. Porter picked Pacquiao to beat Thurman in a preview video posted to premierboxingchampions.com.
Shawn Porter knows better than to look past his next fight but his role as a Fox Sports boxing analyst provides him the benefit of scouting the entire schedule. The reigning welterweight titlist will be on hand for the entirety of the July 20 Fox Sports Pay-Per-View show at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev., but it’s the title eliminator between Yordenis Ugas and unbeaten Omar Figueroa that will command Porter’s attention.
Errol Spence Jr. doesn’t dislike Shawn Porter. Spence isn’t sure why Porter portrayed him as someone that hates the WBC welterweight champion, Spence’s next opponent, during recent interviews. The unbeaten IBF welterweight champion contended that he is indifferent toward Porter during an appearance on “The PBC Podcast,” which was made available Tuesday on premierboxingchampions.com.
Errol Spence Jr. doesn’t think Yordenis Ugas did quite enough to upset Shawn Porter three months ago. Spence still feels Porter made a tactical mistake by attempting to out-box Ugas for much of their 12-round welterweight title fight. Had Porter employed his usual strategy against Ugas, Spence suspects it would’ve led to an easier victory for the WBC champion.
Errol Spence Jr. expects to beat Shawn Porter even easier than he defeated Mikey Garcia. Spence expressed that intention directly to Porter during a face-to-face interview with FOX Sports’ Heidi Androl, which was released through the network’s social media platforms. The 29-year-old Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) and the 31-year-old Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) have signed contracts to meet in a welterweight title unification fight on an undetermined date.
NEW YORK – Keith Thurman has a unique understanding of just how difficult it can be to fight Shawn Porter. Their welterweight title fight amounted to 12 rough rounds, a physically taxing match Thurman barely won in June 2016. Porter’s pressure and physicality made him one of the two toughest opponents of Thurman’s career.