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Spence vs. Porter PPV Preview

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Los Angeles, CA (September 24th, 2019)– The bragging rights to the welterweight division will be at stake on Saturday, September 28, 2019, when Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn ‘Showtime’ Porter fight mix it up in the Premier Boxing Champions USA Fox Pay Per View 12 round main event of a 14 bout card at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, for the unified World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation World Welterweight championship.

The southpaw Spence, 25-0 with 21 knockouts, DeSoto, Texas, the IBF champion, and Porter, 30-2-1 with 17 knockouts, the WBC champion, Las Vegas, Nevada, are sure to mix it up. Spence has a 2 ½ inch height and a 1 ½ inch reach advantage. If Spence uses his height and reach advantage to perfection, he essentially outpoints the game, Porter. If Porter can take the bout inside and keep it there, thus neutralizing Spence’s height and reach edge, then Porter’s got game. Spence will avoid this trap, though it is possible Porter may apply enough pressure to win a few of the middle rounds.

Spence versus Porter is a great Pay Per View event, but Porter is unlikely to take unnecessary chances in the face of a nice payday. Porter, who is always in tip-top and marvelous condition, will be keenly looking for Spence to make a mistake. Porter is more of a challenge than Mikey Garcia, and he has consistent jab work and bodywork in his arsenal. Porter is relentless, but against Spence, he will have to break down a talented fighter with both talent, punch count volume and power. This should force Porter onto the defense for most of the bout. Spence is predicted to defeat Porter by unanimous decision 118-110 or 117-111 is predicted. Porter will be in the house, and may land some nice counters here and there. Spence is too talented and too consistent for Porter to beat him.

David Benavidez, 21-0 with 18 knockouts, Phoenix, Arizona, is predicted to regain his World Boxing Council World Super Middleweight title by majority or split decision over current titleholder Anthony Dirrell, 33-1-1 with 24 knockouts, Flint, Michigan, I the PBC co-feature attraction bout. Benevidez, who lost over a year of his career due to personal problems, will get his life back on track in this preliminary bout to the main event.

Mario Barrios, 24-0 with 16 knockouts, San Antonio, Texas, is predicted to win the vacant World Boxing Association World Lightweight title by unanimous decision over Batyr Akmedov, 7-0 with six knockouts, Belogorsk, Crimea, Russian Federation, who represented Turkey in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro fighting under the name of Batuhan Gazgec. Former World Lightweight and World Welterweight champion Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero, 35-6-1 with 20 knockouts, Las Vegas, Nevada, is predicted to win by sixth-round stoppage over untested and unknown Gerald Thomas, 14-1-1 with eight knockouts, St Marys, Kansas.

Two four rounders, two six rounders, and five-eight rounders featuring rising prospects will open the untelevised portion of the card. Amon those prospects on the undercard will be the 2017 152 pound Golden Gloves National champion, super welterweight Leon Lawson III, 11-0 with four knockouts, Flint, Michigan. Lawson is predicted to win by third or fourth-round knockout over Alan Zavala, 15-5 with 13 knockouts, Tijuana, Mexico. 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist at Rio De Janeiro, Misael Rodriguez, 9-0 with four knockouts, Cienega de Ceniceros, Mexico, is predicted to win by eight-round unanimous decision over Brandon Maddox, 7-2 with five knockouts, Detroit, Michigan.

Spence vs. Porter: The Trainer’s Perspective
Derrick James, trainer of undefeated Errol Spence Jr., and Kenny Porter, father/trainer of Shawn Porter, talk strategy ahead of Saturday night’s welterweight world title unification blockbuster on FOX Sports PPV.
By Lem Satterfield
Undefeated IBF World Welterweight Champion Errol Spence Jr. could knock out WBC counterpart Shawn Porter in a manner that would separate him from “the pack at 147 pounds,” says his trainer, Derrick James.
But Porter’s father and trainer, Kenny Porter has vowed that his son’s versatility, relentless aggression and volume punching will discombobulate Spence and lead to victory for Shawn.
Whatever the outcome fireworks are guaranteed when Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) and Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) meet in an anticipated welterweight world title unification clash live on PBC on FOX Sports PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
But before the first punch is thrown, the two lead trainers broke down their strategy in an exclusive PBC Q&A.
Based on their interaction during this promotion, has either fighter gained a mental edge over the other?
Derrick James: Shawn’s a talker trying to get under Errol’s skin. Errol just returned to his point, which was to say, “I’m going to knock you out” instead of going back and forth.
Kenny Porter: Shawn has definitely had an effect on Errol. It struck a chord when Porter challenged Spence’s disappointment that he didn’t knock out Mikey Garcia. Errol had to rethink, sort of stumbling over his words and re-examining how he felt about what he did in the fight.
That’s a verbal metaphor for what Shawn can do physically in the fight on those occasions where Shawn makes Errol react in different ways than he normally would.
What advantages does your fighter have in the ring?
Derrick James: Errol benefits as the more powerful puncher and he’s more technical. Shawn does well on the inside. Against Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman he missed a lot of punches on the inside.
Shawn’s strengths are his fortitude, desire and strong will, but Errol’s a great inside fighter and he’s more accurate. So I think we’ll be able to break him down, take that away and stop him.
Kenny Porter: In Errol’s career, he’s had the right opponents in front of him, guys who can’t move, allowing him to dictate, back them into a corner and beat on them.
What I don’t see is people who’ve offered resistance and movement to get Errol out of his normal way of fighting and forcing him to react and make uncomfortable decisions.
What is gained by examining their mutual opponents, Kell Brook and Phil Lo Greco?  
Derrick James: Shawn did drop Lo Greco, but they went 10 rounds while Errol dismantled him within three. That shows the level of fighter Errol is and the strength that he has.
Shawn lost a decision to Kell Brook, while at the same time Errol went to Brook’s country of England, beat him up, broke his face [fractured orbital bone] and his ribs.
This, once again, demonstrates the difference in Errol’s punching power particularly compared to Shawn Porter’s.
Errol’s not just a good southpaw, but an amazing fighter with skills, defensive savvy, endurance and a will to win.
Kenny Porter: I was right there at ringside for the Spence-Kell Brook fight and thought it was very close at the time of the stoppage. Also, coming off the knockout loss to Gennady Golovkin [at 160 pounds,] that was not the same Kell Brook that fought Shawn.
When Brook fought Shawn, he was holding and had no intention of allowing Shawn to punch him. If we’d have done the same thing fighting in England, we’d have been disqualified. Lo Greco replaced Roberto Garcia on less than a week’s notice after [Garcia] pulled out to fight Errol.
[Co-trainer] Barry Hunter has insights. From time to time he’ll say, “He’ll make a move like this,” and, “Be ready for that.” Shawn’s done well with some of the best southpaws in the game going back to the amateurs when he beat [Oleksandr] Usyk, Demetrius Andrade, Danny Jacobs and Fernando Guerrero.
What are your thoughts on Spence’s claims that Porter is a dirty fighter?
Derrick James: There is no other fighter out there with the skillset nor the style of Shawn Porter. Watching the videos, he’s not intentionally trying to do it, but his style is, “If it happens, so what?” Against Andre Berto, it looked intentional, but in others, maybe not.
But it’s not a distraction for us because Errol’s a strong fighter, and, believe me, we know how to handle it.
Kenny Porter: You have to have talent in order to beat the guys we beat. You can’t beat those guys just being a tough guy off the street. That takes skills. So, when I see Errol saying stuff like that I know he’s definitely underestimating us, which is to our advantage.
How does this fight end?
Derrick James: Shawn lost to Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia in close fights. Manny Pacquiao beat Thurman in a close fight, but 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. 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. Man down.
Kenny Porter: This has definitely been the best camp Shawn’s had, spiritually, mentally, physically and for us as father and son. I know Shawn has and will do whatever it takes to pull this out in a close decision.
For a closer look at Spence vs Porter, check out our fight night page.

 







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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].