Robert Brizel Editorial: Is Porter Vs. Crawford Worth A Million Bucks?
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has offered Shawn Porter one million dollars to fight Terence “Bud” Crawford, whom Bob wants to move, but cannot seem to do much with. Crawford will not fight Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Manny Pacquiao, or any of the other noteworthy champions and challengers.
Crawford, age 33, 37-0, with 28 knockouts, Omaha, Nebraska, the southpaw World Boxing Organisation World Welterweight champion, who defended his WBO title against faded ex-champ Kell Brook in November 2020 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, needs the best top-flight challenger, who will fight him no holes barred. Porter is one such name.
Porter, age 33, 31-3-1 with 17 knockouts, Akron, Ohio, the former International Boxing Federation World welterweight champion, and current World Boxing Council Silver Welterweight titleholder, would be happy to oblige. The only sticking point is the price. Trouble is, Porter thinks Arum’s offer of a million dollars to fight Crawford is beneath him. The issue is there cannot be fans and there cannot be ticket sales at this point in time due to the pandemic. Until that situation is resolved, both domestically and worldwide, if Crawford opts to defends his WBO 147 pound world title against ex-champ Porter, the pay-per-view event is not likely to be a big draw no matter how Bob Arum promotes it.
Crawford has never been a big toot with boxing fans, and is only one step above Guillermo Rigondeaux in lack of popularity. Arum’s offer on the table to Porter, to make Crawford versus Porter happen, is actually far more than Porter should be able to command. The issue is a contradiction in the promoter’s logic: is a fighter worth more or less during this particular time period, when hungry sports fans are trapped at home with little new entertainment coming their way? Porter versus Crawford could be worth more, could be worth less, depending on the interest of the general public of the moment, and how well it is promoted. However, Porter versus Crawford is not worth anywhere near Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua. Even Iron Mike Tyson is better known than Terence Crawford.
On his Porter podcast, Porter rejected Arum’s offer point blank.
“I’m not taking a million. I’ve done the best I could in sending a message to Bob Arum, and also to people who know Bob (that I want more money to fight Terence Crawford). Tell Mr. Arum, I don’t mean any disrespect, and I know he doesn’t. If you’re going to lowball me, don’t do it. If you feel that’s how you (your fighter will avoid me) get out of fighting me, that’s weak (a weak negotiation position). Don’t do it. However, if you want to make the fight happen (with me and Terence Crawford then) don’t lowball me! I’m worth more than a million dollars (to fight Crawford in a main event). F*#k a million dollars. I’m going to keep it (my team’s ongoing negotiations with Bob Arum and Top Rank) as clean as possible BUT I’m not fighting Terence Crawford for (a measly) one million dollars.”
Given the nature of the times, one would assess Bob Arum’s offer of one million dollars to Shawn Porter as a great act of generosity. Crawford would be lucky if he got 250 thousand dollars to defend his WBO title against Porter. Crawford has not spoken yet, but does not command much more money than that. Arum would have liked to cut Crawford loose, but promoters cannot really cut their fighters loose now as contracts are legally binding with extended time during the coronavirus pandemic period as opportunities for professional fights are extremely limited until the pandemic ends.
Porter could win this bout. Crawford could win this bout. Spence versus Pacquiao would be a far bigger draw of greater public interest than seeing Porter fight anybody. The major issue here is not Porter. It is Crawford. Experts will agree Crawford is, in her least, an established competent champion. Crawford is not a popular champion nor the box office star like a Sugar Ray Leonard or a Thomas Hearns as champions at welterweight. The pay-per-view network can only bring in so much. Any card promoted now on pay-per-view has to be well constructed, in the event the main event turns out to be a stinker. Porter thinks he is worth five or ten million for a fight of significance such as fighting Porter for the title. Crawford will want the same money Porter gets from Arum, and if Porter keeps going higher, nobody will want to fight him because they cannot afford him. So the million-dollar offer to Porter to fight Crawford is essentially a take it or leave it. This reporter does not think Porter is worth a million dollars, because Porter versus Crawford is not a mega fight. Fighters should not be picky now. Paydays, and even fights, have become rarer and rarer now. The pandemic is already going on a year now. Porter should rethink his decision to turn down the million dollars and fight Crawford for spite because Porter is capable of defeating Crawford if he puts his mind to it and does the training work to win.
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