Despite having lost just over three years ago against Terence Crawford, boxer Shawn Porter said he will support his compatriot in whatever it takes to defeat Mexican Saul Canelo Alvarez.
Crawford is considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers and his record speaks for itself, having won world titles in four different weight classes.
But Crawford wants to increase his legacy and come out ahead of one of the toughest tests he could have in his career as a professional boxer, in a fight that will take place in September in Las Vegas.
However, to achieve this, Crawford’s path will not be an easy one, as he will have to move up two weight classes to fight the Mexican.
Weight won’t be an issue for ‘Bud’ Crawford
The Nebraska native hopes to move up from 154 to 168 pounds, and because of the weight difference (14 pounds), many experts consider Canelo the heavy favorite for the fight.
However, Porter, who lost to Crawford in November 2021 by ten-round knockout, thinks Crawford’s abilities and talent could stop Canelo in his tracks.
“It’s going to be a huge fight, and I think the effect of his punches at 147 pounds and in the lower weight classes won’t be the same,” Porter told talkSPORT.com.
“Something that we all know, and what I learned particularly from Crawford, is his ability to throw punches in combinations throughout a fight,” Porter explained. “When you can throw punches in combinations, you can hit someone multiple times and cause damage
“Eventually you will have the impact you want, and in fact I give (Crawford) a great chance to win that fight. I think it’s a 50/50 fight, but if I had to bet my last dollar, I would bet on Crawford,” he added
In that fight, Crawford landed a total of 98 punches on Porter, and the American will know exactly what Canelo Alvarez could face
The Mexican has fought several of the top fighters in various divisions, including Floyd Mayweather, Dmitry Bivol and Gennady Golovkin.
In his defeat to Bivol, Alvarez struggled to move up in weight and ultimately struggled against a naturally heavier fighter like the Russian
Crawford and the confidence to beat Canelo
Crawford hopes not to face the same problems, but he is already well above the target weight of 168 pounds
The American has an enormous knockout effectiveness in his fights with 31 victories by knockout in 41 fights.
His fast hands and elite boxing IQ are on a par with the Mexican, and a chess-like battle is expected in the exchanges
However, Crawford believes his advantages lie in the patient ability to slowly wear down his opponents over the course of each round in a fight.
“I’m the type of person who likes to feel out my fighters and adapt to what they’re doing,” Crawford explained. “I think that’s my biggest attribute, being able to decipher every opponent I’ve faced so far
“I’m looking to do the same when it comes to the fight against Canelo. People say, ‘You’re too small’ or ‘you’re outmatched’ or ‘you shouldn’t be in the ring with this kind of fighter’
“That’s when great fighters perform at their best. I’m going to feel great [at 168 pounds]. I don’t need to worry about the weight. I know I’m going to feel great, and in the end it’s part of boxing: reaching milestones that you have to reach.”
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