When Keith Thurman beat Danny Garcia to unify his WBA and WBC Welterweight titles, the victory made him king of the hill in boxing’s most volatile division. Thurman had a close win over Shawn Porter in his most previous fight, Errol Spence had just won his IBF belt from Kell Brook, Terence Crawford was still a defending champion at Junior Welterweight and Manny Pacquiao had … [Read more...]
Shawn Porter Pummels Andre Berto in Nine
The prominent train of thought was that Shawn Porter would be a stylistic nightmare for Andre Berto ahead of their crossroad clash. Those opinions were validated as Porter mauled and battered Berto, coming out on top over the faded ex-champ. Things got ugly early as both fighters got bloodied up by accidental headbutts caused by the hard charging Porter and Berto’s inability … [Read more...]
Andre Berto vs. Shawn Porter: The Boxing Tribune Preview
Andre Berto in many ways was the prototype of Al Haymon’s champion-building formula. He was brought up with a lot of pomp, matched incredibly poorly thanks to the generosity of the WBC to the point where he won a title and upon losing his toughest fight to date, he’s spiraled into a late-career tailspin in where that popularity and name recognition has kept him up. That is … [Read more...]
Shawn Porter: Confidence and Experience
I had the opportunity to speak with top level welterweight Shawn Porter (26-2, 16 KOs) on Wednesday, as he took a brief break from his intense training camp where he’s preparing for his April 22 bout with Andre Berto (31-4, 24 KOs). “Showtime” is an apt nickname for the explosive Porter. He employs a style that is becoming increasingly rare in the sport—one that brings to … [Read more...]
Keith Thurman vs. Danny Garcia: The Boxing Tribune Preview
This Saturday will serve either as a coronation or a comeuppance. Many have been privately and publicly hoping for a downfall of WBC champion Danny Garcia while at the same time hoping to truly embrace WBA champion Keith Thurman as the face that runs the place in the wake of Floyd Mayweather’s retirement and Manny Pacquiao’s decline. Both are set on a collision course, … [Read more...]