The Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight will take place on Saturday at 9 PM ET on ESPN+ PPV. Terence Crawford will defend the WBO welterweight belt against Shawn Porter. Terrence Crawford is one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world. He has a lot to risk on the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight. Beyond his belt, his undefeated record is also at stake in one of the toughest challenges of his career. Fans think that Shawn Porter's aggression may decide the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight. They feel that it can lead to a knockout one way or the other. Terence Crawford may successfully defend his belt. That will raise several new queries as well. It is the final fight on his contract with Top Rank. If he is going to remain in the same weight class in the long term, the competition at that class resides under different banners.
The other welterweight champions, Yordenis Ugas and Errol Spence Jr., will fight for PBC. So, Terence may decide to jump ship and announce a different association. The Spence match, in particular, has been one that fans have long been after. With a victory and a promotional change, it may finally be realized. Going into the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight, we break down several of the biggest queries surrounding the match. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said, "This is a fight that reminds me of all the great welterweight battles of the 1980s and 90s, two prime fighters unafraid to tackle the biggest challenge available to them. Terence has wanted a challenge like this for a very long time, and I am confident he will rise to the occasion. Shawn Porter, however, is not an easy night for any fighter."
Will Crawford fight Spence after the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight?
After the retirement of Manny Pacquiao and Crawford fighting his final match on his Top Rank contract, it appears that a win would get Crawford closer than before to the elusive Spence match. But it is still tough to give any genuine confidence in any contract being finalized in the following year. Spence and Crawford circled Pacquiao on their hit lists rather than get in talks to go against each other. Bud was in talks to fight him last year, and Spence was signed to go against him before the match fell apart when Spence had a detached retina. Spence is now getting back from surgery and looks poised for a spring match with Ugas, who won against Pacquiao a few months ago. Crawford, meanwhile, could have great flexibility for a potential match with Spence.
A multi-fight deal with PBC will get him closest to the mega-fight, but staying as a promotional-free agent will help him secure it. His contract with Top Rank was always the biggest blockade to the fight. Whether Crawford and Spence want the match is another matter altogether. Crawford has said plenty of times that he has moved on from the matchup against Spence. Spence also never showed much interest in the match to start with. Crawford said, "I have been calling out the top welterweights since I moved up to 147 in 2018, and I am excited that Shawn stepped up. This fight will bring out the best in me and showcase parts of my game that the world has not seen yet. On November 20, I will silence my doubters and prove that I am the best welterweight in the world."
Will Crawford get back with Top Rank after Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter?
All signs show that Crawford is leaving Top Rank after the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight. The champ has long been frustrated with Top Rank's ability to give the Spence matchup. But Bob Arum finally came through with the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight. And it was quite pricey, with more than $9 million in guarantees. The promoter has paid Crawford very well, and Top Rank was not shy the previous year about their issues with the contract. Ahead of Crawford's match against Kell Brook, Bob Arum said, "The question is, do we want to keep him? I could build a house in Beverly Hills on the money I have lost on him in the last three fights."
Besides the acrimony that may be present, there is the bigger issue of available rivals for Crawford. Jaron Ennis is a rising star in the welterweight division. He has competed on Showtime, though he is not signed with Al Haymon and can compete elsewhere. Vergil Ortiz is signed with Golden Boy. But beyond Ortiz and Ennis, the majority of the best 147-pounders are assigned with PBC. This includes Ugas, Keith Thurman, and Spence. Apart from a monetary offer that Crawford cannot back out from, it is tough to see how the relationship with the promoter will extend into next year.
Crawford will be troubled by Porter's aggression
Aggressive fighters need their rivals to be at their very sharpest. Porter is a challenge that Crawford has not seen in many matches. In the last several matches of Crawford, his rivals have averaged only about 35 punches per round. On the other hand, Porter lets more than 50 punches go in every round. Crawford has been a little weaker at welterweight also. The undefeated champ was unofficially knocked down in his win over Egidijus Kavaliauskas a few years ago. Given the delayed response of Crawford, it was not ruled well, but the replay looked better. The pressure of Porter will need Crawford to be physically and mentally engaged for the whole match. It is the greatest advantage to being a pressure boxer.
But if Crawford can utilize that aggressiveness against his opponent, much like Brook did in their fight seven years ago that led to the first loss of Porter, Crawford will stay undefeated and get the biggest win of his run like a champ. Porter said, "I have wanted this fight for a long time, and now my patience has paid off. I have taken on the best and proven myself as a man who gives 100 percent in everything I do throughout my career. Terence Crawford is a great, versatile fighter who is very athletic, just like myself. We are the two best welterweights in the world, and on November 20, we get a chance to prove who is the best. Fight fans can expect a great show that night and, with this victory, I will cement myself as the best welterweight of this era."
Can the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight end in a knockout?
Many fans think that there will not be a knockout. Anything can occur in that match because they are both quite strong boxers, but there might not be a knockout. But the match will be very close and competitive in all the rounds of the match. The top chance for Porter to get a knockout is in the initial rounds of the match. Crawford can get a knockout, too, because while he utilizes his reach quite well and is adept at that, he likes to pressurize and knows how to do that pretty well too. He is a very smart boxer. We would not be surprised if he stays in front of his rival and gets the knockout.
Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: Crawford Stats
1. Nationality: American
2. Date of Birth: September 28, 1987
3. Height: 5'8"
4. Reach: 74"
5. Total Fights: 37
6. Record: 37-0 (28 KOs)
Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: Porter Stats
1. Nationality: American
2. Born: October 27, 1987
3. Height: 5'7"
4. Reach: 69.5"
5. Total Fights: 34
6. Record: 31-3-0 (17 KOs)
Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter Fight Card
- Terence Crawford (c) -700 vs. Shawn Porter +500, WBO welterweight championship
- Esquiva Falcao vs. Patrice Volny, middleweight
- Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Hassan N'Dam, middleweight
- Raymond Muratalla vs. Steven Ortiz, lightweight