By: Hans Themistode
Shawn Porter took a moment to indulge in this moment.
The longtime welterweight champion and two-time champion, hoped that a clash between him and Terence Crawford could materialize. And while it took longer than he anticipated, the 34-year-old scored in the fight he was looking for.
With months of hard work behind them, all that was left for both men before they threw down, was to weigh in.
The first is Porter. The 34-year-old quickly took off his discreet suit and stepped onto the podium. He flashed a bright smile and showed off his amazing physique. Some time later, he was officially announced at 146.6 pounds.
After Porter’s weighing, Crawford sternly stepped onto the scale. He appeared emotionless, but confident in his ability to push through the 147-pound limit. He was accurate when he arrived at 146.4 pounds.
With both fighters going head-to-head shortly thereafter, Crawford walked away, seemingly ready to join his championship fight.
For the current Welding WBO belt holder, he will finally have his chance to face one of the true elite 147 pounder athletes. Although he has successfully defended his crown on four separate occasions, the 34-year-old continues to have to hear relentless chastisement surrounding his résumé.
Most recently, Crawford eased off business against long-fading former champion Kell Brook, causing him to stop in the fourth round in November 2020.
As for Porter, while he has always expressed extreme pride in what he has achieved so far in his career, he has publicly admitted that his résumé lacks a win. big. In his biggest contests to date, Porter is only ahead of the likes of Keith Thurman, Errol Spence Jr. and Kell Brook.
With his win this Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Porter has confidence he’ll stamp his ticket to the Boxing Hall of Fame.
