WBC welterweight champion ready to take on all-comers, but says he wants IBF titleholder Errol Spence Jr. next.
Shawn Porter believes his unanimous decision victory over Danny Garcia for the WBC welterweight championship on Saturday night in the main event of a PBC on Showtime card has moved him into the second position in the division behind fellow champion Errol Spence Jr.
Adding fuel to his argument is the fact that Spence, who watched the fight from ringside, climbed into the ring after Porter won and challenged him to a title unification match. Porter (29-2-1, 17 KOs) outworked Garcia (34-2, 20 KOs) over the 12-rounds and his unanimous decision victory was greeted by cheers from the 13,058 fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
In the post-fight press conference, Porter offered up his own list of the top five welterweights.
“I’m the new champion. [So it’s] Errol, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Terence Crawford,” Porter said. “I’m speaking on who has been active at 147, who has been dominant at 147, and who are champions at 147.”
The 30-year-old Porter picked up his second world title at the same location where he won his first one. He defeated Devon Alexander by unanimous decision at Barclays Center in 2013. He lost the title to Kell Brook in 2014 and has been chasing an elusive crown ever since. He lost to WBA champion Keith Thurman in his other title bid in 2016.
A title unification with Spence ranks high on Porter’s to-do list. Spence is coming off a first-round knockout of Carlos Ocampo in a mandatory title defense. Spence is considering a match against lightweight world champion Mikey Garcia before facing Porter.
Porter and his father and trainer, Kenny, are targeting big fights and they have Spence in their sights sooner rather than later.
“We want Errol Spence, Errol Spence, Errol Spence, Errol Spence. If anybody decides to do anything other than that, that’s not in our control. But we want to fight Errol Spence,” Kenny Porter said.
“I don’t want to see Shawn fight until he’s 40 years old. I want Shawn to fight the prime guys while he’s in his prime. Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Errol Spence, Bud Crawford. Great fighters who should make each other great, so let’s fight.”
“ I’m the new champion. So it’s Errol, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Terence Crawford. ” WBC Welterweight Champ Shawn Porter
Spence climbed into the ring on Saturday to challenge Porter similar to the way that Porter had done to Garcia after he knocked out Brandon Rios in February in Las Vegas.
“I definitely want this fight next I’m hoping during the first quarter of 2019 and to be undisputed unified champion, and I have to go through Shawn Porter,” Spence said. “Shawn Porter’s a come-forward fighter, and I’m a fighter who stands there and fights, and I feel like I’ll stop Shawn Porter.”
After beating Garcia, Porter believes he is more than ready for Spence, a 28-year-old power puncher from DeSoto, Texas. Porter is 5-1 with two knockouts since losing his belt to Brook – among them a unanimous decision win over four-division champion Adrien Broner and a TKO victory over former welterweight champion Andre Berto.
“I’ve been in the ring with Keith. I just beat Danny, and I think Errol is the next guy for me,” Porter said. “There is gonna be some business that needs to play out. I assure you that it won’t because of Errol Spence and it will not be because of me."
That “business” could involve 2008 Cuban Olympic bronze medalist Yordenis Ugas (23-3, 11 KOs), who scored a unanimous decision victory over Cesar Barrionuevo Saturday for a mandatory opportunity against Porter or Spence.
“We’ve just gotta be patient and make sure that’s what everybody wants. I know the WBC has some things in mind for me, but we’ll see if they’re willing to go a different route,” Porter said.
Spence got the final word during the press conference when he laughed and told Porter, “Don’t duck me, son.”
“Keith Thurman said that to Paulie Malignaggi,” said Spence, recalling Thurman’s words to then-champion Malignaggi in October 2012. “Thurman never got to fight Malignaggi. But Shawn says he’s a Christian man of his word. I don’t believe him to be a liar, so this fight should happen.”
For a complete recap of Garcia vs Porter, check out our fight page.
