(Photo credit: Idris Erba/Mayweather Promotions) By Dan Ambrose: Former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter (25-1-1, 16 KOs) is reportedly on target to make the 144 pound catch-weight today for his weigh-in against A-side fighter Adrien Broner (30-1, 22 KOs) for their initial weigh-in for their fight on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, Porter’s dad/trainer Ken Porter has some concerns that the 25-year-old Broner will be a no show for the secondary weigh-in on Saturday morning.
This is for the 10 pound rehydration clause weight of 154 pounds that Broner wanted in the contract for the fight. With Broner still looking very, very heavy as of Thursday, there’s some who believe that Broner could somehow make the initial weigh-in catch-weight limit of 144 pounds, but then either blow off the secondary weigh-in by now showing up, or showing up and rehydrating well above the 154 pound limit.
Since Broner is the A-side in the fight and is getting the bigger payday, he can well afford paying whatever fines that are incurred by him coming in over the limit. But by being the heavier guy and not having to struggle to make weight, Broner would in theory be the stronger and bigger fighter on Saturday. This in turn would negate Porter’s natural size and power advantage due to him having drained himself down for two weighs to make the 144lb limit, and then the 154lb limit on Saturday.
“If that does happen [Broner not showing up for secondary weigh-in], if that occurs where somebody says ‘oh, Shawn’s got to make that’ and I don’t see that Adrien has to make the same exact weight, because he’s got to weigh in with us the next morning as well, and if he doesn’t have to weigh in with us the next morning then we’re not weighing in. Simple as that,” Ken Porter said to Thaboxingvoice.com.
The problem with what Ken says is that they won’t find out that Broner will be a no show until the secondary weigh-in is already taking place. It’s not as if Broner is going to call them up and tell them he’ll be blowing off the secondary weigh-in because he’s too heavy, or that he wants to come in as heavy as possible in order to gain an advantage over Porter for the fight.
The power in this situation is with Broner, because he’s the A-side, and he can afford to come in over the limit. He can afford to blow off the secondary weigh-in for the fight. It’s not as if Porter is going to back out of the fight if Broner chooses not to weigh-in on Saturday. Porter isn’t going to walk away from the payday, and for that reason, Broner has the advantage, just as all highly paid A-side fighters have the advantage over their opponents. Broner may not be a world champion right now, but he’s got the popularity and the backing that makes him like a champion in terms of calling the shots for this fight. Porter is just going to have to make the weight and hope that Broner does too at their two weigh-ins.
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