By Kenneth Friedman: Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter both were in great form talking trash to each other during their recent Face to Face on PBC on Fox. IBF welterweight champion Spence let WBC champ Porter know that he’s going to be congratulating him afterwards when he beats him to become the unified 147-lb champion.
Porter predicts 1st round knockout
In predicting a 1st round knockout of Spence, Porter went off into the deep end with that call. It was hard to take Porter seriously with that comment, because he’s not that type of a puncher. He couldn’t dent Adrien Broner’s gym, and he failed to knockout Keith Thurman. If Porter chooses to slug, he could get hurt by Spence.
Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) and Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) are fighting at the end of the month on September 28 on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Errol is a small favorite to win the fight with the odds-makers, but most boxing fans see Spence as the clear winner. They feel that he’s too strong, too big and too skilled for Porter. The odds-makers have their own opinion on the fight that deviates from the majority of the fans.
Porter & Spence discuss their September 28 fight
Spence: “This is something I’ve wanted for a long time to get the WBC belt.”
Porter: “I heard you clearly. Was there hesitation? Maybe. Do you really believe it? I don’t know. You’ve never seen anybody knock me out. You can say what you want to say, but doing something is completely different.”
Spence: “There’s a first thing for everything. He’s never been knocked out before. That’s cool. Everyone knows I can knock him out. That’s something I’m willing to do. That’s something I’m training for, and that’s something that very likely could have September 28. They said if it had been a tactical fight, Mikey Garcia was going to beat me. They said that all throughout the press all the way up to the fight. I made sure that I was going to show my skills and my ability.”
Spence and Porter know how to close the show early 👀
Whose 1st round KO list is more impressive? pic.twitter.com/1Hwx9f2mQj
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) September 7, 2019
Spence was unable to knockout former four division world champion Mikey Garcia last March. A lot of boxing fans were critical of Spence when he failed to knockout a smaller, weaker fighter like Mikey.
Porter: “You came on my show on PBC boxing, and I said, ‘were you mad that you didn’t knock him out?And you said, ‘Yeah, I was a little mad.’ I said, ‘Oh, I’m surprised. I would think the opposite. I would think that you wouldn’t be mad.’ You said, ‘Yeah, I wanted to knock him out.’ Now you’re saying that you didn’t want to hurt him.”
Errol says he’s going to knockout Porter
Spence: “Did I say throughout the whole thing that I’m going to knock him out? Did I say throughout the whole lead up to the fight, did I say I was going to knock him out? I’m saying I’m going to knock you out.”
This is where Spence got under Porter’s skin by telling him that he thinks he’s going to knock him out. Up until this point, Porter was fine, and keeping his composure. When Spence told him that he’s going to knock him, he got upset.
Porter: “That’s what you’re supposed to say. That’s how you’re supposed to feel.”
Spence: “I promise you that.”
Porter: “Are you sure? Come get it.”
Spence: “You know I’m coming. You know I’m coming.”
Porter: “Come get it. Come get this right hand, and this left hook.”
Spence: “You’re going to be swinging wild.”
Porter: Well, then make me miss.”
Spence: “I am. I’m going to punish you. Watch. He’s got heart, and he out-wills people, and he comes to fight. That’s not a knock on him. That’s what his talent is. He comes to fight, and he out-wills you.”
Shawn thinks he can out-box Spence
Porter:”The best part about it is I’m not banking on that to beat you. I’m not banking on my will, and I’m not banking on my will.”
Spence: “The best part about that is I’m better than you talent-wise, skill-wise, and I know I got my dog than you. You’re going to find out September 28th.”
Porter: “You got more dog than me? I guess we’re going to find out. And, I think experience is going to play a major role in this fight. I don’t think he’s been in the ring with someone that has made you make adjustments. That has made you get out of your comfort zone. On September 28th, that’s exactly what I plan to do.”
Spence: “He doesn’t have the skills to beat me. I’m not worried bout Shawn boxing like he did with [Yordenis] Ugas, and like he did against Danny Garcia. He’s not going to have no choice but to come forward, period.”
Spence says Porter has no option but to come forward
Porter: “What makes you think that’s the only way I can beat you?”
Spence: “Like I said, you’ll have no choice but to come forward. Why do I need to tell you for? What sense is that going to make?”
Porter: “Tell me. I want to know.”
Spence: “You’ll find out on September 28th.”
Porter: “I want to know where the confidence comes from.”
Spence: “The confidence comes from within me. I’m going to punish you. I promise you that. I’m going to punish you.”
Porter: “Come get it. 1, 2, 3. Make them however you want to make them. Shawn Porter, Errol Spence, and Manny Pacquiao. After this, there’s only two.”
Spence: “I want to be a legend in the sport, and he’s in my way. I’m not thinking about Manny Pacquiao right now it’s Shawn Porter.”
Spence says he’s going to add Porter’s name to his resume
Porter: “You can still have your legacy and everything. I’m just going to slow you down a little bit.”
Spence: “We’ll see. I’m going to put you on my resume.”
Porter: “Oh yeah, most definitely. It’s all about timing,” said Porter when asked if he can stop Spence. “Everything you’re saying to me right now, I’m going to shoot it right back at you. The difference is, I’m willing, and I’m capable of doing it in the ring. I don’t think you are.”
Spence: “He knows I am. So it doesn’t matter what you say. You can lie to yourself all you want.”
Shawn says he’s going to knockout Spence in 1st round
Porter: “I can knock you out in the 1st round. It’s still going to be exciting. People are still going to be on their feet.”
Spence: “You’re not going to knock out. Who did you knockout in the 1st round?”
Porter: “It’s going to be one of the most exciting knockouts of the year. I’m going to leave this plain and simple, baby. No matter how this fight goes, I’m leaving this ring with the belt, because you are who you are, it’s going to be exciting.”
Spence: “You’re not. You’re going to be congratulating me as the unified champ.”