SPORTS SHORTS 264: TERENCE CRAWFORD DEALS SHAWN PORTER HIS FIRST CAREER KNOCKOUT LOSS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 21 Nov 2021
Terence Crawford is called "the most devastating finisher in the sport" and he did the best thing. The undefeated three-division champion stopped former welterweight champion Shawn Porter in the 10th round of their WBO welterweight title fight and he scored the most impressive victory of his 13-year pro career.
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Crawford did it before a capacity crowd of 11,568 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas Strip, Paradise, Nevada. Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr makes it official, announcing it to be at 1:21 of the 10th round.
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Terence Crawford improves to 38 wins in 38 fights with 29 by knockout. Shawn Porter drops to 31-4-1 with 17 KO wins.
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At the official scorecards, Crawford was leading by scores of 86-85 by Dave Moretti, 86-85 by Steve Weisfeld and 87-84 by Max De Luca at the time of the stoppage.
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It took several years for Crawford to finally get the quality of fight to justify himself as a worthy world welterweight champion and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He took advantage of this opportunity, pulled off a fierce battle against former two-time welterweight champion Porter to retain his WBO title.
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Porter pressed his attack in the early rounds, taking advantage of Crawford's usual slow start as the WBO champion is trying to figure out the challenger to set up his devastating attacks as the fight goes forward to the middle rounds. As Crawford zeroed in on his offense, Porter replied and confronted the champion blow by blow.
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Crawford's adjustments continued as the rounds wore on, even as Porter fought his typical turbulent inside punching and plunging solid shots. Both fighters gashed cuts over their eyes due to the clashing of heads, a result of Crawford's southpaw stance colliding with Porter's orthodox style.
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Crawford's excellent boxing talent advanced into a higher level when Porter slowed down a bit and the undefeated champ began to take control of the fight in the third round.
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In the 10th round, Crawford thrashed Porter with a left uppercut in an exchange of blows early in the round and Porter hit the canvas. Porter seems not harmed, and beat the count easily. After a few actions, Crawford drops Porter again with a high-speed combination with a finishing right hook to the temple.
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Porter’s father and trainer Kenny goes up on the apron and stops the fight and referee Celestino Ruiz signaled the fight is over. Crawford won by technical knockout in the 10th round.
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Porter initially opposed his father's decision to stop the fight at that instance, but later was understanding when he was interviewed about what happened after the fight.
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"He's doing what he knows he needs to do," Porter said. "I didn't expect that. We've never had a conversation about that. We've always had an unspoken understanding that if he sees what he needs to see, he'll do what he has to do. ... The punches were catching me too clean and my dad saw that."
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Porter's father admitted that the result was due to his son's failure to train the way he aimed he should, and seems like he underestimated a very impressive performance by Porter challenging one of the boxing's pound-for-pound best fighters.
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For Crawford, he said that the decision to stop the fight was the correct decision and that he was figuring Porter out in the opening round and was simply destroying him with the exact timing.
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"I know I caught him with a good uppercut," Crawford said. "When I caught him with another left hook, I saw it in his face that he was real hurt. His dad did the right thing by stopping it. I was coming with a vengeance."
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Crawford, 34, successfully accomplished the fifth defense of the WBO welterweight championship he won from the then-undefeated Australian Jeff Horn by ninth-round technical knockout in June 2018 at the neighboring MGM Grand Garden Arena.
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Porter, also 34, lost for the fourth time in his pro career, but for the first time in knockout fashion. He was defeated by Kell Brook by a majority decision in August 2014, Keith Thurman by a close unanimous decision in June 2016 and Errol Spence Jr. by a split decision in September 2019.
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The boxing world now focuses on Crawford's next bout. He was long deprived of the best available fights at one of the most lucrative divisions, the welterweight by his contract with Top Rank while the other top welterweight fighters, to include Porter, fought under Premier Boxing Champions.
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The IBF and WBC champion at welterweight, Errol Spence, was at ringside and the boxing fans continue to look for a mega-buck fight between the two undefeated titlists. If it cannot be done, Crawford said, it could be the time to move up to heavier weight.
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"That boy said he would never be at my fights and now he's at my fights," Crawford said. "You already know who I want. I've been calling him out all day. Maybe I'll go up to 154. Maybe if Spence gets his tail out of his butt, he'll fight me."
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“He’s been in there with everybody,” Crawford says. “He did what he could. I was just the better man tonight.”
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Compubox Punchstats
Jabs
Crawford 33 of 159 (20.8%)
Porter 12 of 94 (12.8%)
Power Punches
Crawford 65 of 169 (38.5%)
Porter 67 of 253 (26.5%)
Total Punches
Crawford 98 of 328 (29.9%)
Porter 79 of 347 (22.8%)
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The Crawford vs. Porter betting odds from Caesars Sportsbook had Crawford as the -700 favorite (bet $700 to win $100), while Porter is listed as the +500 underdog (bet $100 to win $500).
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Crawford is known for his unique style, very swift hand speed, high ring IQ, solid punching power, great counter-punching abilities and elite defensive skills, as well as his exceptional ability to conveniently switch stance from orthodox to southpaw.
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Before this fight, Crawford won over Englishman Kell Brook by TKO4 on November 14, 2020 at the MGM Grand Conference Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. defending his WBO welterweight title successfully.
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Porter meanwhile prior to this match, prevailed over Germany's Sebastian Formella by UD12 on August 22, 2020 at the Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, California, U.S. winning the vacant WBC Silver welterweight title.
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Porter, who before Crawford has lost only close 12-round decisions to Kell Brook (majority), Keith Thurman (unanimous) and Errol Spence Jr. (split), all of whom were undefeated when Porter fought them.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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