Shawn Porter convincingly outpoints Adrien Broner. Has Porter put himself in the Mayweather sweepstakes?

Las Vegas, NV (June 20, 2015) – Boxing returned to free TV on prime time with another installment of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC. Former three division world champ, Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner took on former welterweight titlist, ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter in a catch-weight bout. Coming off of three consecutive wins, Broner once again moved up above the junior welterweight limit to face off with a top rated welterweight. Both fighters agreed to meet in a twelve round fight at a catch-weight of 144lbs. This was a pivotal bout for both men who had each tasted defeat once in their career and were looking to catapult themselves back to the elite ranks of their divisions.

Broner started the fight as the aggressor, moving towards Porter, but it would be Porter who would do damage first, as he made a darting attack which caught an unsteady Broner off guard. Porter used his size early to make Broner uncomfortable, especially in close quarters. It took Broner some time to adjust to the rhythm of Porter’s attacks but by round two he was able to regain his composure and land counter shots.

Shawn Porter again went back to work in rounds three and four and turned the match into a rough and physical affair. Broner’s response to the unrelenting pressure was to hold anytime Porter found his way on the inside, this drew warnings from referee Tony Weeks. Shawn Porter won the rounds just on the effectiveness of his aggression and his high output of punches.

By the fifth round, ‘The Problem’ decided to use his footwork to avoid clinch situations, rather than just allowing Porter pin him down at will. At range, Adrien Broner looked to hold his own much better, and was able to sharp shoot with some effectiveness. The left hook of Broner was by far his best weapon and he used it well when fighting at range. But Shawn Porter didn’t allow Broner to ever feel comfortable and again closed the distance and went to work on the body of Broner in the sixth round. Porter also made use of his stiff jab, often time catching his opponent unprepared.

Broner was able to rally in the seventh and eighth rounds, using his defensive skills to avoid punishment and catching Porter with clean and effective blows. ‘Showtime’ didn’t seem to have the same speed with his attack and this gave Broner the space needed to get his counter shots in.

When it looked like Adrien would be taking over the later rounds with his movement, Porter appeared to get his second wind and went back to what won him many of the first rounds, constant pressure and aggression. Having been stifled for a couple of rounds, Shawn Porter got back into the fight in the ninth round, winning the following two rounds by chasing down Broner and outworking him.

After several warnings, Tony Weeks finally took a point away from Adrien Broner in the eleventh round for excessive holding. The point deduction looked to be pivotal in what had been a fairly tightly contested bout. A two point swing in favor of Porter in the eleventh surely gave him a nice cushion on the cards going into the final round.

With a sense of desperation, Broner came out to the final round and landed a picture perfect left hook on the chin of Porter early in the round, sending ‘Showtime’ to the canvas for the first time in his professional career. The blow was not a flash knockdown as Porter looked visibly unsteady as he got up to make the count. ‘The Problem’ moved forward and attacked, looking to swing the fight in his favor. Porter battled toe-to-toe with Broner for the remainder of the fight, but it was Broner who finished the fight stronger.

The fight went to the score cards and the feeling was that Adrien Broner had just not done enough to win the decision, despite having a two point round in the twelfth. The judges confirmed the fight with their scores, all three giving ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter the edge with scores of; 114-112, 115-111, 118-108. Shawn Porter UD

The final result marked a pivotal moment in the career of both Shawn Porter and Adrien Broner, as it was an important crossroads fight for the direction of their careers. Broner came into the fight trying to maintain his status as one of the best young fighters in the sport, and someone that was also looking to get back to a championship belt.

Now having lost the second fight of his career in convincing fashion, and there seemingly being an proven blueprint to beat him, Broner might go down as a ‘what could have been’ case if he was managed properly. His decision to jump two weight classes and fight for a welterweight title has ultimately lead him to divisions in which he is outsized and outgunned with his power never fully carrying up to the weight. Time will tell if Broner will ever become a champion again, but any future as a PPV star now seems highly improbable.

Shawn Porter’s future on the other hand looks quite bright, as he beat a well known opponent and now has set himself up for a chance at a title. Porter, 27, could find himself against another young star in Keith Thurman in what would be an exciting fan friendly bout. Thurman would have to get through his July 11th bout against Luis Collazo, but if he does, this is a fight that would make a lot of sense for both men.

Another option that might present itself would be a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Having just defeated the friend and “little brother” of Mayweather on national TV, Porter could find himself in the Mayweather sweepstakes, and possibility land the September 12th farewell bout against boxing’s number #1 attraction.

No matter what fight is next for Shawn Porter, he proved this weekend that boxing is not just about how skilled you are or how well you can hype a fight. Boxing is about a fighter getting the best out of their ability, and having the determination to overcome what some would see as a better talent, to come away with your hand raised, something Porter did this past Saturday night.