Kenny Porter is the trainer and father to former IBF welterweight champion ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter. The pair have combined for great success in the professional ranks, scoring notable wins against Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi and Adrien Broner. On March 12th they have their toughest challenge to date, undefeated WBA welterweight champion Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman.
In my interview with Kenny Porter, I discuss with him the highly anticipated fight between Porter and Thurman, getting his thoughts on the fight finally getting made. Porter also talks about Shawn’s strengths against Thurman and if he thinks it’s possible for Shawn to score a KO win. Additionally, Kenny shares his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley III and the potential Alvarez-Golovkin fight. Here is what Kenny Porter had to say.
Robert Brown: Shawn Porter will be fighting for the WBA welterweight title against Keith Thurman, what are your early thoughts on the fight?
Kenny Porter: I feel really good about the fight. The prospect of having this fight was brought to my attention about six months ago. I immediately said yes and continued to pursue the fight in every sense and we got the feeling that it wasn’t something that Keith wanted. Now it’s done and it’s gonna be here on March 12th and we can’t wait.
Robert Brown: Do you think Shawn has the ability to knockout Keith Thurman?
Kenny Porter: Shawn definitely has the ability to knock Keith out, but you never want to go in there trying to knock someone out, especially at the world class level, because everyone at the world class level is prepared and ready and it’s very hard when you’re forcing a knockout. What we will force is will, we will force our will on him and try to break him from that standpoint. That’s something that we’re aiming at doing, not necessarily knocking him out but maybe putting him in a position where he can’t take it anymore, or the referee decides he shouldn’t take it anymore.
Robert Brown: What is your official prediction for Thurman vs. Porter on March 12th?
Kenny Porter: Official prediction in a word is punishment. I predict that we will punish him and also I predict that Shawn will take over the welterweight division, he will be world champion again and he will be taking over this welterweight division.
Robert Brown: Assuming you get past Thurman, will either Shawn or you have any desire in getting a rematch with Kell Brook?
Kenny Porter: We would love to get a rematch with Kell Brook. The thing we have in front of us right now is a very tough world champion fighter, an undefeated fighter in Keith Thurman and we have to focus on him. But yes, of course we would love to have a rematch with Kell Brook but this Keith Thurman fight is an even bigger fight than the Kell Brook rematch.
If I’m just a fan and not involved in boxing, I think that these two fighters with their styles and the ability that they’ve both shown, to be able to knock out other fighters — Keith has a very high KO ratio, Shawn has an extremely aggressive style. Both of these guys bring something to the table with their youth that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather didn’t bring, these guys were not the high KO ratio guys, they were not the most aggressive fighters in their fight and I believe that fight underwhelmed. I believe that we’re going to step up our game even higher and I’m sure that Keith is as well, and it’s gonna be a great fight.
Robert Brown: What are your thoughts on the third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley? Are you surprised this fight is happening again?
Kenny Porter: I’m not surprised that it’s happening again. It’s not the fight that I wanted Bradley or Pacquiao to take, I would love to have an opportunity for Shawn to fight Tim Bradley, that’s a dream fight for us. I thought that there may have been someone else out there that would give a different look or a different challenge to Manny Pacquiao, like ‘Bud’ Crawford, just to see a different look and a different type of fight style against him.
To go on and predict a winner, Tim is a great fighter and I am a huge Tim Bradley fan, but I think Manny Pacquiao still has what it takes to win this fight, and if he doesn’t have everything that it takes like he once did and if he slips up at all, Tim will take it.
Robert Brown: Do you see Teddy Atlas making a difference in this fight?
Kenny Porter: Yes, I think Teddy makes a lot of difference in Tim. The thing that most people don’t realize and understand, they’re looking for the trainer to make a difference because of the way he trains or because of his personality, but the fighter is looking for the trainer to make a difference because he believes in that trainer. If Tim Bradley believes in Teddy Atlas, the difference has already been made.
Robert Brown: If Gennady Golovkin fights Saul Alvarez, do you see Alvarez testing ‘GGG’ at all?
Kenny Porter: First of all, I don’t think they’re gonna make that fight. I don’t see that fight happening, I’d be surprised if they made the fight before Golovkin’s career is over, I would be surprised. With that being the case, I don’t believe they will make the fight because they know that ‘GGG’ will handle Canelo a lot like Mayweather did, but in a much more aggressive fashion. He could literally stop him by seven or eight rounds, he has the ability to do that. Golovkin is a lot like a surgeon, he really is.
Yea