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By: Hans Themistode
Former WBO featherweight titlist Shakur Stevenson continues to shake his head whenever a possible matchup between Shawn Porter and Terence Crawford is mentioned. With Porter holding the number one ranking in the WBO sanctioning body, the former welterweight belt holder is aiming to knock off Crawford and claim his belt as his own.
By and large, a matchup between the two is viewed as competitive and one that could go either way. To Stevenson on the other hand, he views their possible showdown as one-way traffic.
“Shawn Porter is a fighter who gives a lot of people problems,” said Stevenson during an interview with Fight Hype. “But in my opinion, styles make fights and Terence style is just a really bad style for Shawn Porter. Terence is a sharpshooter that likes to box, Shawn Porter runs in and tries to be ugly. I don’t think that’s a good style for Shawn Porter to try and fight Terence with.”
Although Stevenson has a hard time envisioning Porter giving Crawford any sort of trouble, he did admit that Porter is rugged and as tough as they come. In fact, Stevenson went as far as to say that Porter will find moments of success. However, those moments will be few and far between.
“He’s going to get some punches in don’t get me wrong. Shawn Porter is tough and a really good fighter but I just think Terence is faster than Shawn. He’s also a better and bigger puncher than Shawn. I just think it’s a bad style for Shawn.”
Regardless of whether or not a Shawn Porter vs Terence Crawford showdown is as one-sided as Stevenson believes it will be, most of the boxing world simply wants to see Crawford step into the ring against elite competition.
Despite having three losses on his resume, Porter proved that even in defeat he can give a fighter hell for a full 36 minutes. After losing a close split decision to Spence Jr. in September of 2019, Porter bounced right back with an easy win over Sebastian Formella this past August.
Following the win, almost a day hasn’t gone by where Porter hasn’t called out Crawford. At the moment, both sides are still working on the financial part of a deal while also exploring other options.
If everything can be worked out, then Porter will easily be viewed as the best fighter Crawford has faced as a 147 pounder. Yet, that statement makes absolutely no sense to Stevenson. The last time he checked, Crawford just knocked out Kell Brook a mere three months ago.
Brook, of course, outboxed Porter in 2014 to win the IBF title. To the former featherweight belt holder, the math just doesn’t add up to Porter being the toughest opponent of Crawford’s career.
“Can’t say that’s his toughest fight when he just fought Kell Brook, somebody that outboxed Shawn Porter as easy as possible.”
Steven’s words might technically be true, but many believe Brook was smack-dab in the middle of his prime at that time. Now, at the of 34 and several stoppage losses to his name, the British native simply isn’t the same fighter he used to be.
Still, for Stevenson, his point is the same. It doesn’t matter who is in the ring with Crawford, just do yourself a favor and avoid him for as long as humanly possible.
“A lot of people need to leave Terence alone, he’s a helluva fighter. Terence is a savage man.”
