By: Sean Crose

One of the more fascinating aspects of writing about the fight game is that you get to focus as much on fighters’ preparations as you do the action in the ring. It was interesting, for instance, to have watched Floyd Mayweather work out while the smooth sounds of the Mary Jane Girls emanated from the speakers of his gym. Likewise, it was interesting to have seen Manny Pacquiao and his entourage crunch over the gravel of Griffith Park while doing roadwork in the chill of early morning. Just like it’s interesting to see Vasyl Lomachenko figure out what looks like math problems while preparing for a fight, or Canelo Alvarez sweat his way through a shadowboxing session.

Such things are fascinating, because you get to see what makes the fighter who he or she is in the ring. It’s not just training, though, that makes pre fight activity intriguing. After Friday’s weigh in for Saturday’s huge welterweight title fight between Shawn Porter and defending WBO champion Terence Crawford, FightHype got some footage of a decent sized gathering of team Porter. There was plenty of food around, and, this being the world of professional boxing, plenty of interesting people. Porter, himself, however, could be found quietly eating in a corner with some in his inner circle.

“I’m in my element, man,” he said. “We’ve got some lasagna, some mashed potatoes, some fish, some bread, some vegetables, a little bit of steak.” Even after making weight, however, the former – and perhaps soon to be new – welterweight titlist made it clear that he was watching what he ate. “I ain’t messing with the macaroni,” he said. “Too much grease – and sugar. Too much cheese.” Porter, one of the most disciplined athletes on earth, was not about to cheat so close to the sound of the opening bell. “Everything I eat is supposed to work for me on fight night,” he said. “Even with the lasagna, there’s more vegetables in here and healthier cheese than craziness.”

Porter indicated he had even gone so far as to weigh in on what he was going to be eating beforehand. “I made sure everything was drained. There’s no grease in any of this. It’s all good,” he said. “It’s all healthy.” Porter was asked where all the food came from. “Family,” he stated, adding that his wife, Julia, brother in law, and cousin all contributed to the plus-sized meal for what looked to be around twenty people.

*cover photo by David Becker/AP

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