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By: Sean Crose
“Me and my dad have been working hard since April staying ready for this opportunity to get back in the ring,” says Shawn Porter, two time titlist and top welterwight. “Over the past couple of years, any time I step in the ring there are some new wrinkles to my game.” The 30-3-1 Porter will be back in action this Saturday night, when he faces the undefeated 22-0 Sebastian Formella before Fox cameras at LA’s Microsoft Theater.
Porter’s opponent this weekend, Sebastian, has been working his way up the ladder, and now has the chance of a lifetime in facing Porter. For, should he beat the two time welterweight titlist – who is also one of the most popular names of the sport – the 33 year old Sebastian will see his star rise to new heights. “I have always said that I wanted to compete against the best, and now I have that chance on Saturday, August 22,” Formella claims. “Even though the experts may think I’m the underdog, I have trained hard for this fight and will give everything I have in the ring. Shawn Porter is rightly a superstar in this weight class and I’m excited to get in the ring and test myself against him.”
While Formella isn’t lacking in confidence, Porter makes it clear he isn’t taking things lightly, either. “We understand,” he says, “that you can’t fight one way against everyone, so you’re going to see some small, slight wrinkles, but I’ll always been an aggressive fighter. Once I smell that blood, I’m going for it. We’re excited to show off a different side of Shawn Porter.” Now 32 years of age, Porter has faced a who’s who of contemporary standouts. Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, Danny Garcia, and Adrien Broner have all faced the fighter named “Showtime,” who remains one of the game’s more entertaining practitioners.
Also on the card this weekend will be super welterweights Sebastián Fundora and Nathaniel Gallimore. Fundura, 14-0-1, is hoping to use his six and a half foot frame to his advantage, not that he believes height alone will carry the night against the 21-4-1 Gallimore. “You have to be at your very best when there’s adversity, like this pandemic, and I will be the best version of myself when I face Gallimore,” Fundora says. “You’ve only got three choices in life: give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got.”
