One of 2019's most significant fights takes place on Saturday night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles when Errol Spence Jr. battles Shawn Porter in a welterweight title unification bout.
But with the way the lead-up has gone, it feels like all Spence has to do is waltz in and throw a couple punches before it will be over. Most pundits think Spence is overall the better fighter — and one of boxing's pound-for-pound best — while Porter would need the performance of a lifetime to walk out with two belts. The odds at Sportsbook Review reflect the same thing. As of Wednesday, they've installed Spence as a 9/1 favorite and Porter as a 6/1 underdog.
WBC titleist Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) has heard the chatter from those on the outside looking in. He feels like he's had to overcome one thing that Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) has never dealt with: adversity. Because of that, he thinks he'll have an edge come fight night.
"I’ve never really seen Errol deal with any adversity," Porter told DAZN News. "I don’t think anyone has ever challenged him the way I can challenge him. I’m really looking forward to it. I think there’s a combination that comes with facing Shawn Porter that you don’t get and can’t really find. It’s a combination of speed, quickness, power, agility, and even intelligence. You got to make a lot of adjustments on the fly. You got to be ready. I’m a hard man to prepare for. I think I have one or two things that he’s expecting and it’s just not going to go that way."
Fighters go through stretches where they don't have to deal with adversity, then don't know how to handle it when it comes back. In Porter's mind, when he takes control of the fight, Spence is going to be confused and not know how to make the proper adjustments.
"I’m expecting him to be," Porter said. "I expect just the adversity of the understanding that he’s losing the fight and that’s going to mess with him. He’s not solid from a psychological standpoint. I’ve seen it in interviews whether it was with me or not with me. I’ve seen enough to know that from a psychological standpoint, I have the advantage. I know how to get into his head. I know how to bother him. I think that will start to mess up the physical things that are going to happen in the ring."
The 31-year-old has had difficult bouts in the past against Adrien Broner, Keith Thurman, Andre Berto, Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas, against whom he earned a split-decision victory. While complimentary Spence table, "Showtime" doesn't think he changes up his game enough — hence making it easier to figure him out.
"I really don’t think there’s going to be a lot to figure out," Porter said. "The game plan is to make him make the adjustments because I know things don’t go the way you planned. I still think he’s a one, one-two, a straight left to the body and a hook to the body guy. He’s doesn’t feint. He’s not tripling up on the jab. He’s really not giving you a whole lot to adjust too. However, what he does is supreme, and he’s great. I’m looking forward to going up against it."