Terence Crawford has been waiting for a chance to prove his abilities against the highest levels of competition the welterweight division has to offer. Crawford will receive that opportunity when he steps into the ring with former welterweight champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter.
The fight agreement between the two camps comes after weeks of negotiations between Top Rank Boxing and the Premier Boxing Champions. The boxing match represents one of only a few occasions in which the two organizations worked together amicably.
Terence Crawford is 37-0 with 28 knockouts. Many boxing fans list him toward the top of their pound-for-pound list.
Crawford moved up to the welterweight division three years ago after becoming the undisputed junior welterweight champion. He won the WBO welterweight title from Jeff Horn in his first fight at 147 pounds. Sources close to the negotiations report Crawford will receive at least $6 million for the boxing match.
“I’m very excited,” Crawford explains after waiting three years for a fight with a big-name welterweight. “Now I can show the general public something they have never seen before.”
Shawn Porter is a relentless competitor in the ring. The pressure fighting style he uses inside the ring has earned him a share of the welterweight title on two occasions. The list of fighters Porter faced in the boxing ring is as impressive as anyone fighting today.
Some critics point to Porter’s 2-2 record in fights against top welterweights Errol Spence, Keith Thurman, Yordenis Ugas, and Danny Garcia. But all four boxing matches were competitive, and Porter impressed fans even in defeat.
Shawn Porter is 31-3-1 with 17 credited knockouts. He is guaranteed $4 million for facing off with Crawford.
Porter feels his experience in big fights gives him the edge over Crawford. “Everyone has seen what I can do,” Porter reminds boxing fans. “When I say I have what it takes to beat him, don’t sleep on that.”