Shawn Porter Explains His Vision for Boxing, Makes Picks for Upcoming Fights [Exclusive]

KO on SI caught up with Shawn Porter at a local event in Phoenix, Arizona.

Shawn Porter reflects on his career and the fights that stand out in his mind.

Shawn Porter is one of the most well-traveled welterweights of this generation. From fights against Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. and Keith Thurman to headlining cards in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, you can’t discuss boxing in the 2010’s without Porter.

Five years after retiring from boxing after his loss to Crawford, Porter has completely transitioned to the media side of boxing. From calling fights to growing his show, The Porter Way Podcast, he’s found a way to keep himself around the sweet science.

Now Porter is on to his next venture – working as a promoter. Porter, alongside former UFC Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, was an ambassador for the event “Fight Club PHX” in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a small, local fight card that combined three MMA fights with eight boxing matches, headlined by Micky Scala vs. Braulio Rodriguez. The event also featured a DJ along with musical performances.

KO On SI spoke to Porter at the event about his vision for boxing, his career, and his fight picks for headliners in May.

Shawn Porter talked about his decision to become an ambassador for Fight Club PHX. | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

KO On SI: Why did you, alongside Stipe Miocic, decide to become an ambassador for this event?

Shawn Porter: “Because that (Fight Club PHX) is what boxing needs. Boxing doesn’t put on events. It’s just fight, talk, fight, talk, fight, talk. You go to an NBA game and they’re doing stuff in between the halves … that’s why I got involved with this. I’m trying to bring what I’ve seen in different sports and different events into boxing. I feel like that’s the next level for boxing.”

KO On SI: When you look back at your career, what’s a fight that you think back to and think, “wow, that was an absolute war.”

SP: "Keith Thurman. For sure, my fight with Keith Thurman. Also, Danny Garcia. We prepared for that (Garcia’s) left hook just by being aware of it and training for it in the gym over and over … I’d also throw my fight with Errol Spence in there, but I’d say the fight wasn’t necessarily easier than I thought it would be, but we were up before (the knockdown).”

Shawn Porter reflected on his fight with Errol Spence Jr. in 2019. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

KO On SI: I’m going to give you some fight picks for May and I want you to say who you think is going to win. We’ll start with Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani.

SP: "That’s really a great fight, a true 50/50,” Porter said. I actually like Nakatani’s style more than Inoue’s. My heart wants to go with Nakatani, but my brain and everything I’ve learned about boxing is telling me to pick Inoue."

Question: How about David Benavidez vs. Gilberto Ramirez?

SP: "I’m picking Benavidez. His bag is just deeper than Zurdo’s. He has more ability,” Porter said.

Question: Lastly, what about O’Shaquie Foster vs. Ray Ford?

SP: "What a fight that’s going to be. Both guys are really good fighters, but I’m going to have to go with Ray Ford in that one."