Shawn Porter: From Underdog To World Title Defense

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Shawn Porter came in as an underdog last December against champ, Devon Alexander and left the IBF champion. Prior to the fight Porter explained “…[Alexander] is going to be 0-2 in tough, physical fights.” Most pundits scoffed at the idea, Alexander had been the quintessential golden boy, and most felt Porter could not withstand the slow grind that is Alexander. They were wrong. 
 
Porter, who now heads into a bout against Paulie Malignaggi in Washington D.C. April 19th in the Armory, now finds himself the favorite. “Paulie is a two time world champion and a great fighter. He is too smart to not take this fight serious,” Porter explained as questions have risen around when Malignaggi would have time to train for the fight. Malignaggi, who is becoming one of the most critically acclaimed broadcasters in the sport of boxing, has had a jam packed two months traveling to Golden Boy Live Monday Night fight cards, as well as the major showtime events. 
 
Porter still has his own doubters who point to his first bout with Julio Diaz as the end all be all of Porter’s professional career. “I think it’s good and bad. iI’s unfair to judge someone off one fight and if anyone is judging me off one fight, I urge them to check out my other fights.” Porter has been questioned as just this week callers on the complimentary podcast to this great site told host Nestor Gibbs that they felt Porter was not that great because he went life or death with Julio Diaz in the first fight. It is that unwillingness to see beyond is first fight that hurts him. 
 
Porter, 26, views the championship,“…as the next step in [his] career,” though  he noted that it is time for him to defend it and hold onto it for a while. Many peoples thought Porter was being thrown to the slaughter facing Alexander, a man who had heavy financial backing dating back to the Timothy Bradley fight, yet never delivered in his fights. Porter’s career defining performance seemed to give birth to a star in many ways, but also allowed  the welterweight division to get new life.  With a new champion comes new match-ups in a division that right now is the premier division in boxing. It is home to the two biggest fighters in the world, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. 
 
Yet, it is his father, Ken Porter, who has been Shawn Porter’s trainer the whole time and the constant who helps keep things in place. “We have nothing but love in our camp. I’m blessed to have him. He’s an elite trainer in boxing, but he is also my father. So, I know he will always do what’s best for me as a boxer and a son.” 
 
Porter is hoping to return on April 19th and make a statement to potentially put himself in the running for Fighter of the Year, since the first quarter of boxing has been sleepy at best. Shawn Porter will face Paulie Malignaggi in the co-main event of the Bernard Hopkins vs. Beibut Shumenov at The DC Armory in Washington D.C.