Get Those Feet Wet
Hogan Photos
Shawn Porter is a swarmer supreme, crouching into position before leaping into his opponent with ruthless right and left hooks. If that doesn’t work he fires out a long, exaggerated double-jab to work his way in, something he did especially well against former world champions Devon Alexander and Paul Malignaggi.
Adrien Broner, a former super featherweight (albeit a large one), lacks the brute strength it would take to halt Porter’s onrush like the physical specimen Kell Brook did with a large measure of holding and grappling last year.
So instead, Broner needs to commit to using his feet to avoid the freight train that is Porter’s offense. This is something Broner has seemed to have a problem doing.
Too often are Broner’s feet rooted to the ground. He has a good chin—the murderous-punching Marcos Maidana thumped him around the ring but failed to take him out. But the brash Broner shouldn’t test his chin in the pocket the way he does, allowing himself to get touched up for the first half of his fight with the unheralded Emmanuel Taylor last year.
His stagnant feet nearly cost him way back in 2009 against an inexperienced Fernando Quintero (7-0-1) in a fight that analyst and former trainer Teddy Atlas scored a draw on ESPN‘s Friday Night Fights broadcast.
He did use every inch of the canvas earlier this year when he cruised to an uninspiring decision victory over John Molina Jr., but his offense completely vanished.
Add a healthy dose of counter punching to that kind of mobility and Broner is one step closer to upsetting Porter.
