Adrien Broner vs. Shawn Porter
Tony Calcara, Staff Writer
I like this matchup. Shawn Porter brings speed and punching power against Adrien Broner who brings… speed and punching power. Both also had stellar amateur careers.
Like him or not, and many don’t due to details too numerous to cover here, Broner is very talented and is a very good athlete. The knock is his focus, or lack thereof.
Porter, on the other hand, appears to be lasered in on his opponent and I expect a top flight effort from him.
I’m going with Porter. I like his focus and attitude and I’m expecting and A+ performance.
Prediction: Porter
Brandon Glass, Contributing Writer
This is one of the more interesting matchups that PBC has produced so far and I am certainly looking forward to it. It is a significant fight for both Adrien Broner and Shawn Porter as they step up the competition in their second outings after suffering the first loss of their careers in penultimate fights.
Broner has the talent and Porter has the technique. What I mean by this is Broner possesses the natural gifts and abilities to beat any opponent (within reason); whereas Porter’s swarming style is a technique that frustrates any opponent.
First of all let me point out the irony of the “Battle for Ohio” taking place in Las Vegas… as if they couldn’t host the fight in Ohio?
Broner’s camp imposed a 144 pound catch weight on Porter and it’s a possibility it may affect the fights outcome. Porter is a swarmer with a decent punch and he will need to maintain a certain level of endurance to be at his best and overwhelm Broner. That is definitely what Porter wants to do, as evidenced by Marcos Maidana’s blueprint in his scrap with Broner. The catchweight may put Porter’s ability to keep that pace in jeopardy, which I suspect is the main reason it was imposed in the first place.
Broner gets hit a lot. Too much for someone with his talent. Even though Broner employs the shoulder roll, it’s penetrable. This is how we know he can take the punch of a welterweight. If he improves on his porous defense and bad habits–keeping his back off the ropes and utilizes more lateral movement–Broner could win this fight.
Instinctually, my gut says Porter wins, but that’s based on Broner’s tendencies as a fighter. It seems he’s lackadaisical to a fault and I believe that cost him against Maidana. I don’t think he makes the same mistakes in this fight, because he might never rebound (given his persona). I’m rolling with Broner.
Prediction: Broner
Mike Burnell, Staff Writer
Shawn Porter turned professional as a junior middleweight, slimmed down to welterweight and is facing Adrien Broner at a catch weight with a rehydration clause.
All things being equal I would take Porter, but that isn’t the case here. Too many things in Broner’s favor.
Prediction: Broner
Ismael Gallardo, Photographer
Prediction: Porter
Brent Herrin, Staff Writer
Prediction: Porter
Lou Catalano, Senior Writer
Fascinating fight, because it could go several different ways. It could also be a goddamn hug-fest and stink the place out. Shawn Porter will do his usual thing and try to mount Adrien Broner like a rabid animal, while Broner will have to actually throw punches if he wants to breathe.
If, and that’s a big if, Broner ups the output, he should have a field day catching the wild Porter on his way in. But Porter strikes me as a guy you’d have to bat over the head with a cinder block to actually hurt.
Taking into consideration that the catch weight they’re fighting at greatly favors the smaller Broner, I’m still taking Porter by unanimous decision. AB just isn’t busy enough to beat a top opponent.
Prediction: Porter
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
Even with the catch weight bs surround Saturday night’s scrap I’m still looking forward to this fight. I’m a bit worried about Shawn Porter getting down to 144 and then staying below 155 for fight night–which contractually he is obligated to do. But, if he can make the weight comfortably and is his normal bullying self in the ring, I like his chances of beating Adrien Broner.
Broner has been hard at work with “big bro” Floyd Mayweather, training for one of the most important fights of his career. To beat the hard-charging Porter we’ll have to move, work the angles and throw crisp combinations.
The problem is that Broner is too flat footed and likes to sit back and admire his work too much–something Porter surely won’t let him do. I don’t think Broner has the ability–or frame–to lock Porter up in close quarters like Kell Brook did, but he could surprise us all by actually boxing, moving and befuddling Porter with speed and angles.
I’m banking on Porter to solve the problem that is Broner and take a decision victory home to Ohio.
Prediction: Porter
All photos by Ismael Gallardo/RBRBoxing
