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Terence Crawford returns saturday night on ESPN pay-per-view. Standing in his way is the biggest challenge of his career in 'Showtime' Shawn Porter.
Crawford's WBO welterweight championship is at stake in this one. 'Bud' last defended his crown vs. former IBF champion Kell Brook.
Prior to Saturday night's pay-per-view, let's examine what to expect from Crawford and Porter.
Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: Preview
Terence Crawford is in a weird spot heading into Saturday. He's in the position of everyone knowing how good he is, but never really getting the chance to prove it.
Mainly due to boxing politics, Crawford has fought a lot of decent opponents, but they aren't the fights fans want to see. Names like Amir Khan and Kell Brook look good on paper, until you remember they were years past their prime when Crawford faced them.
Well, 'Bud' is finally getting his big matchup in Shawn Porter. Porter is one of the best welterweights on the planet and is sure to bring the fight to Crawford.
While Terence Crawford is a sizeable favorite heading into the bout, it's far from given that he'll beat Porter. 'Showtime' has been in this spot once before. Against Errol Spence Jr. he was an even bigger underdog in 2019 when he pushed the IBF champion to his limit.
Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter: Prediction
Terence Crawford is one of the more complete boxers you're going to find. He's defensively sound, and we've only seen him cracked hard once, against Egidijus Kavaliauskas in 2019.
Crawford obviously turned around the Kavaliauskas bout and ended it in the ninth-round, showcasing his trademark power. With 28 knockouts, he's not a traditional one-punch knockout type. Crawford generally picks and chooses his shots, which can lead to drawn-out beatings like his 2018 win over Jeff Horn.
Conversely, Shawn Porter is all about pressure. Porter generally walks down and overwhelms his opponent with pressure; like Crawford, he's not a traditional knockout artist. Even so, he has multiple jarring fights under his belt due to his action style.
In a fight like this, we're going to learn a lot early. If Porter is able to cut off the ring, and make Crawford guess, he might score the upset. Although, we're far more likely to see Crawford outbox Porter for the majority of the bout.
The Outcome
Shawn Porter may be one of the toughest men in boxing, but it won't be enough on Saturday night. In the game of chess that is pugilism, Terrance Crawford is king.
Porter will give him some trouble, win some rounds and may even put Crawford on the canvas. However, Crawford is simply the cleaner and more defensively-sound option. Expect Terence Crawford to outpoint 'Showtime' on Saturday night.
Prediction: Terence Crawford via decision.
