Now that Shawn Porter has beaten Sebastian Formella in their IBF/WBC elimination match, the former IBF and WBC welterweight champion can’t see any reason he shouldn’t become the mandatory challenger for the winner of the upcoming Errol Spence Jr.-Danny Garcia fight.
Las Vegas’ Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) defeated Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) by unanimous decision to win the then-vacant WBC 147-pound crown in September 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) topped Porter by split decision in their title unification fight last September 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“I’m looking forward to a championship fight after [defeating Formella],” Porter told BoxingScene.com. “As we all know, Formella was not in my plans. But I did what I had to do to do what I wanna do. What I want is to fight for a world title. As far as I know, there should be two titles on the line [in my next fight].”
The 32-year-old Porter easily defeated Formella (22-1, 10 KOs) in a 12-round fight FOX televised Saturday night from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Porter won all 12 rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards (120-108, 120-108, 120-108).
Porter is ranked first among the WBC’s welterweight contenders. He is rated ninth by the IBF, one spot behind Formella, but that obviously will change when the IBF next releases rankings.
Uzbekistan’s Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (17-0, 9 KOs), the IBF’s number one welterweight contender, will face third-ranked Kazakh Sergey Lipinets (16-0, 12 KOs) for the IBF’s interim 147-pound championship October 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The winner will secure a shot at the Spence-Garcia winner.
“I’m looking to become the mandatory for the WBC and the IBF titles,” Porter said. “Right now, that would be the winner of Danny Garcia and Errol Spence Jr.”
Porter isn’t sure whether Spence or Garcia will win their fight for Spence’s IBF and WBC titles November 21. That’ll depend, according to Porter, whether Spence is the same fighter after suffering cuts, bruises and dental damage in a one-car accident 10 months ago in Dallas that left him hospitalized.
Regardless, Porter just wants a chance to win back the two titles he once owned.
“When I fought Danny for the WBC title, it was about the WBC title,” Porter said. “It wasn’t about Danny. It didn’t have anything to do with anything except that I wanted to become a champion again. I think that could be the same thing this time around. I don’t think it matters who the opponent is. I think more so, it’s about becoming a champion again and having that title again is what I’m after.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.