Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter meet on Saturday, Sept. 28 in a welterweight unification pay-per-view bout. Hereās what they had to say to the media.
IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. is one boxingās best fighters, but he has a valid test in WBC champion Shawn Porter. The two meet in a FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view event on Saturday, Sept. 28. Spence is the consensus pre-fight favorite, but Porter is a battle-tested veteran.
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Spence and Porter spoke to the media via conference call. Both men are incredibly confident. Hereās what they had to say a little more than a week before their showdown.
Shawn Porter quotes to the media:
Question: So it is Spence specifically that you wanted to fight or was it Spence was a guy that had one of the other world titles?
Porter: I think itās Spence specifically. I think itās specifically Spence because of not only him having a belt but who is and what heās done in the sport so far. Being undefeated and, again, being coined as the boogeyman of the division Iām like, āYo, I need that. I need to beat that guy. I need to fight that guy.ā And so thatās where the hunger really comes from for me.
Q: Spence has said heās going to knock you out and there are other people who have said that heās going to be the first person to do that. Has that surprised you or driven you at all because youāve always shown such a great chin?
Iām not surprised to hear him say he wants to knock me out. Heās even said Iām going to knock you out. Iām not surprised to hear him say that because I know his mentality. I know who he is as a person. Heās very, very driven and competitive, and I get that. The part about it for me is I think he may be trying to psyche himself out into thinking he can do it.
I think I have a proven chin. Iāve got a record for saying no fighter really wants to prove his chin. We never want to get hit, get hurt, anything like that but Iāve taken some pretty good shots from some top guys out there, and Iāve managed to handle that and win and come out on top.
So when it comes to Errol Spence, I donāt look at his power any different than anyone else Iāve been in the ring with and Iām going to go at him like Iāve gone at Keith Thurman, like Iāve gone at Danny Garcia, like Iāve gone at Yordenis Ugas, Devon Alexander and the list goes on from there.
Q: Shawn, he said that you were a dirty fighter obviously in one of those FOX shows. Does that bother you, or what was your opinion of that?
No, it doesnāt bother me. I think thatās his perspective. I think there may have been looking at film of me maybe and pulling on some things that he can take advantage of and he may think that my roughness, heās misconstruing that for dirtiness.
If he canāt handle the roughness then you will find out real soon, and if thatās whatās working for us well then thatās what weāll do. Weāll be rough, weāll be hard, weāll be rugged, weāll keep the pressure on him, and we all know pressure bursts pipes.
Q: When you look at Errolās style, how do you see that faring against your style compared to when you fought Ugas? Do you see yourself having an easier or harder time dealing with Errol compared to Ugas?
No comparison. I think styles makes fights. I think you said it yourself. Theyāre two completely different styles. I think that they both have or in Yordenisā case had, things that present problems for anyone that are in the ring.
I think for me I think my speed and my quickness against Errol Spence is definitely going to be superior. I think my foot movement is going to be superior and I think that itās going to open up a lot more opportunities. I think that Yordenis in the ring with me was a little confused. He was expecting me to have a different style than I came to him with and I think that really shook him up. Iām expecting to shake up Errol Spence.
Errol Spence Jr. quotes to the media:
Question: Porter seems to be a guy that would be more your equal than maybe your past few opponents. What is your opinion of that?
Spence:Ā I see him as a tough opponent. Heās the world champion, and he throws a lot of punches. He is very energetic. So thatās why heās a success. Heās a rough guy, and he does whatever it takes to win. So from that aspect and him beating Danny Garcia, I see him as a tough test.
Q: Were you disappointed you couldnāt get Pacquiao next and sort of settled for Porter?
I was just looking for the next available guy. I wanted a unification fight too. Shawn Porter was the easiest fight to make and the quickest fight to make. So, thatās why I decided with the fight, Shawn Porter.
I wanted the chance to beat Pacquiao. Pacquiao is a bigger name and a bigger fight. So, of course I wanted that fight. But Shawn Porter is the champion too. He has the build. So, I definitely wanted to unify too. I knew that if I wasnāt going to get Pacquiao there was going to be a good chance I was going to fight Shawn Porter.
Q: Do you believe the winner of this fight should be considered the best welterweight in the world?
Definitely. Thereās no way around it. The winner is the unified champion. So, I definitely think the winner should be considered the top welterweight in the world, and that makes me even more excited and hungry to win.
Q: This fight youāve been a lot more vocal that youāre going for a knockout. Usually, youāreā more reluctant to say that. Just wanted to know if that has to do with his style how your styles will mesh, your overall respect for him as a fighter, or just the mindset youāre bringing to this fight?
Itās just my overall mindset and something I want. I feel like the way he fights and the way he comes forward, I think I can exploit that. But I canāt go in there and just force knock out. Iām going to try to work a bit and break him down.
Spence vs. Porter takes place on Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Staples Center. The fight is offered throughĀ FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view. Pay-per-view coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET.