Shawn Porter vs. Sebastian Formella media call highlights

Former welterweight champion Shawn Porter meets Sebastian Formella on Saturday, Aug. 22. Here’s what they had to say during their media call. 

Welterweight Shawn Porter is anxious to fight for another title, but he has to battle Sebastian Formella first. They addressed the media ahead of their Saturday, Aug. 22 bout on FOX.

Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs), 32, of Las Vegas, Nevada, held the WBC title before losing it to Errol Spence Jr. in 2019. He wants to regain what was once his. The pandemic has stalled his dreams, but he’s ready to return to the ring.

Formella (22-0, 10 KOs), 33, of Germany, is relatively unknown despite his perfect record. He’s a massive underdog but has a chance at relevance.

Here’s what Porter and Formella said to the media days before their matchup.

Sebastian Formella quotes

“We made plans A, B, and C because Porter is a strong fighter who comes forward and attacks the body and head. He has heavy hands, so we looked at his mistakes and made a plan to box him and show off our style. I have good footwork and can move around. I think it will be an interesting style for him to face. I have the skills to make life very difficult in the ring for Shawn Porter.

“We sparred with Yordenis Ugas for a week, but we also worked with other strong fighters who really trained me to fight on the inside. All of the work put me in a great position. I learned a lot in that week with Ugas, and I will show it in the fight.

“Shawn Porter is a complete fighter, but we have a plan to beat him, and that’s what we will do on Saturday. It’s very important for me to get this win and open the door for more big fights. Welterweight is a strong division in the U.S., and I have to do everything I can to earn more opportunities.”

Shawn Porter is expected to blow out Sebastian Formella, but Formella has a puncher’s chance. Nothing is guaranteed in boxing.

Shawn Porter quotes

“We’ve trained hard and endured the conditions that everyone has had to endure and made the most of it. We started training in my father’s backyard in April, and now we’re back up and running. We’ve done everything we were able to do against any other fighter in preparation for this fight.

“I think Formella has more of an amateur rhythm because he’s not going to fight in the middle of the ring and slip and counter. He has a very well developed style of fighting that has helped him get to where he is.

“The plan is to get back into a world title fight. I don’t know exactly when that plan will come together, but I’ll be ready. I’m keeping my eye on the Errol Spence, Jr. vs. Danny Garcia fight as a potential future opponent, but also as a fan of the sport.

“One thing we really worked on in this fight, without even knowing we were facing Formella, is our power. We did our strength program longer than we normally would, and I know that the power is going to show up on Saturday night.”

Porter vs. Formella is a mismatch on paper, but anything can happen in boxing.

The undercard features a competitive contest between undefeated super welterweight Sebastian Fundora (14-0-1, 9 KOs) and Nathaniel Gallimore (21-4-1, 17 KOs). The 6-foot-5 Fundora is undefeated, but Gallimore has fought the better opposition. He knocked out current IBF, IBO, and WBA champion Jeison Rosario in 2017.

“The experience is definitely something that I have over him,” said Gallimore. “But I just know that in my last couple fights I wasn’t really near my best. I know what I really bring to the table, and I’m going to execute and do what I do best on Saturday.”

Fundora responded, “This an opportunity to face another elite fighter, so a win will definitely get me closer to the title. The final decision will be up to my team, but I feel like I’ll be ready soon. I think this is the toughest competition of my career. Getting a win will be a big step forward.”

You can catch all the action on Saturday, Aug. 22, on FOX at 8 p.m. ET.