NEW YORK: The bad news for Shawn Porter is that he lost his boxing match against Keith Thurman on Saturday, coming up short in his attempt at regaining a world title in the WBA welterweight (147-pound) division.
The good news is that Porter’s bad news wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.
There’s a saying that fighters can win by losing. Porter’s career undoubtedly would’ve been better off had he left Brooklyn with a victory, but he will still reap the benefits of a good performance that fell just a little short in what was otherwise a highly entertaining battle. All three judges scored the fight 115-113, or seven rounds for Thurman to five for Porter.
“I think I won the fight, but I’m satisfied because the competitor [in me] came out tonight,” Porter, a 28-year-old Stow native, said immediately after the fight. “My dad [trainer Kenny Porter] says to keep your head up.”
The fight was close throughout. After eight rounds, two judges had it even at four apiece; the other had Thurman slightly ahead. But Thurman was seen as closing stronger, winning three of the final four rounds on two scorecards and two of four rounds on the other.
The CompuBox punch stats also reflected how competitive the fight was. Thurman was credited with landing 235 punches, including 203 power shots. Porter was credited with landing 236 punches, including 177 power shots.
Nevertheless, it was Porter’s second pro defeat. He is now 26-2-1 with 16 knockouts. The former welterweight titleholder was dethroned in August 2014 by a talented British boxer named Kell Brook. He came back with two wins last year, including a decision over Adrien Broner, to land this fight with Thurman.
He’s wanted a second shot at Brook for nearly two years. Now he’s added a potential sequel with Thurman to his wish list.
“We need that rematch. I know the fans want that rematch,” Porter said. “If he gives me another chance, I’m going to work hard in the ring and leave with his title.”
Porter will have to wait for either rematch, if one comes. Brook will likely take on a fellow welterweight titleholder, Jessie Vargas, in late August or early September. Meanwhile, Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs) owes a fight to contender David Avanesyan and wants to have a unification match with another titleholder at 147, Danny Garcia.
Despite that situation, Porter shouldn’t be out of the spotlight for very long. His adviser, Al Haymon, also works with many of the other noteworthy welterweights. Those fighters will need marketable opponents like Porter. And promoter Lou DiBella, who put on Saturday’s event, believes that Porter will remain quite marketable.
“Shawn deserves to go home happy,” DiBella said. “Either one of these guys can beat or contend with anybody in the welterweight division. These are two elite guys in the division. Neither one of them took a step back tonight.”
Porter wasn’t at the post-fight press conference. He was reportedly dehydrated and went to a local hospital as a precautionary measure after a hard-fought and punishing 12 rounds of action. That left Thurman to speak on behalf of a fighter he knew dating back to their amateur days.
“The beauty of Shawn Porter is that when he lost his IBF title [to Brook], he lost to an undefeated fighter. When he lost tonight, he lost to an undefeated fighter,” Thurman said. “So Shawn Porter is not No. 1 in the world. Shawn Porter is not No. 2 in the world. But Shawn Porter is an exciting and great fighter in the welterweight division, and nobody can deny that.”