Kell Brook vs Shawn Porter Preview

By Peter Wells:

Shawn Porter (left) & Kell Brook (right)

They say that good things come to those who wait, that patience will be rewarded. The only glitch in this situation is that the phrase mostly comes under the context of being given something after a long wait.

You wait long enough to win the lottery and one day - with a huge dose of good fortune - you might win, but luck nor fate have any say once two fighters face off in the squared circle. A boxer can wait a lifetime - in boxing career terms - and never be rewarded with what they seek.

That is why Kell Brook's long wait for a crack at a world title is not going to come to a halt just because of his patience. Shawn Porter - the IBF Welterweight champion of the world - will have no interest come Saturday night in Kell's quest for glory.

Brook 32-0(22) from Sheffield, heads across the Atlantic to meet Akron, Ohio's undefeated Porter 24-0-1(15). Both are on hot streaks, but it is Porter who has dealt his cards with the higher calibre opponents. The StubHub Center in Carson, California is the venue for this triple header.

Brook endured three cancellations for his proposed title tilt with former IBF titleholder Devon Alexander, twice Brook was forced out with injury and once was Alexander struck down by the injury bug that ended any chance of the fight happening. More likely than not, the cancellations were a blessing in disguise. After dispatching his domestic rivals, Brook was forced to dig deep by unheralded Carson Jones (W MD 12). That was followed by a 3rd round stoppage of overmatched Hector David Saldivia - who for any who watched his previous losses knew what was coming. While it was an eliminator, it didn't seem enough to take Kell into the world title picture of the hottest weight division in boxing.

The cancellation of Brook-Alexander led to a more convincing rematch with Jones (W TKO 8), before an eye-opening 4th round stoppage of Vyacheslav Senchenko. That was followed by a routine 8th round TKO of Alvaro Robles.

But on the other side of the Atlantic, a month prior to the Senchenko victory, Porter was busy dispatching his own demons, outscoring Julio Diaz (W UD 10), whom he had previously drawn with. Then in December the landscape in the 147lbs division was altered as Porter sent Devon Alexander sprawling across the ring for 12 rounds in Brooklyn, winning a unanimous decision, Porter's dominance far from reflected in the scorecards. That was topped in April this year when Porter may well have ended the career of Paulie Malignaggi with a four beating that no one could have predicted. The durable and skilful Malignaggi had no answer for the marauding attacks from Porter.



Porter (left) destroys the quality Malignaggi in 4 rounds

Any chance of Porter underestimating Brook have been quashed by the man himself, who seems to be taking his mandatory challenger very seriously indeed.

Brook's credentials at world level will be put to the test in America, and while his offensive work has gradually improved with the improvement of his opponents, he has twice come close to unravelling when the opponent puts the same spite in his work. Jones forced Brook to dig very deep in the 2nd half of their first contest, when Brook showed the fans and critics alike his ability to suck it up when need be. Then in his destruction of Senchenko, Brook walked onto a hard right hand that wobbled the Englishman, before he regained his composure to score the stoppage in the same round. The question remains of what will happen if and when Porter lands flush?

Porter himself can look rather crude when in attack mode, compared to the neater and more elegant boxing of Brook. If Kell can find his range, he can keep Porter at bay before engaging on his own terms. Porter will swing with the harder but wilder punches, while Kell will land with the more orthodox shots.

All while Porter's punches may look wild, there is a method to his madness, his footwork leads to him cutting the ring off well, offering his opponents no other alternative but to face him head on. This is where Kell will need to display composure. Porter's head movement offers opponents little to counter too.

Porter has the power and the ability to catch, drop and stop Brook early, but to offer this as a final prediction would be unjust to both Brook's chin and ring generalship.



Sakio Bika (left) & Anthony Dirrell (right)

Expect Brook to be marginally ahead at the half way mark - judges in America will side with the aggressive Porter in any tight rounds. Porter's engine keeping him right on Brook's toes throughout, working away when he can trap Brook on the ropes. Porter can also land heavy punches from the outside which will only make things more difficult as the fight wears on for Kell. He displayed this against Alexander when he would land the first punch from distance before darting inside quickly, a tactic he employed all fight.

A stoppage for me isn't on the cards, but Porter can take a close and deserved decision win, after 12 thoroughly enjoyable rounds of excellent boxing and ferocious action from the two fighters.


On the undercard, Sakio Bika 32-5-3(21) is set for a rematch with Anthony Dirrell 26-0-1(22) for the WBC Super Middleweight title.

In the last encounter, they fought to a draw, both fighters hurt on multiple occasions, in a scrappy but fun spectacle.



Omar Figueroa (left) & Daniel Estrada (right)

Expect the same fireworks again this time, but Dirrell can find enough work on the outside to edge out the Australian this time around.

Omar Figueroa 23-0-1(17) also has a knack for exciting fights, and his contest with Daniel Estrada 32-2-1(24) should be no different.

The WBC Lightweight title held by Figueroa is on the line, and he can retain it once again with an entertaining points win. Estrada will offer a good test, but the incredible work rate of Omar will leave him a clear second best.