Shawn Porter rolls Sebastian Formella, eyes title shot
Las Vegas resident and former two-time welterweight world champion boxer Shawn Porter had a message for the rest of the division Saturday night.
“I’m still here, baby,” Porter said on Fox, moments after a clinical performance against Sebastian Formella. “I ain’t going nowhere.”
Porter (31-3-1, 17 knockouts) ended an 11-month layoff with a unanimous 120-108 victory over Formella (22-1, 10 KOs) at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The fight capped a card produced by Premier Boxing Champions and served as an IBF and WBC welterweight title eliminator.
Unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. will defend his unified IBF and WBC belts Nov. 21 against Danny Garcia, and Porter could be in line to face the winner.
“Both guys could make adjustments against me, and I think that’s the best part of a rematch,” said Porter, who beat Garcia in 2018 and lost to Spence last year. “I definitely think that I will be a little different in both fights. No telling how, yet.”
Porter, 32, last fought Sept. 27, losing a split decision — and his WBC title — to Spence in one of the most entertaining fights of 2019. He resumed training here in April in preparation for what he hopes is an eventual title opportunity.
His training paid off Saturday.
Porter controlled the pace and tempo against the 33-year-old Formella, a skilled but relatively anonymous opponent from Germany who made his American debut. He worked at different distances, dominating from the inside and outside by pressuring Formella, leading with his jab and following with power punches.
Porter connected on a career-high 304 punches, according to CompuBox, including 216 power punches. Formella landed 148 total punches.
Porter’s next opponent will likely provide much more resistance.
Smith Jr. rolls Alvarez
Joe Smith Jr. (26-3, 21 KOs) stopped Eleider Alvarez (25-2, 13 KOs) in the ninth round of their WBO light heavyweight title eliminator, earning a knockout victory in Top Rank’s first card this month at MGM Grand.
WBC and WBO super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez will defend his titles Saturday against Viktor Postol.
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
