The Long Trap: Crawford vs. Porter (Patreon)

By Sam (@LiberationistMA)

Terence 'Bud' Crawford is undefeated in 38 fights and has 29 knockouts. He is the welterweight king. However, he has yet to fight the other two notable fighters of his generation, Errol Spence Jr. and Keith Thurman. As a consolation, Crawford faced Shawn Porter.

Shawn Porter has faced both Spence and Thurman, losing to Spence by split decision and Thurman by unanimous decision. Outside of Spence and Thurman, this was to be Crawford's toughest test, and it was.

Inspired by Marvin Hagler, Porter started the fight aggressively. Porter's speed, work rate, and willingness to exchange in firefights were giving Crawford problems. Crawford is a fluid stance fighter and began the fight from an orthodox stance. According to Crawford, round one was when he figured Shawn Porter out.

Crawford is known for starting slowly to gather information. This is a pattern among many great fighters. What makes them great is that they'll take the time to understand their opponents, which is how they beat their opponents. From the orthodox stance, Crawford was able to gauge range. In round two, from southpaw, Crawford began to throw left uppercuts and body shots.

The fight was competitive, with Crawford and Porter splitting rounds. Porter was finding success throughout the fight with his right overhand. But Porter ever so slightly began to slow down. Crawford began to land more body shots. From opposite stances, fighters stand further away than when standing conventionally. Combine this with Crawford stepping back ever so slightly, and Porter began to lunge in.

In round ten, Crawford finally caught Porter with an uppercut as he was lunging in. Porter fell to the canvas. Porter got back up, and referee Celestino Ruiz checked Porter's eyes and saw what he needed to see, and the fight resumed. Porter didn't look visibly shaken, but he was out of answers. His primary attack just got him dropped. Porter, however, was still willing to exchange in firefights. This is not necessarily a bad idea, as hitting your opponent is part of sound defense. But when Porter threw that right overhand again, Crawford moved out of the way and caught Porter with hooks, dropping Porter to the canvas for the second time in the round.

Porter, this time, couldn't get up as quickly and was visibly upset. He punched the canvas as he tried to get back to his feet. His trainer and father, Kenny Porter, had seen enough and stopped the fight, saving his son from further damage. Porter was dazed, out of answers, and Crawford is one of the best finishers in boxing. The right call was made. If there was any doubt, Porter has been dropped on two other occasions—against Spence and Adrien Broner. Kenny Porter allowed both fights to continue.

The UFC had their own card on the same night where Coach John Wood allowed his wife, Joanne Wood, to get dropped twice then choked out. In the UFC, this is apparently the right call. In fact, no one batted an eye.