Ray Beltran, former lightweight champion
How Porter wins: The most success other fighters have had against Crawford has been in the first three or four rounds, but after that, Crawford figured them out and took over. Porter is very aggressive and very wild, he may give Crawford some problems, won't give him time to adjust. So his best chance is in the first few rounds. Porter has to make it a street fight, fight dirty, be wild, aggressive, don't give Crawford a chance to get in rhythm. Like when Jose Luis Castillo fought Floyd Mayweather the first time, Castillo was aggressive, lashing out, being wild. Porter has to do the same against Crawford, who's a very good defensive fighter like Mayweather was.
X-factor: Crawford's accuracy. Sometimes people think about his speed and his power, but his accuracy is incredible. His timing is so good. He's patient, and he knows when to throw his punches. Like Mikey Garcia, he's not that fast, but he knows when to land his punches. Crawford is the same way.
Prediction: Crawford by decision, but I wouldn't be surprised if Crawford pushes the fight and gets a KO in Round 8 or Round 9.
Shawn Porter has his best shot if he can put Terence Crawford on his heels, as he did at times against Errol Spence Jr. Franck Bachini/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Aureliano Sosa, trainer to Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller, Peter Quillin and Chris Colbert
How Crawford wins: Crawford is going to have to keep Porter at a certain distance, because Porter is gonna keep coming and coming. He's very aggressive, and he throws shots from any angle. As far as talent, Crawford is the better fighter. But he has to control that distance. And to do that, Crawford is going to rely on his jab, throw a lot of jabs, feints, not a lot of movement, but those half-steps back he's so good at. Keep Porter at the end of his jab, and when he sees that Porter makes a mistake or is being overly aggressive, he has to make him pay. And how does he do that? Porter is going to be leaning in or launching in, and that's when Crawford has to land his combinations. If Porter is leaning in, use the uppercut. If he's launching in, use the right hand. But he needs to catch Porter coming in.
How Porter wins: He has to be on Crawford's chest from the beginning to the end. He's definitely gonna have to be more aggressive, because Crawford's talent is a little better ... actually not that much. Porter has fought everybody. He's seen different kinds of offense and defense; he's seen it all. But in order for him to win, he has to be in Crawford's face, throw a lot of punches. Don't be a gentleman. Be a bully. Hit him; bite him. Do whatever you have to do to get him off his game plan and stay busy for all 12 rounds.
X-factor: Pressure. Porter has to test Crawford's chin. Crawford is considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but in reality he really hasn't fought an A-guy, an elite guy. He fought Kell Brook, Amir Khan, Viktor Postol, but they were past their prime or not elite. This is Crawford's biggest test, even with Porter probably in the back part of his career. But Porter has fought everybody and should be a tough matchup for Crawford, the toughest of his career so far.
Prediction: Crawford by unanimous decision. I wouldn't be surprised if Crawford catches Porter coming in with a perfect counter shot. If he catches Porter at the right time, there's a good possibility he could stop him.
Shakur hella disrespectful
How Porter wins: The most success other fighters have had against Crawford has been in the first three or four rounds, but after that, Crawford figured them out and took over. Porter is very aggressive and very wild, he may give Crawford some problems, won't give him time to adjust. So his best chance is in the first few rounds. Porter has to make it a street fight, fight dirty, be wild, aggressive, don't give Crawford a chance to get in rhythm. Like when Jose Luis Castillo fought Floyd Mayweather the first time, Castillo was aggressive, lashing out, being wild. Porter has to do the same against Crawford, who's a very good defensive fighter like Mayweather was.
X-factor: Crawford's accuracy. Sometimes people think about his speed and his power, but his accuracy is incredible. His timing is so good. He's patient, and he knows when to throw his punches. Like Mikey Garcia, he's not that fast, but he knows when to land his punches. Crawford is the same way.
Prediction: Crawford by decision, but I wouldn't be surprised if Crawford pushes the fight and gets a KO in Round 8 or Round 9.
Shawn Porter has his best shot if he can put Terence Crawford on his heels, as he did at times against Errol Spence Jr. Franck Bachini/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Aureliano Sosa, trainer to Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller, Peter Quillin and Chris Colbert
How Crawford wins: Crawford is going to have to keep Porter at a certain distance, because Porter is gonna keep coming and coming. He's very aggressive, and he throws shots from any angle. As far as talent, Crawford is the better fighter. But he has to control that distance. And to do that, Crawford is going to rely on his jab, throw a lot of jabs, feints, not a lot of movement, but those half-steps back he's so good at. Keep Porter at the end of his jab, and when he sees that Porter makes a mistake or is being overly aggressive, he has to make him pay. And how does he do that? Porter is going to be leaning in or launching in, and that's when Crawford has to land his combinations. If Porter is leaning in, use the uppercut. If he's launching in, use the right hand. But he needs to catch Porter coming in.
How Porter wins: He has to be on Crawford's chest from the beginning to the end. He's definitely gonna have to be more aggressive, because Crawford's talent is a little better ... actually not that much. Porter has fought everybody. He's seen different kinds of offense and defense; he's seen it all. But in order for him to win, he has to be in Crawford's face, throw a lot of punches. Don't be a gentleman. Be a bully. Hit him; bite him. Do whatever you have to do to get him off his game plan and stay busy for all 12 rounds.
X-factor: Pressure. Porter has to test Crawford's chin. Crawford is considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but in reality he really hasn't fought an A-guy, an elite guy. He fought Kell Brook, Amir Khan, Viktor Postol, but they were past their prime or not elite. This is Crawford's biggest test, even with Porter probably in the back part of his career. But Porter has fought everybody and should be a tough matchup for Crawford, the toughest of his career so far.
Prediction: Crawford by unanimous decision. I wouldn't be surprised if Crawford catches Porter coming in with a perfect counter shot. If he catches Porter at the right time, there's a good possibility he could stop him.
Shakur hella disrespectful
fukking decision.
