Former two-time world welterweight champion Shawn Porter dominated tough German Sebastian Formella in an IBF title eliminator to line himself up for the winner of November’s clash between previous foes Errol Spence and Danny Garcia.
Scores were 120-108 on all three cards as Porter won every round in Saturday night’s encounter at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
“He was a tough fighter,” said Porter. “After about six rounds, my dad [trainer Kenny Porter] told me that he’s going to keep taking these punches, so I just needed to keep the pressure on him.
“The gameplan was to use finesse and subtlety. I went in there looking for the shot and ready to take the openings. I wanted to be aggressive, but not too aggressive, because we knew he would run. We worked on cutting off the ring and I think it all worked out tonight.
“For me, it made sense to fight up on my toes. It’s a different type of rhythm and a lot of guys don’t know when I’m coming and going. I think it mixed things up for Formella tonight. We worked on fast jabs, powerful jabs, directing the jab and today he couldn’t tell which one was coming. I was popping his head back and of course also going to the body.
“We had a lot of film on Formella,” added Porter. “I knew that his focus would be on his feet and, when it wasn’t the feet, he would be covering up. I could tell his corner was telling him to punch with me or right after me, so he connected on me that way. I had to get on a different rhythm for him. He was able to play some chess and he did well. My dad always says that the mind controls everything. I think he had his mind made up that he was going to take everything and go 12 rounds. His body followed his mind tonight.
“We definitely worked on throwing the overhand right for this fight. We worked on our power a lot and in the beginning I wanted to land that overhand right. I was really keyed in on that. My dad said to stick to the speed and that would set up the power. I switched it up to straight rights to the body because that’s more of a speed punch.”
Porter (31-3-1, 17 KOs) applied intelligent pressure early as Formella (22-1, 10 KOs) employed his neat boxing and used his jab to stem the oncoming attacks. The American’s greater variety and ferocious body-punching swiftly took over as Formella’s only realistic goal became survival.
The German battled back gamely in the middle rounds, but Porter’s strength and superior punch output dominated round after round.
“I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere,” said Porter afterwards as he looked ahead to a prospective fight with Spence, who he narrowly lost to in 2019, or Garcia, who he outscored in 2018.
“There’s no telling what they’ll see from me in a rematch. I think both guys can also make adjustments. That’s what makes rematches so great, the fans have seen what both of you can do and they want to see who will make the right adjustments. I definitely think that I will be a little different against either guy.”
In the co-main event, super-welterweight Sebastian ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) torched Nathaniel Gallimore (21-5-1, 17 KOs) in the sixth round.
“I give my performance a 10 out of 10,” said Fundora. “I did what I had to do tonight. We’re always working on our distance and controlling that part of the fight, because I know I’m going to need it throughout my career. Whatever my team thinks is best for me next, I’ll be ready for it.”
An almost ridiculous 6ft 6ins for a 154-pounder, Fundora used his range to spear Gallimore after the Jamaican caused issues early on with his inside work and crisp counters. Fundora’s ceaseless punch output gradually overwhelmed Gallimore who relied on one big punch to change the narrative.
Halfway through the sixth, Fundora’s non-stop assaults forced referee Ray Corona to halt the bout with Gallimore in no position to continue, having apparently suffered a leg injury during the fight.
Also on the card, hot 160lbs prospect Joey Spencer (11-0, 8 KOs) floored Shawn West (5-2, 3 KOs) twice on his way to a fourth-round stoppage victory while welterweight Justin DeLoach (19-4, 10 KOs) scored a first round KO of Livan Navarro (11-1, 7 KOs).
Meanwhile, super-middleweight Edward Ortiz (11-0-2, 4 KOs) earned a split-decision victory over Antonio Todd (7-4, 4 KOs). Scores were 77-75 for Ortiz (twice) overruling a 77-75 nod for Todd.
Main image: Sean Michael Ham/TGB Promotions.