Shawn “Showtime” Porter pulled off a mild upset this weekend when he dominated Adrien “The Problem” Broner on NBC in a primetime television slot that was likely meant for Broner to shine. He was the B-side, and had to weigh in at a career-low 144 pounds for the fight to take place. Porter did not looked drained, and attacked Broner with his usual strength and energy.
Porter never hurt Broner badly, but he was able to muscle him inside, and his punch output was greater. The last time Broner lost, the man who beat him, Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, received not one, but two fights vs. pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Porter would no doubt jump at the opportunity, but this time around it’s unlikely beating Broner will net such a great reward. After the fight, Mayweather shook his head when asked if he would think about fighting Porter in September and suggested Porter fight on his undercard.
Then, Mayweather brought up Andre Berto and Karim Mayfield as options. Neither fighter would bring more to the table than Porter, so it’s more likely those names were meant to slight Amir Khan, the presumptive frontrunner.
In any case, beating Broner restored Porter’s cache after he was convincingly beaten by undefeated Kell Brook for the IBF welterweight title in 2014. Here are the most likely next opponents for Porter later this year.
Keith Thurman
Thurman will be in the ring on July 11 against Luis Collazo headlining the first ever Premier Boxing Champions card to be shown on ESPN, but Collazo will be a heavy underdog vs. the unbeaten Thurman. If Thurman defeats Collazo as expected, a high-profile fight vs. Porter could be set up.
The winner of that fight would be in line for a shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr. if he decides against retirement after his next fight in Septmeber. It could set up a big bout vs. either Kell Brook or Amir Khan in England at Wembley Stadium. It could even set up a fight vs. Manny Pacquiao or Danny Garcia at 147 pounds, depending on how he looks vs. Paulie Malignaggi on August 1.
Robert Guerrero
Guerrero barely got past a journeyman in Aaron Martinez in his last fight, and was battered by Thurman in his preceding bout. PBC has had some bizarre matchmaking though, and after Porter’s surprising win over Broner, they may choose to put him in a fight vs. a name opponent that’s starting to look shopworn.
Guerrero has been in wars since his 2013 fight vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., and he is on the downside of his career. He will always be entertaining though, and beating him puts two straight wins over recognizable fighters on Porter’s resume.
Amir Khan
This is a longshot, but if Khan is spurned once again by Mayweather, he probably won’t be able to turn to Kell Brook, since Brook is working to find his next opponent already and is engaging Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios. Khan needs to keep his momentum going at welterweight, and Porter would make for an entertaining fight, as well as one that fans will view as credible.
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