Boxing is delivering fights that matter right now, and we get another terrific match Saturday night when Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter face off in Las Vegas.
Crawford (37-0) puts his WBO welterweight title on the line against Porter (31-3-1) in an eagerly-awaited matchup. ‘Bud’ also looks to further push himself into the conversation around who is currently boxing’s P4P king, a spot for many owned by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Canelo cemented his status just over a week ago with a brilliant stoppage of Caleb Plant to annex all of the world titles at super-middleweight (168lbs). Now Crawford gets his chance to respond.
Hopefully one day we will get to see that eagerly-awaited welterweight unification showdown with fellow unbeaten star Errol Spence Jr. – but boxing has a history of not delivering the fights that matter when they most matter.
For now this is a nice consolation prize – and here is all you need to know ahead of fight night.
Crawford vs Porter odds
Crawford is a pretty hot favorite to maintain his unbeaten record Saturday night, currently trading at -500 (bet $500 to win $100) with FanDuel. You can get +450 (bet $100 to win $450) about the underdog Porter with bet365.
The Draw is always a nice long shot to bet as a saver for big fights, and the best odds available are +2200 with SugarHouse and Unibet.
Predictions & Best Bets
Crawford faces a legitimate test here against the skilled and rugged Porter, a two-time world champion in his own right. Crawford went ‘undisputed’ at 140 but since moving up to the welterweight division has failed to land the mega-fights his talents deserve.
While ‘P4P’ rival Canelo has cleaned out the super-middleweight division to become boxing’s biggest star, ‘Bud’ has been something of a fighter on the outside looking in.
Crawford hasn’t faced the cream of the welterweight division since he made the jump three years ago, but that’s had more to do with boxing politics than any lack of ambition on his part. The best fight at 147 that can be made right now is Crawford v Errol Spence, but few people have an easy night against Porter and this is a fight that could catch fire.
Every one of Porter’s pro defeats was close and he always comes to fight. His physical strength is formidable, but it was telling that Spence beat him at his own game in a real dogfight when the pair went toe-to-toe in September 2019.
These two are both aged 34 but at this stage of their respective careers Crawford is a worthy favorite here and could well be the first fighter to stop Porter.
‘Showtime Shawn’ will have his moments early but the silky skills and precision punching of Crawford should take over and ‘Bud’ can claim a TKO victory between rounds 9 – 12 to send out a message to Spence and the rest of the top men 147lbs.
OddsCritic Pick
- Terence Crawford to beat Shawn Porter in Rounds 9-12 at +650 (FanDuel)
NB: Odds correct at 1200 ET on Thursday November 18, 2021
What time does Crawford vs Porter start?
The big fight goes down at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Saturday November 20, 2021. We expect ring walks for the main event to be at 8pm local time, 11pm Eastern Time.
How to watch the fight on TV or live stream
As you would expect from a superfight like this, its a pay-per-view show and will be carried by ESPN+ – you can buy the fight for $69.99.
Crawford vs Porter weights
The weigh-in for the big fight took place Friday afternoon in Vegas, and both men easily came in under the 147lbs welterweight limit.
Porter scaled 146.6lbs, with Crawford slightly lighter at 146.4.
Terence Crawford record
The 34-year-old Crawford has been perfect as a professional and his supporters would have you believe he’s massively underrated by mainstream media. His 37-0 resume in the paid ranks includes 28 by way of knockout.
‘Bud’ has a slight height advantage in this one – standing 5ft 8 ins tall – but his reach advantage is significant – more than four inches at 74.
Crawford is still searching for that signature win which might see him accepted as an all-time great. All he’s done is defeated with ease what is put in front of him.
Maybe if he comes through this one he and Bob Arum can hug it out and go get Spence. A fight we’d all love to see.
Shawn Porter record
Porter has a pro record of 31 victories, 3 defeats and one draw in 35 fights (31-3-1). Seventeen of those wins have come inside distance – a knockout ratio of around 50 percent. His defeats have all come against high-class opposition – namely Brit Kell Brook and American superstars Keith Thurman and the aforementioned Spence Jr.
‘Showtime’, who stands 5ft 7ins tall and has a reach of 69.5 inches, gave Spence all he could handle in their title bout in Los Angeles in September 2019, only losing a close bout by split decision. He has fought only once since then, a points win against the overmatched Sebastian Formella.
Now 34 years old like Crawford, this might be the last shot at the big time for Porter, and he should test those P4P credentials that ‘Bud’ backers so love.
How to bet on boxing
To set you up nicely ahead of fight night, we’ve put together a special guide on all you need to know about boxing betting – and you can read it here. Good luck with your bets and enjoy the fight!