Premier Boxing Champions on NBC ‘Broner vs. Porter’ Preview

Catchweight

Adrien Broner (30-1, 22 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (25-1-1, 16 KOs)

Ohio bragging rights are at stake when Cincinnati’s Adrien Broner takes on Cleveland’s Shawn Porter in a 144-pound catch-weight encounter at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The latest Premier Boxing Champions offering airs on Spike TV beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

The Matchup: Broner recently encountered the first roadblock of his promising career, as he was outworked by Marcos Maidana en route to losing a unanimous decision in December 2013. He has since rebounded to post three consecutive triumphs, albeit against far less threatening opposition.

Porter, meanwhile, also recently suffered his first career setback: a majority decision defeat at the hands of Kell Brook this past August. He returned to the ring in March with a fifth-round KO against short-notice opponent Erick Bone.

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Thus far, Broner has been the more celebrated of the two talented fighters. He has patterned himself as a villain in the mold of pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., adopting an outlandish persona complete with his share of questionable out-of-ring antics. In the ring, he adopts a similar defensive stance to the Mayweather, although Broner’s version of the shoulder roll is not nearly as effective.

If Broner is to carry the Mayweather torch when “Money” decides to call it a career, he still has quite a bit of work to do. He was exposed by Maidana, as the hard-hitting Argentine dropped him twice and applied enough consistent pressure to make him uncomfortable throughout the fight. All told, Maidana outlanded Broner by a 269-to-149 count.

That bodes well for someone like Porter, who is known as a physically powerful volume puncher. Porter’s style was evident in a four-round demolition of Paulie Malignaggi last year. Against the same opponent in 2013, Broner was far less emphatic in earning a split-decision triumph.

Broner can be plagued by periods of inactivity and showboating, which can cause him to drop rounds against an aggressive opponent. That’s why it will be important for Porter to control the tempo. Broner prefers to rely on quick counter punching -- his uppercut is particularly dangerous -- but he doesn’t like being bullied, as Maidana was able to do. Though he doesn’t do it nearly enough, Broner is also effective when he initiates offense, as he is capable of landing creative combinations that include jabs, straights to the body, wide hooks, uppercuts and overhand rights.

Broner’s reluctance to let his hands go consistently often leads lulls in the action when faced with opponents who don’t want to engage, thus negating his favored countering style. While Porter’s aggression and sturdy chin are assets, his tendency to overcommit to punches could play right into Broner’s hands.

However, Porter is generally regarded as a better all-around boxer than Maidana, as he is capable of both fighting on the outside or applying pressure in the pocket. Porter can expose Broner’s defensive flaws as well. Despite his attempts to emulate Mayweather, Broner’s tendency to lean to avoid damage instead of circling out of danger often make him eminently hittable.

Porter, who competed at 154 pounds as recently as 2010 and is a more natural 147-pounder, will be the larger man come fight night. That also means he could be drained if the cut to 144 pounds proves difficult. Broner, who is fighting closer to his natural weight of 141 pounds, should have no such issues.

The Pick: Broner is fast, athletic and talented, but his last three wins have not proven that he is ready to take his place among the elite. Porter is Broner’s stiffest test since Maidana; he will have to avoid his tendency to start slowly, especially since Porter is likely to push the pace from the outset. Assuming that he isn’t depleted from the weight cut, expect Porter to wear Broner down over the course of the fight while avoiding significant damage from his opponent’s counters to win a decision.