Former two-time welterweight titleholder Shawn Porter says he is trying to understand why Top Rank promoter Bob Arum now considers him a potential fight option for Terence Crawford following previous comments that Porter wasn't a very good boxer.
"Within the last year, Bob has said I'm not a good boxer and has said that Errol Spence Jr. would be a much better, competitive and entertaining fight [for Crawford] than I could give," Porter told ESPN. "And now he has reneged on those previous statements and has declared me the best fighter PBC has."
Crawford will defend his WBO welterweight title Saturday night at Madison Square Garden against Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Arum has mentioned in the lead-up to this event the possibility of Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs) facing Porter in the future, saying Porter is among the elite welterweights and would make a viable opponent for the highly regarded Crawford in 2020.
Those comments amused Porter.
"What I want to know is what has changed. And if Crawford and Porter fight, it won't be because of Bob Arum and PBC. And if Crawford and Porter don't fight, it won't be because of Bob Arum nor PBC," said Porter, who is aligned with Premier Boxing Champions.
The 32-year-old Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) is considered one of the toughest fighters in the division. He is coming off a hard-fought, 12-round, split-decision loss to Spence on Sept. 28. His other defeats came against Keith Thurman and Kell Brook in world title fights.
"I'm sure Terence and I will speak after his fight,'' said Porter, who currently has no fight scheduled. "My list of opposition is short. Not looking anywhere else until Spence says he isn't fighting me."
The status of Spence, who currently holds the WBC and IBF titles, is unknown. The DeSoto, Texas, native was injured in a one-car crash on the morning of Oct. 10 that left him with multiple injuries. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
