Shawn Porter Announces His Retirement At Post-Fight Press Conference

Shawn Porter at the post fight press conference following his round ten TKO loss to Terence Crawford at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and on ESPN/Top Rank PPV, said that’s it, he’s hanging up the gloves.

The announcement came as a surprise, because he answered a bunch of queries, and then, when asked about his future, he dropped the news.

The 34 year old boxer, now holding a 31-4-1 record, after having been stopped out for the first time, said that this is it for him. The Cleveland, Ohio native sat right next to his dad/trainer, Kenny Porter, who told the ref that he wanted the fight stopped after two knockdowns in round ten.

Lance Pugmire asked the fighter about continuing, what was left to do. “Great question,” the loser stated. “I expected the question because of fighting everyone. I am, I’m prepared to retire, was prepared to announce my retirement tonight, win, lose or draw. If it was a draw, they had a date they were telling us we were going to do it again, but I was not gonna do it again. I am, I’m announcing my retirement right now.”

“I took too many shots clean, it’s not the Porter way,” Shawn said, when asked about his dad pulling the plug. “I understand what my dad’s decision was there. I didn’t expect it, though.” That seems to be the crux of the matter, influencing his call. He’s taking punishment now, he’s lost two his last three scraps. He said that in fact, he “knew” the Errol Spence fight, in 2019, was going to be the finale for him. But after the scrap, a tight battle with the Texan Spence, he felt like he still wanted to do battle. “I felt like that something else was Terence Crawford.”

This is, Shawn Porter said, the last call for him.

He explained more of his reasoning for choosing to exit the stage. “After you’ve fought everybody at the top, what more do you do? I’m not gonna be a gate keeper.” He looked at his dad when he admitted they’d discussed him leaving the savage sport at age 30. “34, now is the time.”

Nope, Shawn didn’t tell his dad about his thinking, he shared. Kenny then said he knew this was in the air, he felt it, he sensed it, that Shawn’s attention was waning. He’d look at the clock to see how much longer he’d have to train. Kenny said he is all good with Shawn waving goodbye to the fighting life, because he wants to be able to fully enjoy Shawn, and his grand kids, for a long spell, and that will be better if his kid doesn’t take more punishment.

Shawn is fine with his dad stopping the fight. He isn’t about saying he will die in the ring, he’s got a wife and kids and the rest of his life to do.

Shawn before the adios announcement said that he thought his execution was good, but he wasn’t consistent enough. Crawford, he stated, is just “different,” in that he does so many things so well, but it’s hard to explain exactly how. He wanted to make Bud uncomfortable, but wasn’t able to do that.

Crawford’s promoter, Bob Arum, sat to Porters’ right, and labeled this fight the toughest of Crawford’s career.

There was more talk of the specifics of the battle, Shawn said they knew that Bud would be southpaw a lot. “I was a little hesitant tonight, and I don’t think I kept my foot on the gas pedal enough.”

Porter will be missed. He debuted as a pro in 2008, after doing about 270 amateur fights, and will be recalled with massive respect, for his willingness to take on the stiffest challenges. In this era, that is more of a rarity than us fans would like.

Now, what are the odds that six months passes, and Porter decides to do just one more. Pretty good, I’d say. But if this truly is it, then we send Shawn off with heavy props, for his willingness to campaign with old school values, seeking to test himself, and prizing competition over money or adulation.