?I want to thank Shawn Porter for a tremendous fight,? Thurman
?We worked hard and Keith is a great champion,? Porter
?Boxing needed a night like tonight,? DiBella
Mauro Ranallo needs to rein it in. Lots of Arreola-type bull rushes, neat left hook counters, few flush connections, and crowd noise every time there is a sloppy move by a one-dimensional Porter does not equal a contender for “FOTY.” Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido is a FOTY candidate. This was NOT that type of fight. When Salido and Vargas went toe-to-toe in a back and forth war on June 4, the pulsating action was getting close to the point where someone might have to be saved from himself.
Mauro, who makes many cringe as he goes into high gear and high decibel count as soon as he opens his mouth, also said “Thurman treating porter like an internet troll”? One of the strangest things I have ever heard a commentator say about a pair of boxers. Maybe it?s his MMA background, but his lack of boxing knowledge is egregious.
The fight was timely, well-matched, well-fought, and drew 2.12 million viewers, beating out major-league baseball on FOX, which drew 2.02 viewers. Moreover, two world class fighters jumped at the opportunity to fight their equal, and then they proceeded deliver beyond anyone’s expectation. Yes, that was superb and great for boxing.
But again, this was not Vargas vs. Salido where two warriors took it to the brink. This was not The Fight of the Year.
