‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter Tells Pacquiao, Mayweather to ‘Move On’ Ahead of Saturday Showtime Bout

“It’s about time for those guys to move on in their lives,” Shawn Porter tells Breitbart Sports about Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Shawn Porter is happening. And so is the welterweight division—with or without the weight class’s marquee names.

The 26-2-1 “Showtime” welterweight takes on Andre Berto on Showtime from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Saturday night. Whether the explosive brawler or the skilled boxer shows up is anybody’s guess, especially Andre Berto’s.

“I can do a lot of different things in the ring,” Porter acknowledges in a conversation with Breitbart Sports. “I’m a very versatile, hybrid fighter. I can box, I can power punch, and be aggressive. You don’t usually see that combination in a fighter.

Against Paulie Malignaggi two years ago, fans saw a sparkplug of a puncher land bombs against one of the era’s better defensive fighters. Against Adrien Broner, Porter the sweet scientist showed up in boxing his way to a scorecard victory.

“There’s always going to be a fight at 147,” Porter points out of the stacked division boasting the likes of Keith Thurman, and Brits Kell Brook and Amir Khan. “The thing that everyone is realizing is that a lot of guys that are more old school coming into the pros rather than new school. Guys who can punch and have a lot of heart.

This leads to a number interesting potential fights. In Berto, Porter sees a crafty veteran with gas still left in the tank.

“Honestly, the best way to describe Andre Berto is very simple,” Porter explains, “He’s dangerous. He’s still quick. He’s still fast. He still has some explosive punching power. He can see the punch and he can land the punch. I need to be very mindful of my defense.”

Helping keep his head on keeping his head is Porter’s father-trainer.

He’s always been the guy,” Porter notes. “Not much has changed, even with my age. From time to time, he talks to me like the 13- or 10-year-old who he once trained. There’s always that level of understanding that him and I have. There’s always the understanding that he’s the number one.”

With a win tonight, the number-three-ranked welterweight makes his case to return to number one and a title shot. Showtime’s televised card begins at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.