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| A true cause for celebration. |
So yeah, it's the time of the year for lists. It doesn't matter whether yer old Saint Nick or just some boxing writer, there's a strange compulsion to just sit down and put things into some kind of order. So, with that mind, I'm spending the next ten days talking about ten fighters, from lowest to highest in rank, who I think deserved accolades in 2017. Prepare to be surprised. Or shocked. Or disappointed. Or all of those things at once. That sort of thing is what makes these lists fun.
And so, with no further ado (or is it adieu?), my number 10 pick for 2017...Mr Shawn Porter. Go on, laugh. I know the guy hasn't done a whole lot, only fighting twice and all - and against less than stellar competition at that. But, in my opinion, the guy wanted more. A lot more. And that (coupled with a warrior's heart and an under-rated skill set) is why he's on this list. How's Keith Thurman been lately? How about Errol Spence? Yeah, those guys have solid matches coming up (and are both ranked higher on this list, by the way), but neither looks to be the eager beaver Porter is.
So, yeah, Mr. Porter deserves a lot of credit. Alexander. Malignaggi. Brook. Thurman. Berto. The guy's always up for a challenge, and is one of the only fighters I know of who gives the impression that he wishes he could engage in more real challenges than he actually does. Who else at welterweight, I ask, gives that impression? Who else in the entire upper levels of boxing?
When it comes to good, old fashioned ambition, Porter is in rare company with (perhaps) a handful of others. In my humble opinion, his ranking on this list is well deserved. As always, though, feel free to disagree.
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