Shawn Porter Takes on Undefeated Sebastian Formella this Saturday

LOS ANGELES (August 18, 2020) – Two-time welterweight champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter will face unbeaten German contender Sebastian Formella in a 12-round WBC/IBF welterweight title eliminator headlining FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes, Saturday, August 22 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features rising undefeated contender Sebastián “The Towering Inferno” Fundora going up against hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore in the 10-round super welterweight co-main event. Sensational rising prospect Joey Spencer will also compete on the broadcast in a six-round middleweight special attraction against Shawn West. All programming can be live streamed in English and Spanish on the new FOX Sports app. FOX Deportes offers delayed coverage of all FOX and FS1 programming beginning at 10:00 PM ET.

“With championship-winning performances and numerous ‘Fight of the Year’ battles, Shawn Porter has made himself into one of the top welterweights of this generation and he will bring his fan friendly style to the ring yet again as he seeks a path to a third world title,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Standing in his way is a hungry undefeated fighter in Sebastian Formella, who no doubt is coming from Germany intent on pulling off the upset August 22. In addition, rising super welterweight Sebastián Fundora will face perhaps his toughest test to date in Nathaniel Gallimore, and top prospect Joey Spencer again will look to show the promise that makes him a potential rising star in the sport.”

The Porter vs. Formella event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and Shawn Porter Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

Born in and Akron, Ohio and now living and fighting out of Las Vegas, Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) returns to the ring after narrowly losing a welterweight unification showdown against Errol Spence, Jr. last September, in one of 2019’s best fights. The 32-year-old has faced a slew of big names throughout his two runs as champion in the stacked 147-pound division. Porter’s first title was won in 2013 by defeating Devon Alexander, while his second championship came in a 2018 triumph over Danny Garcia. Along the way he was beaten top fighters such as Adrien Broner, Yordenis Ugas and Andre Berto, while coming up just short in memorable showdowns against Keith Thurman and Kell Brook.

“Me and my dad have been working hard since April staying ready for this opportunity to get back in the ring,” said Porter. “Over the past couple of years, any time I step in the ring there are some new wrinkles to my game. We understand that you can’t fight one way against everyone, so you’re going to see some small, slight wrinkles, but I’ll always been an aggressive fighter. Once I smell that blood, I’m going for it. We’re excited to show off a different side of Shawn Porter.”

The 33-year-old Formella (22-0, 10 KOs) turned pro in 2014 at the age of 26, racking up seven wins in the year before fighting and winning his first 10 round fight in 2015. He continued to rise up the rankings fighting in his native Hamburg, Germany, before capturing a regional title in 2018 by stopping Angelo Frank. He continues to ride his winning streak into his U.S. debut on August 22, having won three-straight 12 round decisions over Betuel Ushona, Thulani Mbenge and most recently Roberto Arriaza in January of this year.

“I have always said that I wanted to compete against the best, and now I have that chance on Saturday, August 22,” said Formella. “Even though the experts may think I’m the underdog, I have trained hard for this fight and will give everything I have in the ring. Shawn Porter is rightly a superstar in this weight class and I’m excited to get in the ring and test myself against him.”

Towering at nearly six-feet six-inches, Fundora (14-0-1, 9 KOs) has used his height and length, combined with power and aggressiveness, to rack up an unbeaten record since turning pro in 2016. The 22-year-old most recently defeated previously unbeaten Daniel Lewis in his 2020 debut on February 22. Fighting out of Coachella, California, Fundora entered the ring three times in 2019, including TKO victories over then unbeaten fighters Donnie Marshall and Hector Manuel Zepeda, before an exciting split-draw against fellow contender Jamontay Clark.

“You have to be at your very best when there’s adversity, like this pandemic, and I will be the best version of myself when I face Gallimore,” said Fundora. “You’ve only got three choices in life: give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got. I always rise up to the toughest challenges that are put in front of me and I plan on doing it again on August 22.”

Fighting out of Chicago, the Jamaican-born Gallimore (21-4-1, 17 KOs) has faced an impressive lineup of top super welterweights throughout his career, having most recently dropped a decision to Erickson Lubin last October. The 33-year-old also owns a TKO victory over unified super welterweight champion Jeison Rosario, and decision defeats against former unified 154-pound champion Julian Williams and current super welterweight titleholder Patrick Teixeira.

“I’m back working with my old trainer George Hernandez and I’m excited for everyone to see a new and improved fighter,” said Gallimore. “I have to go in there and prove myself. Fundora is a good fighter, but he’s never experienced the caliber of competition that I’ve fought. There are levels to this. I’m planning to to dominate each round. I just want everyone to tune in and catch the action because it’s going to be a fight to remember.”

The 20-year-old Spencer (10-0, 7 KOs) has made fast strides since turning pro in February 2017. The Linden, Michigan native kicked off 2020 in January with a six-round decision victory over Erik Spring on FOX. That win built on an impressive four-win 2019 that he punctuated by stopping previously unbeaten Travis Gambardella in September. He will be opposed by the 31-year-old West (5-1, 3 KOs), who fights out of Davenport, Iowa and enters this fight the winner of his last two contests.

“This was the best training camp I ever had,” said Spencer. “I feel better than ever coming into fight week. I know I have a pretty tough opponent with a good record, so I want to come out and show how much I’ve grown during this time away from the ring.”

“I’m blessed to be back and do what I love,” said West. “Joey is a popular fighter who’s been molded and shaped for big situations and shows like this. I’m extremely excited to pick his brain and talk combat in the with him on Saturday night.”