Porter, who hung up his gloves in 2021 after a 13-year career, knows a thing or two about power in the ring. He racked up 31 wins, including victories over Danny Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi, and Yordenis Ugas. Now, he's giving us a peek behind the curtain at what it's like to trade leather with the undefeated Ennis.
On his podcast, The PorterWay, Porter didn't hold back about Ennis' punching power. He recalled a right hand to the forehead that really shook him up:
"Damn... Nah I'm good but god damn"
Porter said that punch jarred his neck, even with headgear on. But that wasn't all. A body shot from Ennis was so fierce, Porter had to call it quits for the day:
"Nah it ain't happening today"
The hits kept coming. Porter described a punch to the chest that left a lasting impression:
"That joint was hurting and I felt it on the back end too like damn it was like a bullet"
Porter summed it up simply: "So the power is there."
This insight comes at an interesting time for Ennis. He's fresh off a dominant win over Eimantas Stanionis, unifying welterweight titles in the process. But "Boots" isn't stopping there. He's vacated his IBF welterweight belt and plans to move up to super-welterweight before the year's out.
Ennis says he wasn't performing at his best due to the tough weight cuts. Now, with Porter's stamp of approval on his power, he's looking to make waves in a new division. There's talk of a potential showdown with Vergil Ortiz Jr., another undefeated knockout artist at 154lbs.
As Ennis gears up for this new challenge, Porter's words serve as a warning to the super-welterweight division: "Boots" is coming, and he's packing some serious punch.