Boxing News: Early Preview, Betting Odds For Shawn Porter vs. Danny Garcia

Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia may not be in the same class as welterweight superstars Terence Crawford, Errol Spence and Keith Thurman, but they have fought elite competition in recent years and have more than held their own.

On Sept. 8 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Porter and Garcia will meet for the vacant WBC title, which was relinquished by Thurman, in a fight that will change the balance of power in the talent-rich division.

Garcia (34-1) effectively overcame his March 2017 split-decision loss to Thurman by defeating Brandon Rios in February by a technical knockout. The Philadelphia native caught Rios with a hard right cross in Round 9, forcing referee Kenny Bayless to stop the fight after Rios beat the count.

Garcia made a name for himself in 2012 when he defeated Erik Morales to capture the vacant WBC light welterweight title. He would later defeat Amir Khan by TKO and then go on to outlast several notable fighters in the deep division, such as Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson and Robert Guerrero.

The 30-year-old has shown impressive stamina and often throws well-timed punches. Garcia is not afraid to take chances, and when he does it often produces positive results.

Porter (28-2-1), meanwhile, has been among the most ducked fighters in the division and for good reason. When the Ohio native fought Thurman in June 2016, all three judges gave Thurman the victory but by the very slim 115-113 margin. Porter's majority-decision defeat to Kell Brook in 2014 was marked by several good rounds in which the highly aggressive Porter kept Brook on the defensive, with Porter throwing 626 punches compared to Brook's 441.

In victory, Porter often outclasses his opponent with his energy. In 2015, Porter overwhelmed Erick Bone in just five rounds. Against Andre Berto in April 2017, Porter showed his unrelenting style, smothering the veteran boxer before the fight was called on a technical knockout.

Porter, 30, can go the distance against strong fighters, with decision wins over Phil Lo Greco, Julio Diaz, Devon Alexander and Adrien Broner.

A 12-round fight seems likely, as both boxers, who have ample experience at Barclays, should have plenty of respect for one another, despite what they say in front of cameras.

"I'm stronger than him," Garcia said of Porter at a press conference. "I got bigger punching power than him. I am faster than him. I'm a better all-around fighter than him."

"I'm a very difficult fighter to prepare for," Porter countered. "You never know what you're going to get with me."

Garcia is the 4/6 favorite, while Porter is listed at 6/5, according to SkyBet.