Former world champion and top welterweight contender “Showtime” Shawn Porter (27-2-1, 17 KOs) will take on former title challenger Thomas Dulorme (24-2, 18 KOs) in a 10-round showdown that headlines Mayweather vs. McGregor preliminary bouts presented by Mayweather Promotions live on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, Aug. 26 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“As always I’m just excited to get in the ring and perform,” said Porter. “I think fighting on network television again will be awesome and a huge opportunity for me. And to do it before one of the most anticipated sporting events ever is even more exciting. I feel like I’ve earned this spot and I’m ready to give the people the appetizer they deserve! ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter never disappoints and I will prove that again on August 26.”
“I’m thankful for this opportunity on August 26,” said Dulorme. “I have been blessed with great fans and my last fight helped me to gain a little more recognition, but I am just getting started. I had a great performance back in January with a TKO victory, and this fight I plan to bring that same mindset into the ring. I am ready to win and to fight on Floyd Mayweather’s card is a blessing. I have a great team behind me and I am confident. I know my opponent is tough, but he’s just the opponent I need to really show everyone that I am even tougher.”
Saturday’s coverage begins on FOX and FOX Deportes with a one-hour Prefight Show at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and leads directly into the Mayweather vs. McGregor event that will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Action on FOX and FOX Deportes will include a 10-round super lightweight bout between unbeaten prospects Juan Heraldez (12-0, 8 KOs) and Jose Miguel Borrego (13-0, 12 KOs).
“After my last fight, I gained a lot of inspiration to show more to my fans,” said Heraldez. “I’m bringing the best Juan Heraldez to this fight. My last few performances have been great, and I’ve shown that I can have the power to knock my opponents out. I’m familiar with my opponent, but truthfully he’s not a factor and on fight night my 0 will not go.”
“This is a great chance for me to continue to show that I have the skills to be a future world champion,” said Borrego. “I’m going to leave everything in the ring and put on a great show for the fans like I always do. I respect my opponent and I think this will be a great fight, but I will end the night victorious.”
“The fans are in for a show,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Not only do we have an amazing lineup of fights on our PPV telecast, we have a stacked undercard and plan to give the fans more. More fights, more access. We plan to get the fans excitement brewing with matchups like Dulorme vs. Porter and Heraldez vs. Borrego all on network TV. These are some even matchups and we are happy to have FOX and FOX Deportes on board to showcase this talent ahead of the grand finale that is, Mayweather vs. McGregor.”
A physically gifted fighter who had a strong amateur career, Porter became the WBC’s number one contender with a stoppage of Andre Berto in April after a close loss to unified champion Keith Thurman in June 2016 that garnered unanimous Fight of the Year consideration. The 29-year-old won a welterweight world title when he defeated Devon Alexander in 2013 in Brooklyn before defending the title with a dominant stoppage of Paulie Malignaggi. The Akron, Ohio-native now lives and trains in Las Vegas and he bounced back from a previous defeat to Kell Brook to knockout Erick Bone and earn a unanimous over four-division world champion Adrien Broner in 2015.
Representing Puerto Rico, by way of French Guiana, Dulorme last fought in January when he stopped Brian Jones in the sixth-round to pick up his second straight win after the 27-year-old had previously challenged Terrence Crawford for a vacant world title in 2015. Prior to his title opportunity, Dulorme picked up impressive victories over Hank Lundy, Karim Mayfield and DeMarcus Corley. He will look to make a big statement on his way to another world title opportunity with a win against Porter.
Unbeaten and fighting out of Las Vegas under the Mayweather Promotions banner, Heraldez is unbeaten since turning pro in 2009, including a successful 2017 debut that saw him go eight rounds for the first time as he dropped Alfonso Olvera on his way to a unanimous decision. The 27-year-old earned five victories from 2015 through 2016 and will have an opportunity to make a statement against his toughest opponent to date on August 26.
At just 19-years-old, Borrego has burst onto the scene displaying big knockout power as he made his U.S. debut in February with a first round stoppage and followed it by stopping John Delperdang in the seventh-round of a televised contest this April. Fighting out of Aguascalientes, Mexico, Borrego most recently scored a fourth-round stoppage of once-beaten Kevin Watts in June and enters this contest on an 11-fight knockout streak.
The undercard bouts in the arena will kick-off with 2016 Great Britain Olympian Savannah Marshall making her pro debut in a four-round super middleweight attraction. The 26-year-old from Hartlepool, England was an Amateur World Champion, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the only boxer to have ever defeated two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields.
