Thurman wants Danny Garcia after Porter fight

By Boxing News - 02/12/2016 - Comments

Keith ThurmanBy Dan Ambrose: WBA World welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) hasn’t even gotten past his next opponent Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) and he’s already targeting his next opponent in WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia.

Thurman, 27, says he wants to collect more belts after the Porter fight, and he wants to face Garcia after this. Thurman is less interested in a unification fight against IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, because he wants to focus on fighters that are well known in the U.S. Brook would be an unknown in the States.

If Thurman were to face Brook, it would only be a big deal in the UK rather than the U.S. At the same token, the fight wouldn’t resonate in the UK either because Thurman isn’t well known like Amir Khan. This means that there would be no chance of Thurman facing Brook at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, because the fight would likely not sell. It would be like trying to sell Brook vs. Kevin Bizier at Wembley Stadium.

“Porter will be getting hit, and he will be getting hurt,” Thurman said to Behind the Gloves. “Will it happen in the first round or will it happen in the last round like AB [Arien Broner]?. You’ll have to tune in to see,” Thurman said.

Porter and Thurman will be fighting a month from now on March 12 on Premier Boxing Champions on CBS from the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut. It’s considered to be an even fight by most fans, so it’s difficult to imagine why Thurman is overlooking Porter.

Thurman wants to win another world title because it would help validate him in the eyes of many fans. Once he has two titles, he can use that as a way to market himself as the guy that is taking over the 147lb division. Thurman can’t do that fight now because he only holds the WBA title, and he’s been facing limited opposition in Robert Guerrero, Luis Collazo, Diego Chaves, Leonard Bundu, Julio Diaz, and Jesus Soto Karass. Those are beatable fighters, and Thurman will need to start showing that he can beat the better fighters starting next month in his fight against Porter.

Garcia beat Guerrero last January by a 12 round unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC welterweight title that had recently been stripped from Floyd Mayweather Jr.

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It’s still unknown whether Garcia would be willing to fight Thurman. That’s something that would be decided by Garcia, his father/trainer Angel Garcia and his manager Al Haymon. I’m not sure if all of them would agree to a fight against Thurman. Danny hasn’t exactly been the most ambitious lately when it comes to dangerous opponents. He skipped out on the 140lb division when he was faced with a very difficult mandatory challenger in Viktor Postol.



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