Thurman: I’m going to be king dog at 147

By Boxing News - 06/23/2016 - Comments

Keith Thurman

(Photo credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME®) By Allan Fox: WBA welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) sees himself being crowned as the top dog in the 147lb division this Saturday if/when he defeats former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) in their fight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Thurman-Porter fight will be televised on CBS with a start time at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

The winner of the Thurman vs. Porter can call themselves the number one fighter in the welterweight division if they want to, but they clearly won’t be. Whether they’re perceived as the best by the casual boxing fans will be determined essentially on them being ignorant of the other welterweight contenders and champions out there that the winner of the Porter-Thurman would still need to fight before they’re seen as the top fighter.

Normally, the casual boxing fans consider a fighter the top dog in the division even without them fighting all the very best. Look at Floyd Mayweather Jr; he was seen as the best at 147 for many years despite him never having fought the likes of Paul Williams when he was in that weight class, as well as Antonio Margarito, Thurman, Porter, Errol Spence, Tim Bradley, Danny Garcia, Kell Brook or Jessie Vargas.

“To me, I am the ultimate test in the welterweight division,” said Thurman to Fighthype.com. “I am the guy to beat. If you can beat me, then you pass the test. You’re most likely going to take the crown. But right now, it looks like I’m going to be the king dog of the welterweight division. You’ve still got to fight for it. There’s still a lot of barking dogs out there that think they deserve the crown. We welterweights, we’re going to have to scrap, but this is going to be entertaining,” said Thurman.

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How can Thurman be the “ultimate test in the welterweight division” with him almost getting knocked out by Luis Collazo in his last fight last year, and how he was troubled by Robert Guerrero, Diego Chaves and Jesus Soto Karass. If Thurman is now the ultimate test in the 147lb division, then that’s a sad statement to how far the division has sunk now that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have both retired.

The sport needs an exciting fighter like Spence to take over so that he can carry boxing on his back rather than having self-promoters like Thurman spouting about how he good is without fighting the best. Thurman is kidding himself if he thinks he’ll be the top dog in the division if he beats Porter.

Thurman had the chance of facing Errol Spence, and he opted not to take the fight. If Thurman isn’t going to fight the best on a consistent enough basis, then there’s no way he’ll be able to prove himself as the best in the division. Thurman will need to count on the boxing public seeing him as the best while he faces guys like Robert Guerrero, Luis Ortiz and Diego Chaves instead of Spence, Bradley, Danny Garcia, Amir Khan, and Brook.

“At the end of the day, you’re looking at two world class fighters. I’m going in there with bad intentions, and to try and try and close the show. I’m going to do what I always do and that’s to make you regret you signed the contract. I’ve got one job – defend. That’s why defense is going to be part of the battle. You’ve got to take the belt from the champ. All I’ve got to do is defend my title. I’m on a higher pedestal. Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman is the champion of the world. We’re in the defense mode. It’s my job to defend this title,” said Thurman.

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This Saturday’s fight between Porter and Thurman could very well wind up being a very boring one if Thurman focuses on defense like he has in the past. When Thurman focuses on defense, he tends to run around the ring for 12 rounds, and it’s terribly boring to watch. That’s why you have to hope Thurman thinks offense and stands in the pocket like the great fighters do rather than choosing to run for 12 rounds.

Thurman needs to do more fighting and less talking. He also could help himself if chooses not run like he’s done in that past, because I think we could see a lot of booing on Saturday if Thurman chooses to run from Porter for 12 rounds.