Thurman: I want to make a statement against Porter

By Boxing News - 11/23/2017 - Comments

Image: Thurman: I want to make a statement against Porter

By Dan Ambrose: Keith “One Time” Thurman doesn’t want to let Shawn Porter have any chances for success in their rematch like he did in their previous fight last year in June. Thurman admits that he gave away too many rounds by fighting off the ropes, and not staying in motion the way that he can.

This isn’t the fight that the fans want to see. Thurman-Porter 2 will likely be much like the first one. The only thing that could change the outcome is if Thurman’s stamina isn’t as good as it was in the past due to the infrequency of his fights, and his weight gain. Thurman is now sporting a slight double chin, and that’s obviously from him putting on too much weight between fights. The boxing world wants to see Thurman fight IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. That’s someone that is highly respected that Thurman hasn’t fought yet. Thurman says that fight isn’t going to happen for another 2 years. He wants to let the Spence fight marinate.

Porter has been active since his loss to Thurman in beating Adrian Granados and Andre Berto. The activity level that Porter has had since his loss to Thurman last year could help him when the two of them fight each other again.

Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) will need to defend his WBC welterweight title against Porter (28-2-1, 17 KOs) next year after he takes at least 1 tune-up fight. Thurman can’t fight Porter right away due to his surgically repaired elbow not having been rehabbed yet. Once the rehab is done and Thurman has gotten in at least 1 warm-up fight, then he’ll be ready to face the 30-year-old Porter net year.

“I want to separate myself and show why I’m the champion and why he’s barking up the wrong tree if he’s trying to steal another world title,” said Thurman to Fighthype in talking about Shawn Porter. “I rocked him 3 times in the last fight. Obviously I spent a lot of time on the ropes last time. I don’t need to do that. A lot of the rounds he won, I spent too much time on the ropes,” said Thurman.

Thurman will needs to fight hard in the rematch with Porter for him to win. Thurman gassed out in his last fight against Danny Garcia last March, and he almost lost the fight. Against Porter, Thurman was able to get the better of him with big combinations before getting away to the outside. One thing that could hurt Thurman is the inactivity. He’s been out of the ring for a long time not fighting. It’s not just in 2017. Thurman was injured last year as well, and wound up fighting just once.

Thurman says he hurt Porter three times in their fight last year, but he couldn’t take advantage of it due to his lack of a follow up. Porter didn’t appear that hurt. Had Thurman emptied the gas tank in trying to get Porter out of there, he might have ended up gassing out and gotten stopped.

“If I land those types of punches in the rematch, I hope we can do what we were unable to do the first time and close the show,” said Thurman. I feel like I got him 3 times in that fight, but we never had a follow up. In the 5th, 6th and 7th, Shawn did more than I wanted him to. If we step in the ring again, I want to make a bigger statement,” said Thurman.

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