By Dan Ambrose: It looks like the welterweight clash between WBA “regular” 147lb champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) and “Showtime” Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) could be ready to be announced. Dan Rafael is reporting that the Thurman-Porter fight will be taking place on March 12th at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The fight might be announced this Saturday night by Showtime during the Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka telecast. Lou Dibella will promote the Thurman vs. Porter fight.
“Not done yet but I’m told Lou Dibella will promote Keith Thurman – ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter [on] 3/12, Mohegan Sun,” Rafael said. “Since Thurman-Porter is 95% going to be on CBS, sister net Showtime will probably announce it on Saturday night during the telecast.”
It’s a fight that is long overdue between Porter and Thurman, because they’ve been talking about it for ages now. They both have the same adviser in Al Haymon, and he probably could have made this fight a long time ago if he had wanted to. However, it’s obviously not going to be a positive that there will be a loser in this fight, because their career will need to be rebuilt afterwards. Even the winner of the Porter-Thurman fight could wind up as a loser if they have to struggle hard to win and they end up looking bad in the fight.
Thurman has already looked vulnerable in some of his recent fights against Luis Collazo, Robert Guerrero, and Leonard Bundu. Thurman hasn’t even fought the best yet, and he’s already struggling in his fights.
Thurman, 27, has been touting himself as the replacement for Floyd Mayweather Jr., but he does not look even remotely as the replacement at this point. Thurman is more the flavor of the week, a fighter that will likely only be able to hold onto his WBA title for very, very short time before he’s knocked out and sent hurtling back into the contender ranks. Thurman has the backing with Haymon and enough talent to pick up another title quickly even if he does lose to Porter on March 12.
“Shawn Porter has been bullying 140-pounders at the 147lb division,” Thurman said to Fighthub.com. “When he got in with Kell Brook, a natural 147-pounder, he was not able to run him over like a simple bulldozer like he did Paulie Malignaggi, Devon Alexander, and Adrien Broner. Adrien Broner was catching Shawn with several punches and knocked him down in the 12th round. So we’re confident that just like AB’s left hook, my left hook’s gonna be landing, and my left hook is obviously more devastating. Don’t forget the right hand, don’t forget the body shots, we’re gonna be prepared for this fight.”
Thurman is comfortable pointing out how Porter will be troubled by his power shots, but what Thurman fails to forget is that Porter has pretty good punching power of his own. Thurman has already staggered by fighters like Jesus Soto Karass and Diego Chaves. In Thurman’s last fight against a well-weathered Luis Collazo last July, Thurman was almost dropped by a body shot. You have to say that if anyone is going to be hurt in the Thurman-Porter fight, the chances are it’s going to be Thurman. He doesn’t seem to have a strong beard.
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