By Adam Baskin: Keith Thurman wants to jump the line, getting in front of IBF mandatory Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to challenge undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford for his titles next.
Looking like he’d just got his birthday wish, ‘One Time’ Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) called out Crawford last Saturday night following his ninth round TKO victory over Errol Spence Jr at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Spence has not shown interest in fighting Thurman as part of a payback for the many years that he ignored his requests for a fight. With Crawford beating Spence, Thurman’s chances of hustling a title shot against him increase exponentially.
Thurman would be selfishly jumping the line to get in front of the far more deserving ‘Boots’ Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs), who has earned a title shot by defeating Roiman Villa, but ‘One Time’ doesn’t care.
Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) could be next for Crawford, given that there’s a rematch clause in the contract for their fight last weekend, but his face needs a lot of healing from the beating he took last Saturday night.
If there’s a way for Spence to be given extra time to heal up while at the same time allowing Crawford to get a fight in before then, perhaps he can defend against Thurman or Jaron Ennis.
There would be a tremendous backlash from the boxing public if Crawford chose to fight Thurman rather than ‘Boots’ Ennis, but if he wants an easy fight for a good payday, ‘One Time’ is the way to go. Fighting ‘Boots’ would be hard work for Crawford because he wouldn’t be an easy out.
Unlike Spence, Boots wouldn’t be a weight-drained, car crash-depleted zombie on the night of the fight. Ennis would get his pound of flesh against Crawford, which might age the Omaha, Nebraska native.
Facing Thurman is much easier work and just a basic execution-level fight, beating a washed-up old guy who hasn’t been the same since his war with Danny Garcia in 2017.
Thurman is a fighter from a different era and is no longer relevant in the sport. He’s the equivalent of an old Model-T car being driven out of the garage and put on the same track as a modern automobile. Thurman has no business being inside the ring with Crawford or any top welterweight at this stage of his once-promising career.
“I already said I’m next. They already know. Do you want to keep doing great fights? Do you want to keep selling out? Do you want to keep doing these pay-per-views? Thurman is right here, baby. Thurman has no fear,” said Keith Thurman to Boxing News when asked for his message to newly crowned undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
“Look, I’m not flat-footed like that [Errol Spence Jr]. Crawford is an amazing athlete. I’ve seen him do so much throughout his career. I salute that man,” Thurman continued, pouring on the compliments to charm Crawford so that he’ll throw him a bone by giving him the fight.
“He’s been lifting and making himself strong. That’s why he did what he did tonight [stopping a depleted, ring-worn, weight-drained car crashed ruined Spence].
“Not with them flat [feet],” said Thurman when asked if he was surprised by Crawford defeating Spence. “I always said that he [Errol] never fought an athlete. Spence has never fought an athlete. That’s why I stick to boxing. You’ve got to get in your groove, and Crawford got in his groove.
“Spence tried to do the simple stuff. It’s not about who I want next. Y’all don’t know how boxing works. It’s not about who I want next. I don’t got the time to wait to get what I want. I want that [Crawford] next, but I got to go pick up other checks. I got to stay busy.
“Everybody talks about, ‘You don’t fight enough. You got all this ring rust.’ Let me get back to work. Let me get this ball rolling and go. Hopefully, as I’ve always done, I’ve made the biggest, baddest, exciting fights in the welterweight division,” said Thurman.
