Boxing News and Rumors: Keith Thurman to Face Shawn Porter in a Welterweight Showdown
Undefeated welterweight champion Keith Thurman may not be a household name yet, but fans will know him for sure on March 12, as he battles a top contender in Shawn Porter. Organizers of the bout announced that Thurman will finally be taking center stage against Porter at the Mohegan Sun Casino Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Both fighters are being handled by Al Haymon, the same man who is known to boxing enthusiasts as the brain behind Floyd Mayweather, Jr. But unlike the previous fights of Thurman and Porter, this scheduled 12-round championship fight card won't be shown on Premier Boxing Champions' cards, but will instead be shown and branded as "Showtime Championship Boxing on CBS."
The welterweight fighters were supposed to fight last December, but complications in the negotiation process resulted to the fight not materializing. But it certainly looks like all things have already been ironed out for these two 147-pounders to finally square off.
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This matchup should be an interesting one to see because they both are considered elite boxers who are still at their prime, and with the notion that the weight they're in has become wide open due to the retirement of Mayweather and the decline and expected retirement of Manny Pacquiao.
According to Showtime Sports vice president Stephen Espinoza, this is a "must-see" fight since both are not afraid to go toe-to-toe.
The 27-year-old Thurman is an undefeated fighter at 26-0, with 22 of those wins by knockout. He will officially be making the third defense of his crown, with the first one being a unanimous decision win against another top contender, Robert Guerrero, and the second one against Luis Collaza last July in scintillating fashion, knocking him out in the seventh.
Porter, on the other hand, has only one defeat to his name, the one against Kell Brook back in August 2014. Currently at 26-1-1, 16 KOs, he will be coming into this fight after grabbing wins against top-tier competition like Devon Alexander and Pauli Malignaggi. He also won against the highly fancied Adrien Broner back in June.
