If WBA Welterweight Champion Keith Thurman (22-0, 20 KOs) is victorious tonight against Julio Diaz and IBF Welterweight Champion Shawn Porter (24-0-1, 15KOs) defeats Kell Brook (who is probably his next opponent), it seems likely that sometime before the year is over, we?ll see them in a unification bout with the two squaring off against each other.
This is a fight that boxing fans would love.
Each man has a crowd-pleasing style and such a bout would pit two young undefeated fighters against each other and produce, perhaps, the future of the welterweight division.
Porter’s stock rose tremendously following his fourth round knock-out of Paulie Malignaggi last week. Considering Malignaggi has been in the ring with fighters such as Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton, and was never soundly defeated the way Porter beat him, Shawn’s destruction of Paulie speaks volumes about Porter?s ability and punching power.
But Keith Thurman has been equally as impressive in his recent fights. In his more recent bout, Thurman knocked out the very tough Jesus Soto Karass.
Thurman recently talked about a potential fight against Porter and addressed Shawn’s performance against Malignaggi.
“Me and Team Porter have been in camps together and we know each other very well,” Thurman said.
“Shawn’s a great fighter. He was a top amateur like myself. He had a great performance against Paulie. He looked fantastic.”
“But the only thing I say about that is, for those who may have recorded it, re-watch the fight. Not to take away from Shawn’s performance, but Paulie didn’t have his hands up at any point in the fight. Paulie didn’t block one punch?
A Porter versus Thurman fight would also have great significance for the future of boxing as they compete to see who will possibly be the heir apparent to Floyd Mayweather in the welterweight division. In fact, the winner of this potential fight stands a chance to earn the biggest money fight in boxing and that is with Floyd Mayweather before he is set to retire in September of 2015.
So with all of the benefits of a Porter versus Thurman showdown, the question is not if it will happen, but when?
