The hotly anticipated welterweight showdown between WBA (reg) champion, Keith Thurman (26-0, 22ko), and friend and old amateur rival Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16ko) is moving closer to being a done deal according to multiple sources, including ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael.
According to Rafael, a December 12th date is being touted, at an as yet undisclosed location/venue, with Showtime being the favourite to broadcast the fight between the two Al Haymon advised fighters.
The bout represents something of the jewel in the 147 crown for the Haymon ‘stable’ and also offers a chance for Porter to recapture world honours after dropping his IBF crown to Britain’s Kell Brook in August of last year. Since that time he has scored a routine win over late-replacement Eric Bone back in March, before dethroning former professional motor-mouth – and new WBA 140lb champ, Adrien Broner, in their battle for Ohioan bragging rights back in June.
Thurman, who still holds the 2nd tier WBA strap until it’s determined by the governing body what they are doing about the newly retired Floyd Mayweather’s ‘super champion’ status, will be making the 3rd defence of the belt, following his win over Robert Guerrero on the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions broadcast back in March. Following that win he was [unfairly] criticised for his performance over Luis Collazo in July, in which he was evidently quite badly hurt to the body before overcoming the New Yorker and forcing him to retire after 7 rounds.
Thurman has stated repeatedly that he was wishing for a big fight to close out the year on, and for the time being it’s looking extremely likely that Al Haymon will be delivering exactly that for him in the shape of “Showtime” Shawn.
Here’s hoping….
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