As the time ticks on, one can’t help but think Floyd Mayweather must secretly enjoy watching the rest of the welterweight division speculating as to whether or not it’s going to be them getting the call to face him on September 12th and the final fight of his contract with broadcasting giant, Showtime.
Amir Khan is seemingly forever in the frame, alongside the likes of IBF champion Kell Brook, Florida’s Keith Thurman (WBA reg), and irrespective of your opinion on the seriousness of his statement naming them – Andre Berto and Karim Mayfield.
In his most recent media sit down, Thurman – who fights Luis Collazo on July 11th in Tampa, was asked the Mayweather question – although, from his statements, it seems he knows he is one of the more outside shots to get the call, in spite of his relationship with elusive advisor Al Haymon;
“I ask Al what’s next and we talk about that – and I’m yet to hear Mayweather. That’s the honest answer.” Keith said via fighthubtv.
Thurman is seemingly being primed as one of Haymon’s “faces” of his Premier Boxing Champions brand -he topped the inaugural event in March against Robert Guerrero – and this fight with Collazo is the debut of the format on ESPN.
It’s no surprise Haymon would not want to throw him in with Floyd for fear of losing that ever marketable ‘0’.
Thurman, however, still wants the fight;
“(Smiles) The whole world knows what I want, you know? I just want an opportunity to showcase my skills and my talent against the man who is claiming to be ‘TBE’. Which I’ve stated again before that it’s a title one should earn after retirement. You should not be able to get that title within (the sport) – he branded himself that so that’s his choice – you can’t stop aa fighter doing what they wanna do.”
Probed on if he saw Floyd, what would he say? ‘One Time’ replied;
“Do you want to fight? Be honest with me. If you’re gonna leave me alone, just let me know you’re gonna leave me alone – I’m not worried about it. I’m 26 years old. I’m gonna have my own career – I will have my own career.”
And summing up his feelings, while also injecting some realism, he said;
“My career may consist of a Floyd Mayweather fight or it may not. You can see that I’m humble. I understand the sport of boxing. He doesn’t have much (sic) performances left. We are athletes, we are entertainers, thus we are performers.”
“He’s in a beautiful position where he controls a lot of the stage and the spotlight and HOW he performs. So it’s more up to him than anything.”
Thurman fights Luis Collazo, July 11th on ESPN.
Twitter @Undilutedpoison
