So, Keith Thurman has found yet another way to get out of facing a top, prime opponent in the welterweight division. There are many things fishy about this announcement, circulating in the boxing world. Most of it is just hearsay, but given the players involved, they can understand out skepticism. Shawn Porter has looked both good and bad in certain fights, but always gives his all, and is usually in exciting (if slightly awkward) fights. If he had pulled out with an injury, we might have been able to buy it. However, given that Keith Thurman ranks behind only that of Deontay Wilder as being an Al Haymon fighter that has made it shockingly far without ever taking part in a pick 'em fight, it is suspect.
First off, there are rumors that the "car accident" took place quite a while ago, and only now, two weeks out, are they deciding Thurman cannot fight. What on earth is compromised? What is the actual injury? Where are the x-rays? There are also rumors that he is "mentally" shaken up more than physically hurt, and his camp did not want to send him into the ring compromised. Whatever happened to Buster Douglas and Howard Davis Jr. winning the biggest fights of their lives just after their mothers had died? "Shaken up" is no reason not to fight. Thurman has had an injury or two in the past, but I actually choose to believe the problem is more monetary than anything else.
Make no mistake, the PBC cards are hemorraging money. It was a nice idea, but you have to give the fans more risky fights, more action brawls, and less showcase fights. Haymon fighters often get rich facing no one, and the action fights he has brought us, are usually brought in from outside promoters (i.e. Glowacki-Huck). I would never advocate paying fighters less, but PBC either needs bigger sponsors, or more fans in attendance. I do not want this foray into more TV channels to yield nothing, but I have complained about that in enough blogs. Haymon is not the only player at work here.
Thurman has had himself in the welterweight discussion for nearly 4 years now, and has never faced a fighter against whom he was not heavily favored. The first time he does, he gets hurt in a vague way, at a convenient time, under suspicious circumstances? Something is wrong here. I think it's probably ticket sales, or corporate sponsorship. Someone ran the numbers, and realized that this fight wasn't going to be the moneymaker they'd hoped. If so, that is very shortsighted.
The winner of Porter-Thurman jumps ahead of everyone else at 147lbs. Garcia (who is still being given an older fighter diet at 147, like Thurman had been) moves down the line, and Khan has taken himself out of the picture with the Canelo fight. Brook is facing useless mandatories. This meant the winner may actually get Floyd or Pacquiao. The odds are slim, since both are likely not to fight again, but no one else but GGG would even be in the discussion. Now, we have to wait, and I would not be surprised if Thurman-Porter ends up off the shelf entirely, as someone has convinced the welterweights, to just wait in line for Manny or Floyd. Shameful.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
