By Rick Reeno
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas - WBC, WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) is not bothered by the fact that most experts have him pegged as the underdog when it comes to a potential unification with IBF champion Errol 'The Truth' Spence (23-0, 20 KOs).
Thurman has been away from the ring since March 2017, when he won a twelve round split decision over Danny Garcia to unify their welterweight titles.
Afterwards, Thurman underwent surgery on a nagging elbow injury, and the rehabilitation shelved him for the remainder of the year.
Thurman is now scheduled to make a voluntary defense of his world title on May 19th, against an opponent to be determined, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Spence, who captured the IBF title with a knockout of Kell Brook in 2017, made his first defense last month with a TKO of Lamont Peterson. His next defense is scheduled for June 16th in his hometown of Dallas, Texas. Spence's next opponent has yet to be finalized.
Thurman has already made it clear that a fight with Spence will not happen in 2018 - but he stands firm that the two of them will eventually collide in the ring.
"The 'truth' will be revealed when [we get in the ring]. Right now it's not on the to do list. I know it's coming, I know it's coming. If he's 'the truth,' he ain't going nowhere. I've got two titles and you already know that I ain't going nowhere. Im gonna hold it down. If he's the truth he ain't going nowhere, it's gonna happen.. chill.. chill," Thurman said.
"My name is coming out of everybody's mouth. I will handle you. I like that everyone in the world thinks Errol Spence can beat me. That's cool, lose your money that night. That's not my fault. It will be my fault when I whoop that ass. I will handle him, I will handle him. This is my division. My name is in their mouth. Their names are not in my mouth."
2023-10-20 11:40:24
