Porter: Beating Thurman Lines Me Up For Brook Rematch

By Edward Chaykovsky

Former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) would love to face Kell Brook (36-0, 25KOs) in a rematch by the end of the year.

Brook traveled to the United States and won a twelve round decision over Porter to capture the IBF strap back in August of 2014 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. 

This coming Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York - Porter will challenge Keith Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) for the WBA welterweight crown. He hopes a victory over Thurman will land him a revenge rematch with Brook.

Porter has been out of the ring since last June, when he survived a twelfth round knockdown to win a twelve round unanimous decision over former four division world champion Adrien Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) at a catchweight of 144-pounds.

“Beating Keith lines me up to fight Kell Brook again, and I’d definitely like a rematch,” Porter said to PBC. “I know that fight would play out completely different. But is [Brook] willing to prove himself again?”

Brook is potentially heading into a fall unification with WBO world champion Jessie Vargas in Sheffield.

Brook is actually backing Porter to defeat Thurman and walk away with the WBA strap. If Porter wins, Brook has some interest in doing a rematch.

As far as a Broner, who wants a rematch and plans to return to 147-pounds, Porter doubts the fight would actually happen. He doubts Broner would attempt to face him a second time. Broner held the WBA and suffered his first defeat in December 2013 at the hands of Marcos Maidana. He dropped down to 140, but is now having issues with making the weight and plans to head back to welterweight. 

“Broner’s got some other questions to answer if he’s returning to 147, but I don’t think he wants to see me or Thurman,” Porter said.