by David P. Greisman

Keith Thurman (27-0, 22KOs) knows he may have other obligations that come first now that he’s beaten Shawn Porter with a close unanimous decision. But beyond a defense against his mandatory challenger, the welterweight titleholder still wants to face another 147-pounder with a belt around his waist — Danny Garcia.

“It’d be great,” Thurman said at the post-fight press conference after beating Porter. “Shawn Porter having only one loss at the time. Danny Garcia, undefeated. You love this one, you got to love that setup. We’re in a new time. We’re in a new age. There’s a new generation. Your boy ‘One Time’ is here at the front, ready to go. I got an ‘oh,’ I’m not afraid to let it go. If you can beat me, beat me. You deserve it.”

Thurman has the World Boxing Association title at welterweight. Garcia picked up the World Boxing Council belt this past January.

But Thurman also has David Avanesyan, who outpointed Shane Mosley in May to get into position to challenge for Thurman’s WBA title.

“If I have to take this mandatory, I have to take this mandatory,” Thurman said. “So there are points in time in a fighter’s career where one does not get what he wants. But since you asked, in my heart, I want an opportunity to face Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia.”

He then noted a theme between two fighters Thurman’s beaten recently — Robert Guerrero and Shawn Porter — how they’re both trained by their fathers, and how the same thing would be true for Garcia.

“Let me put it this way. Guerrero — father/son combination — got rid of ‘em. Porter, father/son combination. Got rid of ‘em. OK?” Thurman said. “If you’re a daddy’s boy, come see me, boy. Come on, man. I got this.”

Pick up a copy of David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsamazon or internationally at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsworldwide. Send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com