By Rick Reeno
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport was a very interested observer as he sat ringside on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Hearn promotes one of the key names in the welterweight division, undefeated IBF world champion Kell Brook (33-0, 22KOs).
Two potential Brook opponents were in action that night in separate fights, Amir Khan (30-3, 19KOs) and Keith Thurman (24-0, 21KOs).
Khan dominated Alexander in the main event, while Thurman won a lopsided decision over 40-year-old veteran Leonard Bundu.
Thurman's performance was probably the worst televised fight of his career. Usually fans are clamoring to see a bruising knockout when they watch him in the ring. The fight lacked fireworks and the crowd let him know it in full effect. The contest was showered with boos until the very end, and even after the decision was announced.
Unfortunately, Thurman's performance has effectively ruled him out from a potential fight with Brook in the near future. The Sheffield fighter will make the first defense of his title on March 7th, at home.
"I was confident before [this fight that Brook would beat him]. He's a good fighter, but he can't beat Kell Brook and he's not big enough [in terms of name value] to warrant a fight. He got booed out of the arena [with Bundu] and how can you sell the fight [after that]," Hearn told BoxingScene.com.
