by David P. Greisman

There are fights that Showtime has been building toward for some time, particularly in the featherweight, welterweight and junior middleweight divisions, according to network executive Stephen Espinoza.

The network, through its sibling station CBS, put on Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter in June. Thurman won a decision. And he could be moving toward a bout with Danny Garcia soon, though Thurman needs to allow a cut over his eye to heal and Garcia has to handle other business first.

“Danny Garcia will be at the [Santa Cruz vs. Frampton] fight on Saturday. Keith was planning on being there as well, but something came up. Both of those guys have said they want each other,” Espinoza told BoxingScene.com. “I think the timing’s a little bit off. I think Keith’s team would rather see him rest until early next year.”

Given the timing of the fights each would have, Espinoza believes Garcia-Thurman would take place in early 2017.

Garcia’s next appearance could be a fight between Danny Garcia and Andre Berto that could come in early fall, though nothing has been announced just yet.

Thurman is the WBA titleholder. Garcia captured the vacant WBC belt with a decision over Robert Guerrero in January.

Thurman has a mandatory due against David Avanesyan. After his win over Porter, Thurman acknowledged that while also speaking again of his desire to face Garcia.

“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