Comments Thread For: Espinoza Optimistic Spence-Thurman Will Happen Later This Year

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

As one of the best boxing matches Showtime could televise in the foreseeable future, Stephen Espinoza wants Errol Spence Jr.-Keith Thurman to take place as soon as possible. Espinoza, the executive responsible for buying fights for Showtime, is optimistic that their welterweight showdown could take place prior to the end of this year, assuming the undefeated welterweight champions continue winning. He thinks Thurman was just being cautious when the WBA/WBC 147-pound champ said in November that he expects to face Spence sometime in 2019, not this year.
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[The Big Dunn]

If this fight doesn't happen in 2018 I will more than pissed off. This is the marquee fight for PBC (other than wilder/joshua). Have them fight one week apart to build it then make it for summer/fall this year.

[WhatDisButtonDo]

Despite what many people think. Haymon will eventually make you fight someone if there is a big enough demand for it. He WILL be forced to fight Spence so long as he remains on pbc.

[bronx7]

Thurman defended title a few times against at the time elite porter Garcia coming off surgery rehab layoff will have a tuneup then Porter Mandatory Garcia Rios winner 2nd Mandatory no way Spence happens this year buildup to 2019

[Liondw]

I wonder what the rules are for how long a champion can keep a belt and not defend his title, even if due to injury he is out for more than a year.

[d-kazi7]

Fans are crazy. There's no way Thurman fights Spence this year. He's gotta tune up fight then he's gotta fight Porter. People are acting like Porter is just gonna give Keith the victory. Shawn is coming for that win. And if you know Al Haymon, none of his fighters fight more than twice a year. Late 2019 is probably more feasible assuming both guys hold on to their belts.

[Scipio2009]

Thurman defended title a few times against at the time elite porter Garcia coming off surgery rehab layoff will have a tuneup then Porter Mandatory Garcia Rios winner 2nd Mandatory no way Spence happens this year buildup to 2019

But why?

Spence fights Peterson in January, Thurman fights Vargas in April. The winners fight each other before football season gets going (basically before MID in September), and then you'd have the unified champion (would arguably be seen as undisputed champion, were it not for Jeff Horn being on ESPN for now and Arum trying to serve him up to Crawford before his options run out).

With no current obligations due to the IBF or WBA, the unified champion vs Shawn Porter becomes an even bigger fight, and the winner of that vs Danny Garcia also becomes a bigger fight.

Thurman-Spence is a bigger fight than Thurman-Porter 2, and both fights are still tough as sin.

[ShoulderRoll]

Let Thurman get 100% healthy and in shape.

I want him at his best when he fights Spence so that there are no excuses.

[bronx7]

Thurman legitimately had surgery long layoff go after Adonis Stevenson no mandatory in 5 years keeping belt hostage

[jjsmyth87]

I like what Espinoza is doing here. Showtime is the only one paying Haymon for fights and all they get in return is a bunch of scared fighters who want to cherry pick every fight. On one hand Showtime cant make the top guys fight each other, but on the other hand Showtime is heavily invested in Pbc so they still have to put on their cards. Haymon gives Showtime a couple good fights to entice them and then gives them crap the rest of the year. When Espinoza talked about the "old one time Keith Thurman" and talking about him avoiding Spence he was basically putting Thurman on front street in a business executive type of way. This is why Top Rank is better because if their fighters dont want to fight top competition then Top Rank wont give them a fight at all. Mikey didnt want to fight Gamboa so Top Rank didnt offer any other fight and Garcia left. Chavez jr didnt want to fight Ggg so he had to leave. These were career high paydays and legacy fights and they ran scared to Pbc where they could cherrypick. Just goes to show you most Pbc fighters mentality. I think Spence and Porter are legit and want to fight the best. They would fit in well with Top Rank because they only have fighters that are willing to fight the best