Keith Thurman: record, next fight and profile →
Keith Thurman's long awaited homecoming finally has a confirmed location. The unbeaten welterweight will face Luis Collazo on July 11 at USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida. The 12-round welterweight title fight headlines the first installment of Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on ESPN. Also on the show, unbeaten junior middleweight prospect Tony Harrison faces Willie Nelson in a scheduled 10-round bout.
Former world welterweight champion Luis Collazo is in Puerto Rico preparing for what may be the final high profile opportunity of his career - unless he wins. Collazo is going to challenge WBA 'regular' champion Keith Thurman (25-0, 21KOs) on July 11. The fight will headline the debut of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN. In 2014, Collazo (36-6, 19 KO) had two fights. First he knocked out Victor Ortiz in two rounds and then lost to Amir Khan by unanimous decision. In April, Collazo beat unheralded Christopher Degollado in two rounds.
British superstar Amir Khan (31-3, 19KOs) says he’s available for a September fight with WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. If chosen by Mayweather, Amir Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter, feels that the only way someone can beat Mayweather is due to youth vs. old age. “It’s a fight that he has to be real diligent about,” Hunter said of Khan’s chances. “He’s going to have to do what a young buck can do, get in over his head, and take it to another level. His IQ will never match Floyd Mayweather’s IQ. You have to offset that with youth.”
BoxingScene.com has been advised that a Premier Boxing Champions doubleheader is being put together for July 11th, as part of the PBC series on ESPN. In the main event, WBA 'regular' welterweight champion Keith Thurman (25-0, 21KOs) would defend his title against former beltholder Luis Collazo (36-6, 19KOs). Thurman is coming back from headlining the PBC premier on NBC, where he won a twelve round unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero. Collazo lost a decision to Amir Khan on the Mayweather-Maidana undercard last May, and then came back last month to stop Chris Degollado in three rounds.
BoxingScene.com catches up with unbeaten Keith Thurman to discuss the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, and more. <br /><br />Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will be replayed next Saturday by Showtime and HBO. The fight is a unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate con caracter, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions -Terminator Genisys, in theaters July 1st, Paramount Pictures & Skydance Productions present MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, in theaters & IMAX July 31st, The Weinstein Company and the new movie Southpaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, in theaters everywhere July 24 and Mexico, Live it to Believe it.
A lot of money is coming down with the Las Vegas sportsbooks for WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao to win his unification mega-fight with WBC/WBA champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. One person who is not betting on Pacquiao to win is WBA 'regular' welterweight champion Keith Thurman, who tabs Mayweather to pull off the victory on May 2nd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Thurman will technically become the mandatory challenger, under the WBA, to the winner. He plans to return in June or July and hopes to get the winner or loser in the near future.
IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (34-0, 23KOs), who two weeks ago demolished Jo Jo Dan in four rounds, will defend his world title on May 30th against countryman Frank Gavin at the O2 in London. If all goes well against Gavin, Brook is looking to return to the ring again at least two more times before the end of the year. Brook's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has already mentioned former champion Brandon Rios as the likely candidate to face Brook in his next fight. WBA 'regular' welterweight champion Keith Thurman (25-0, 21KOs) is looking to return on a date in late June or at some point in July.
Last month, undefeated WBA 'regular' welterweight champion Keith 'One Time' Thurman headlined the debut of Premier Boxing Champions at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He won a dominating twelve round decision over Robert 'The Ghost' Guerrero. Next month, also at the MGM Grand, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will collide in the most lucrative fight in boxing history. The WBC/WBA/WBO welterweight titles will be at stake. Thurman, because of his title status, will certainly fall in line as one of the potential candidates to face the winner.
Last month, WBA 'regular' welterweight champion Keith 'One Time' Thurman (25-0, 21KOs) headlined the debut edition of "Premier Boxing Champions" at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He faced former multi-division champion Robert 'The Ghost' Guerrero and put in a dominating performance over twelve rounds to win a lopsided decision. Right now Thurman is looking to return on a televised date in June or July. He is willing to wait around longer - if the right opponent comes along. Thurman says the biggest challenge for him, as usual, is getting a live opponent in the ring.
Palms Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nev. - British star Amir Khan (30-3, 19KOs) has the groundwork laid out for his 2015 campaign. Khan, while speaking to BoxingScene.com, said that he will fight twice this year and that the fights will likely take place at the end of May and in December. Khan said that he plans on lining up his opponent for his May return in the next couple of weeks. One name that Khan is looking at as a possible opponent for 2016 is undefeated WBA "regular" welterweight champion Keith Thurman.