Photo by Esther Lin/Showtime
When it comes to the name Keith “One Time” Thurman, one thing is certain, he is destined for greatness.
On April 26, 2014 Thurman once again rose to the occasion as he defeated Julio Diaz by TKO.
Diaz was unable to continue after the third round, citing a rib injury sustained from a body shot.
Thurman demonstrated his true championship ability with accuracy, speed and power. With yet another uncontested victory under his belt, it would be fair to say that Thurman now stands amongst the elite level of fighters within the Golden Boy Promotions stable.
After seeing the results of his first main event performance last night, one can argue that Thurman belongs on the main stage.
Within just a year’s time, it would appear that the name ‘One Time” is now embedded among boxing fans worldwide.
The question that people are wanting to know is simply who is next.
Will Thurman be able to compete at this same level against other established names in the sport? Many main stream boxing fans would certainly like to place him in the ring with the best, but in this sport it would be fair to say that timing is everything.
During the post-fight interview with Jim Gray, the name Floyd Mayweather was posed as a potential upcoming fight for Thurman. Although many fans would entertain this matchup, it is highly unlikely that you will see this bout made in the near future.
Thurman would likely have to fight a minimum of two more times before such a match upcould even become realistic. Even then, his chances of landing a spot with the current king of boxing on a pay-per-view—or “May Per View”—event would simply be a luck of the draw.
At this point many would agree that there is certainly a highly desired showdown that is beginning to surface with the IBF Welterweight Champion, Shawn Porter. Thurman expressed his willingness to enter the ring with Porter.
"Shawn Porter is a terrific fighter, we know each other very well. Whenever they're ready I'm ready" -Thurman #Boxing #ThurmanDiaz
— RoundByRoundBoxing (@RBRBoxing) April 27, 2014
This could arguably be the matchup that will decide just who the next big star of boxing will be.
Both Thurman and Porter are coming off impressive knockout performances. When placing these two names in the same hat together, it simply makes sense.
Both of these fighters have proven that they are dangerous by displaying brutal knockout capabilities.
One could certainly favor Thurman or Porter as the predicted victor if this fight was announced.
Although Porter is crafty in skill, at this point in time it would appear that Thurman has the greater chance of success if he were able to effectively box Porter on the outside.
Despite the opposing views regarding advantages, one thing is for certain, fans want to see this matchup made.
Photo edit by John Garita/Round By Round Boxing
While factoring in timing as it relates to the business of boxing, this fight may too be a premature request. The disadvantage in allowing these two to meet too soon may come down to projected revenues.
Allowing Thurman and Porter to continue gain momentum on the top tier of fighters expands the potential for larger revenues and paydays at a later date and time.
Other possible names that come to mind regarding Thurman’s next matchup could be the winner of Amir Khan vs. Luis Collazo matchup.
It would be fair to say that we will have to wait for the dust to settle on May 3, 2014 to know where Thurman and many other Welterweights sit in regards to future matchups.
This year appears to be the time of confirmation for Thurman. He has made it thus far, earning every victory under his belt with precision.
If timed properly, Thurman will have a shot at sitting on top of the Welterweight division as the undisputed world champion by 2015.
Greatness is not something given to an individual. It is a status that comes with hard work and determination while fine tuning your craft.
With what we have all seen from Keith Thurman thus far, many can certainly argue that he is destined for it.
