(Photo credit: Premier Boxing Champions) Hall Of Fame Boxing announcer Al Bernstein calls the June 25 Keith Thurman-Shawn Porter welterweight title match “a fight for the fans.” Al continued, “I call it that because it has all the elements of a match that resonates with boxing fans. It checks all the boxes, both men are in their prime, the contrasting styles in the ring should make it fascinating and both men are highly motivated because they feel this is the most important fight of their careers.”
This SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS presentation will be the first prime time boxing show on CBS since 1987. The co-feature will be a featherweight title match between champion Jesus Cuellar and former 3-time champ Abner Mares. “It’s great to be a part of the CBS broadcast history of boxing and walk in the shoes of great broadcasters like Tim Ryan and my mentor Gil Clancy,” Bernstein said. He added, “Boxing has been heating up in the last few months and this window to the world on CBS and a huge crowd at a great venue like the Barclays Center will keep that momentum going.”
Al said shining the spotlight on both Thurman and Porter reflects well on the sport. “These two young men approach their craft with enthusiasm and respect. They are professional athletes who comport themselves in the way that will draw fans to the sport. They have shown respect for each other while still making it clear they have the will and desire to win. This is a 50-50 fight in every way.”
IN OTHER NEWS:
Al’s pre-fight analysis of the fight can be seen on his Quick Hits video at www.youtube.com/AlsBoxingHangouts
Al will host a special pre-fight party presented by Corona Extra at 6:00 pm ET Friday, June, 24th at Rocco’s Tacos, 339 Adams Street in Brooklyn, NY. This event is open to all boxing fans and has limited space available. The first 50 fans that attend will be given a free autographed copy of his book 30 Years, 30 Undeniable Truths about Boxing, Sports and TV. Al will have a question and answer session with the fans, give away other prizes with boxing trivia , and will be available for a photo opportunity with all the fans after the event.
Also on June 25 Al Bernstein will be inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame during ceremonies in Tampa, Fla. Al said: “When FBHOF President Butch Flansburg informed me of this honor I intended to be there to share in a weekend of great activities with the fans and my fellow inductees. My duties for this SHOWTIME/CBS telecast prevented that, but it does not diminish how honored I am to be recognized by he Florida Boxing Hall Of Fame. I am very appreciative of this recognition and thank the FBHOF for it.”
Keith Thurman quotes
Keith Thurman, the reigning WBA Welterweight World Champion, is four weeks out from his June 25 title defense against Shawn Porter and has his 20-year career in boxing on his mind heading into the crucial showdown.
Thurman will be headlining on CBS live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn with televised coverage starting at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting
www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
“It’s been an amazing journey and no one predicted this better than my first coach Ben Getty,” said 27-year-old Thurman. “It puts me in a state of gratitude for Ben. He told everyone I’d be world champ, and here I am, defending my title against Shawn Porter. I am just starting to see what Ben Getty saw in me and the mark that I can make in boxing.”
Thurman isn’t the only one celebrating a boxing anniversary – his trainer of 13 years and Florida Hall of Fame elected boxing trainer Dan Birmingham, who trained former champion Winky Wright, has been in the sport for 50 years, and assistant trainer Chris Getty has grown up with Thurman in the sport through his father Ben Getty. The fight also is the first primetime fight on CBS in almost 40 years since the Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks from Las Vegas.
Now, 20 years after Ben Getty introduced Thurman to boxing as part of an after school program, he is one of the strongest power punchers in the division, with an excellent knockout rate of 80%. His focus, however, is on making boxing history.
“My goal is to be known as the hardest hitting welterweight in the division,” said Thurman. “This camp, if anything, I feel more comfortable. I’m fully recovered, sparring, training. I’ve been throwing power punches for what seems like forever and it’s a little weird. I can’t help but think about how this is my 20th year in boxing and knowing the longevity I’ve had. It’s given me a new confidence.“
For Birmingham, this training camp has been a re-commitment to the strategic and conditioning process the team has gone through for each fight for the past 13 years.
“Training is going real well,” said Birmingham. “We know Porter is a come-forward fighter – he is going to try to be on Keith’s chest. I want Keith to box, use his power, use his jab, and use his feints to work the body from the inside. All the things Keith knows how to do. Porter is not a real technical fighter so we’re working on using that to our advantage.”
Birmingham on sparring:
“We’ve been doing great sparring work – we have some tough, tough kids in camp. We’ve been boosting aerobic capacity, and those kids are keeping on Keith. He’s going to be in great shape for this fight. We’re excited for this fight. “
What does Team “One Time” anticipate?
Birmingham: “We know that Porter is going to bring it so we’re working extra hard on aerobics and being fit for this fight. Keith’s doing a lot of running, cardio, endurance; we expect a tough fight and we’ll be prepared for this fight. We expect a victory”
What can fans expect on June 25?
Thurman: “Hopefully a knock out! I’m coming to bring it. Shawn is coming to bring it. It’ll be a great fight. We are two of the top welterweights in the division. Two of the youngest and strongest welterweights in the sport going toe-to- toe.”
What is your goal for this fight?
Thurman: “My goal is to be known as the hardest hitting welterweight in the division. My lifelong goal is to be the undisputed welterweight champion of the world – and I have a ways to go in unifying the titles. Once I move past Shawn I look forward to the challenge of making my dreams come true. I’m blessed to be where I am today.”
The Welterweight division is one of the hottest divisions in boxing, what do you think of a Super 6 tournament in the division?
Thurman: “I’m for it. In the 147-pound division it’s time to unify a title. Someone at 147 should have more than one belt and that’s my goal that before end of the year to have more than one belt.”
One of the sports more enigmatic athletes, Thurman is known for having a varied list of interests and hobbies setting him apart from other fighters, including playing the flute, piano and guitar, books (The Secret Life of Plants to Bhagavad Gita the Little Buddhist Handbook) and music (Ziggy Marley to Tupac). It is his uniqueness that helps him be an easy fan-favorite.
“Greatest advice I’ve been given is just to be Keith Thurman – just be me,” said Thurman. “I’m looking forward to stepping on this scale, not over talking and just going in and getting the knock out.”
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.