Fans everywhere were disappointed when the potentially explosive, possible fight of the year welterweight showdown between Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman was postponed due to Thurman being injured with whiplash in a car crash. The fight should be in the history books now, as it should have gone down on March 12th in Uncasville, Connecticut.
But now, with a new date set for June 25th (this fight was simply too good not to happen) it appears the 147-pound clash will also have a new venue: the Barclays Centre in New York. This is the world according to Dan Rafael over at ESPN.com, who reports that the New York venue is now likely to play host to the fight. Which fighter this will benefit the most, is an interesting question. Thurman is from Florida, while Porter hails from Akron, Ohio (but now lives in Las Vegas). Which fighter will get the lion’s share of the fans on the night of June 25th and will this have any bearing on who wins the fight?
Also set for the card is a good featherweight match-up between former three-weight ruler Abner Mares against Jesus Cuellar, for the Argentine’s WBA 126-pound belt. Mares, 29-2-1(15) is coming off a loss – in a terrific fight with Leo Santa Cruz in August of last year, a majority verdict that went Cruz’ way – while Cuellar is 28-1(21) has won eleven straight since his sole pro defeat, which came against Oscar Escandon, who TKO’d him in the 7th-round way back in 2011.
Cuellar is a puncher and Mares is all-action. This fight could even eclipse the main event in terms of great two-way action. Still, the Porter-Thurman fight is what the fans will really be coming to see. The winner on June 25th could well be on his way towards stardom. And, as fans of the 147-pound division are only too aware, there will be no shortage of greats fights for the June winner. Maybe Kell Brook, who holds a close win over Porter, will get the big fight he has been craving for some months.