Thurman-Porter rematch makes sense for both

There is a lot up in the air when boxing resumes later this summer and one division in particular to keep an eye on is Welterweight.

Next, with all the uncertainty about whether unified 147-pound champ, Errol Spence, can come back after his horrific car accident last October and with the uncertainty of when and against whom legend, Manny Pacquiao, would fight next, we now wonder if other contenders might not end up fighting each other?

And a fight that might make a lot of sense in that case, would be a rematch between former WBA champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and former WBC champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter.

The two staged a memorable June 2016 all out, action-packed slugfest in the PBC main event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. And, it was won by Thurman on a unanimous 12-round decision.

The win was part of the Clearwater, Florida, native’s Thurman’s rise to the top of the welterweight division and kept him unbeaten at 26-0 at that time. To underscore how good their battle was, it will apparently be part of the May schedule of Showtime  Premium Cable’s “Boxing Classics” replay series of recent great fights over the past 20 years or so.

Back to the present, since the Thurman victory over Porter, he then handed another unbeaten contender, Danny Garcia his first loss, but then, suffered a series of injuries to his right elbow first, which kept him out of action for nearly two years. And now, after Thurman suffered his first loss to future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao last July, Thurman had a left hand injury requiring surgery that has had him sideline and targeting a summer 2020 return.

Thus, Thurman’s future as a contender is uncertain.

Meanwhile, after his loss to Thurman Porter won the WBC vacant 147 lb. belt in September 2018, when he also defeated Danny Garcia in a great 12 round performance. However, once again, on the bigger stage he was outgunned and out-fought by the unbeaten Spence in a 12 round loss in their unified title fight last September.

Porter, now 30-3-1, was part of a recent “Facebook Live” chat on PBC’s page

#AtHomeWith @ShowtimeShawnP — The former Welterweight World Champion checks in from Las Vegas and is ready to talk with boxing fans when he takes over the PBC Facebook page TODAY at 4 pm ET/1 pm PT. #TeamPorter pic.twitter.com/lAXl0b4Y93

— PBC (@premierboxing) April 17, 2020

And “Showtime” gave an assessment of rematching either Spence or Thurman if fights return,

“I’d pick Spence. Keith Thurman has been out of the ring too much. I don’t think he’s the same fighter he was when I fought him. I’d have to go with Spence.”

Thurman has also been on PBC outlets and other podcasts saying that he will be ready to go soon and has aspirations for either a rematch with Pacquiao or another high-profile fight.

And, due to the excitement that he and Porter generated in their first fight nearly four years ago and the fact that both wants to get back into the mix for rematches with Spence or Pacquiao, it seems like Thurman – Porter to would be a logical elimination battle.

It’s not their only options, but might be the best one.