WBA World welterweight champion Keith Thurman returns to action this Saturday night against Josesito Lopez at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The venue has been a happy hunting ground for ‘One-Time’ in recent years, previously hosting his victorious title defence against Shawn Porter in June 2016 in one of the fights of the year, in addition to his successful unification against Danny Garcia the following March.
Clearwater native Thurman, who continues his career under the guidance of Dan Birmingham, has since been stripped of the WBC title he collected on that night for inactivity, but remains resolutely determined to reassert his supremacy in the welterweight division amidst the emergence of promising contenders and talented rivals.
Indeed, two of the latter, in similarly undefeated IBF champion Errol Spence and WBO counterpart Terence Crawford, consistently feature on pound-for-pound lists compiled by the most respected commentators in the sport.
Former opponent Porter in addition to a reinvirogated Manny Pacquiao, holder of the WBA’s secondary title, are also potential future opponents that Thurman may have to contest with, should he dispatch of Lopez as expected.
After being sidelined for over eighteen months with injuries, Thurman is promising to make a statement of intent with an explosive performance against Lopez, a seasoned veteran and former World title challenger who sensationally upset Victor Ortiz in 2012.
Undefeated heavyweight contender and local fan favourite Adam Kownacki – fresh from his dramatic slugfest with Charles Martin – features as the co-main event on the card against former World title challenger Gerald ‘El Gato’ Washington.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter at: @DarkMan________