News

Keith Thurman not sold on Jeff Horn, says there is still more for Crawford to prove – “Jeff Horn is gonna be a nice welcoming party”

Written by Keeran Rajan on 7th February 2018.

Thurman v Garcia

Keith Thurman, like many boxing insiders, isn’t giving Australia’s Jeff Horn much of a chance for his mandatory title defence against former 2-weight world champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford.

The unified WBA and WBC world welterweight champ, Keith Thurman has shared his view that he doesn’t think much of the Australian as a fighter. That comes despite his victory against the legendary, all-time great, 8-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao.

“The thing about Crawford is, you can put him in the top five [among welterweights],” Thurman told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole.

“But you don’t know where he belongs. You can just put him at No. 3. Keith Thurman, Errol Spence and then Terence Crawford.

“You can do that if you want. But a lot of people, I believe, in the welterweight division believe Crawford’s gonna have to prove himself.”

“Jeff Horn is gonna be a nice welcoming party for him at 147,” Thurman said.

“But I don’t think a lot of Americans are thinking too highly of that kid right now anyways.

He’s still just inexperienced, you know? Manny Pacquiao was old and Manny Pacquiao was a small guy.

“Jeff Horn just had good size, fought hard, fought in his own country and he got the ‘W.’

Some people say he lucked out, but it doesn’t matter how you win.

What matters is what the end result is and he’s champion. He should be proud.

He worked hard for it. I don’t wanna take nothing away from the kid.

“Obviously, we favour Crawford in the fight [against Horn]. We look forward to, you know, Crawford mixing it up at 147,” Thurman said.

“But there’s a lot of great welterweights that Crawford could be fighting outside of the top welterweights, which is Keith Thurman and Errol Spence.”

“There is a lot of action at 147 and a lot of great action for all of us. A lot of young, hungry dogs out there.”

READ MORE:

UKAD share the financial repercussions of the Fury case

Canelo: No judges this time!

Floyd Mayweather And Conor McGregor Reportedly Having Rematch Talks