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Keith Thurman puts Errol Spence Jr clash on the back burner this year – You’re not gonna see it in ’18

Written by Keeran Rajan on 25th January 2018.

Thurman v Garcia

One of the most eagerly anticipated showdowns in boxing as we moved into 2018 was, of course, to see American welterweight unification showdown between the IBF titleholder, Errol Spence Jr and the unified WBA and WBC champion, Keith Thurman.

Spence has been very forthright in his assertions that Thurman has no interest in taking him on inside the squared circle. Spence has even referred to him in a derogatory manner, brandishing him ‘run time’ which is a play on words with Thurman’s nickname of ‘One Time’.

Thurman who is returning to tip-top shape after suffering an elbow injury which resulted in him needing surgery. Thurman claims he will focus his efforts in 2018 on returning to optimum condition.

“You’re not gonna see it [in] ’18, baby,” Thurman said. “This is a get-back year.”

This is a get-back year. You’re not gonna be able to see it.”

“I believe Errol Spence is a great champion, but he can defend the title that he just acquired, he can defend that another time this year,” Thurman said.

“I’m gonna defend [the WBA and WBC titles] this year.

After that, I can expand – because I just became the unified champion, correct? I just became unified. He just became champion, with his first title defence.

I’ve yet to defend my unification. And I’m gonna be defending it after the injury.

So this is all the get-back year. I hope later this year we can do an exciting fight for you.

But it will not be EJ. EJ is to come in the near future, but not that soon.”

“So in 2018, we’re coming back, we’re holding our position,” Thurman said.

Evaluating his potential adversaries for this year, Thurman suggests rematches with either Shawn Porter or Danny Garcia could perhaps be on the agenda.

“We can possibly have a big fight – arguably the Shawn Porter rematch, arguably there’s enough drama to do a Danny Garcia rematch.”

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen later this year. I know I’m gonna be fighting May 19th.”

“I know I’m gonna be getting back into action. I want something big to happen later, but Errol Spence and expanding outside of this unification and into another unification just is not gonna happen this year.”

“I know that. The fans might not understand that, but that’s just the way it is.”

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