Can we all just admit Keith Thurman...

Garcia was undefeated.....Porter as much as he Is flawed is still a tough fight for anyone at 147.

Porter was coming off a good win over Broner and after his defeat to Thurman went on to stop Berto in his next fight.

Where's the decline?

Spence fought Brook, a good win....a very good win.....but he'd just been through the mill against GGG.....if anything it could be argued he had declined more.

 

Part of the cost of being a free agent and not having to pay a promoters premium is inactivity. It's harder to secure fights without a promoter but it's also a way to avoid being nickeled and dimed with the percentage promoters take off the top. Not a huge fan of inactivity as well. Young blue chip fighters have to stay active but these two seem to be gym rats and are always in fighting shape.

 

I think he beat Garcia pretty clearly. It was competitive but Keith showed he was the better fighter that night against Danny

 

Thurman has beat the best at 147 without question, but with Spence, Crawford and Mikey there's an infusion of new blood that will be in demand for the top welterweights. All of these guys have the skills to be champion at 147

 

I think Thurman would have fought Porter if he was undefeated. Porter hasn't really lost a fight that he was blown out or could have won. Keith is just leveraging his status having faced the best and holding the majority of the titles to use as bargaining chips. He's playing the Mayweather/PAC hand where he's looking to dictate who he fights, when he fights and what his opponents purse will be. I honestly believe he's not in that kind of position to be moving the way he is because he's not a massive draw...he is however the top welterweight based on what he's been able to accomplish. Beating Spence, Crawford and Mikey will make him a PPV star and be in a position similar to what Floyd and Manny held in their day

 

Spence will beat Thurman if he gets the chance...

 

except the huge disparity in talent and skill.

 

clear gift
Thurman left his jab in the lockerroom.

 

diaz beats porter

 

Doesn’t want to fight the top fighters yet has just unified the division having fought Porter and Garcia back to back....right.

 

Anyone cutting a large amount of water weight is going to struggle to keep on doing so as they get older and he's a massive weight cutter. It caught up with Brook and it'll catch up with him if he doesn't eventually move up.

 

You can have all the talent and skill in the world, it means nothing without character. And I'd argue Thurman has the greater character than a man content to forge a career starving himself to gain an advantage over little men who are half in size.

 

Garcia is an overachiever. I like him and have pulled for him a few times, but hes also had a couple of CLEAR gifts. He has his niche, but Hes very beatable. Just because he was undefeated on paper doesnt mean he wasnt beaten in the ring.

I agree Porter is a tough fight for anyone, but he isnt skilled enough to beat the creme of the crop. He wont beat Thurman, or Spence, and Id still favor Brook slightly. Broner and Berto a B- even C level fighters imo. Berto at hid best was a top B level dude, but after Maidana hes just a name.

Brook imo had not declined at all. GGG didnt put a beating on him, yes he fractured his orbital bone, an extremely common injury in boxing, but aside that it wasnt a brutal beating. No once did he even go down or feel the need to take a knee.

Brook quit against Spence when he realized he was outmatched, just like he quit against GGG when he felt he had no shot at winning.

I like Thurman a lot and I hope he hasnt lost his hunger, but based on his comments and hid activity level, perhaps hes starting too.

Haymon pays his fighters a lot of money, would not be out of the question that some of these young fighters feel comfortable now that they have possibly over a million in the bank account.