Keith Thurman not worried about Errol Spence comments
Former unified welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-1, 22ko) isn’t letting the current rhetoric from current unified champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (26-0, 21ko) bother him at all.
The 31-year-old Florida power puncher is used to being dogged by the current unified Texas champion. He remains un-phased by statements made about him being fake or Spence’s claims that he doesn’t need the former unified champion.
A LOOK BACK
If you haven’t been following this story, there is a long history between these two Premier Boxing Champions fighters. The beef goes back to 2015 when former pound for pound kingpin Floyd “Money” Mayweather (50-0, 27ko) retired from the sport, leaving the division wide open for the taking.
Keith Thurman would rise to the top of the division, becoming a unified champion. Errol Spence would then become eager to get a shot at the newly crowned unified champion. However, now the roles are reversed, and it’s the Florida fighter looking for a title opportunity with his PBC stablemate.
THE PRESENT SITUATION
The former unified champion took time to speak with Pep Talk UK and he wasn’t shy on the topic of Spence. He tackled the remarks about Errol Spence of not giving him an opportunity since he wasn’t given that same opportunity.
“I highly doubt those statements. I’ve heard multiple different comments, so I would almost say that one is taken a little out of content. At the end of the day, Errol is champion; a lot of people going to be gunning for him. If he wants to keep dominating 147, he’s going to answer to pretty much everybody or follow after our predecessor and dodge everybody and pick who he chooses.”
“We are going to see that in his fights, we’re going to see that in his actions. He seems to be a man of competition. He’s faced some of my competition but he’s never faced me. And we all know that a lot of times that’s what happens in coming up in the sport.”
MY RESPECT IS INEVITABLE
Thurman would go on a lengthy soliloquy when comparing fights between himself, Mayweather, and Spence. Theme revolved around their performances against common opponents. Moreover, it was his ending statement that made it clear that he isn’t worried about not being given a chance to get his respect.
“I love going back and forth, I love the chatter, I love the discredit. If he wants to discredit me in any way, that’s all okay because I know he has credited me at the same time. It is what it is. You can hate on someone one way but after seeing them fight enough, you know they are at the top, you gotta give them respect at some point in time.”
“That’s how I feel. He’s going to have to give me my respect one way or another. If he really doesn’t want to see me at 147, he’s going to have to leave the division cause I’m not trying to leave the division.”
By: Garrisson Bland
