Posted on 04/01/2021
By: Hans Themistode
Keith Thurman doesn’t recall his showdown against Danny Garcia being particularly close. Despite the split decision victory in 2017, Thurman believes he dominated their contest.
Regardless of his belief, that hasn’t stopped Garcia from calling him out. Earlier this month, the Philadelphia native announced to the boxing world that his time at 147 pounds had officially come to an end as he intends on fighting at the 154-pound weight limit. Although Thurman has no intention of joining him in the Jr middleweight division, that hasn’t stopped Garcia from calling him out.
“I feel like the next chapter in my career is at 154,” said Garcia during an interview with Eric Kelly on SouthBox Radio. “I’ll do a couple of fights and break myself in. Me and Thurman could fight at 54.”
In Thurman’s opinion, it doesn’t matter where they fight, the outcome will be identical to the first time they faced off.
“He was slow at 140 so that ain’t gonna change nothing,” said Thurman during an interview with FightHype. “I don’t know what Danny thinks or what benefactors he has in moving up in weight and calling me out. Just make weight boy.”
For Garcia, his time at 147 pounds comes to an end on a whimper. The former two-division world champion was thoroughly outboxed and outmuscled by unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.
Thurman admitted that he watched their contest carefully but he also confessed that he was disappointed in what he saw from Garcia on the night. While the Philadelphia native reassures everyone that he did everything in his power to win, Thurman saw something completely different. In his opinion, Garcia was simply happy to see the final bell while standing upright.
“He didn’t let his hands go until five seconds at the end. He thanked God right away that he didn’t get knocked out. He was being very defensive and didn’t want to let his hands go. I think he was a little timid. I think his dad was trying to get him to throw more punches the whole fight. He was in good position on Spence but he didn’t let his hands go.”