The moment it was signed Keith “One Time” Thurman Vs. “Showtime” Shawn Porter was a boxing rarity: two elite, world-class fighters locking horns in their prime in a battle for in-ring supremacy. After a few delays they finally stepped into the ring to fight for Thurman’s WBA Welterweight title and boxing fans were treated to what will probably end up as the fight of the year.
What Thurman and Porter gave fans was an explosive, 12-round clash of styles that lead to scintillating collisions, devastating exchange, and huge haymakers landed by both fighters. In the end, Thurman retained his title with a razor sharp unanimous decision victory, with all three judges giving him the 115-113 edge.
When Porter had success it was with his bullying bum rushes, smothering Thurman on the ropes and unloading high and low. For Thurman, his best moments came when he had some distance between himself and Porter, where he could utilize his slicker, accurate punching, and thunderous counter punches. Both fighters landed bombs, but it seemed to be Thurman who landed the biggest punches of the fight, staggering Porter several times with both lefts and rights.
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746901732983136256
Really, the fight was everything right and wrong about boxing for 36 minutes. It was the perfect example of what the sport could be, two fighters walking into the ring elite and somehow walking out looking even better after their display in the ring. Porter, despite losing is now a bigger name and a more respected talent than he was a day ago and Thurman, the undefeated champion coming in, has proved his mettle against an elite opponent on the big stage of network television on CBS.
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746900825750921217
It’s the fact that this is such a rarity that’s troubling. Often fighters will spend their time picking off fringe contenders and lower rung opponents, simply building their own name rather than taking tougher challenges and truly testing themselves in the ring. After the fight, both Thurman and Porter said they’d like a rematch and hopefully it comes to fruition because that fight was absurdly entertaining, brutal and dramatic. Check out some highlights below courtesy of Zombie Prophet.
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746903204399452160
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746900213277720576
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746898105480548353
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746896077916233729
https://twitter.com/ZPGIFs/status/746904279412158464
