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What’s Next For Demetrius Andrade?

Posted on 02/02/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Another fight for WBO Middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade (29-0, 18 KOs) resulted in another win. It also resulted in a fight that no one really cared about. 

The career of Andrade has been moving at a gradual pace, to say the least. Whether he’s campaigning at the Middleweight or Jr Middleweight division, the results have been the same, which is to say that their haven’t been any results at all. 

Photo Credit: @BooBooAndrade Twitter Account

The skill is undeniable and the charisma is always on full display with Andrade, but why won’t anyone fight him? Is it high risk and low reward? Maybe. 

But as a world champion, anyone facing Andrade has plenty to gain. Not many will jump at the opportunity to face him but there are a few people who would be willing to take on the challenge. 

Jermall Charlo 

This one has been brewing for a while now. Jermall Charlo and Demetrius Andrade just don’t like each other. They never have and probably never will either. So what do you do when you just don’t like someone? That’s simple, get in the ring and fight. 

According to promoter Eddie Hearn, he’s already sent a contract over to Charlo for a unification to take place in May later on this year. Charlo has yet to agree to the contest but this, by all accounts should take place next. Not only does Andrade need a big name opponent but so does Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs). So in essence they need each other. There’s no need to debate this one, let’s make this fight happen next. 

Billy Joe Saunders

A fight between WBO Super Middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders and Demetrius Andrade was scheduled to take place in 2018. Saunders, of course, would go on to fail a drug test which led to the cancellation of the bout as he subsequently moved up in weight. Well, according to Andrade, a mere eight pounds in weight won’t deter him from making that contest happen.

“I’m willing to go up to 168 to fight Billy Joe joke ass Saunders in my next fight and that’s what I’m looking to do,” said Andrade following his win over Keeler. 

Provided Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) doesn’t land the Canelo fight, Andrade should be next. 

Gennadiy Golovkin

Gennadiy Golovkin (GGG) and Demetrius Andrade share something in common. It isn’t there fighting style, nor is it there demeanor. At one point, GGG (40-1-1, 35 KOs) was considered the most ducked boxer in the world. That distinction now belongs to Andrade. At the age of 37, GGG is past his prime but he’s still a good enough fighter to give anyone trouble. Andrade desperately needs a big name opponent and GGG can provide him with just that.

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What’s Next For GGG?

Posted on 10/07/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Following a brutal knockout win earlier in June, it wasn’t exactly the kind of performance that many were expecting from Gennadiy Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) the second time around. In front of a jam packed crowd in Madison Square Garden, in New York, Golovkin took on former title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs).

This contest was supposed to be a statement to his long time rival Canelo Alvarez.


Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing Twitter Account

His message? Fight me next.

In order for the fans to demand a third fight between the two, the former unified champion needed to win in devastating fashion.

He didn’t.

Golovkin managed to win a close unanimous decision against Derevyanchenko to win back his IBF world Middleweight title but their were many who believed he didn’t deserve the nod from the judges. It’s becoming clear that at age 37 he is slowing down.

Who should he take on next? Keep reading to find out.

Sergiy Derevyanchenko

Sergiy Derevyanchenko left everything in the ring this past Saturday night. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. At least according to the judges. Many of the fans in the arena felt that he did more than enough to warrant a decision win over the long time champion. He forced Golovkin to fight at a much faster pace than normal. He also did a great job of picking himself up off the deck and fought to the bitter end.

Golovkin has been adamant about getting a rematch with Canelo following two of their matches. However it wouldn’t seem right if Golovkin bypassed Derevyanchenko. The first fight was a classic. Give the fans what they want and allow them to fight each other one more time.

Canelo Alvarez

With two great fights already in the books between the two, fans would love to see a third. Golovkin might not be what he once was but he is still formidable against anyone. Both Golovkin and Alvarez have been linked to each other for several years now. It’s time that they put an end to their rivalry and face each other one more final time.

Demetrius Andrade

The WBO Middleweight champion is still in search of a big fight. Andrade is currently in negations with his mandatory challenger Steven Butler. That isn’t the fight that he wants or deserves. As it currently stands he possesses an undefeated record and an energetic personality to match. He has been calling for a shot at Golovkin for quite sometime. Give it to him.

Too long has he been waiting for his big moment. With both men possessing a world title, now would be a perfect time for a unification matchup.

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What’s Next For Manny Pacquiao?

Posted on 07/23/2019

By: Hans Themistode

There have been plenty of fans and reporters who have thrown dirt on the grave of Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs). It’s about time that has came to an end. After picking up a decision victory over former champion Keith Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) on July 20th, it’s clear that the eight time world champion and new WBA title holder isn’t going away anytime soon.

Pacquiao dropped and hurt Thurman several times throughout the fight and proved that he is still one of the best fighters in the world. At this point, he doesn’t want a soft touch, nor does he need it. He still wants to fight the best. So you know what? Let’s give him exactly what he’s looking for.

Errol Spence Jr vs Shawn Porter Winner

On September 28th, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California IBF and WBC champions Errol Spence Jr and Shawn Porter will be fighting in a unification contest. Even at the age of 40, Pacquiao has proven to be one of the best fighters in the world. He has also told everyone that he will have a close eye on that contest.

“I hope to be at that fight on the 28th.” Said Pacquiao after outpointing Keith Thurman on July 20th, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Both Porter and Spence would be extremely tough bouts for the new WBA world champion, but no one should doubt his abilities to get the job done against either man.

Danny Garcia

Many may not want to admit it, but, Danny Garcia has been known as some what of a legend killer.

He effectively retired Erik Morales, picking up a unanimous decision victory in their first contest and a knockout win in their second bout. In between both fights he also managed to stop Amir Khan dead in his tracks in the fourth round of their unification match. Wins over in their prime fighters such as Lucas Matthysse and Lamont Peterson followed by a victory over Zab Judah has fueled his claim as a legend killer.

Let’s all also not forget that he is a two weight world champion. Garcia did lose a close decision to recent Pacquiao victim Keith Thurman, but he has since grown as a fighter. If Pacquiao can’t get the winner of Spence vs Porter next, then this would be a great consolation prize.

Terence Crawford

A showdown between Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquiao is long overdue. While both fighters were signed with Top Rank, everything was lining up perfectly for them to fight one another.

Jeff Horn ended everyones hopes for a matchup as he upset Pac-Man in their 2017 contest. Fast forward two years later and Pacquiao is still a force in the division and Crawford is arguably the best fighter in the world.

Even at the age of 40, Pacquiao is ducking absolutely no one. With both fighters associated with different networks, this could be hard to make, but there is some hope. Pacquiao still has a great relationship with Crawfords current manager Bob Arum. Hopefully he can call in a favor and give the fans the fight that they want to see.

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Canelo and Golovkin: What’s Next for Both

Posted on 09/19/2018

By: Oliver McManus

With the benefit of 72 hours to sleep on things, it’s time to address what’s next for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin after their ferocious rematch at the T-Mobile Arena and, whilst some of these options are a little more realistic than others, we can be dreamers, so here are my top picks (trilogy aside!) –

Mexican fiesta?

This one seems a little adventurous to begin with but there are two fights that makes me stand up with interest, with regards to Canelo, and they both involve fellow Mexicans in what would make the perfect Cinco de Mayo bouts for 2019 – whilst it’s likely that Alvarez would look to fight in December first, these fights could brew nicely into the early months of next year.

First up is Jaime Munguia and given the size of the WBO 147lb champion, it’s equally likely that this bout could be taken at middle as it is welterweight and we’ve seen Munguia really start to stamp his authority over the course of 2018 with the youngster playing the role of underdog in his title challenge against Sadam Ali and, marginally, in his first defence against Liam Smith.

The sheer size and explosivity of Munguia means the fight with Canelo would guarantee action – akin to the last two with Golovkin – and of course there’s that added all-Mexican spice.

Looking into the super middleweight and you find another WBO champion in Gilberto Ramirez who has failed to really find any momentum over the last couple of years despite defending the title on four occasions and Zurdo has made no bones about his desire to land a big fight.

We know Canelo looks BIG when out of the ring – I’m not even going to go near the whole clenbuterol situation – and even at the catchweight of 164 for his bout with Julio Cesar Chavez he looked comfortable. I mean, admittedly, not a great performance but it wasn’t because of the extra weight.

More of a tactician than Munguia and, indeed, Golovkin, Ramirez would represent a different type of opponent for Alvarez with the opportunity to show a different set of skills than the, relatively, brawling nature over the last few months and Canelo, certainly, is an elite level boxer not just fighter. (If that makes sense).

Munguia and Ramirez, starting to sound like a fajita, but I want to see ANOTHER all Mexican encounter involving Canelo because you just cannot beat those atmospheres and the two champs either side of middleweight appear to be the frontrunners in that respective category.

Saunders vs Golovkin

A fight that has been mooted for a long, long time and it seems that now could be the most realistic timing for the super-fight to take place and on the assumption that the WBO champion can navigate his way past Demetrius Andrade on October 20th , this would provide the opportunity for GGG to bounce straight back into the world title scene.

For Saunders it provides him with the chance to carry on with the momentum he picked up in Canada last December with a, let’s not beat around the bush, masterclass performance against David Lemieux and, whilst his antics outside of the ring have been less than respectable, in the boxing world a victory over Golovkin would cement his credibility as one of the best.

An awkward southpaw who dictates the tempo of the bout from the centre of the ring, Saunders poses a distinctly different threat to that of Canelo but is equally capable of getting dirty on the inside and involved in a firefight as he is executing a technical, counter-punching gameplan.

Golovkin doesn’t need warm up bouts following his first ever career loss, he’s an elite fighter, certainly a Top 15 pound for pound and, with only a few fights left in him, it seems logical to target the fight with Saunders because it’s one we know he is mightily confident in winning and if he were to be able to reclaim the single belt that has alluded him his whole career then, surely, we could be looking at the best middleweight ever?

Saunders vs Golovkin make sense, it’s been in the works for a long time and it’s a bout that both men are confident of winning so let’s get it on!

Canelo vs Lemieux

We’ll keep this section short and snappy because I think we’re all aware that David Lemieux, especially after the pasting he got via Billy Joe Saunders, is in a different league, technically, to the world champions but following a devastating knockout over Spike O’Sullivan he finds himself back in the fold for a world title.

The one that can’t be argued with is the power of the Canadian who, when given a chance, is able to unfurl bombs in the direction of whichever Tom, Dick or Harry is standing in front of him. Having said that, he is equally susceptible to stinking out a stadium when he fails to turn up for a fight and that happens alarmingly often for him to be taken seriously as a contender.

It’s very hot and cold with David Lemieux but even when he’s on top of his game it’s nothing that would really send Canelo back to Mexico quivering in his boots looking for some more of that steak – the threat of Lemieux is easily nullified by Canelo taking the fight to the Canadian, boxing at a high tempo for the duration of the fight with a strong lead jab.

Canelo vs O’Sullivan was being lined up for December and, thusly, it makes sense that O’Sullivan’s conqueror is also in the frame.

The truth of the matter though, like it or not, is that this would only serve as a stay busy fight until a big clash in May.

Retirement for GGG?

What is left for Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin to achieve in the sport of boxing? With seemingly little possibility of moving a weight class, the former unified middleweight champion has literally been there, done that and seen it all.

20 successful defences of his belt, five as unified champion, the 36 year old possess a record matched only by the great Bernard Hopkins and, looking through the eras, you’d be hard pressed to suggest he wouldn’t have found success across them all.

A World Amateur champion and Olympic silver medallist, to boot, Golovkin has a career, both amateur and professional, to be immensely proud of and in the eyes of many an onlooker he has got nothing left to prove.

On many scorecards he should have won that first fight with Canelo, the second was a stormer and there can be no loss of legitimacy for losing what was, let’s be honest, a fight that could have gon either way; you get the feeling that Golovkin and Canelo could go toe to toe 60 times and it would never get boring, 20 would be a win for Golovkin, 20 for Canelo and the other 20 a draw… it’s just that sort of a fight!

But for the love of the sport and the pride he gets from fighting, there is nothing left to achieve for Triple G so, if you ask me, hang those gloves up, kick back and just enjoy life Gennady!

Of course the fight we all want to see, well most of us anyway, is ANOTHER rematch between the two protagonists of the middleweight division and why shouldn’t we want that? 24 rounds of simply stunning action during which neither fighter could comprehensively claim to be the better man, throw in some controversy, a bit of bad blood, and we have got ourselves not just a fight but an EVENT.

The first two fights were must-see entertainment that captured the imagination of the boxing community and there’s very little reason to believe a third would be anything but the same – the only question’s that really need answering are where, when and how much is it going to cost us?

Preliminary talks are being held between the parties, allegedly, so hopefully we’ll be able to see the trilogy contest sooner rather than later because there’s some unfinished business to take care of and it’s a fight that I, certainly, will never get bored of.

Having said that, what if Golovkin wins the third fight? Does that mean we’ll have to have a fourth?!

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What’s Next for Pacquiao?

Posted on 07/17/2018

By: Oliver McManus

The clock was ticking, the guard began to change as star after star began to fade into the background but an ever present constant in the boxing hemisphere, Manny Pacquiao, was determined to shift the sands of time back into his favour last weekend as he faced Lucas Matthysse, in Malaysia, for yet another world title.

“He’s too old”, the doubters said. “Matthysse has too much power”, cried the naysayers. “Getting rid of Roach was a mistake”, echoed those who questioned Pac Man.

He paid no attention to the script, setting about what can only be described as a demolition job in crushing the Argentine in a manner akin to taking a hammer to a peanut. Matthysse landed a fair few half-decent punches but never looked like carrying a realistic threat to the legacy of Pacquiao and was dropped time after time before the contest was waived off in the seventh round.

What next for Pacquiao, then?

RETIREMENT

Seems harsh to suggest in the immediate aftermath of such a scintillating performance – his first knockout victory since 2009 – but retirement does seem to be a genuine option for the Filipino with the huge money making fights seemingly few and far between and with increasingly more risk to the ageing eight-weight world champion.

The legacy of Pacquiao is solidified with the defining moment seeming to always be characterised by his series of fights with Juan Manuel Marquez so there’s no real need for the legendary fighter to carry on and risk becoming a Roy Jones Jr figure – albeit at a higher level and not against guys such as Bobby Gunn, Rodney Moore and that respective ilk.

It’s not as though the 39 year old is without other options, boxing is very much a secondary focus as things stand in Pacquiao’s life with his priority being politics – elected as a senator in his home country, Pacquiao has a minimum term until 2022 which, in itself, makes preparing and organising fights relatively difficult.

And let’s be clear this was probably Pacquiao’s best performance in six or seven years and there will always be the eternal question regarding his age and stamina – he proved his doubters wrong on Saturday but as we saw against Horn there is a distinct blueprint for beating Pacquiao and he’s ripe for the taking – so what better a night than to call it quits, retire as a world champion with plaudits aplenty.

AMIR KHAN

On the distinct polar opposite vein you could argue that because Pacquiao looked so good that in itself is all you need to back-up a call for him to continue – whether that’s papering up the cracks or not is something we’ll find out as and when future bouts happen – and an immediate fight that springs to mind is Amir Khan.

Big in the States and big in the United Kingdom, Amir Khan is of an ideal profile for a mega fight with mega dollars to boot – it could also see Pacquiao in the United Kingdom for the first time though such is the statue of the guy we’d likely only see him for a press conference over here as opposed to the actual bout.

Let’s not forget that the pair were scheduled to fight on April 23rd last year in the United Arab Emirates before the bout was called off but the desire to see the two meet in the ring has not dampened and if anything the flame has only burned brighter since Khan’s successful comeback.

For Khan, who has more options than Kell Brook, this is a perfect opportunity to return to the world title scene and, in all honesty, it’s possibly the easiest champion he’d have to face in the division which is saying quite something.

Amir has been there, too, he’s no stranger to these big fights and even though he lost, viciously, to Canelo, he put up a really good showing and there’s no doubt that against Pacquiao we could witness a tremendous, 50-50 fight with styles meshing.

From that knockout loss to Canelo, mind, Pacquiao will be able to take immense confidence especially off the back of such a convincing beat-down of Lucas Matthysse. Couple in the notorious “glass chin” that Khan is often accused of having, the risk for Pacquiao would be relatively big but the reward would be phenomenal – Khan is possibly one of the biggest names that the Filipino could face whilst still possessing the tag as favourite.

For me this is a fight that simply has to happen.

VASYL LOMACHENKO

Dropping down a weight division to super lightweight there is the possibility of facing Vasyl Lomachenko in yet another HUGE fight – Lomachenko needs no introduction so I won’t bother giving him one but it’s fair to say that a fight of this magnitude would invoke memories of Pacman’s contest with Mayweather and supersede the sport of boxing in becoming a sheer event for the pubic, fans or not.

Loma is out until December at least following shoulder surgery and Pacquiao has hinted at wanting to drop back to super-lightweight for some time now so the build-up for the potential clash would no doubt capture the imagination of the boxing world.

A clash with Lomachenko is the only bout that could have a positive impact on how we look back on Pacquiao’s career in 10 years – any other opponents are merely extra icing on the already lavishly decorated cake that are his 23 years as a professional boxer – but the Ukrainian provides a test that is unlike any other, a living legend, a walking Hall-of-Famer, a fighter who is, frankly, a freak of nature.

Lomachenko would be the best opponent since Floyd Mayweather and there’s a reasonable argument to be made that he’d be the best opponent INCLUDING Floyd Mayweather, at least in retrospect, and would enter the fight as a favourite but if Pacquiao is determined to prove, once and for all, that he IS back then this is the sort of challenge he really needs to be looking at.

The question that gets raised when you talk about this fight – potentially held at catchweight – is whether Manny really looked that good against Matthysse or if he was simply the least washed up of the two boxers as whilst it was a very accomplished performance you’d be hard pushed to say the Matthysse that turned up was on his A game.

It’s a risk, yes, but is it a risk worth taking?

JEFF HORN

I’ve opted for Jeff Horn to fill this last section although I was tempted to select Terence Crawford instead but Horn gets the edge because there is history in that encounter, we all know what happened in Australia and this would be a perfect opportunity to silence his critics from that night and prove it was a fluke loss.

Over here in the United Kingdom endless repeats of their first fight were being shown on the broadcaster and, make no mistake, there wasn’t anything like the outrage shown in America with regards to the scoring but this is a fight that would sell, literally, to all four corners of the globe; you’ve got the Australian market who will be fervently routing for their home hero, the America’s backing Pacquiao and the Brit’s / European’s who love nothing more than a rematch with a bit of needle so in terms of marketability, this fight has it all.

Redemption is a factor that can never be over-stated because looking back on his career, Pacquiao is not a man who will be satisfied with a perceived injustice if there was a possibility to put such a situation to bed and we’ve seen immediately after their contest in February last year that Pacquiao wanted the rematch so his self-belief is there.

Horn, himself, is looking for an avenue back to the big time after getting soundly beaten by Crawford and the fight against Pacquiao is the instant avenue to go down because, for him, if he can pull of the “miracle” a second time then who can doubt him, immediately goes away all the criticism from their first encounter.

A snagging point in this whole deal is the style of Horn, it’s not exactly conducive to a performance that will knock your socks off because even if Pacquiao is able to control every second of every round, he’s going to emerge with a bruised and bloodied face such is the aggressive nature of the Australian – the less sound about his leading head, the better – so whilst emotionally and sentimentally the fight may be seen as a win, stylistically and in terms of future stock, it’s hard to see Pacquiao emerge looking any sharper than the fight at the weekend.

Time after time we’ve sat here and idolised about what could be next for such an icon of the sport and time after time he’s delivered the complete unexpected, the only thing we can ever take for granted with Manny Pacquiao is that he will never duck an opponent and he will always bring his all to a fight.

What more could you ask for from an all-time great? Wherever he goes next, even if he doesn’t fight again, let’s just take a minute to bask in his shadows because for now, at least, this warrior is taking a one-man stand against the surge of young pretenders and, boy, is he holding his own when everyone and their dog seems to be writing him off.

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What is next for Vasyl Lomachenko?

Posted on 12/24/2017

By: Waquas Ali

One of boxing’s greatest talents in the modern era, Vasyl Lomachenko (10-1) has been acclaimed for his boxing skills and achievements ever since he turned pro.

From being a two-time Olympic gold medallist to winning his first world title in only in his third professional bout and to beating one of also boxing’s best and also a two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Rigondeaux (17-1) is Lomachenko’s fourth consecutive opponent to quit on his stool and was his first loss since his amateur days.

After outboxing the Cuban in six rounds, the question now arises for Lomachenko is what next for him and what compatibility do the next fighter hold against him?

According to a survey poll conducted by Lomachenko on Twitter, he asked his followers with the options given on who he should fight next.

Out of 32,000 plus voters, 44% of them picked Mikey Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs) and 39% picked Gervonta Davis (19-0, 18 KOs).

Those two in particular are without a doubt one of the best fighters in their respected weight classes. However, Davis himself fights at the super-featherweight division which is the exact same division that Lomachenko fights.

Back in February of this year, Davis was asked the question about fighting the Ukrainian by IFL TV and he stated that at the time it wasn’t the right move but “in the future, yes.”

Ten months later, the former IBF super-featherweight champion is now being talked about with Lomachenko and over 12,000 voters of Lomachenko’s followers want to see them fight.

In terms of styles and techniques, Davis also known as Tank has huge extensive and loads up wild combinations that dazzle his opponents. His most notable punch is the left to the head whilst countering on the inside.

Davis is also more of an accurate puncher and then starts to increase his activity level when he has his opponent in trouble, Lomachenko on the other hand tends to unload with great and consistent jabbing to the head and body.

Davis’ footwork isn’t quite unique as a Lomachenko’s is and doesn’t utilise any threat along with the stance of being southpaw – considering the fact that Lomachenko is also a southpaw.

Davis (5 feet 5 inches tall with a 67 inch reach) has a two inch reach advantage whilst Lomachenko (five feet 7 inches tall with a 65inch reach) has a two inch height advantage.

The second person as mentioned in the poll is three-weight world champion Mikey Garcia.

The 30-year-old has a variety of factors that back his resume up. He has a good leading jab that even leads to countering effectively and has caused a couple of opponents to be dropped with the jab. Garcia’s power also comes in great strength and he’s able to use his power punches really well.

According to CompuBox statistics review, Garcia was shown to have landed an average connect percentage of 43% of his power punches.

Both fighters however are in the top three as being hit with the least amount of punches in terms of connect percentage.

Garcia’s average opponent connect percentage stands at just 17% and Lomachenko’s opponent average is 16%, who is number one the list.

All these factors and stats could come in to place, should these fighters meet but they are just some of things to point out of these fighters.

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Thurman Made a Statement, but What Now for the Champ?

Posted on 03/07/2017

Thurman Made a Statement, but What Now for the Champ?
By Harry Hogg

Keith Thurman (28-0)claimed a split decision victory over Danny Garcia (33-1) in New York on Saturday night to unify the WBA (super) and WBC welterweight titles. The victoryin front a record crowd at the Barclays center consolidates Thurman’s position as the number one fighter in the 147lbs division.

Keith Thurman

Thurman’s display was well worth the victory, his incredible movement and eye catching punch power was there for all to see. In the end he was far too classy fora pretty ordinary Garcia, who seemed to lack any real ideas as to how to deal with Thurman.

Thurman’s performance was not without its flaws however. Seemingly cruising towards victory, Thurman faded late on giving Garcia the last few rounds. In the end this almost cost Thurman on the cards. He was in control for the majority of the fight and should have claimed the win unanimously. But his reluctance to engage late on and tendency to play safe almost backfired on the unbeaten American.

Never the less there is no denying he was the better fighter and deserved to be the first unifiedwelterweight champion since Floyd Mayweather in 2015. He was smart and picked his shots well, combined with some impressive footwork and movement, he was difficult to pin down for a largely inactive Garcia. The Philadelphiaman was resilient and kept coming forward, but very rarely troubledThurman.

What is next?

Thurman is now the number 1 fighter at 147, and is the man to beat. And while Garcia expressed his desire for a rematch, it is difficult to see this one happening again. The fight started well enough but never really kicked into gear, with Garcia leaving himself far too much to do in the later rounds.

But the American will surely be keeping a close eye on events in London in May, when Kell Brook defends his IBF belt against the dangerous Errol Spence Jr.The prospect of a second unification fight in a year would prove tempting for Thurman should he face the winner.

Or he could turn to the WBO champion in Filipino Legend Manny Pacquiao, whose April 23rd bout against Amir Khan is still without a venue.

Before any thoughts of another unification however, Lamont Peterson is likely to be announced as the next mandatory challenger for Thurman. Peterson, who picked up the WBA (regular) belt recently by beating David Avanesyan, would prove a tricky test for the new unified king.

The possibility of Thurman moving up to 154 would not be out of the question either. The champ looked bigger and stronger in comparison to Garcia on Saturday, and it would seem like he would have little trouble making the 154 limit. If he chooses to do so, a huge fight against Saúl Canelo Álvarez or Erislandy Laracould present itself.

Whatever Thurman decides do, he has put himself in a position of power and there are endless options open to him. He is the number one in the division and the route to welterweight supremacy will go through him.

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