WBA welterweight champion Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman 28-0 (22) is predicting Shawn ‘Showtime’ Porter 28-2-1 (17) will defeat Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia 34-1 (20) when the two meet for the vacant WBC 147-pound championship at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center in New York this Saturday night.
“This is one of the best matchups of the year. I try not to overthink it. It’s Porter by decision or Garcia only by KO. I lean toward Porter,” said Thurman to Showtime Boxing.
Thurman, who has been sidelined with injuries since defeating Garcia by split decision in March last year, holds a seven-round-to-five points victory over Porter in 2016. The 29-year-old from Clearwater, Florida sees the match-up as a classic battle between a pressure fighter and a counterpuncher with Garcia having the edge in power.
“Shawn is clearly the more physical fighter,” said the 29-year-old Thurman. “Danny can punch with both hands. He does load up, so you can’t be right there in front of him. With Danny, I’ve never seen anyone so willing to just stare at me without throwing a punch. He’s committed to being second, a pure counterpuncher.”
The 30-year-old Garcia from Philadelphia is coming off a ninth round TKO of Brandon Rios in Las Vegas in February. Porter, 30, was last in action in November when he outscored Adrian Granados over 12 rounds last November.
“Shawn is faster and a little more athletic. He’ll triple on the jab to get inside and use stutter-steps. Danny’s real relaxed, but that doesn’t necessarily come through in his hand speed,” Thurman said.
“Danny’s a counterpuncher, and Shawn outworks you. Danny has nice boxing movement when he wants to be evasive.”
 is predicting Shawn ‘Showtime’ Porter 28-2-1 (17) will defeat Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia 34-1 (20) when the two meet for the vacant WBC 147-pound championship at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center in New York this Saturday night.){kind=link}