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Thurman, Porter put friendship aside for June bout
- Updated: April 27, 2016
12:21 AM ET
Welterweight titleholder Keith Thurman and former titlist Shawn Porter go way back with each other, to their amateur days.
But friends are now foes, and the stakes are very high as Thurman and Porter get ready to face each other in one of the most anticipated fights of the year on June 25 (CBS, 9 p.m. ET) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
“Our two teams go way back,” Thurman said Tuesday at the kickoff news conference in New York. “This is the most beautiful moment of my professional career, and I’m about to compete with somebody I grew up with. I’m happy for my success, and I’m happy for Shawn’s success.
“We come from the same boat. When you’re a young kid in the gym training, and then you’re here today, that takes a special kind of person. Shawn and I are both that kind of person.”
Despite their friendship and respect for each other, Thurman mixed in some smack talk to get the juices flowing.
Welterweight titleholder Keith Thurman and former titlist Shawn Porter have been friendly for years, but as Thurman’s trainer, Dan Birmingham, said: “Sometimes you have to fight your friends.” Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images
“June 25, my friend is about to become my enemy,” Thurman said. “I’m going to treat him like any other enemy. Get your tickets. Get your seats. Get your popcorn. Whatever you need to do. This is going to be a fight you don’t want to miss. This is going to be a knockout you don’t want to miss. I love you, Shawn, but I’m doing my best to put you to sleep.”
Porter kept his cool in the face of Thurman’s predictions. He said he expected it.
“Keith Thurman is bringing out the competitiveness in me to a level I’ve always wanted,” Porter said. “It’s a level I expect. I have a guy next to me who is challenging me more than ever. Me and Keith Thurman are going to put on a show. Everything you talked about, you’re going to get it.
“I wasn’t surprised that Keith said he would knock me out. He has to pump himself up and be confident. When he looked at me, I think he was …
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