Thurman-Porter Makes Working Weekend Worth The Wrangling

By Lyle Fitzsimmons

Covering boxing can be more glamorous for some than others.

While some arrive at a fight venue a few days out and have enough downtime to blog about water pressure in the hotel shower, others have it other ways.

Flying in on fight day, trying to navigate through New York City from an airport 40 miles away without GPS – because of an ill-timed cell phone battery death in the only rental car manufactured without a USB port since Manny Pacquiao was a flyweight.

And then, upon arriving in Brooklyn, spinning wheels for what felt like forever while seeking out a place to park for less than a mortgage payment.

It’s not torture by any means. But it’s no picnic either.

Regardless, when the fight winds up as good as Saturday’s, all is quickly forgiven.

Because at long last, we boxing fans woke up to a pleasant morning after.

In fact, rather than the walk of shame prompted by sought-after fights underperforming, the duel between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter warranted nothing less than a stride of pride.

The 12-rounder at Barclays Center was not only competitive from first bell to last and maintained a level of excitement that left 12,000-plus fans – not to mention a few media guys – short of breath, but the reaction from both combatants in the afterglow was that they’d welcome the chance to do it all again.

Yes, you read that right.

There were no “I’m going to meet with my team” hedges or “I fight who my promoter tells me to fight” cop-outs. Just two 20-somethings in the primes of their athletic careers recognizing they each needed the push from the other to reach a level of acclaim that neither had sniffed before.

It revealed toughness, athleticism and competitive heart, and maybe tossed a shovel of dirt onto an era of promotional fencing while ushering in a new one where big fights will make themselves.

Maybe, just maybe, those fights will show up on network television, too.

Imagine that.

And if Saturday was a blueprint for their combat, it’ll take more than just one more to settle things.

Thurman claimed accuracy and jolting power would separate him, and there were several times when he was able to punish recklessness with shots that buckled Porter’s knees or stood him straight up. But none did lasting damage, and the Ohioan continued to press the fight and clearly made Thurman uncomfortable while keeping his back pinned to the ropes and forcing him to rumble.

It made for an intriguing test for the judges, who agreed across the board on only half of 12 rounds, yet still managed to give seven apiece to the defending champion.

Porter got a consensus nod in just two rounds – the second and seventh – while Thurman won on all three cards in the first, fourth, eighth and 11th. The rest were up for grabs, and leeway of a couple of points in either direction based on switching them out would by no means seem criminal.

For example, I scored it 115-113 for Thurman, after giving him rounds 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12.

One row in front of me, the USA Today had it even.

One row behind me, the president of the BWAA had it 115-113 for Porter.

And within another row of our gaggle, Randy Gordon, former editor of Ring Magazine and one of my heroes in this business, gave Porter the same two-point edge.

“This fight required a close, unobstructed view,” he said. “So many rounds were insanely close.”

New York's favorite promotional son, Lou DiBella, even made the ringside rounds in the aftermath.

And within moments of the bell he summed up what anyone with fight sense should have known.

"If you didn't appreciate that fight," he said, "you don't love boxing."

Agreed, Lou. Sign me up for the next one.

And who knows? Maybe this time I’ll pack a shower cap.

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This week’s title fight schedule:

WEDNESDAY

WBA minimum title – Khon Kaen, Thailand

Byron Rojas (champion/No. 1 IWBR) vs. Knockout CP Freshmart (No. 1 WBA/No. 7 IWBR)

Rojas (17-2-3, 8 KO): First title defense; Second fight outside Nicaragua (1-0, 0 KO)

Freshmart (12-0, 6 KO): First title fight; Fifth scheduled 12-round bout (4-0, 1 KO)

Fitzbitz says: Freshmart has fought for youth or other second-tier titles since he began as a pro. Rojas seems more like a stand-in who scored an upset and is ripe for the picking. Freshmart by decision

FRIDAY

IBF mini flyweight title -- Tepic, Mexico

Jose Argumedo (champion/No. 4 IWBR) vs. Julio Mendoza (No. 14 IBF/No. 20 IWBR)

Argumedo (17-3-1, 10 KO): First title defense; Unbeaten in scheduled 12-rounders (4-0, 2 KO)

Mendoza (11-4, 3 KO): First title fight; Second fight outside Nicaragua (0-1)

Fitzbitz says: Argumedo has done more in title-length fights and has performed far better against foes at or near what’s considered world class. That should be more than enough here. Argumedo in 5

SATURDAY

WBC light flyweight title -- Mexico City, Mexico

Ganigan Lopez (champion/No. 2 IWBR) vs. Jonathan Taconing (No. 1 WBC/No. 14 IWBR)

Lopez (27-6, 17 KO): First title defense; Sixteenth scheduled 12-rounder (12-3, 6 KO)

Taconing (22-2-1, 18 KO): First title fight; Third fight outside the Philippines (1-1, 1 KO)

Fitzbitz says: Lopez is a veteran who’s been around the block a couple times. Taconing is a young slugger with nine straight wins – eight by stoppage – since his last loss. Momentum wins. Taconing in 8

Last week’s picks: 2-0 (WIN: Joshua, Thurman)

2016 picks record: 47-10 (82.4 percent)

Overall picks record: 779-258 (75.1 percent)

NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full-fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA "world championships" are only included if no "super champion" exists in the weight class.

Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. He is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.