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Keith Thurman admits Amir Khan or Kell Brook would need an ‘exciting performance’ to ‘entice’ him into fighting winner
MR EXCITEMENT Keith Thurman admitted Amir Khan or Kell Brook would have to wow him into fighting the winner of their grudge match.
The welterweight rivals will finally settle their bitter score on February 19 in Manchester, bringing an end to years of feuding.
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Defeat will leave one ex-champion starring retirement in the face, but the winner could be set up for a few more handsome paydays before hanging them up.
The returning Thurman, adored by fans for his all-action style, has been linked with the 35-year-old British stars in the past.
And he admits something special from either Khan or Brook in their legacy-defining night could prize him into challenging the victor.
Thurman, 33, told SunSport: “If they put on an exciting performance, like we keep saying, boxing is short-term memory.
“So if you can bring excitement in your last performance, then it will entice fighters like me to want to give you more recognition and possibly step in the ring with you.
“But right now, I’ve got my mind set on the biggest fights possible, so just with that terminology it wouldn’t mean either one of those gentleman, at this current time.
“But I love giving the fans what they want to see and if those boys are truly adamant about fighting me next, then we can negotiate.”
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Thurman, the former WBC and WBA champion, returns on February 5 against Mario Barrios, 26, ending his 31-month layoff.
And only two weeks later, Khan and Brook will at last put bragging rights and reputations on the line.
Thurman is like many other boxing fans in wishing the high-stakes clash came years prior, but still celebrates the fact it is at least a done deal.
He said: “It is a truly exciting fight, it’s a fight that should always have happened, I’m a little disappointed it’s taken this long.
“If you’re going to be a critic you could say both fighters aren’t once what they used to be.
"But at the end of the day a great fight is a great fight, a great matchup is a great matchup.
I love giving the fans what they want to see and if those boys are truly adamant about fighting me next, then we can negotiate.
Keith Thurman on Amir Khan and Kell Brook
“I do believe that this is a good matchup. Stylistically, I always felt that Kell Brook could have defeated Amir Khan.
“But at this stage in his career though, I feel it’s about whoever truly wants it and wants to make a statement will come out on top.”
Thurman has not fought since defeat to the now-retired Manny Pacquiao, 43, in July 2019.
Injuries and Covid postponements have kept the American sidelined, but never out of motivation.
Thurman said: “I love the sport of boxing, I’ve loved it my whole life, 26 years dedicated to the game.
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“Of course, I’ve had some injuries, some layoffs and a little bit of inactivity, but at the end of the day, my passion has never gone anywhere.
“This is what I do, boxing is my life.”
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