Former welterweight titleholder Shawn Porter has been angling for a rematch with Keith Thurman ever since dropping a close decision to him in the summer of 2016. Porter had hoped the competitiveness of that fight would get him an immediate rematch but Thurman instead would go on to unify titles with Danny Garcia this past March.
Thurman would take the win and the WBC belt from Garcia, but it came at a price. Thurman required surgery on his right elbow following that fight which has had him on the sidelines, not expected to return until next Spring. Meanwhile Porter had won a final eliminator match against Andre Berto to become the mandatory challenger to Thurman’s WBC belt. But with Thurman recovering, Porter wasn’t just about to sit around and wait any longer to fight again, telling ESPN:
"I didn't want to sit around waiting for Thurman," Porter told ESPN this week. "We all know I'm quote-unquote the favorite to win this fight here (with Granados). I know my own abilities and I know I'm not going to lose this fight. I have confidence knowing I'll win this fight, make some money and close out the year."
It’s a good thing Porter feels this way, because he’s taking a risk here. Should he lose to Granados this weekend, the WBC has announced that Granados will take over the mandatory position from Porter, something Granados is using to drive him.
"I know that Shawn's the favorite but I feel good about fighting in Brooklyn. I've been to Barclays Center twice to watch fights and I'm excited to be fighting there. If I win, I'll be the mandatory for Keith Thurman's WBC belt and that's my motivation."
Once Thurman heals up and returns to action next spring, he’s expected to take a soft touch to shake the rust off, which means Porter -- even with a win — might not get another shot at Thurman until at least next summer. Porter says that if a Thurman rematch gets pushed back any more than that he’ll turn his attention to Danny Garcia, his Plan B.