Thurman on fans wanting to see him face Errol Spence:
“I don’t care if they don’t understand boxing. Most people don’t know shit about boxing. You know, one of my favorite quotes from the Mayweathers — and I don’t really enjoy quoting the Mayweathers, you know what I mean — but it’s real. Most people don’t know shit about boxing.
“I haven’t boxed for a long time now and I wanna get back in the ring. Of course it’s gonna be a tune-up, and then a rematch fight [against Shawn Porter] is a respectable fight. To act like it’s not a respectable fight is retarded. But at the end of the day, why do you want Keith and Spence? Why?! [Because it’s] #1 vs. #2. Okay. Of course the world of boxing wants to see #1 vs. #2 because they wanna know does #2 become #1, or is #1 that dude...
“...In my book [Spence] is #2 and he deserves to be #2 because if there wasn’t Keith Thurman, Errol Spence would be #1. That’s because I hold greater credentials than he does, I’ve accomplished a little bit more than he has, and I just was in the spotlight before he was. At the end of the day I’m #1 for a reason, he’s #2 for a reason. The reason you guys wanna see the fight — there’s a good reason, but I’m not gonna come off this big of a layoff, have a tune-up fight, and fight the #2 fighter in the world. That’s just not how it works.
On where Terence Crawford fits into the picture:
“I don’t know. I don’t even really think, um — I mean I don’t think he’s even fought any welterweight yet. I mean to me, I’m sorry to say, but he’s barely a champion. You know what I mean. That Australian [Jeff Horn], give me one eye, give me one arm, I would’ve beat that boy.”