By: Sean Crose
Premiere Boxing Champions took Saturday’s Jarrett Hurd-Julian Williams televised card from Fairfax, Virginia to announce a major battle between the iconic Manny Pacquiao and the undefeated WBA welterweight titlist Keith Thurman. Pacquiao (61-7-2) was last seen besting Adrien Broner in a pay per view bout last January. Thurman (22-0) was also last seen fighting last January, when he bested Josesito Lopez in a tougher than expected bout. Pacquiao will be facing Thurman on Fox Pay Per View. No location was presented to fans Saturday evening, although the city of Las Vegas will most likely host the fight.
Al Haymon’s PBC finds itself in a fortunate position in that many, if not most, of the top welterweights in boxing now fight under it’s banner. Aside from Pacqiuao and Thurman, Errol Spence, Danny Garcia, and Shawn Porter are also PBC fighters. With IBF (and WBC “Diamond”) champion Spence reportedly being set to face Porter next, it appears pieces may be getting set into place to decide just who dominates the division (though it would be hard to declare a welterweight king without WBO champ Terence Crawford getting into the mix).
IBF super middleweight titlist Caleb Plant (18-0) will also appear on the Pacquiao-Thurman card, as it was announced that he would defend his belt against the 21-0 Mike Lee that same evening.