Former welterweight titleholder Keith Thurman chats a bit with Fight Hype about some up-and-coming welterweights who would be interested in facing him with Thurman essentially saying he thinks Vergil Ortiz and Jaron Ennis still need to build themselves up a bit while he’s looking towards bigger fights.
On being called out by Vergil Ortiz Jr
“You know, I’ve got my eyes geared towards the biggest fights at 147. I would say that he probably has to climb the ladder a little bit more, but only because he’s gunning after me, I’m not gunning after him. I got my guns pointed at different targets, mainly world champions because I want to get back on that world champion status.
“So I’m glad that he’s got the fire and the passion and the grit to call me out. I’ve seen a little bit on the boy — I can’t speak much because I haven’t seen much so I’m not gonna go deep into anything there. But he definitely shows potential, lets his hands go, seems like he’s a power puncher, seems like he can hurt. Seems like he’s a little wide still, a little open still, but asides that, man, it’s a good fight.
“When them young dogs — I remember being a young dog — when them young dogs are barking and they’re hungry, it’s one thing to have a barking dog, it’s another thing to have a hungry barking dog. So when they’re young and they’re hungry and they’re barking that’s filled with passion and let’s just see what happens to the boy in his career. You know me, if I get the phone call that his name, if any name is presented to me on a list then that’s legitimacy of me potentially seeing them in the ring.
“I’ve only heard of this kid through a few people due to the call out. Besides that I haven’t really heard much about this kid.”
On his interest in a potential fight against Jaron Ennis
“Like I said, anything that gets presented to me, I’ll look at it. These young bucks have not been presented yet. I really think they’re still climbing the ladder. I think they know they belong with the best fighters in the world, they’re starting to build their names, starting to get their recognition. The young man you just mentioned, he might be on Showtime, never heard of him.”
