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Keith Thurman knocks down Leonard Bundu during their WBA interim welterweight title bout Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Keith Thurman knocks down Leonard Bundu during their WBA interim welterweight title bout Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)John Locher/Associated Press

Keith Thurman vs. Luis Collazo: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info

Brian MaziqueJul 9, 2015

Keith "One Time" Thurman (25-0, 21 KO) will help kick off the Premier Boxing Champions series on ESPN on Saturday night. PBC is replacing network staple Friday Night Fights, and Saturday's show is the debut of the new brand.

The 26-year-old is on the cusp of stardom. He'll defend his secondary WBA welterweight championship against Luis Collazo (36-6, 19 KO) in the main event of the card from the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida. Thurman has his eyes on some of the biggest names in the weight region, but he'll have to solve this task before he can move closer to a more lucrative and high-profile fight.

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When: Saturday, July 11, at 9 p.m. ET

Where: USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

What's At Stake

Like every other top fighter from 140-160 pounds, Thurman wants a shot at Floyd "Money" Mayweather before the future Hall of Famer calls it a career. In an interview captured by GarnekSports, Thurman talks about deserving the opportunity to be in "the Mayweather sweepstakes."

It's unclear whether Thurman has a legitimate chance to face the pound-for-pound king, but one would think he must defeat Collazo in impressive fashion to have any hope. That may be the furthest from the truth, as no one truly knows Mayweather's thought process besides the man himself. All Thurman can do is go out and shine and let the chips fall where they may.

The situation is simple for Collazo. He is trying to avoid falling into gatekeeper status. He's been a pro for 15 years. He's had some solid wins over the likes of Victor Ortiz and held his own against former champions like Ricky Hatton.

That said, at 34 years old, his best days are behind him. A loss to Thurman might permanently remove Collazo from the ranks of the legitimate contenders.

Last Time Out

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11:  Luis Collazo and Chris Degollado exchange punches during the Premier Boxing Champions Welterweight bout at Barclays Center on April 11, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.  (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Collazo bounced back from a lopsided unanimous-decision loss to Amir Khan with a second-round TKO win over Christopher Degollado in April. Degollado is a lightly regarded club fighter who came into the bout with a 12-4 record.

Collazo needed a confidence-building, stay-busy bout, and he got both. 

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 07:  Robert Guerrero (red trunks) and Keith Thurman (white trunks) fight during a Premier Boxing Champions bout in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 7, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Thurman's last fight was a dominant unanimous-decision win over the tough Robert Guerrero in March. Thurman battled through a gruesome knot on his forehead that was caused by a head-butt. He floored Guerrero for the first time in his career en route to the victory.

Thurman will be facing another fighter with a noteworthy chin on Saturday. Can he do unprecedented damage again?

Who Wins?

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 07:  Keith Thurman celebrates after defeating Robert Guerero during a Premier Boxing Champions bout in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 7, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Thurman has the edge in almost every category besides experience and height. That shouldn't matter, as One Time's punching power and speed should allow him to overpower and overwhelm Collazo. The left-handed challenger is tough to stop. He has only been beaten by stoppage once in his career, and that loss took place 13 years ago to Edwin Cassiani.

Guerrero is also a southpaw, so Collazo's stance shouldn't be much of an issue for Thurman to handle. To make a special impression, Thurman will likely be gunning to take the result out of the judges' hands.

Look for Thurman to counter Collazo's jab with body shots to set up the big right hand to the head. Despite a three-inch height and reach disadvantage, Thurman's speed will enable him to move in and out of range against Collazo. 

As long as Thurman doesn't look past his opponent as he eyes bigger and better opportunities, he should win this fight by seventh- or eighth-round TKO.


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