Keith Thurman to Face Danny Garcia: Date, Channel & Odds

Photo: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

Undefeated champions Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia are set to face off in a highly anticipated welterweight world title unification on Saturday, March 4 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The fight will be broadcast live by CBS starting at 9 p.m ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

“Barclays Center and Brooklyn are my home away from home,” said Garcia at the press conference announcing the fight. “I’ve headlined the most shows at Barclays Center and my fans from Philly and my fans from New York can be there. It’s going to be another Danny Garcia show. I don’t care if people think I’m an underdog.”

Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs) does enter the bout an early favorite in Las Vegas and on online sportsbooks (see number below). But Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), who carries tremendous fight-changing power, will be a true chin check for Thurman, who is coming off the biggest win of his career.

“I’m looking forward to returning to Barclays Center and headlining a national broadcast on CBS – both the arena and the network were good homes for me in 2016,” said Thurman. “I am the champ, and I always will be. Danny Garcia is a fighter who I have asked for and who I have respect for. But he’s going to learn, just as my past opponents have, that my power and speed will rise above any swiftness he has.”

Let’s take a look at how the bookies are calling it:

bet365: Danny Garcia +200 Keith Thurman -250
BETStars: Danny Garcia +140 Keith Thurman -200
BETFRED: Danny Garcia +175 Keith Thurman -225

One of boxing’s biggest punchers and fastest rising stars, 28-year-old Thurman was last in action outpointing Shawn Porter in June of last year. Prior to the Porter bout, ‘One Time’ had stopped veteran Luis Collazo via cuts in the seventh round of their July, 2014 encounter, and had outpointed Robert Guerrero, Sierra Leonean, and Leoneard Bundu, and retired Julio Diaz.

Thurman is a high pressure, hard hitting puncher with fight-ending power in both hands. Sporting an impressive 79% knockout ratio, the Clearwater, Florida native is, at once, a feared slugger and a strategist ring technician.

“I am the true welterweight champion,” Thurman said. “I will unify the titles and show him what ‘One Time’ feels like. I look forward to this fight and the fans should too; be there on March 4.”

Here’s a taste of ‘One Time’:

Danny Garcia, 28 years old, made his last appearance in the ring with victory over Samuel Vargas via seventh-round TKO. The fight followed wins over Robert Guerrero, Paulie Malignaggi, and Lamont Peterson.

“To me, Keith Thurman is nothing but a name,” Garcia said. “Come March 4, I am going to show the world once again that I am a true champion.”

Fighting out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Garcia is a complete boxer/puncher with a ‘technical’ ring identity. He cuts the ring effectively, has more than respectable pop in both hands, and works well to the body. He’s usually the patient, skilled stalker who picks apart his opponents behind heavy jabs and hooks before going in for the kill. But check out this explosive display of power from Garcia against Amir Khan in 2012 on his way to a fourth-round mugging: