WBA world welterweight champion Keith Thurman hopes to surpass the 44 knockouts Mike Tyson notched before he retires.
The 27-year-old, currently 26-0 (22), defends his title against Shawn Porter on June 25 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Thurman – who beat Luis Collazo inside the distance last July, his most recent outing – is known for his power and aggressive style.
“I’ve always considered myself a knockout artist. Back to when I was a teenager knocking out grown men in headgear. Ever since then, I’ve been dropping people like a bad habit,” he said.
“I love being a power-puncher. My favorite fighter of all time is Mike Tyson. One of my goals that I set when I was a kid was to have more knockouts than Mike Tyson throughout my career.
“I’m going for the knockout. I’ve stated it before. My hands are itching for a knockout. I’m ‘One Time,’ all the time. That’s my philosophy. Every single time I step into the ring I’m looking for the knockout. We don’t get paid for overtime.”
Prior to his win over Collazo – during which he had to overcome some troubled spells – Thurman outpointed Robert Guerrero and Leonard Bundu, though dropped both.
Former IBF boss Porter is known for his terrific engine and rampant workrate. The 28-year-old holds wins over Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi and most recently Adrien Broner, who he outpointed a year ago.
“I’m ready for Shawn Porter. We’re going to box harder, box stronger and box better. I will be the better man,” Thurman continued.
“Training is the fundamentals of getting one prepared. We’ve always known that Shawn Porter was going to come into this fight in tremendous shape. That’s what his training methods are all about. But the Energizer Bunny has never been hit by Keith Thurman, and I’m pretty sure I could stop it in its tracks.”
