Welterweight champ Errol Spence ‘is finalizing junior middleweight bout with Keith Thurman in April’

Errol Spence and Keith Thurman are reportedly finalizing a deal for a pay-per-view fight at junior middleweight in April, sources have told ESPN.

A spokesperson for Premier Boxing Champions declined to confirm the report when contacted by DailyMail.com. PBC is a televised boxing series connected with both fighters and operated by manager Al Haymon.

Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) holds three of the four major titles at welterweight, but would not be risking them in a proposed bout with Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs), according to ESPN. Both fighters have spent their careers at 147 pounds, headline a welterweight division that has arguably been the best in boxing over the last decade.

If Spence does fight Thurman in April, he would have 60 days to negotiate a bout with WBO welterweight Terence Crawford or face a mandate to defend his 147-pound titles against the winner of March’s Vergil Ortiz- Eimantas Stanionis bout. Spence-Crawford has been atop boxing fans’ wish list for years, but the two sides have repeatedly struggled to reach a deal.

Errol Spence and Keith Thurman are reportedly finalizing a deal for a pay-per-view fight at junior middleweight in April, sources have told ESPN

Spence last fought in April against Yordenis Ugas, who suffered a fractured orbital bone in the knockout defeat. Ugas was coming off a win over legend Manny Pacquiao, who had previously beaten Thurman in July of 2019.

Thurman, who had battled shoulder issues prior to his Pacquiao loss, returned to the ring in February of 2022 to beat Mario Barrios by unanimous decision.

For Spence, a potential bout with Thurman could be more than a cameo at 154 pounds. ESPN’s Mike Coppinger reports that Spence could decide to remain at junior middleweight, where the biggest competition would be Jermell Charlo, the undisputed champion.

Spence and Charlo actually share a trainer in Derrick James.

If Spence does fight Thurman in April, he would have 60 days to negotiate a bout with WBO welterweight Terence Crawford (pictured) or face a mandate to defend his 147-pound titles against the winner of March’s Vergil Ortiz- Eimantas Stanionis bout. Spence-Crawford has been atop boxing fans’ wish list for years, but the two have repeatedly failed to strike a deal

Last month, Crawford scored an easy sixth-round knockout win over David Avanesyan in Omaha, but did not indicate that a bout with Spence is on the horizon.

‘We don’t know what is next,’ Crawford said after improving to 39-0 in front of his hometown crowd.

Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s trainer, said his fighter would be open to moving up from 147 pounds to 154: ‘I don’t think anyone at 54 or 47 can beat him. The only question is, ‘Who is willing to fight him?’

That same night, Spence was involved in a major car accident – his second since 2019 – but avoided major injury.

The 32-year-old Texan posted a self-shot video from the aftermath of the crash, in which he claimed he was hit ‘head on’ by a 14-year-old who took his parents’ car without permission or a driver’s license.

‘He ran the light,’ Spence said on the video, showing the crumpled front end of an SUV. ‘F*** my whole s*** up.’

Details of the crash have not been revealed, but Spence appeared to be fine in his self-shot Instagram video.

Spence was involved in a more serious accident in 2019, when he flipped a Ferrari and was hospitalized with serious injuries, which have since healed.

Spence (right) last fought in April against Yordenis Ugas (left), who suffered a fractured orbital bone in the knockout defeat. Ugas was coming off a win over legend Manny Pacquiao, who had previously beaten Thurman in July of 2019