Keith Thurman TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, WBA interim welterweight title
Thurman (22-0, 20 KO) has been proving himself at the highest level in the division with a string of credible wins, but he needed the bling to make it official. And now he has it after demolishing Soto Karass (28-9-3, 18 KO) in a war of attrition that got off to a rocky start when the Mexican titleholder rocked the challenger straight out of the gates. But Thurman turned it around and started taking the fight to the champ, connecting solidly on a number of occasions. By the eight round, Thurman was in full control of the fight, and midway through the ninth he unleashed a solid right hand that froze Soto Karass dead on his tracks. The ensuing attack was mere target practice against a frightfully defenseless champ, and a couple of punches later the referee intervened to stop the carnage. It was a great victory for Thurman, who gains a lot of credibility that goes beyond his new championship status.
The winner goes on to: Thurman is talented and connected enough to take his act even deeper into championship territory, and 2014 will find him in much bigger fights, probably as a headliner in his own right.
