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Shawn Porter decides to squeeze in exhibition before Keith Thurman makeup title bout

Shawn Porter reacts after being declared the winner by unanimous decision against Adrien Broner on June 20, 2015.

Shawn Porter reacts after being declared the winner by unanimous decision against Adrien Broner on June 20, 2015.

(David Becker / Associated Press)
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As Shawn Porter awaits a new date and site for his welterweight title shot against Keith Thurman, he’s decided to stage an exhibition fight at his Las Vegas gym.

Porter (26-1-1, 16 knockouts), according to a boxing official, will fight veteran Lanardo Tyner in an exhibition scheduled for 12 rounds on March 12, the original date of his bout with Thurman.

Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) was forced to postpone his World Boxing Assn. title defense after injuring his neck in a car accident last month. Porter previously was International Boxing Federation welterweight champion.

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An official with boxing manager Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions told The Times PBC is in talks with CBS to find a clear date for Thurman-Porter and the focus now is on May.

The bout will not take place at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, where it was originally scheduled, and there is interest in placing the fight in Las Vegas.

As for Porter’s exhibition, he’s scheduled to face Tyner (30-10-2, 19 KOs), who lost a 2009 unanimous decision to World Boxing Council middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Mexico.

Tyner has also been defeated by former world champion Lamont Peterson, welterweight contender Jessie Vargas and junior-welterweight contender Dierry Jean.

More information will be released later about the exhibition, the official said.

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