Thurman: Lopez is like swiss cheese, he's got holes throughout

Welterweight world titleholder Keith Thurman is back.

Thurman (28-0, 22 KO's), 30, of Clearwater, Florida, is returning to the ring for the first time since beating Danny Garcia to unify two world titles, by split decision, in March of 2017.

Thurman will face former world title challenger Josesito Lopez (36-7, 19 KO's) on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. However, he will have one less strap to worry about.

Due to a plethora of injuries and inactivity, Thurman was forced to vacate the WBC title in April, but remains the WBA's top champion at 147-pounds.

Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter ended up fighting for the vacant title in September, with Porter, who Thurman outpointed in June 2016, winning by unanimous decision. Porter will take on Yordenis Ugas on March 9 in his defense of the WBC title, and badly wants a rematch with 'One Time.'

Thurman is a heavy favorite, but he is still on a mission to prove he is the boogeyman in the welterweight division, and the Lopez fight will be no different.

"I can find so many avenues to win," Thurman said. "I know (Lopez) is a game fighter, but the boy is like swiss cheese -- he's got holes throughout -- and it's only a matter of me finding a few of them, and exposing them as soon as possible round-by-round until the fight's over."