Keith Thurman Facing Tszyu to Silence his Doubters
When serving his next in-ring tour of duty, former welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (30-1, 22 KO’s) will do so as an underdog. In that upcoming March 30 contest, he will face WBO super welterweight champion Tim “The Soul Taker” Tszyu (24-0, 17 KO’s). To make the collision happen, Thurman will move up in weight. Although due to the bout being fought at a catchweight, Tszyu’s title will not be on the line.
Despite the hardware not being up for grabs, there is still real danger in this match for One Time. Obviously, there will be the size to contend with as many think that The Soul Taker will be the much bigger man on the night of the fight. There is also the issue of Thurman’s inactivity. By the time that they collide on the canvas, One Time will have been out of action for a hair over two full years. Even still, as he explained to Mill City Boxing, Thurman couldn’t care less about all the perceived obstacles.
“I can punch my way into this division with or without the belts. Keith Thurman is just one of the most exciting and forever talented fighters in the sport of boxing from the welterweight division, now moving up. I’ve been a problem for everybody that’s ever been in the ring [with me]. I don’t see how it’s going to stop on March 30, I don’t see how it’s going to stop. These hands will see your face!”
“They made me the underdog, they are doubting me, they don’t have faith in your man. So they want to know, they are trying me, they want me to prove it. But that is why we signed the contract – to step up and play ball!”
BEEN HERE BEFORE
To his credit, as Thurman stated himself, none of his opponents have ever had an easy day in the office tangling with One Time. In fact, to date, the only person to hold a professional victory over Thurman is the boxing living legend Manny Pacquiao. Outside of that lone blemish, Thurman totes a flawless resume.
Going a step further, Thurman will arguably be the most polished and hard-hitting adversary that The Soul Taker has ever tested his wits with. This alone should provide some measure of new difficulty for the Australian champion. Also, this is not the first lengthy break that he’s had from action.
Prior to his last prizefight, with Mario Barrios, Thurman was out of the ring for two and half years. Before his duel with Josesito Lopez, One Time was out of the ring for nearly two years. Even with those significant gaps, there did not appear to be any notable ring rust in his performances.
TIME WILL TELL
Given how he has performed in the past coming off extended layoffs, it is not too far-fetched to believe that One Time will look up to snuff in this affair. If so, that will make a better fight for the fans! So, let’s just sit tight and see what version of Thurman shows up to the ring because we just might be in store for a thrilling upset.
