Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman tells Spence: ‘See me,’ says fight will happen

By Boxing News - 07/12/2021 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman says Spence Jr needs to come to see him if he successfully defends his IBF/WBC welterweight titles against Manny Pacquiao on August 21st. It’s hard for former WBA/WBC 147lb champion Thurman to be taken seriously by Errol when he lost his last fight to Manny in 2019, and he hasn’t fought in two years.

(Photo credit: Fighthub)

Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) wants the winner of the Spence-Pacquiao fight, but he doesn’t have the ranking with the IBF or WBC to force a fight. The only way Thurman can get the winner is to talk them into giving him the shot.

It’s a mystery why Thurman hasn’t gotten back in the ring to raise his value so that he could put pressure on Spence. Thurman hasn’t shown interest in getting off his backside to earn a fight with Spence.

Keith wants the fight to be given to him on a silver platter without needing to do anything to acquire it. That sense of entitlement that Thurman has is precisely why he’s been ignored by Spence and Pacquiao in the last two years.

Keith wants Errol to change his mind

“Hopefully, I’ll take on the winner of this fight next year,” said Thurman to Fighthub about him holding out hope he can fight the winner of the Pacquiao vs. Spence fight in 2022.

Image: Keith 'One Time' Thurman tells Spence: 'See me,' says fight will happen

“Weathers change. Sometimes it’s sunny, sometimes it’s rainy and cloudy,” said Thurman about Spence saying he’ll never fight him.

“Humans are very emotional. I think there’s going to be a time and a place, and I think that time and place are going to come soon [for a Spence vs. Thurman fight].

“If he keeps denying that this match-up is one of the greatest match-ups that boxing can have right here and right now. Young, athletic, in their prime fighters. I want the fight.

“Because I dropped the ball [and lost to Pacquiao], he doesn’t have to see me today. Does he not ever have to see me ever? That’s everybody’s story. It’s wack,” said Thurman about Spence paying him back for not giving him a fight years ago.

Keith’s management at PBC needs to put him in with WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas next if he wants to get a fight with Spence. Thurman needs Ugas’ WBA strap to entice Errol to fight him.

‘The Truth’ Spence, 31, wants to collect all four titles at 147 to become the undisputed champion before he moves up to 154, and he still needs the WBA and WBO belts. While it’s not possible for Thurman to get a fight with Crawford right now, he can challenge Ugas for his WBA strap.

That’s a doable match-up, as long as Thurman’s management at PBC is willing to get up the fight. Unfortunately, it’s not a good sign that Ugas is being angled to make his first defense against Andre Berto.

If that’s the type of opposition that Ugas will be defending against during his reign as the WBA belt-holder, Thurman will never get a shot.

Without that WBA belt, Thurman has no chance to fight Spence, who doesn’t care that he can make a lot of money fighting him.

Thurman tells Spence: “See me”

“You would have gotten paid pebbles, and now you’re going to get paid a big gold chest,” said ‘One Time’ Thurman in rationalizing his decision to swerve Spence between 2015 to 2017.

Image: Keith 'One Time' Thurman tells Spence: 'See me,' says fight will happen

“The value of Keith Thurman, the value of Errol Spence, and the world recognization of who Keith Thurman and Errol Spence are bigger than ever.

“So the fight would be bigger than ever today than it ever would have been yesterday, so if you want to be upset at me being in a politically powerful position and not taking that step.

“Who Keith Thurman is is not an up and comer, who doesn’t hold a lot of value. So to devalue who I am in this moment doesn’t make sense.

When I devalued you, your value was devalued, and that’s me being honest. You are ‘The Truth,’ you made it to this point, and we are all proud of you, and we’re all big fans. We got a lot of fans from all over the world down in Florida.

“I’ve watched so many of your fights. You’re a talented young man. See me. What’s going to happen? Whatever they bring to the table. I’m looking forward to hearing some news soon,” said Thurman when asked about his next fight.

It’s not looking good for Thurman right now for him getting a crack at Spence’s two world titles at 147. Spence is still peeved about the years that he was “devalued” by Thurman, and he’s not going to forget that.

You can make a strong argument that Thurman has done zero to increase his chances of getting a fight with Spence.

Like Mikey Garcia with his fruitless pursuit of a fight with Pacquiao, Thurman has been inactive for the last two years, getting fat and looking like a washed-up retired fighter.

In the same way that Mikey has bungled his chances of getting a fight with Pacquiao by not fighting and letting his weight get out of control, Thurman has done the same thing with Spence.

He’s been sitting on the couch, sounding like he’s begging for the Spence fight. That was a foolish way for Thurman to get the fight that he wanted against Errol.

What Thurman should have done was stay in the gym, keep his weight down, and beaten some of the top fighters at 147.  Spence would have little choice but to fight Thurman if he’d beaten these fighters in the last 24 months:

  • Yordenis Ugas
  • Jaron Ennis
  • Vergil Ortiz Jr
  • Shawn Porter
  • Danny Garcia
  • David Avanesyan
  • Regis Prograis
  • Josh Taylor
  • Jose Ramirez