By Adam Baskin: In a sign of how far Keith Thurman’s career has fallen, he’s accepted a call out from female boxer Claressa Shields, saying he’s ready to face her for “Charity” purposes.
This kind of match-up would make sense if Thurman was nearing 60 years old, but definitely not now. In 1973, former top tennis pro Bobby Riggs, then 55 years old, played top female tennis star Billie Jean King and lost in a competitive match.
Riggs took major criticism for playing King and even more abuse after he lost. That was a different story because of Riggs’ advanced age and the fact that it was a non-combat sport.
It’s sad to see the former king of the welterweight division, 34-year-old ‘One Time’ Thurman, reduced to the level of fighting female boxers in exhibition matches. It would be hard for fans to take Thurman seriously after he makes this move, as it shows how far off the grid he is with his career.
Thurman wouldn’t have to do this if he were willing to risk his hide by accepting the call out of Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis or if he were willing to fight some of the other killers at 147, like Eimantas Stanionis & Vergil Ortiz.
Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but with Thurman’s receding hairline, he’s seemly lost ambition and willingness to get back to work and fight the top fighters at welterweight.
“We can let you try to showcase your skills. I’d probably use my jab only. For charity, I’d make that happen. I’d wear bigger gloves and let her wear headgear. I don’t really want to punch a girl in the face,” said Thurman to Sporting News.
There are no words. What a mess Thurman has become, eh?
It would be bad enough if Thurman followed Floyd Mayweather Jr’s path of hustling fights against popular social media influencers to make some extra continue, but the fading, inactive ‘One Time’ choosing to fight female boxers kind of shows you how far he’s fallen.
Would boxing greats Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard fight a female boxer? Nope.
.@keithfthurmanjr reacts to @Claressashields saying she could outbox him 🥊#SpenceCrawford #boxing pic.twitter.com/qv397P28OL
— Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) July 30, 2023
This would be an exhibition, obviously, and the former WBA & WBC welterweight champion Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs), who has been working hard trying to hustle a fight against Terence Crawford & Errol Spence Jr, told Sporting News that he would only use his jab to give the 28-year-old female undisputed middleweight champion Shields a handicap.
This is truly a no-win situation for Thurman as if he destroys Shields, he’s going to be criticized, and if he struggles and takes punishment, he’ll never hear the end of the laughter.