WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu will face former unified welterweight champion Keith ”One Time’ Thurman on March 30th on Amazon Prime Video PPV in Las Vegas.
Mike Coppinger has confirmed the details of the 35-year-old Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs), who will be coming off a two-year layoff to fight for the first time at 154 against the unbeaten Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs).
It’s a lot to ask of ‘One Time’ Thurman to move up to 154 at his age and come off a long 25-month layoff since his last fight against Mario Barrios in February 2022, but the money might be good. If the idea is to make noise to create interest in PBC’s new deal with Amazon Prime, this is the way.
Tszyu: The Undefeated Aussie on the Rise
The 29-year-old Australian native Tszyu will be making his second defense of his WBO title. He had a big year in 2023, defeating Tony Harrison and Brian Mendoza.
Tim had wanted to fight Jermell Charlo, but the former undisputed 154-lb champion moved up to 168 instead and took on Canelo Alvarez in a losing effort.
Tszyu’s pressure and power punching approach will make it difficult for Thurman if he runs out of gas during the later rounds. Thurman has the faster hands and is the better boxer of the two.
Thurman: The Returning King?
In Thurman’s last fight against Mario Barrios, he showed that he still has his mobility and fought well, winning a wide twelve-round unanimous decision against the former WBA 140-lb champion.
Thurman has fought only four times since 2017, and he’s wasted a lot of the potential that he once had. He was briefly viewed as the #1 welterweight on the planet back in 2017, but the injuries, weight gain, and enjoying family life have kept him out of the ring.
It’s questionable what Thurman has got left after his last dry spell. If he fights the way he did against Barrios, he’s got a chance of beating Tszyu if he can handle his ferocious punching power.
