Keith “One Time” Thurman took a moment to step away from Mayweather-Pacquiao talk to discuss his own dealings within the sport. Thurman seems primed for stardom, so it isn’t a question of if he will get to fight big names, but rather which big names and when.
This time around the focus was on current IBF Welterweight Champion, Kell Brook and Thurman reiterated what he has been saying for years… anyone, anywhere.
“Man, you guys already know I wanna fight anybody and everybody man. I got an “O” and I’m not afraid to let it go. I wanna fight the champ. Kell Brook is in his prime. What’s the boy, 29 years-old?”
He continued to talk up the undefeated British champion.
“He’s a strong welterweight, a true welterweight and he understands the game. It’d be a great fight for all the English fans and for the sport of boxing in general.”
I would love to see this fight. With the old guard on their way out, the sport of boxing is in transition. After decades of reflexively saying names like Mayweather, Hopkins and Pacquiao when speaking about the best in the sport but right now we are in the middle of a generational shift within the rankings.
It’s time for the young guys to step up and begin making the fights that will allow them to separate themselves from the pack and ascend to the upper echelon that the “old guys” have already left behind, or plan on doing so in the near future. With the skills, personality and resources he has behind him, Thurman is poised to take his next step toward superstardom. All he needs now are defeats over great opponents like Kell Brook to help him get there.
