Keith Thurman doesn’t know too much about his upcoming opponent Leonard Bundu, but he does know he is undefeated and he has a style Thurman can appreciate. Thurman feels Bundu brings a style where he can test his abilities.
A Bundu fight doesn’t do much for Thurman except remain busy. Thurman doesn’t really reflect on alphabet rankings but what he wants to do is keep winning and a big fight will come in 2015, especially coming off a shoulder injury that has kept him out of the ring for all but 3 rounds against Julio Diaz.
“I really can’t say why I haven’t gotten a big fight,” Thurman told ThaBoxingVoice.com. “I always say everybody’s signing contracts without my name on them. But we’re going to keep doing what we keep doing and that’s building our name and our brand in the welterweight division. This should be the last fight where I’m not fighting a top 10 guy in the welterweight division like Amir Khan, Devon Alexander. Robert Guerrero, Shawn Porter, and all those names. I believe we’ll get one of those names if not two in 2015.”
Thurman’s name has been mentioned with Porter, Guerrero, and Alexander, but those fighters chose different fights.
“I know for a fact that Al Haymon already asked at the start of this year for a fight with Shawn Porter but his dad came out with that article saying we don’t need to fight Thurman right now,” stated Thurman. “Robert Guerrero was offered the fight and he said no and fought some Japanese fighter. I know for a fact those two were offered a fight, but I don’t know about Amir Khan and Devon Alexander, but I’ve yet to be proposed a fight with either of those guys.”
Al Haymon has the reputation of controlling the career of many of his fighters. Thurman jumped onto our scene calling out the Mayweather’s, the Malignaggi’s, and everyone possible when he was barely known. Not it seems he’s more reserved. But Thurman says Haymon has nothing to do with that.
“This is America, anyone can open up their mouth and say whatever they want,” explained Thurman. “I was talking talk when I first came on the scene. I said what I had to say and I don’t need to repeat it. The fans know who I want to fight. I say I got an 0 and I’m not afraid to let it go. I need to be patient and I know my time will come.”
Although Thurman hasn’t gotten the notoriety of Gennady Golovkin, a lot of the top names aren’t stepping up to fight Thurman. The comparisons are there except for the fact that Golovkin has remained much more active and is building his brand while Keith is waiting to get some shine. Thurman can understand the comparisons even if he’s not as active.
“A lot of people do compare us because of our power, knock out ratio and the level of competition we faced,” explained Thurman. “It is very similar but I just feel like a young dude that’s been grinding and waiting for that opportunity. I’m not the first fighter they’ve done this to in my own gym. I remember coming up Winky Wright couldn’t get a fight and in his prime he was the best 154 pounder in the world. Winky wanted to fight Oscar De La Hoya and he never got the chance.”
He wants his chance at the cash cow in boxing in one Floyd Mayweather.
“Possibly,” stated Thurman on a fight with Mayweather before Floyd retires. “I know I’m in the running. I’m the mandatory when it comes to the WBA. I asked the WBA personally to enforce the mandatory so he either fights me or vacates the title so I at least get the title shot I deserve. If I start 2015 with a proper fight, and by proper fight I mean an ex opponent of Floyd Mayweather like a Robert Guerrero. We can fight in February. I’d love to open up with Guerrero or Marcos Maidana. Floyd fought him twice and all I need is one time. If we do that we create enough buzz so we can get Mayweather in the ring before he retires.”
