‘One Time’s’ To Shine: Keith Thurman is the 2012 Prospect of the Year

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Before 2012 Keith Thurman was a rather unknown fighter to even some of the hardcore fans of boxing. However in 2012, with the helping hand of his powerful advisor Al Haymon, Thurman made the best of his two HBO appearances.

While Haymon may have got him on the network, Thurman still had to show his talents in the ring. That he did. He stopped Orlando Lora in 6 rounds on the undercard of the Adrien Broner-Vicente Escobedo telecast. Lora, whose last major TV appearance, came on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson pay-per-view. In that fight he lost a decision to Paulie Malignaggi. This time however, Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman would not let Lora reach the last bell. Thurman after the fight pretty much called out everyone from Floyd Mayweather to the before mentioned Paulie Malignaggi.

His next bout was against southpaw veteran Carlos Quintana. Quintana was fresh off beating another prospect, Deandre Lattimore on the Mayweather-Cotto pay-per-view. Quintana was seen as the young prospect’s toughest test to date. Thurman passed it with flying colors hurting and dropping Quintana in the first round. Quintana never fully got back into the fight taking big shots from the stronger puncher in Thurman leading to an eventual stoppage. Quintana later retired after the fight.

‘One Time” is in a good position because he can campaign at both 147 and 154, two of boxing’s money divisions. Having Al Haymon on your team is also a great asset as it’s shown already in 2012. But Thurman is an entertaining fighter who is willing to fight everybody as his long list of names that he has called out keeps getting longer. Thurman has history with Andre Berto and wants that fight bad. There were mentions of him wanting a Randall Bailey fight. He still wants Paulie Malignaggi bad and take his welterweight title.

 In 2012 He went 4-0 with 4 KO’s. In 2013 he hopes to make the jump from prospect to world title contender if someone gives him the shot. He is slated to return in March possibly on the Hopkins-Cloud card being discussed in Brooklyn. With Haymon in his corner and by his last two performances, it’s only a matter of time before he fights for a world title. To the panel of ThaBoxingVoice.com, he received the most votes and was the 2012 prospect of the year.

 

Others who received votes:  Jessie Magdaleno, Gary Russel Jr, Bryant Jennings, Thomas Lamonna, and Jose Benavidez Jr.

 

Others Worthy of Mentions: David Price, Deontay Wilder, Randy Caballero, and Jermell Charlo,