(Edward Allen)
Keith Thurman believes victory over Sebastian Fundora on March 28 will see his claim for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame rubber-stamped.
They meet at the MGM Grand with Thurman having had just one bout since 2022, having scored a fifth-round stoppage of outgunned Australian Brock Jarvis a year ago.
Now 37, the 31-1 (23 KOs) veteran had been due to face Fundora last October only for a hand injury to force the towering champion out of the bout.
“This will definitely solidify me as a Hall of Famer,” said Thurman. “This is just a beautiful opportunity. The last time I held a world title was in 2019. I don’t think anyone from that generation has a story like this. Boxing loves great comeback stories and this as a modern-day story right now, this is what boxing movies are all about. It’s been done, it can be done and it’s gonna be done again. I’m looking forward to solidifying my place in boxing history.”Thurman admitted that he “felt like it was hard to catch a break” upon hearing news of the delay, but later this month he will be having just his second fight with trainer Tony Morgan, who used to work with Andre Berto.
Previously, Thurman was trained by Dan Birmingham, who retired.
“One of the reasons why I chose Tony Morgan is because we go way back,” said Thurman. “There aren’t a lot of people who know Keith Thurman the way Tony Morgan knows Keith Thurman. He was very close friends with my first coach Ben Getty. We’ve had a great relationship since my youth. I didn’t pick Tony to replace my coach, my coach Dan Birmingham retired.
“Unlike a lot of fighters, I’m very blessed to have trainers who really know my history and my background. Tony Morgan is a world class trainer who’s had Olympians and world champions and he’s extremely qualified for the job. I love working with people who understand me. He sees what I see, which is what can be taken advantage of in this fight.”
Fundora has become a formidable champion. Notching two wins over Tim Tszyu and breezing by Chordale Booker since his upset loss to Brian Mendoza. The 6ft 5 1/2ins southpaw, trained by his father Freddy, is still just 28 and boasts a 23-1-1 (15 KOs) record.
“Fundora wasn’t a big name when he was first coming up and I was yet to enter the division,” said Thurman, of the WBC 154lbs champion. “He’s so tall that you weren’t sure if he was going to be moving up to other weight classes….
2026-03-17 18:19:00
