Keith Thurman has had his best year in the professional ranks in 2015, as he has landed some of his most high profiled fights and established himself as a top 15 pound-for-pound fighter. The one fight that Thurman has aimed for since he appeared on the scene is a fight with P4P king, Floyd Mayweather. With the fight seemingly out of reach, Thurman now finds himself in the position similar to Mayweather, with a young up and coming fighter calling his name out, Errol Spence.
In part 2 of my ?On The Ropes? boxing radio interview with Keith Thurman, I get his thoughts on being called out by Errol Spence, and if he would ever consider taking that fight. Thurman also talks about Manny Pacquiao and if he thinks anything would be different in a Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch. I also get Keith?s views on his future going forward and what he expects for the rest of 2015. Here is what Keith Thurman had to say.
Jenna J: You were recently called you out by Errol Spence. What did you make of him calling you to the table when he hasn?t faced anyone near your level yet?
Keith Thurman: Yeah he?s reaching a little too high right now. One, he doesn?t deserve the fight and two, it?s just too big of a step up. But I did the same thing three years ago when I was practically in his shoes, so I understand exactly where he?s coming from.
He believes that he?s one of the top dogs in the welterweight division and he wants to call out one of the top dogs and show the world that he?s ready to take out some of the best welterweight fighters in the world. Out of all the welterweights there is, he picked me and I think to a degree that?s actually a sign of respect to call me out like that. It is what it is.
I believe I deserve my ranking of where I?m at in the welterweight division, we worked hard to be where we are and I?m gonna be here. I?m gonna be here, I?m gonna be at the top, so I look forward to him earning the respect to actually say my name out of his mouth and then we can get to something.
It?s really not a problem but he does need a few more fights and he needs to at least fight some B level fighters or something of that nature. He hasn?t fought the ex-world champions that I?ve fought and the champions that I?ve fought. It just is what it is, but I?m here and I look forward to him climbing up that ladder.
Jenna J: What do you think of Floyd Mayweather going from Manny Pacquiao to fighting somebody like Andre Berto?
Keith Thurman: I mean, to me that?s just Floyd doing what he wants to do with his career. Me and Berto, we?re pals, I go way back with Berto in the boxing world, back to when I was a kid. I?ve watched his career forever, back when he was in the Olympics and things of that nature.
There was a time in the boxing world where in my opinion, Berto was always like one fight away from fighting Floyd Mayweather. The first example was when he was supposed to fight ?Sugar? Shane Mosley and then the Haiti accident occurred and he went in and supported his fellow Haitians in their time of need over taking that fight. He had already accepted the fight but he had to back out of it due to the tragic accident.
After that, when he fought Victor Ortiz, Ortiz fought Mayweather right after Berto. Berto fought Robert Guerrero and Robert Guerrero fought Mayweather right after Berto. So in my opinion, Berto was a potential opponent for Floyd for a long time.
Jenna J: Manny Pacquiao had the shoulder injury and said that was the reason why he lost to Mayweather. Do you think that affects the perception of him in the fans? eyes for using an excuse as a reason why he lost?
Keith Thurman: It is what it is. People talked to me about that as soon as the fight happened and I told them that shoulder injury or no shoulder injury, Manny Pacquiao was never going to beat Floyd Mayweather. At the end of the day it?s almost apples and oranges, Manny Pacquiao is not used to fighting fighters that have the fight style that Mayweather has, who uses their athleticism around the ring.
Pacquiao looked the best when he was fighting people who were flat footed, people that maybe moved a little bit but moved slower. I just don?t think that Manny Pacquiao really has the goods to beat an athlete like Floyd Mayweather.
Jenna J: If you could have one fight happen for yourself, other than Floyd Mayweather, who would you like to see yourself in the ring with?
Keith Thurman: I almost feel like it changes every year. In boxing things shift so rapidly but I?ve already told the fans that I would love to face Marcos Maidana, I would love to have that fight for the fans. He?s another power puncher, has good experience, fought Mayweather twice. Outside of him, there?s Kell Brook, there?s Amir Khan, there?s Shawn Porter.
I think there are a lot of great fights in the welterweight division. I really don?t have my eyes set on nothing special and I don?t really dream about fights anymore, I just take them as they come. I?m gonna be here for a long time and I think in due time I?m gonna get everything that I want out of the welterweight division, but we just have to take our time. We have to fight one fight at a time and I?m really looking forward to the next one, I?m hoping to make something good happen.
Jenna J: Is there any message you want to pass to all the Keith ?One Time? Thurman fans?
Keith Thurman: Thank you for all your love and support. Stay tuned, I?ll let you know what happens as soon as we start getting in negotiations.
