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.
nice stupidity keith Thurman. no one wins against me because I run a lot around the ring, I clinch a lot and hold a lot. I also do some trickery that refs can not see. actually I am not into the sport of boxing. I want to introduce a new sport which we may call “EVADING”. would that fit me? what is your take on that?
I do believe that a lot of people who want me to win are americans only. because americans nowadays are stupid llike me. but it is ok because I am not only the rich coward but also the rich moron. in terms of my fight against that midget pac-you. well, he had my numbers already so I don’t want anymore to have a rematch with him. it is not worth it anymore because I got only three judges on the take. others decline. perhaps if three more judges would agree to judge me to a rematch against that midget pack-u, then a rematch can be possible. but for now I enjoy my hundreds of millions of dollars seeing different kinds of pussy and sometimes variety of cocks.
see you soon my flomos. we are THE STUPIDS EVER. “TSE”. not TBE.
Idiot.
These comments are worst than the ones on Youtube. Thurman continues to prove himself in and out the ring. Stop hating. Enhoy the fights
Fucking clown and hateful ass person
AGREE!!! Yes TBE (The Boring Expert)
U are the best writer of all times
I sulute u
I idolise u
For 200mils fraud weather should have fought like Ali/frazier who gave all to almost kill themselves.Instead i off the tv at round 3. Most boring stuff of all time. I do think may is a very good and smart fighter.He should have given us a 200mil fight.I would try to kill pac for 200 mils
Thurman believes that as long as he barks like a dog He might land a fight agaisnt the very arrogant Floyd. Oh yeah no one could beat Floyd because he will run like a chicken agaisnt anybody. Its the style of TBE and not even a low-IQ fighter like Thurman could change that LOL! Defeated or not Pacman remains a great fighter. We are talking here of the 8 time World Champion in 8 weight classes. Not even Sugar Ray Robinson has been able to achieve that fate. Anywhere Floyd goes people are booing him LOL!
Ignorant Pactard.
Can u pls name the 8 legit champions pac beat please
Of course Manny will find it difficult to beat Floydie if Floydie will keep on running, clinching, hugging, grabbing, & pulling Manny’s arm after tightly holding them with his forearm. It looks like it was Flodie who was injured because he does not want to engage.
With his techniques and misdemeanor in and outside the ring, his greatness will only be a “flash in the pan”. Remember when he went into retirement? People easily forgot him and fans look up to boxing champions who really entertain and give the fans their money’s worth. Also, recall when he was interviewed after the fight with Baldomir? People were booing and some were leaving their seats way before the fight was over. Floydie got angry with the interviewer and accused him of not giving Floydie his credit?
He is really a disgrace not only to boxing but to the whole of sports.
If he is all this and that (Floyd)that everybody refuse to respect why n the fuck u homos keep that man n y’all mouth and pac is insisted on keep trying to beat him b a man and accept your loss and all you fags stop dickriding sound like fucking girls keep fucking Floyd bashing
AGREE!!!
For the good of the sports of boxing I think Floydie should have retired a long time ago. Fans deserve to watch good athletes whom everybody especially the youth can look up to, respect, emulate, and be a model of good character.
Floydie is teaching the world the value of greed, deceipt, dishonesty, violence against women & children, disrespect, racism, bullying, etc etc.
For the good of knowledge and common sense you should stop commenting. Ridiculously stupid hatefull dumb comment from you.Get a life and stop hating and being emotional.Bums in their own lifes allways talk down people’s success.Congratulations your a winner.
i like thurman but i disagree with him pacquiao beat may convincingly esp 2009 when may ducks big time it should be 2009 not 2015 fight
And who has the goods to beat that scare driven guy?You Thurman?Floyd won on that particular night on those three sore eyed judges score cards but he never did beat Pacquiao.
Ur blind, deluded. Floyd won the fight hands down.
You BS Fool Keith you just loss 30% of your fans. tsk tsk tsk.
Who is this clown? Ketth Thurman is a jealos of what the Pacman achieved in the boxing.
“Pacquiao is not used to fighting fighters that have the fight style Mayweather has, who uses their athleticism around the ring.”
I FULLY AGREE. Freddy CockRoach & Sleeping Beauty Pacquiao studied porno flicks instead of analyzing JailWeather’s prior fights & fighting style. I bet they didn’t even simulate Fraud’s holding tactic in training.
CUTTING OFF THE RING IS WORTHLESS ‘COZ ONCE U HAVE HIM TRAPPED IN A POCKET, all SkunkWeather has to is grab & hold u. And Floyd’s BFF ref. Kenny BrainLess applaud this strategy.
Hahaha Thurman make me laugh about his comment about Pacquiao. Are you sure Keith that Pacquiao looked the best if he fought a flat footed boxer? Mosley and Bradley have an athleticsm same as with Mayweaher but both boxer is defeated by Pacman. Pacman defeat so many best boxer like Barrera, Marquez, Morales, Diaz, Dela Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Margarito. And how about yours Mr. One Time? Manny will kick your black ass if you fight him. Hahaha
Thurman is Thuckwoman. F/u dont recognized what Manny had achieved in boxing. He is only 8 division champion boxer. Thuckmam is just like Mallignagi. Talk like woman.
Terrible. Boxing has become less about great fights and more about the payday. Do us all a favor and do something else, like WWF or being a stuntman if you don’t want to get hurt. Boxers like Thurman shouldn’t even be speaking about fighters like May and Manny, they’re too young and inexperienced, just look at Algieri. The players have changed over the years, but the game hasn’t…and this is the problem with today’s sports. Mayweather has discovered the loopholes in boxing, plain and simple.
Lol thurman. Pac can beat and smoke your ass
Thurman is right. We all saw Pacquaio take an L when he tried to box Mayweather. I don’t know what all these other folks here are talking about. None of them have what Psychologist call a proficient perception of reality. They watched Pacquaio lose the fight and some how act like they didn’t see it and it didn’t happen. They’ve also watched Pacquaio lose five other times, and to hear them tell it, it didn’t happen. They also watched him get knocked out cold, and they say it was a lucky shot. Clearly these people are suffering from hallucinations and delusions.
Well said about Pac Thorton. Ironic how after he got accused of HGH and agreed to randomly test for it, he slowed down significantly. People now blame father time. Mayweather is older.
Boxing is the art of hitting and not getting hit. Mayweather is playing the rules of this sport to perfection. Nobody in this weight class stands a chance against him. His resume includes beating almost everyone from Sugar Shane, De La Hoya, Cotto, Pacquiao, Alvarez, Madiana, Judah, Hatton, Marquez, Arturo gatti and a bunch of light weights that nobody cares about. Mayweather is a lot stronger and has a tougher chin then everyone gives him credit for. Why didn’t Pac show any desperation? Because he respected mayweathers power enough to not go “all in”.
Thurman didn’t look that great in his last fight. He is very unpolished and needs to work on his speed and defense.
you are so wright, people, need adjust losing a fight pac man had his chance and lost, face up, mayweather is pound for pounds champion, every boxer had his chance he would go out in history as the best of the best top rank fighter of all time (shock the world )!!!
This TBE (The Boring Expert) was so desperate and not able to knock out the one arm fighter, so he end up talking to a Dummy and punching this thing. Good thing this Dummy didnt fight back.
Mayweather should fight Keith Thurman I think Keith Thurman would Win he has Boxing Skills & Got that Knockout Powe with Both Hands Thurman should call him Out so he can make some of that $$$ He Derserves a Million $$$ Payday
I think Pacquiao beats floyd in the fight. I watch the slow mow fight, Pcquioa wins
Pacquiao beats floyd in my opinion. Floyds didnt even knock the one arm fight like Pacquiao.
According to the judges floyd wins according to people Pacquiao wins
Much respect to any boxer that steps into the ring, win or lose. It’s called boxing, not brawling. Floyd is one of the greatest boxers, not the greatest. His skilled for this time and era is indeed second to none… which is why He’s at the top of the sport. It’s called boxing, for a reason. An old boxing saying says, ” you gotta bring ass to get ass”….He’s done that. Look back thru all of his fights…nothing has changed except Floyd has gotten smarter, wiser. Cudos to all the great boxers, not fighters…today’s fans look for fights, not boxing,,,,shame!! BOXING, it’s an art. Do your homework.
Floyd and Algieri fought very similar styled fights against Pacquiao, but the results stand in stark contrast; hmmnn…I wonder why? You guys just need to let this one go, there was never a day in their careers where Manny could ever have beaten Floyd. Floyd with good hands stops Pacquiao cold…you read it correctly. If you follow the sport you should know that Floyd has very bad hands and they’ve been that way for quite some time…yet I never hear him complain about it.
Accept it, move on!
What keith meant by manny cannot beat a flat footed is some1 like floyd who runs around. I do not know why they keep reearding victories who just runs around. Boxers who fights like floyd is killing the sport. I am so turned off with boxing. Who doenst want to see a good fight they paid for? Wise up boxing fans, dont let them take ur money. It’s like a stick up, only without a gun.
Agree