“Stop with these questions,” Thurman said to Premier Boxing Champions. “Stop questioning me and who I am and what I’m capable of doing.”
For much of the late 2010s, Thurman was seen as one of the top fighters in the welterweight division after victories over Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter helped him unify titles. Injuries and long layoffs slowed that momentum, and his only defeat came against Manny Pacquiao in 2019.
Injuries and long layoffs slowed his career, and some fans now wonder how much he still has left. Thurman believes that narrative ignores what he has already accomplished.
“They could still throw me in the Hall of Fame as is,” he said. “But something in my heart, something in my gut, something in my soul says the story’s not over,” Thurman said.
The upcoming bout against WBC junior middleweight champion Fundora gives Thurman a chance to pursue a second division title and reshape the perception that has followed him through the later stage of his career.
Thurman acknowledged that inactivity creates doubt in boxing, but he insists that the criticism has gone too far.
“I fought two times in five years,” Thurman said. “Every time they looked at me, all they saw was a question mark. Can he get to the finish line? Is he going to break down? Is he at that stage of his career?”
Thurman believes the answer will come when he steps back into the ring against the towering champion.
“I know where I belong versus the best in the world,” he said. “And I have an opportunity here and now to elevate myself back to world champion status.”
The Fundora-Thurman fight is scheduled for March 28 and will stream on Prime Video pay-per-view.
Thurman clearly understands the skepticism around his comeback. Whether he can quiet it against Fundora is another question entirely.
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