A former welterweight champion defeated by Manny Pacquiao in 2021 and with only six bouts in nine years will top Al Haymon’s debut on Amazon.
Keith Thurman, who reigned as WBA titleholder at 147 pounds before being dethroned by Pacquiao in Las Vegas, is lined up for a super welterweight move.
‘One Time’ is set to challenge Tim Tszyu for the WBO championship at 154 pounds if Premier Boxing Champions gain approval from the World Boxing Organization.
Tim Tszyu vs Keith Thurman
Today, Thurman is not ranked in the top fifteen with the WBO. However, with Haymon’s connections, that shouldn’t be a problem – even if Thurman hasn’t fought in 25 months.
In fact, the Florida man has only had six bouts in nine years. He is currently one of the most inactive on the PBC roster, something Haymon faces criticism for daily on social media.
Thurman was once a feared champion at the peak of his powers during the mid-2010s. He defeated Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, and many others to secure a place in the Pound for Pound Top 10.
But at 35, Thurman attempts to become a two-weight world ruler against one of the best super-welterweights on the planet.
Tszyu caused Jermell Charlo to walk away from a mandatory fight; such is his rise as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division.
The rugged Australian is the son of ex-pound-for-pound star Kostya. Tszyu wants to carve a path to becoming undisputed once Charlo fully relinquishes all of the title belts.
Oddsmakers will have Tszyu as a heavy favorite in a fight Haymon has chosen to make him look good. Activity is a big topic in the sport right now, which could be the main factor in this fight.
Pacquiao loss
In July 2019, Pacquiao dropped Thurman in the opening moments before seeing out a decision and taking Thurman’s long-standing WBA welterweight title.
Pacquiao became the oldest 147-pound champion of all time with the victory. Since then, Thurman has fought just once when defeating the weight-adding super-lightweight Mario Barrios.
Injuries have played their part in Thurman being on the shelf for most of his prime years. However, he’ll be expected to put on a show as Haymon bids to impress his new network.
The PBC chief signed a ground-breaking deal with the streaming service in 2023 after Showtime collapsed, dropping all their future boxing content.
Haymon’s move has sparked a frenzy of reports that NetFlix will do similar, leading to many promoters keeping their ears to the ground. Netflix is the most lucrative streaming service in the world for any boxing promoter.
Therefore, whoever gains that long-term deal will be a significant player in the sport for the foreseeable future. Netflix began its foray into sports by snapping up WWE RAW to a ten-year contract starting in 2025.
Boxing will surely be next.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
