Keith Thurman Jr. (born November 23, 1988) is an American
professional boxer who currently holds the WBA welterweight title.
As of June 2016 he is ranked as the world's best welterweight by BoxRec,
the second best by The Ring magazine, and the fourth best by the Transnational
Boxing Rankings Board. BoxRec also ranks him as the world's fourth
best boxer, pound for pound. Nicknamed "One Time," Thurman is known
for methodically setting up his devastating power punches.
Amateur
career
Keith Thurman was born November 23, 1988 in Clearwater, Florida to an African-American father and a European-American mother of Polish and Hungarian descent. Thurman's first amateur fight was in 1997. He was trained by the late Benjamin Getty who worked with Sugar Ray Leonard. Getty took Thurman under his belt as a child and helped shape him into the fighter he is today. Thurman is now coached by Dan Birmingham. Thurman finished his amateur career with 101 victories (76 KO's), he won 6 National Championships including the 2006 PAL National Championships. In 2007 he lost twice to world champion Demetrius Andrade at the Olympic Trials and won the Silver Medal.
Professional career
Early career
On
November 9, 2007 an 18 year old Thurman debuted as a light middleweight
against Kensky Rodney at the A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa, Florida
in a scheduled 4 round fight. Thurman won via 1st round KO after a
body shot floored Rodney. On August 8, 2008 Thurman defeated undefeated
Jamaican Omar Bell (6-0), 4 KOs) via first round knockout following
an uppercut and left hand. Thurman faced off against Francisco Garcia
in April 2009. The fight lasted less than 3 minutes after an accidental
clash of heads haled the fight and it was announced as a no contest.
In November 2009, Thurman was taken the 8 round distance by Brazillian
Edvan Dos Santos Barros (10-7-1, 7 KOs). The scorecards read 80-71,
79-72, 79-72 all in favor of Thurman.
On July 23, 2010 Thurman
beat the undefeated Stalinn Lopez (7-0, 3 KOs), the fight was on TeleFutura.
Over the course of the next few years, Thurman developed from being
a 'puncher' to become a more well rounded 'boxer puncher'. On November
26, 2012 Keith brutally knocked 36 year old Carlos Quintana (29-3,
23 KOs) out in the 4th round to win the WBO NABO super welterweight
title. Quintana anouunced his retirement from professional boxing
after the loss.
Thurman vs Zaveck
On March 9, 2013 Thurman who
had 19 wins in as many fights moved down to 147 weight and fought
on the undercard of Hopkin/Cloud at the Barclays Center in New York.
His opponent was 36 year old Slovenian Jan Zaveck (32-2, 18 KOs).
Thurman won via unanimous decision after a one sided 12 round bout,
all three judges scored it 120-108 for Thurman, who in the process
also won the WBO InterContinental welterweight title. This fight was
also a WBO Welterweight Title Eliminator. It was the first time Thurman
fought in a scheduled 12 round bout and his first time to go beyond
the eighth round.
WBA interim Welterweight champion
Thurman vs
Chaves
On July 7, 2013 Keith Thurman won Interim WBA Welterweight title
at the AT&T Center In San Antonio, Texas by knocking out Diego
Gabriel Chaves (22-0, 18 KOs) in the 10th round of a very competitive
fight. At the time of the knockout, Thurman led on all three cards:
87-83, 87-83, 86-84 thanks in part to a knockdown in round 9 which
was the beginning of the end for Chaves. Thurman had been landing
extremely strong body shots the entire fight and finally dropped Chaves
with one of the same. The end for Chaves came after another hook to
the body and a huge overhand right to the forehead. Thurman was never
in trouble but absorbed some strong body work as well from Chaves.
They traded close rounds early until Chaves really slowed around the
7th, opening the door for Thurman's left hook. On January 28, 2015
his Interim was elevated to the full WBA Welterweight championship.
