Keith Thurman believes that if he can beat Sebastian Fundora and take the WBC super welterweight title on March 28, his Hall of Fame case will be set.
“This will definitely solidify me as a Hall of Famer,” said Thurman. “This is just a beautiful opportunity. The last time I held a world title was in 2019. I don’t think anyone from that generation has a story like this.
“Boxing loves great comeback stories and this as a modern day story right now. This is what boxing movies are all about. It’s been done, it can be done and it’s gonna be done again. I’m looking forward to solidifying my place in boxing history.”
The 37-year-old Thurman (31-1, 23 KO) has held a world title at welterweight, but as he said, the last time he held a world title was nearly seven years ago; he lost that title to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019, and then didn’t fight again for two-and-a-half years, and then didn’t fight again for another three years after that.
The 2020s have been an unfortunate waste for “One Time,” who at one point was one of the sport’s leading men in a then-hot division. Injuries have hampered his career and stolen at least part of what should have been his prime.
And he will be the underdog against Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KO), who is nearly a decade younger, nearly a foot taller, far more active, certainly in his prime, and has proven very difficult to beat.
Does Keith Thurman have a potential Hall of Fame resume?
If Thurman can beat Fundora — especially if it’s convincing — do you see a Hall of Fame case for him? And keep in mind the standard for the IBHOF is hardly Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson; the bar for enshrinement has gone a lot lower than that, with respect to those “lower-end” Hall of Famers, who were all very good fighters at worst, and some of those guys were really big stars or had a cultural impact on the sport, too.
Would beating Fundora mean that he’s achieved enough to join those ranks, or would his legacy still fall a bit short for you?