Thurman Sees Maidana as The Path To Mayweather

By Rick Reeno

Keith "One Time" Thurman (23-0, 21KOs) is on a mission to secure a 2015 showdown with WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26KOs).

Thurman is back on Saturday night, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, when he steps in the ring in a Showtime televised fight against unbeaten Italian Olympian Leonard Bundu (31-0-2, 11KOs).

If the circumstances are right, Thurman believes Mayweather would agree to fight him. Both men are advised by Al Haymon.

Thurman views Marcos Maidana (35-5, 31KOs), also advised by Haymon, as the perfect pre-Mayweather opponent. Mayweather fought Maidana twice in 2014, and won tough twelve round decisions in both outings.

"I think so [that Mayweather would fight me] - if he really believes that he's TBE [The Best Ever]. [I think I can get him if I] fight Marcos Maidana, one time and do it right the first time, and then I think the fans would be demanding the Floyd Mayweather fight before his contract is up with Showtime networks," Thurman told BoxingScene.com.

A Thurman-Maidana fight was actually discussed in 2012 and the fight was announced for an HBO broadcast in July of that year. But then Maidana walked away from the discussions, unhappy with the terms, and he was later replaced by Orlando Lora.

"I don't know the full details [of why Maidana walked away], but I can tell you that whatever he was offered then...compared to what he would be offered now...would be substantially different, especially coming after my performance on Saturday night."