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By Jake Donovan - Perhaps the most amazing thing about Keith Thurman’s rise in 2012 was that he wasn’t on anyone’s radar when the year began.
Inactive since Nov. ’10 due to an injury, Thurman was viewed by most as little more than another in the vast stable of boxing powerbroker Al Haymon. That meant appearances on the undercards of other Haymon-managed fighters, mostly against soft opposition while waiting for the TV money to eventually roll in.
It’s precisely how his year played out – yet in the end, he emphatically proved worthy of the coverage.
The truth is that he proved himself long before turning pro in 2008. A stellar amateur career included a spot as an alternate on the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing squad – if he wanted it.
He didn’t. Thurman instead opted to turn pro shortly after falling short to Demetrius Andrade in the Olympic Trials, officially punching for pay in Nov. ’07, just shy of his 21st birthday. Three years later, many wondered when ‘One Time’ would get his career in gear, racking up a string of knockout wins against largely nondescript competition.
Two fights into his 2012 campaign suggested more of the same, a disappointment considering the 15-month layoff preceding his Feb. ’12 off-TV knockout win over Christopher Fernandez. The bout took place in St. Louis, with fellow Haymon clients Adrien Broner and Devon Alexander appearing on the HBO-televised portion of the show.
Five months later, Thurman would make his way in front of the camera. The bitching soon began, but his performance ultimately spoke for itself. [Click Here To Read More]
Inactive since Nov. ’10 due to an injury, Thurman was viewed by most as little more than another in the vast stable of boxing powerbroker Al Haymon. That meant appearances on the undercards of other Haymon-managed fighters, mostly against soft opposition while waiting for the TV money to eventually roll in.
It’s precisely how his year played out – yet in the end, he emphatically proved worthy of the coverage.
The truth is that he proved himself long before turning pro in 2008. A stellar amateur career included a spot as an alternate on the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing squad – if he wanted it.
He didn’t. Thurman instead opted to turn pro shortly after falling short to Demetrius Andrade in the Olympic Trials, officially punching for pay in Nov. ’07, just shy of his 21st birthday. Three years later, many wondered when ‘One Time’ would get his career in gear, racking up a string of knockout wins against largely nondescript competition.
Two fights into his 2012 campaign suggested more of the same, a disappointment considering the 15-month layoff preceding his Feb. ’12 off-TV knockout win over Christopher Fernandez. The bout took place in St. Louis, with fellow Haymon clients Adrien Broner and Devon Alexander appearing on the HBO-televised portion of the show.
Five months later, Thurman would make his way in front of the camera. The bitching soon began, but his performance ultimately spoke for itself. [Click Here To Read More]
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