By Rick Reeno
MGM Grand, Las Vegas - Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya thinks very highly of welterweight puncher Keith "One Time" Thurman (23-0, 21KOs). The feared slugger returns later tonight in a Showtime televised fight against undefeated Italian Olympian Leonard Bundu.
How good is Thurman? De La Hoya, a former five division world champion, believes Thurman is an overall better fighter than WBA/IBO/WBC interim-middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (31-0, 28KOs).
"Thurman is better. One thing about Golovkin, he's tough and he's a strong fighter. When Canelo was sparring with him in Big Bear, he mentioned that he was strong, very strong. There are a lot of fighters who are strong and there are ways of beating strong fighters. One thing about Keith Thurman is that he knows how to move...lateral, using combinations. He thinks in the ring," De La Hoya said.
"Golovkin is a fighter who has to beat you with his power. He has to. He can't beat you with moving side to side and going back. One thing about Golovkin that I've learned, because I've studied him - if he moves back he can't fight. He can't fight when he moves back, he can't. But try to move him back...good luck."
