Keith Thurman is hoping to end another protracted break from the ring soon.

The former welterweight titlist from Clearwater, Florida, has not fought since February of last year, when he overcame Mario Barrios with a 12-round unanimous decision. That fight was Thurman’s first in nearly three years, since his loss to Manny Pacquiao. Since that loss, Thurman has seen his welterweight peers eclipse him in the rankings and in the perception of the public. On July 29, titlists Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford will fight for the undisputed 147-pound championship in Las Vegas.

Thurman suggested earlier this month that fellow former titlist Yordenis Ugas was his likely opponent for the summer but in a more recent interview, “One Time” indicated that fight was not exactly a done deal.

“Ugas was one of the things on the table,” Thurman told Jeff Zimmerman. “Of course. I’ve already agreed to a plethora of fights. Thurman’s a yes man. ‘Yes, I’ll fight him. Yes, I’ll fight him. Yes, I’ll fight him.’ We just got to create the ‘when’ and the ‘where.’ I don’t know what’s going on the other people’s sides.

“I know the direct conversations I’ve had with [advisor] Al [Haymon], and it’s just a network thing. It’s about getting on the calendar. I was a bench boy this year. It’s a horrible position to be in. Thurman could have been fought in February. They were trying to mandate Spence. He wiggled his way out of that. He made a big fight happen. I cannot be mad about that. I understand boxing. I know how it is. The fans have been waiting for this fight. Nobody’s mad at this decision. Just the way that it has infected me this year has been unpleasant. But you know, at the end of the day, I’m still here, patiently waiting for the opportunities to come my way.”

Thurman made it clear he needs to start fighting more regularly. He added that he hopes to offer some concrete information about his next opponent in the week leading up to Spence-Crawford.

“The most important thing is when we get back in the ring. We Gotta get back in the ring again. We gotta get this ball rolling. I am growing. [I'm] 34 years old. But at the end of the day I know I’ve got several good years I can squeeze out of the game. I want to make it happen, for myself and the fans.

“So let’s see what manifests. Hopefully by next week, you know, it’s a big fight week, I’m hoping to drop real news, if not a date, at least solidifying the opponent so that the world of boxing has to question any longer what’s next for Keith Thurman.”