Thurman No Longer Concerned With Pursuit of Mayweather

by Edward Chaykovsky

Earlier this month, WBC/WBA welterweight world champion Keith 'One Time' Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) got the biggest win of his career when he secured a twelve round split decision over Danny Garcia to unify two world titles at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Thurman is now focused on unifying the welterweight division, with Kell Brook currently holding the IBF world title and Manny Pacquiao the holder of the WBO crown.

From 2014 to 2016, Thurman was trying to lock in a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KOs).

Mayweather retired from boxing in September 2015, after winning a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Andre Berto.

For over a year, Thurman was the WBA's mandatory challenger to Mayweather - who held the WBA's "super belt" - but the sanctioning body never ordered them to face each other. They began to consolidate their multiple titles early last year.

There were periods of time when Thurman was very vocal about facing Mayweather and called him out numerous times during televised interviews. Because there was more risk than reward, Thurman was passed over several times. 

Now that Mayweather turned 40 and appears to have little interest in facing any of the top names in boxing, Thurman admits he is disappointed but has mentally moved on.

"There were times in my career where I was adamant about trying to fight Floyd Mayweather. There was a moment in my career where I was his mandatory and I earned that position and then I politically got pulled out of that position when he got elevated to what I now currently hold, which is the WBA Super title," Thurman told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.

"The Super champ is not obligated to fight mandatories, and with that, Floyd Mayweather would only face Keith Thurman if he wanted to face Keith Thurman but he had other fights scheduled and other plans that he had for the end of his career. It is what it is, I believe that when you see that he fought Robert Guerrero, Victor Ortiz and other fighters of that nature, there’s no reason why Keith Thurman shouldn’t have been a legitimate opponent for Floyd Mayweather.

"Another reason why I wanted to fight him so much is because he’s a legend and I wanted to create my own legacy in the sport of boxing and one way of doing it is by beating legends. Now that Floyd is retired and has no intentions of coming back into the ring, it’s my job to create my own legacy. The ultimate goal is to one day be the undisputed champion and hold all three world titles.

"For now, it is what it is. The disappointment is mild, it’s minute. Everyone who faces Mayweather gets the biggest paycheck of their career, but it wasn’t about the money for me, it was about the legendary status. Now that I don’t have that opportunity, I just have to stay on my grind and create my own legacy."