Former World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman comes out swinging as he takes a stand on the Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer. Thurman calls out Terence “Bud” Crawford asking him to send the contract and he will sign it live on Instagram. The former champ also goes in-depth about his tough road to recovery from injuries, how he changed his fight style for Floyd Mayweather, and eventually getting in the ring with boxing’s Unified Champion Errol Spence Jr.
It’s an action-packed interview that’s sure to get fans talking.
Thurman on his health and recovery from hand surgery
“The hand is the only issue right now, as far as mentally. It was a big mental barrier in the Pacquaio fight…it’s just a barrier, a mental barrier. Even if I can’t throw the punch 100% ever again, I just need to know what can I do, what can I do consistently so I can perform and put pressure on my opponents. And just know what I am capable of doing so I don’t have to hold anything back. I feel 80% right now.”
Thurman on his future and his next two fights
“It’s either a tuneup, title eliminator, title match or title eliminator, title match or tuneup, title match. I want to be champion of the world again, I want to fight the fighters I haven’t fought if those champions want to give me an opportunity, they know it’s a phone call and contract away and that’s all that I’m here waiting for.”
Thurman response to Terence “Bud” Crawford who doubts Thurman really wants to fight him
“Send the contract and let me post it on Instagram and sign it live baby,. I’ll do my first signing live baby. They don’t know me, Crawford calling me out like that and saying that about me, you don’t know me, man. You don’t know what kind of contracts I’ve had in my face. I’ve never been presented with a contract with a real fight. That’s real petty at the end of the day.”
Who does Thurman want more…Errol Spence jr or Terence Crawford?
“Right now I want Crawford more man, he’s gotten under my skin. Errol, that’s a timeline issue. I know how the game works, we got the same manager that’s a timeline issue. This Crawford dude, send me a contract bro, don’t act like I’m going to run from you. You never weighed 147, you never got respect in the game anyway at 147. You haven’t pushed the buttons at 147, you ain’t touched Shawn Porter, you ain’t touched Thurman, you ain’t touched Garcia, you ain’t Spence, I’m going to run out of fingers, I can name all of my opponents you ain’t touched. Send the contract, tell me when you want it. You want it before Christmas, merry Christmas I’ll take the check!”
Thurman on why he’s always injured
“I’ve neglected certain things in recovery, it just wasn’t easy. When my elbow was recovering, it recovered on time but I got in the gym and my hand was hurting. And I was like alright let’s give it 6 weeks and it was still hurting. By the time I got to the right doctor and they say, “Keith you need hand surgery,” “I said yo doc its been too long I need to make a check.“ So then I fought Josesito Lopez and then I fought Pacquiao. I haven’t been in great athletic condition, even though numerically I have been in my prime, physically my body hasn’t been feeling at its primest. Its been tough on me, it has been hard on the fans.”
Thurman on how many more fights at 147 pounds
Three more years easy, to be honest, I can end my whole career here. Unless opportunities present themselves, there’s not going to be a lot to entice me to move up in weight. I’m a diehard 147 boxing fan when it comes to the legends, all the legends who have led and competed at welterweight. To begin and finish my career at 147 would be optimal.”
Thurman says he changed his fighting style to prepare for Floyd Mayweather
“That was all for Floyd. When I fought Julio Diaz, my first headliner on Showtime, I couldn’t train for Diaz. I mentally told myself you’re fighting Floyd Mayweather to make myself to put in more effort in the training camp. And then I was I just being prepared to be a 12 round fighter. Floyd was champion at the time so I was preparing for those longer fights against skilled fighters.”
These are just a few highlights of the in-depth interview with Keith Thurman. The entire interview can be streamed on Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer.
