Keith Thurman was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu this time last year and the anticipated fight could belatedly happen after the American star sensationally knocked out local hope Brock Jarvis.
Thurman, a future hall-of-famer who has fought only once in the past five years, made a stunning comeback at the Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday night. Despite a three-year lay-off, the 36 year old was a class above Jarvis, earning a third-round TKO stoppage.
Keith Thurman is back to his best.Credit: No Limit Boxing/Grant Trouville
After shaking off the ring rust in the first round, Thurman dominated the super-welterweight contest, knocking down Jarvis twice before the referee ended proceedings.
“It was important to make a statement,” Thurman said.
Thurman was slated to fight Tszyu on March 30 of last year, but had to withdraw due to a biceps injury. Tszyu subsequently lost his next two fights, to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev, and will attempt to reestablish himself as a contender when he takes on rising American Joey Spencer in Newcastle on April 6.
Should Tszyu prevail, a clash with Thurman appears likely.
“Tim Tszyu, I look forward to fighting anyone in the world of boxing,” Thurman said in the ring in the moments after his victory.
“If that contract manifests, you know what Keith Thurman gonna do? Send the contract, I’ll sign it. I’ll be happy to take the fight.”
Speaking to reporters a short time later, Thurman felt there was unfinished business against Tszyu.
Keitrh Thurman has called out Tim Tszyu.Credit: No Limit Boxing/Grant Trouville
“I signed my contract last year in 2024. I trained hard in preparation for Tszyu and I popped my bicep tendon in the 11th round of sparring in preparation for that fight,” Thurman said.
“I walked away from big, big money in Las Vegas, the type of money that makes you want to fight one-handed type of money …
“At the end of the day, I’m open to any contract right now. Tim Tszyu is not finalised. It’s very easy to say, it’s very easy to talk about.
“He obviously came off two losses, he needs to get a W [win] … we can negotiate those things if I don’t have a better offer that comes to the table.”
Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings stressed that the Australian’s sole focus was on Spencer rather than a potential showdown with Thurman. However, Jennings said a Thurman-Tszyu bout held appeal to the Australian’s promoters.
“Tim and Keith will be two very high-level, skilled fighters going at it and it’ll be a totally different fight,” Jennings said.
“The interesting part for me is, in Tim’s current mental state, where he’s focused and bearing down on everything that he needs to do, I think it’ll be an absolute cracker of a fight.
“It’s an exciting opportunity, we’ve talked about it, and we were going to fight him.
“It makes sense and all of those things will fall into place in the right time frame. I just have to say to the public that the Tim Tszyu that just left this building is not distracted by Keith Thurman, not iota.
“He’s back sparring tomorrow and there’s nothing on his mind except for Joey Spencer.”
Jennings added that there was still the possibility of Jarvis fighting Tszyu’s undefeated younger brother, Nikita, despite the loss.
In the co-main event, Australian Michael Zerafa scored a seventh-round TKO victory against German Besir Ay, despite suffering a suspected broken hand in the second round.
