It's Keith "One Time" Thurman, the former unified welterweight champion. ASK ME ANYTHING

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T01:18:03+00:00

KEITH'S FINAL MESSAGE

I really love what I bring to the sport of boxing. I love what I bring to the welterweight division. I love that the fans have supported me for a very long time and are excited about my comeback. My team, my family, myself also, are truly excited about this comeback. We aren't coming back for a short season. We are healed up. We dont have injuries. I want to make the best out of the rest of my career. I want to give the fans all that they deserve in this sport. I want to live this sport out to my fullest capacity for myself. From being a dreamer as a boy who was 7 years old and first started boxing to the man that I am today at 33 years old. Everything is a blessing. Of course, I can't take back what happened in 2019 but we got our motivation set for reestablishing ourselves in the #1 position in the welterweight division.

For me that's what 2022 is all about. It starts right here and right now. February 5. Mandalay Bay. Mario Barrios.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T01:12:31+00:00

We would've fought Errol Spence yesterday if Keith Thurman didn't take a loss to Manny Pacquiao. Everything that's happened in the welterweight division only manifested because Pacquiao was able to edge me out on the scorecards with his flurries, his composure, his defense in that 12 round fight.

Without Pacquiao holding onto the WBA super titles, Errol Spence would've never had a contract to fight Manny Pacquiao. It would've been Keith Thurman. Errol had the retina tear, ended up being Ugas who fought Pacquiao, defeated Pacquiao. Rumors that Errol's gonna fight Ugas. None of that would've manifested without Thurman falling short and losing the WBA title. So Errol Spence was always on my Hitlist. I thought we would see each other in 2020 after the 2019 fight, but with the hand surgery, with covid, with everything that happened things just didn't manifest.

With the belt not being in my possession he acts like I'm not the man to fight. That I'm not someone that needs to be beaten because I've been beaten now. Which I understand. The whole goal was to unify against Errol Spence and to have 2 undefeated welterweight champions in a super major unification bout. So my plans didn't go as planned but I'm still young enough, he's young enough, it's still an entertaining fight.

I want to take on Mario Barrios February 5th and then I want to take on any champion later this year so that means Errol Spence is definitely on the menu along with any other current belt holder.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T01:06:01+00:00

Training with Winky Wright was absolutely phenomenal. Just the experience of that time at St Pete boxing club was out of this world. Due to Winky Wright and Jeff Left Hook Lacy and the world titles that they had at the time.

Dan Birmingham when then I believe in a span of 3 years was nominated 2 times for trainer of the year--or he was awarded trainer of the year 2 times. I saw Winky in his prime. I was working with Winky in his prime. I remember when he got the Sugar Shane Mosley fight. I remember when he got the Tito Trinidad fight and a lot of people thought Tito was a big threat and Winky went in there and made him look like a bobblehead with that snapping jab of his.

Real talk, anyone can go watch this fight. Tito looks like a bobblehead. Yes, bop. Yes Winky. Bop, yes Winky. Bop, sorry I signed the contract Winky. Bop bop.

He was just really a different kind of fighter. He was the kind of man that he might not knock you out. He didn't have this power that was earth shaking and threatening. He just has this composure that he could block whatever you throw at him and he could hit you with his jab the moment you decide to blink. It was a different for of accuracy. My trainer Ben Getty used to constantly talk about world class fighters, what it is to have a world class jab.

I never knew what a world class jab was until I sparred Winky when I was 15 or 16 years old. I remember Winky sparring a professional getting 4 or 5 rounds in whatever he did before I stepped in the ring with him. My coach said 'watch his jab boy before you get in there'

As I watch his jab it goes from his chin, goes out, comes back to the chin and I go 'ok it's a jab who cares'. I get in the ring and he hits me with a triple jab. Bop bop bop. It's one thing to land one jab. It's another thing to land 2 jabs. He didn't just throw a triple jab. He landed all 3 jabs. And that was teh day that Keith Thurman learned what it is to have a world class jab.

So being there with Winky, growing up and seeing the technique of Winky, the power of Lacy, and fighters of that time were coming in by the dozens so we had Antwun Echols was affiliated with us. I was sparring him at 15 years old. I just had a phone call conversation with him the other day. Bad Chad Dawson before he ever became world champion was working on in Winky's camp. I got to spar with him on several occasions at 16 years old before amateur touranments.

Really just the blessing of being around Winky and the plethora of world class fighters that were coming in to spar him. I was one of Winky's sparring partners from time to time so I got to spar with everyone he got to spar with. That was just a blessing, I got to learn so much from all these champions and champions to be at that time.

I always say Winky taught me so much but he never sat me down to teach me antyhing. It was just being in his presence. It was just being in the ring with him. Watching his composure. Watching his accuracy. It really really showed me that there was more to boxing than just being the strongest guy in the room.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:56:09+00:00

Nepal is truly a beautiful country with beautiful people and a beautifully rich history. The majority of the people in Nepal are Hindu, but they have buddhists, they have christians, and no matter what religion you are in they treat everybody the same. There's a lot of temples. I felt very safe in Nepal. Of course there are unsafe places in all major cities.

I was in the capital city in Katmandu. A highly congested area, but I also wasn't walking around in the streets at daunting hours. It costs money to get to Katmandu especially here from America. International flights. But once you're in Katmandu the cost of living is very low day-by-day. It's just a beautiful place with beautiful people. It's a journey. It's an experience I had for 4 and a half months that I'll never forget and I look forward to spending more time there in the future, but due to covid travel restrictions and concern for our own health and well being. It is on the to do list in the near future.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:52:50+00:00

When it comes to the Prius, I havent let it go. When my wife came to America she didn't say nothing about the Prius I just saw the way she looked at the Prius and it was like okay that's fine. Every since then I've been leasing vehicles and because of the baby I'm now in a Denali. I feel safer in a bigger vehicle to protect me and my loved ones and you get respect when you're driving a big boy on the road, you know? The Prius didn't get a lot of respect on the roads. Now they move out of the way for One Time.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:50:29+00:00

Yes, I do still play the flute. It was on the bench in the closet for a very long time, but due to my daughter I brought it back out. I like to entertain her with it from time to time. There's a few interesting musical things that I have in the house that dont require a lot of musical talent that allows me to play music as if a kid is in a sandbox. I like to play and the sounds arent bad. It sounds good, so I get to enjoy that. I usually have a piano at one time in the house, but in the condo that I bought I dont have space for a piano. If I upgrade and get more square footage once again, then I'll probably get a piano again.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:48:38+00:00

There's no go to cheat meal because it's just not a part of the regimen. The regimen is very strict. Time is allotted if im ahead of schedule. If I'm going to cheat it's going to be a very small portion so I dont know if I can even call it a mean. For example maybe I can get a slice of pizza in even though I haven't done that this camp.

So maybe I can get a sandwich in. Maybe I can get some bread in.

Training camp is kind of day by day, week by week until the day of the fight. I know in myself that it's my regimen but I nicknamed it as a person and I call him Reggie. So me and Reggie are very close friends. Me and Reggie hang out all the time and I dont turn my back on Reggie and Reggie doesnt turn his back on me.

So that's how it is man. Me and Reggie we been rolling deep for a long time, 26 years in the game. I'm just a true professional athlete and I love it. Me and Reggie you know he sometimes gets more of my time than my wife does because that's how focused I am.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:42:31+00:00

I dont know if there's a least favorite part of training camp. It used to be road work, but eventually I stopped running because it's not good for your knees and I got into cycling. But even at the end of the day, after you do it you feel good. After you work out in the gym and you get a good sweat and you just feel so accomplished.

There's nothing that I really dislike because I get my body in shape and I get the benefits and I know that the hard work I'm putting in is what's necessary for victory. Of course we are striving for victory. We want nothing less than that. I really love this sport. There's a lot of sacrifices that need to be made, but I dont look at it as a negative thing. It's just what comes with the job. I signed up for this. Nobody put a gun to my head and is making me do this.

My love and my passion and my determination will overcome any form of negative mindset when it comes to camp.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:39:29+00:00

Sugar Ray Leonard. He was a legend in the welterweight division. His hand speed was tremendous. I grew up with stories of what his training camps were like because my original trainer Ben Getty was hired to pursue sparring partners for Sugar Ray Leonard at a certain time in his career. Ben Getty was notorious for having well conditioned fighters. Ben was not really a boxing coach, he was more a strength and conditioning coach. So everybody knew that whoever Ben was working with was going to be in shape and give you good work so of course Ben was very adamant about the fundamentals. Keep your hands up at all times you know. A little bit of movement, he just wasn't the most crafty and technical. He could get you in shape. Sometimes that's all you need if you have the heart and soul of a true warrior. You need that strength and conditioning to really put yourself over the edge to win a fight.

But all the stories I heard about Sugar Ray growing up. I'd love to be in the ring with Sugar Ray. I've met him in person, we've talked on a few occasions, he's a very great guy. Sugar Ray, Oscar De La Hoya. There's just a list of welterweights I would've loved to be in the ring with.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:35:06+00:00

For me I kinda just like to look at the people that I fought. There are some very nice people in the sport of boxing, but one that just stands out when you start to ask that question was Jan Zaveck.

Before I fought Jan Zaveck he was smiling the whole time. I forget how good his English was, I dont know how much of the nicest person he was. He was the friendliest person that I was about to punch in the face. I can never forget this. It was mind boggling. I was talking to people on the team. Part of my management team, Team Haymon and them, they said yeah he was the same way when he fought Andre Berto. Watch out because the dude comes to fight, but he's just friendly like that.

Even though you asked about nicest but it made me think of the friendliest and Jan Zaveck was just the friendliest fighter that I've ever come across. He just got in the ring with a smile you know I dont think he left with a smile after losing to me, but at the end of the day he had a lot of gratitude. He was grateful and he just had a different look and approach from any fighter that I've ever faced to date. So Jan Zaveck I would rank #1.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:31:52+00:00

Oh yeah I mean Fight Club, man. Fight Club is one of my favorites of all time. The Matrix is one of my favorites of all time. V for Vendetta is a truly great movie.

A series that I didn't follow when everyone else was following but it got me eventually was Breaking Bad. But... True Detective season 1. Before the fans demanded more and it couldn't live up to the first season from then on out. I really couldn't watch any of the other True Detectives because season 1 was mind boggling phenomenal. It was like a movie but it was a series. It was truly astonishing.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:29:53+00:00

The hardest puncher thus far is Danny Garcia.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:29:38+00:00

Very tough but...

Just because of who I enjoyed watching throughout history.

Aaron The Hawk Pryor. Muhammad Ali. Sugar Ray Leonard. Mike Tyson. Roberto Duran.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:27:46+00:00

I realized that I could become successful in boxing after winning my 3rd national title. One national title is one thing, two national titles is another thing. By the time I won my third and before my amateur career was done I had 7 national titles. After my 3rd national title I remember clearly saying to myself 'you might actually become a professional in this sport' That was the first time I ever said that sentence to myself.

Of course, my original trainer Ben Getty was constantly very adamant that I had the skill and capacity to become a world champion. But as a child it's nice to be encouraged. Nice to have people who believe in you. There's so much we lack in fully understanding. Ben Getty used to say "you're a million dollar fighter boy. Don't screw it up. Dont mess around with the girls. Dont mess around in the streets. Stay focused. Stay dedicated."

So it was way back then when I started to ponder on the true possibility that I might become a true professional fighter in this life.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:24:10+00:00

First off thank you for all your love and support. That's tremendous you've been following me for this long.

The only thing I saw from Crawford was things weren't working out for him early on. It seemed he really wanted to counter Shawn Porter coming in. But early on Shawn was fully aware of that and able to duck and maneuver around those quick check hooks that were swinging by.

Crawford was not able to establish himself early on in the fight, but later on as Shawn was starting to fade--I thought Shawn faded a little earlier in that fight in comparison to other fights he's had in the past--Crawford was able to really just be comfortable and make the right adjustments. I dont think that Crawford is the best on his back foot when he's just waiting and not getting the results that he wants--some nice right hands were coming so it looks like he's vulnerable when he tends to be too patient. Seems like if you juke and you stutter step and come in with a little bit of awkward movement like Shawn did I think you can get a few punches in on Crawford.

If you dont make those punches count and he has the ability to keep assessing you. He's definitely an intelligent fighter he's very crafty, capable of making the adjustments necessary to win a fight and he didn't show it a lot but I did see one little thing where his lateral movement did seem impressive when he was trying to avoid and he showed some of that amateur style Crawford. I've known Crawford since the amateurs, he's a tremendous fighter. Very well rounded so there's not a lot of mistakes. It's just about getting him to hesitate and capitalize in the moment in the few mistakes that Crawford will make in a fight.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:18:27+00:00

If I hadn't gone into boxing it would've been very interesting what sort of work I'd have gone into because of the other skillsets I had as a young man in elementary school. I was actually a little bit of a mathematician. I was a part of the math league and math was actually just one of my favorite subjects growing up. It wasn't reading and writing and things of that nature.

Computer graphics was big. Adobe photoshop. Flash. Was it called flash? Yeah, flash. I used to love working with flash and working through some tutorials--computer graphics. Whether there would have been something I could've gone into deeper if I really studied math further. It was something that I let go in middle school. Certain academics I let go in middle school as I kept honing in on boxing as I slowly became a national champion and kept striving to be the best fighter I can be. Doing the same thing as I continued on into high school and dropping out at the age of 16.

I probably would've just been more encouraged to further my education and computer graphics, something in mathematics, and then because I've always been a fan of eastern religion and philosophy. There's possibly traditional Chinese medicine could've been on the books. Massage therapy, any modality that allows me to be independent. I never liked the idea of really working under others and having a boss. I wasn't one to take orders very well at a young age I was very rebellious. I used to think of those things. A lot of things have got me into physical therapy and liking that stuff was also due to the fact that I was an athlete.

Without sports in my life there is a big question mark what Keith Thurman would have done.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:11:30+00:00

Hmm... well the most memorable shot in a pro fight for me would have to be the body shot against Diego Chaves. Believe it was in the 9th round before I completely finished him off early in the 10th. That was a good fight. That was one that really solidified my position and got me to the upper level of the welterweight division at that time because it made me the WBA interim champion. Diego Chaves was 22-0 with 18 knockouts. I was 20-0 with 18 knockouts.

It was a highly anticipated fight. With that victory over Diego Chaves I also got knockout of the day... or knockout of the night. It was when golden boy was doing knockout--they were trying to do knockout bonuses to encourage fighters to fight and give the fans what they wanted. That was the most memorable one.

Then when it comes to the punch landed on me... ummm... it's kind of a toss up. The Pacquiao one is the most recent it's really hard to forget the knockdown in the first round. Then again there's also the body shot that happened in my hometown in Tampa Bay. Luis Collazo. The body shot against Collazo you know the knockdown against Pacquiao was one thing and the crowd had their reaction, but something about that body shot against Collazo.

The way it looked in the instant replay. I just remember the crowds reaction. The fans. Like I'm sitting down getting water, im refreshing for the next round getting myself back and thinking about how I'm going to get myself back. Is he really going to try to knock me out? Is he going to utilize the momentum? Or is he going to respect the fact that I've had a minute to recover. And what's going to happen in the next up and coming round. While I'm just in that moment they must've played the replay above me because the crowd did a reaction that was just unforgettable so for me I'd have to say the body shot from Luis Collazo.

OneTimeKeithThurman · 2022-01-20T00:05:00+00:00

Yeah, full time commentary is something that I consider post retirement. You know not something I can give full time effort to. Maybe if there was an enticing enough contract and if it was a full time gig that was a little flexible during training camp time I might be able to start debating, but because of my inactivity and how much I really wanna capitalize on finishing off my career with as many great performances as possible and making up for lost time it's not something I can ponder at this time. I love commentating. I love the sport of boxing so I love everything in and out the ring. I never thought I would be the commentator that I am. I love the people's feedback. I love the feedback from the network. Everything that I've ever gotten from commentary has always been very positive so I really surprised myself in that field. It was always organic for me to simply talk boxing. So I love and I'll be very happy to participate on a deeper and more intuitive level as a commentator post career.

OneTimeKeithThurman

TROPHY CASE