Former Manny Pacquiao rival vows to take world champion to ‘a bad place’ in title fight

Keith Thurman has delivered a serious warning to WBC champion Sebatian Fundora ahead of their super welterweight world title clash on October 25.

The former WBC and WBA welterweight champion believes Fundora has been proven to be beatable, having lost by knockout to Brian Mendoza in 2023, and intends to remind him of that feeling.

“I know you're feeling yourself right now, Fundora,” Thurman told Fight Hype. “But like I've told the people. He’s been stopped before, he’s been rocked before, and he’s been dropped before.

“When I get my hands on him, he’s going to remember what it felt like to be in a bad place, to be in a bad situation.”

Fundora is coming off a career-best win in his rematch with former world titlist Tim Tszyu, where he upgraded his split decision from the first fight to forcing the Aussie to retire in the seventh round in the rematch.

Thurman was hoping to secure a fight with Tszyu this summer, but with him now taking a break to reenergise himself for a comeback, the former welterweight champion said he was never going to reject a shot at a world title.

Thurman said: “With Tszyu out of the picture, Thurman’s a big thinker when it comes to the world of boxing, and I’m ready to do great things, always anticipating the next move.

“See, boxing is like chess, you have to watch the pieces move on the board and you have to analyse them before you attack, and I was presented with a world title shot, how could I say no?”

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The American was a world-class operator in the welterweight division, claiming wins over notable names such as Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia.

He most famously had a rivalry with Manny Pacquiao that culminated in a fight for Thurman’s WBA welterweight title in 2019. Pacquiao got the nod via split decision to become a world champion again at 40 years old.

Thurman has since only fought twice – with a comeback win against Mario Barrios in 2022 before a serious bicep injury kept him out of the ring until March of this year, where he bounced back again with a stoppage win over Brock Jarvis.

Now 36, Thurman believes he knows why he has been selected as an opponent for Fundora.

He explained: "Fundora wants to upgrade his resume with somebody of my calibre, of my stats, even though I’m moving up from the welterweight division.

“He doesn’t have the plethora of elite names on his resume, so I’m pretty sure his team said, ‘let’s get Thurman now, let’s do it. He’s 36 years old…’ I’m here to throw a wrecking ball into their vision, and that’s what October 25th is all about for me.”

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