Despite a big height disadvantage, Keith Thurman believes he still has something left to prove as he prepares to face Sebastian Fundora later this month.
Now 37, Thurman says the fight is about showing that the version of himself seen before years of injuries and inactivity is not gone for good. He views the bout as a chance to reassert his place at world level rather than a final appearance built on reputation alone. Thurman last fought in March 2025, stopping Brock Jarvis in the third round. The result read cleanly, but the performance raised questions. Thurman was shaken early, looked slower than in his prime, and carried more weight through the torso. He relied heavily on movement to survive exchanges and spent much of the opening round stabilizing rather than imposing himself.
He has not fought since, leaving his current condition largely theoretical.
The leap in opposition is steep. Fundora is 28, stands 6 foot 5 and a half inches tall, fights southpaw, and owns a reach advantage that changes how rounds are built. He stays busy, applies pressure, and has shown the ability to wear opponents down with volume and power.
To many observers, those traits stack up poorly for an older challenger coming off limited activity. T A sizeable portion of fans see Thurman as spent, pointing to his durability concerns and long absences as signs of irreversible decline. Some believe the comeback is driven more by opportunity than belief, a final high profile fight rather than a credible championship run.
Time is the one opponent even elite fighters rarely outbox. “Defeat is something I’ve never tasted,” Thurman said in an interview with Show of Force, Inc. “Come March 28, I don’t think I’m going to be tasting defeat either. We don’t see fighters come back to beat a young champion very often, but I still believe it’s my time.” Thurman’s confidence traces back to his 2019 loss to Manny Pacquiao, a fight he still describes as competitive despite being dropped and fading late.
He insists that the move to 154 pounds offers one last chance to test that belief. Against Fundora, that claim will be measured quickly, and without much patience from those already expecting the answer.
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