Tim Tszyu vs Keith Thurman – One more shot for ‘One Time’ but is it deserved?

Is Keith Thurman being fed to the slaughter?

News has just broken of the next move for rapidly rising Australian star and WBO 154lb ruler Tim Tszyu , as he will square off with former two-time 147lb champion Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman in a 155lb catchweight non-title bout on March 30th.

The once-defeated American has been waiting for a big money fight for some time, and won’t have fought for two years by the time these two combatants enter the ring in Las Vegas. In his two years of exile, Thurman has been calling for fights with the likes of Terence Crawford without any luck, due to a combination of likely pricing himself out and an overinflated opinion of fans appetite to see him back in the big time.

This is not a slight on the ability of Thurman in his prime, as he was once a tremendous talent and well-deserved proclaimer of being the number one fighter in the 147lb division. Since this point however his career has hit serious speed bumps. Injury, inactivity, defeat to an aging Manny Pacquiao and then another extended period on the side lines has seen him become no more than a support act to the leading charge at Welterweight.

During this period, the trajectory of the son of Australian legend Kostya Tszyu has been the antithesis of Thurman’s. Successive impressive victories over world level operators has seen him step out of his fathers shadow to forge an identity of his own, now being respected as one of the top two names in the 154lb division alongside Jermell Charlo.

Such has been Tszyu’s rise to stardom, he is now one of the primary names fans are clamouring to see face off with pound for pound number one Terence Crawford, in what would be a mouth watering combination of aggressor against slick counter puncher.

Within the fan appetite for this potentially huge affair, may explain the reasoning in PBC's left field choice of opponent for the Australian power puncher. If this clash with Tszyu was to be made next for Crawford, the hard-core fan would be no doubt be enthused, however outside of Australia and to the wider US casual boxing fan, Tszyu is not yet the widely known name that his talent deserves. He has scored a decent points decision victory on US soil against Terrell Gausha, however a conclusive knockout over a name such as Thurman, even in this later stage of his career, would really wet the broader fan appetite for a huge PPV showdown with Crawford.

All in all it is fairly clear that going off the past couple of years, Thurman doesn’t really deserve this shot at the WBO champ, however you can see PBC’s methodology in crafting the match up.

This does also make Crawford’s next move more ambiguous. Fan’s will be hoping to see him face off with ‘Boots’ Ennis in what would be one of the best fights that could be made in the sport, with the winners of these two bouts then squaring off with each other later this year.

If such a plan was to play out, fans will be more than happy to glaze over this slightly left field match up. For ‘One Time’, he has got his wish in one last big pay day, however it does feel like he is being fed to the slaughter as part of a wider plan.

Perhaps this is a tad harsh on the former two time world ruler, who as always will talk a good game in the lead up to fight night. Time will tell if he has enough left in the tank to back up his talk, as we look forward to PBC’s debut PPV event on March 30th.