Keith Thurman fired back at the media on Wednesday in response to their questions about his two-year layoff, labeling them collectively as “Junkies for my fights.”
Instead of confronting the questions and admitting that he’d lost interest in the sport, a defiant Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) deflected, criticizing those who dared to ask him why he’d once again been inactive.
The former unified welterweight champion Thurman is coming back on March 30th to face junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) in a non-title fight on Amazon Prime PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Memory Lapses and Media Addiction
“It’s because you haven’t seen me, and that’s fine. I get hit in the head, but you got a short-term memory,” said Keith Thurman to the media. “That’s all it means.
“You’re addicted. You’re junkies, and you’re mad because I didn’t give you your fix,” said Keith reacting to the media asking him about why he was inactive for two years. “‘Where is Thurman? I’m losing the juice,’ and then the arm goes limp.
“‘What do you think about Keith Thurman? Forget about that man. He ain’t do nothing. He ain’t got it no more.’ When the enthusiasm leaves, but its okay because most people don’t know anything about boxing.
“You guys don’t live this life. When I was at the Crawford-Spence fight in Vegas, all the fans were mobbing, running, and talking ish. ‘Oh, you don’t want this one. You don’t want that one. You would have got knocked out, too, tonight, Thurman. This and that.’
“I said, ‘You watch this ish. I live it. You watch it. I live it.’ So, it’s fine. Have your opinion. Go in the comment section and write a sentence or two or a paragraph. I bring exciting boxing.
“These skills are always elite. The movement from the hands to the feet. I never really said it, but Keith Thurman, that man is sweet. His family member came up to me at that fight and stuff,” said Thurman about Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Focus on The Present
“I already said yes, but y’all don’t know how many things I said yes to. It’s so redundant and not that important to really talk about the past,” said Thurman; we’re here now. Let’s do this. Let me do what I do. Let me fight.
“Let me win. Let me lose, and then you do what you do and critique and talk about where I am in the here and now, and that’s all that matters.”
We’ll see how Thurman looks soon enough. If he wins, will he disappear again for another two to three years like he’s done in the past?
What about if Thurman loses? The last time he lost, he was out of the sport for close to three years. It would be worse for him if he stays out of the ring for that stretch again because he’d be 38 when he returns, and he’d likely be too old to reinvent himself.
Strategy for Victory
“Be tricky, like I tell a lot of amateurs,” said Thurman when asked how he can beat Tszyu. “‘Do you want to get hit?’ They say, ‘No.’ ‘Does your opponent want to get hit?’ They say, ‘No.’
“So, how does two men that don’t want to hit each other, hit each other?’ Then they say, ‘Speed.’ Okay, that’s a good answer. If I trick you, you don’t have a choice. Look here, boom. If I trick you, I don’t need your permission. I’ll be able to get my hands on you.
“I’ve done it to many fighters in the past. I’m coming off of a layoff. I have an opportunity to prove myself and reestablish myself in the sport that I love, and a sport that I’ve dedicated my whole life to.
“A lot of people don’t have this dedication in anything in life. The dedication that I bring to the sport of boxing. So, I want to continue to showcase my skills and talent and why Keith Thurman is, was, and will ever be at the top. One Time all the time,” said Thurman.
