Tim Bradley says Keith Thurman will start fast but get broken down late by Sebastian Fundora

Bradley expects Thurman to start fast before Fundora’s pressure and pace take over in later rounds

Tim Bradley expects Keith Thurman to start fast against Sebastian Fundora before fading as the rounds build. He points to pressure, pace, and age as the factors that will shift the fight.

Bradley sees Thurman’s movement and timing giving him moments in the opening rounds, especially with quick entries and combinations before Fundora settles into his pace. Bradley’s take is grounded in the reality of aging and inactivity.

“You going to have some success early on,” Bradley said. “You going to be trying to slide in range, explode in with combinations. You might have some success with that.”

He also pointed to Thurman’s experience and ring IQ as factors that could make the fight competitive at the start.

“You a good thinker. You got a high boxing IQ, and you’re going to make it real interesting early on,” Bradley added.

But Bradley doesn’t see that holding up once Fundora establishes his pressure and pace.

“I think he gonna get his ass chopped up in the second half of the fight,” Bradley said, predicting a shift after the early rounds.

Bradley’s prediction that Thurman gets “chopped up” in the second half isn’t just about skill, but rather about biology. Thurman has always been an explosive, twitchy fighter. That style requires immense energy. Against a relentless pressure fighter like Fundora, who is nearly a decade younger and in his physical prime, Thurman can’t afford a single “off” minute.

If Thurman can’t find the knockout early, he’s essentially trapped in a marathon against a guy who specializes in distance running.

Since that loss to a 40-year-old Manny Pacquiao in 2019, Thurman’s only meaningful win was against Mario Barrios in 2022. While he did pick up a third-round TKO against Brock Jarvis in Australia last year (March 2025), Jarvis isn’t exactly the litmus test for a 6’5″ giant like Sebastian Fundora.

At 37, asking “old legs” to move constantly to avoid Fundora’s reach is a tall order. Fundora throws a high volume of punches that forces opponents to work every second of every round. If Thurman has to “redline” his engine just to stay safe in rounds 1 through 6, there’s a good chance the tank is empty by round 9.

It’s rare to see a fighter with one fight in four years jump straight into a world title shot at a higher weight class (154 lbs). Usually, the “meritocracy” of boxing requires climbing the rankings, but Thurman’s name value and his previous status as a unified champ at 147 often grant him a “fast pass” that many fans find frustrating.

Fundora’s size, reach, and steady output were central to Bradley’s view of how the fight changes over time, with Thurman forced to move more as the rounds build.

Bradley’s read comes down to endurance and wear. Early success for Thurman, but a different fight once Fundora settles in and keeps him working.