Former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman will likely be commentating for the Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Tim Tszyu struggle for PBC on Prime Video Workforce this Saturday, October nineteenth on the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Thurman says he needs to see how nicely former WBO junior middleweight champion Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) takes the highly effective proper fingers from IBF 154-lb champion Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KO) on this struggle as a result of he’s an enormous puncher.
(Credit score: Joseph Correa/Premier Boxing Champions)
Tszyu is likely to be susceptible to Murtazaliev’s energy after his loss to Sebastian Fundora earlier this 12 months on March thirtieth. Whereas Tszyu stayed on his ft the complete 12 rounds and was by no means significantly harm by Fundora, he nonetheless took many photographs from the 6’6″ fighter and was a bloody mess on the finish.
Murtazaliev’s energy would possibly show to be an excessive amount of for Tszyu on this struggle if he can leap him, and unload with a storm of photographs like he did in his victories over Jack Culcay and Ahmad Cheikho. For Tszyu, it could be an enormous setback for his profession if Murtazaliev knocks him out.
“Out of all of the years preventing, all of the obstacles, all of the accidents, on a regular basis off, all of the setbacks, this 12 months was a really difficult 12 months,” stated Keith Thurman to Fighthype.
“Fortunately for me, I’ve all the time been a person of religion. Not solely do I consider in myself, however I consider within the common greater energy that optimistically, Keith Thurman, has a chance proper now on the earth of boxing; as I come again, I’ve the chance to have one of many best comeback tales of this technology.”
If Thurman needs to come back again, he can all the time staff up with somebody like Israil Madrimov, Vegil Ortiz Jr., or Serhii Bohachuk to indicate followers that he’s severe. These guys would indulge Thurman, and if he beats them, followers would rejoice him.
“We’ve heard great comeback tales all through the years. Motion pictures have been made up on it,” stated Thurman. “Generally life looks like a dream, and searching again at it this 12 months, it’s fairly dreamy. It’s like, ‘How did this occur? How did that occur?’
“I’m right here. I’m wholesome, and I’m holding sturdy. I nonetheless love the struggle sport, and I’m trying ahead to what opens up at the beginning of subsequent 12 months. I consider that in early January or late December, hopefully, we will open up negotiations to see what manifests. I might nonetheless love the Tszyu struggle.”
Thurman has been out of the ring for 3 years since his final struggle towards Mario Barrios, whom he beat by a 12-round unanimous determination on February 5, 2022. Earlier than that struggle, Thurman had been inactive for 2 and a half years. It appears apparent that Thurman doesn’t get pleasure from coaching or preventing. He’d be higher off saying his retirement, and fast teasing comebacks as a result of followers are bored with it.
“I already know that if Tszyu turns into champion once more, he’ll be trying towards unification bouts. He would possibly need a rematch with Fundora. There’s [Jermell] Charlo on the market that he by no means obtained to struggle, however clearly, he’s obtained to get previous this robust Russian [Murtazaliev] that folks say Charlo averted,” stated Thurman.
It’s nonetheless early to speak about who Tszyu will likely be preventing subsequent, as a result of for all we all know, he may very well be trying to rebuild his profession after Saturday evening if he will get knocked out by Murtazaliev. Quite than Tszyu preventing Fundora or Charlo, he’d be dealing with a second-tier fighter, making an attempt to regain his confidence and work on the issues that Murtazaliev has uncovered.
“They noticed lots of people at 154 averted. So, we’re going to see if he was somebody really to keep away from or if it simply takes somebody who’s keen to signal the contract, like Tim Tszyu, to show that the Russian is likely to be a champion, however he’s not as scary as everybody performed him out to be.
“So, I feel issues are fairly attention-grabbing at 154, and it’ll be enjoyable to get again in that blend. We wished to do it this 12 months, but it surely appears like we’re going to must do it at the beginning of subsequent 12 months.
“I’ll be working ringside commentating for the struggle. I’m trying ahead to it. We obtained Prime Video non-PPV. It’s going to be nice for all these Prime members to get this world-class boxing within the consolation of their houses,” stated Thurman.
Being an expert commentator fits Thurman greater than speaking about preventing however then by no means doing it. So long as Thurman may keep on subject throughout broadcasts and never go off into left subject, speaking about stuff that has nothing to do with the struggle he’s commentating, he would possibly do job.
“Lots of people which were boxing followers for a very long time. We’ve been by means of an enormous shift not too long ago with all the pieces that’s occurred with Showtime and HBO,” stated Thurman. “I’ve been telling quite a lot of struggle followers that boxing is new. Boxing is totally different.
“Hold anticipating it to alter, however hopefully all of the totally different networks, all of the totally different stream websites that they will put it collectively and get one thing actually thrilling for you guys. I consider that’s what they’re making an attempt to do with this card right here, with three terrific fights on the cardboard.”
“They simply love this struggle as a result of they just like the fashion that their opponent is bringing to the desk as a result of they’re not going to have to seek out this man,” stated Thurman about Tszyu and Murtazaliev. “They consider their opponent doesn’t carry something particular. So, they’re each assured that they’re going to beat, which is what you need. We all know that’s not going to occur. One will prevail.”
Murtazalev vs. Tszyu is a battle between two knockout punchers, each of whom possess the facility to attain stoppages earlier. Neither man has a reverse gear, and it’s going to be attention-grabbing to see which ones will retreat when the going will get robust. Tszyu stated he was going to do extra boxing on this struggle, however we’ll see if he really does.
“Is it Tszyu? Is it Bakhram? I don’t know an excessive amount of about Bakhram. I’ve seen little or no movie on him, however I’m trying ahead to it. I wish to see what sort of assertion he needs to make tomorrow.
“Primarily based on the little little bit of the expertise and the gradual beginning that Tszyu has, however how he actually turns it up within the later rounds, I query if the brand new champion [Murtazaliev] won’t fade.
“When you begin to fade and lean up towards the ropes, it makes the struggle simpler for Tszyu. So, I consider that conditioning and by no means placing your self in that unhealthy place the place you possibly can’t transfer your ft and do what you want to do. That’s going to be a key to victory,” stated Thurman.
Murtazaliev isn’t the kind of fighter who leans towards the ropes in his fights. He’s a well-schooled Russian fighter who tends to maintain the motion within the heart of the ring. His fashion is much like Artur Beterbiev, however he throws much more uppercuts in shut than he does. Murtazaliev assaults his opponents like Beterbiev and goes after them, not letting them escape.
“The Russian [Murtazaliev] has a powerful proper hand, and he’s trying to make an announcement. He stated he’s not searching for a knockout, but when it comes, it comes. I’m considering seeing if that overhand proper goes to rock Tszyu. We all know he’s robust. We simply noticed him struggle a bloody struggle towards Fundora,” stated Thurman.
If Murtazaliev’s chin can face up to the large photographs that Tszyu goes to be hitting him with early on within the contest, he’s obtained probability of defeating him on Saturday evening. Tszyu seemed good within the first 4 rounds towards Fundora final March, however he trailed off and was overwhelmed up within the final eight rounds.
