Keith Thurman compares himself to Babe Ruth before Fundora

Thurman has not been an active or influential figure since 2017. Injuries, layoffs and long periods of silence have replaced momentum. Although his name is still recognized, his career has existed more by memory than by sequence. Despite this, he was ranked #3 in the WBC rankings at 154 pounds and is now positioned for a title opportunity.

The fight was originally scheduled for October 25, 2025, before Fundora withdrew due to a hand injury. It is expected to be postponed until early this year. On paper, this reads like a second act. In practice, it looks more like a referendum.

“You have 12 turns to take care of this boy and remind people why your name is Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman,” Thurman said in comments to DAZN.

The comparison to Babe Ruth is based on the belief that the legacy can be revived in one fell swoop. Boxing rarely works that way. Thurman has recorded one knockout in the last ten years. That stoppage came against second-ranked opponent Brock Jarvis in March after nearly three full years of inactivity. It worked as a re-entry, not a statement.

Even during Thurman’s most active years, his knockout run was built largely against fringe opposition. His reputation as a puncher was established very early and was maintained selectively. When the division has hardened, dangerous intersections no longer occur. The fights against Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford were talked about, then skirted around. Time has passed.

Fundora is not a nostalgic adversary. At 6-foot-5, with sustained bulk, reach and durability, he represents a physical and tactical problem that rewards neither patience nor memory. This is not a fight that can be fought or resolved by reputation.

For Thurman to win, a knockout might be necessary. For Thurman to expect this now requires a belief independent of recent evidence. Boxing does not often reward memory and rarely pauses to accommodate nostalgia. The idea that a decade of absence can be erased by a single night is a compelling metaphor. As a shot against a 6-foot-5 titleholder who thrives on volume and pressure, it seems flimsy.