Keith “One Time” Thurman will return to the ring in two months to face Brock Jarvis at junior middleweight on March 12 at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Australia.
Three years later…
The 36-year-old former WBA and WBC welterweight champion Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) will come off a three-year layoff when he faces the 27-year-old Jarvis (22-1, 20 KOs).
That's assuming Thurman makes it out of training camp without suffering a fight-ruling injury, as happened last year when he was scheduled to challenge Tim Tszyu for the WBO 154-pound title on March 30. Thurman pulled out of the fight due to a biceps injury and was replaced by Sebastian Fundora, who upset Tszyu.
In the past, one could say that Thurman was too old and inactive to have a chance at a big payday. Now, with veterans like Mike Tyson returning, Thurman has a chance. He may be unbeatable for anyone with talent, but he can command some good paychecks unless he keeps getting injured. He has been weak and suffering recurring injuries since 2017.
Thurman Aing Tszyu
The plan is for the winner of the Thurman-Jarvis fight to face Tim Tszyu. However, you can't rule out Turki Al-Sheikh's interest in Thurman if he wins over Jarvis. This is the likely reason why Thurman is coming back after three years out of the ring because he has done nothing in his career since his loss to Manny Pacquiao.
“Jarvis will headline a surprise show in Sydney on March 12 against Thurman”. Fox Sports Australia About Brock Jarvis fighting former WBA and WBC welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman next. “A press conference will be held on Wednesday to reveal details of the event, which is scheduled to take place inside Sydney’s iconic Hordern Pavilion.”
For a brief period, Thurman was considered one of the best welterweights in the sport. However, his career slowed down after his tough fight against Danny Garcia in March 2017. In the past eight years, Thurman has fought just three times against Josecito Lopez, Manny Pacquiao, and Mario Barrios. Injuries have been an issue for Thurman, but he also lacks the ambition to stay busy like regular fighters who don't have a big nest egg to live off of.
Chance of Jarvis' return
Australian Brock Jarvis has faced mostly unknown opposition during his 10-year career. He has been up once and knocked out in the first round by Liam Barrow on October 15, 2022. Since that fight, Jarvis has returned to fighting lower level opposition, with wins over Adrian Rodriguez and Marlon Paniamogan.
If Thurman has anything left after sitting on his ass for three years, it's to beat Jarvis. However, it is questionable whether he will do that or if he can make it out of training camp without withdrawing due to some sort of illness.
