The five most meaningful fights of Keith Thurman’s career

The former unified welterweight ruler has put together a storied career to this point, counting 31 victories against only one loss — and that to boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

As the 37-year-old Thurman looks to reign supreme once again, DAZN News looks back on the five most meaningful fights of his career.

Keith Thurman gets the best of Shawn Porter; June 2016

There are no easy fights against Shawn Porter who, in true form, lunged his way forward and pressed Keith Thurman during early rounds of their championship bout for the latter’s WBA welterweight title.

Thurman took control of the fight when he stood his ground against Porter’s pressure by punching him in traffic.

Though Porter hurt Thurman to the body during the eighth round, Thurman’s clean, pointed punching was resolute enough for him to earn a close unanimous decision in a nationally-televised bout from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Achieving unified world championship glory; March 2017

The crowning achievement of Thurman’s career to this point was no doubt defeating a fellow unbeaten fighter and world champion in Danny Garcia to unify titles at welterweight.

The bout, which played out on national television from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn once again, proved to be thrilling at some points, dramatic at others.

In the end, judges credited Thurman for bringing more of the fight to a counterpunching-content Garcia and beating the Philly fighter to the punch enough to eke out a split-decision win.

Thurman left that night with the WBA and WBC welterweight titles in tow.

Overcoming a nightmarish round and scare in ‘tune-up’ fight; January 2019

After a 22-month absence from boxing, Thurman intended for his fight against veteran Josesito Lopez to be a tune-up.

The bout looked to be shaping up just like that when Thurman dropped Lopez with a check left hook in the second round. ‘One Time,’ however, would get a lot more than he bargained for later.

Lopez uncorked a sweeping left hook that buzzed Thurman, proceeding to drag the former champ through a seventh round of hell, catching him with a barrage of shots and forcing the former champ to backpedal.

Thurman survived the nightmarish round and wound up winning on points via majority decision.

Fighting the legendary Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas; July 2019

In a flash, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao introduced Thurman to his hand speed and proved he still had it at 40 years old.

The eight-division world champion threw some distraction punches to the body before burying a lunging left to the midsection and a right upstairs that dropped Thurman in the first round.

Thurman would dig back into the fight, having his own moments against the icon, but Pacquiao used that first-round knockdown to power his way to a split-decision win, handing ‘One Time’ his first and only professional loss.

Proving he still has it after lengthy absence; February 2022

After nearly three years away from the ring, Thurman once again returned to the sweet science. This time it was against a younger Mario Barrios and Thurman responded by producing a boxing masterclass, beating Barrios and badly bloodying him up.

Though the action spilled into back-and-forth exchanges at times, Thurman was levels above in scoring the unanimous decision and letting boxing know he’s back.

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