Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman says he believes he can “entice” Terence Crawford to return to 154 to face him for the “green” WBC junior middleweight title by beating champion Sebastian Fundora.
On the surface, it seems like a wacky fantasy that Thurman has cooked up in his head, pondering he’d beat ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora, after which face Crawford to make gazillions.
The Fundora Factor
Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs) and Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) are expected to be rescheduled for January twenty fourth, 2026, or January thirty first, 2026. They were alleged to fight on October 25, 2025, but Fundora suffered a hand injury, making it crucial to postpone the fight until next 12 months.
“Thurman versus Crawford, I still think he wants to come back back down. I still think that’s something for us,” said Keith Thurman to Brian Custer’s podcast about his belief that Terence Crawford would wish to return to 154 to face him
Crawford’s Silence Says Plenty
What made Thurman think that Crawford wants to maneuver back all the way down to 154? He’s not said a word about returning to 154. The one thing he’s said since beating Canelo Alvarez on September thirteenth was that fighting at 160 is something that would interest him.
It’s believed that he’s going to remain at 168, waiting to see if Canelo will ask for a rematch because that’s his most suitable choice for a payday. Crawford wouldn’t be desperate to fight 37-year-old ‘One Time’ Thurman at 154 for a payday that may likely be minuscule in comparison with the $50 million he just received for the Canelo fight.
Turki’s Role within the Fantasy
Turki Alalshikh would must be thinking about paying for a fight between Crawford and Thurman. I don’t know why he would, when lots of the younger boxing fans have never seen Thurman fight. They don’t know who he’s aside from his physical appearance: a balding, 40-ish-looking person.
“Man, we should always we should always run it. Step in a single time with the ‘One Time,’ baby,” said Thurman on his desperate hope that Bud Crawford will wish to fight him. “I feel I can entice Bud a little bit bit.”
Bud’s Larger Game at 168
There are a number of things that may must fall into place for Thurman to get an enormous payday fight against Crawford. These are the things that may must occur:
- Thurman beats Fundora convincingly
- Crawford returns to 154
- Turki Alalshikh is valuing the matchup
- Bud would want to want the fight
- Business appeal
“I don’t know what entices him as of late, but I feel like possibly, just possibly, the green belt might entice him just a little bit bit,” said Thurman on the potential for Terence being thinking about fighting him if he captures the WBC junior middleweight belt from Sebastian Fundora.
It’s doubtful that Crawford will see any value in fighting for the WBC 154-lb title if Thurman gets his hands on it by beating Fundora. The Omaha, Nebraska, native Terence already said that after he leaves a division, he never returns.
That may be a backwards move for Crawford to return to 154. He would must take care of a number of pressure to fight Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis as well, and that may be a brutal fight for him at 38.
Olly Campbell’s Judgement: Dream On, Keith
Bud Crawford is targeted on collecting division world titles to cement his legacy, so he could make a case for himself to be viewed as one in all the 4 on the Mount Rushmore of boxing. That’s his hangup right away, and why he’d likely not be thinking about returning to 154.
If Thurman wants a fight against the superstar, Crawford, he would want to maneuver as much as 168 or 160. Wherever he’s or going to, Thurman needs to move in that direction. He can’t assume that he’s on a fair playing field with Crawford in status and negotiations. This isn’t 2016.
Last Updated on 10/21/2025