Thurman, 37, was stopped within the sixth round by Fundora on March 28, fighting the scale, pressure, and pace of the 6’6” WBC junior middleweight champion. Morrell believes the end result was predictable as a consequence of Thurman’s age and inactivity.
Thurman’s profession was built on explosive, single power shots and lateral movement. Against Fundora, who threw 96 shots to Thurman’s 28, you can not win by landing one punch at a time.
“Thurman, I would like to say, is just too much too silly because this fight is inconceivable for him,” Morrell said to Fight Hub TV. “It’s an extended time. Thurman, you come back vs Fundora, but this decision is silly.
“I feel this guy needed one fight or two fights before he fights Fundora. You may do it. You’ve gotten the flexibility, and also you’re slightly bit old, too. That is crazy.”
Fundora’s 80-inch reach and 6’6” frame create a “dead zone” for smaller fighters. To beat him, you normally must fight on the within or have the engine to match his pace. Thurman simply doesn’t have the amount or the chin he once needed to trade in those trenches.
The layoff made Thurman slower, which turned a difficult fight into an inconceivable one. He looked hesitant to drag the trigger, and against a man who’s continuously connecting with a jab, hesitation is a death sentence.
Even when Thurman had taken two tune-ups, he still would have been a 5’8 1/2” fighter attempting to outbox a 6’6” volume puncher. Morrell calls it “silly” because, from a career-management perspective, taking this fight was essentially signing up for a loss.
“For co-main, for me, it’s higher for this fight,” Morrell added. “For Thurman against Fundora, this fight is inconceivable. For a very long time, you didn’t fight.”
Morrell’s suggestion that it must have been a co-main event is technically correct from a sporting perspective. It wasn’t a competitive main-event level fight, nevertheless it’s financially inconceivable in the actual world.
Keith Thurman isn’t entering into the ring for “the love of the sport” or to climb the rankings at this stage. He’s a prizefighter in essentially the most literal sense.
A co-main event slot normally comes with a fraction of the purse in comparison with the headliner. For a man who fights as rarely as Halley’s Comet, Thurman has to maximise every appearance.
Taking a tune-up would mean a smaller check and one other full training camp, which carries the danger of injury or an embarrassing loss for $200k as an alternative of $2M+. For Thurman, it was likely “Title shot for giant money or stay on the couch.”
The fans’ frustration with Thurman being a “part-timer” is backed up by the numbers. Since that 2017 win over Danny Garcia, his activity has been abysmal:
2017–2019: Two-year layoff before Josesito Lopez.
2019–2022: Three-year layoff before Mario Barrios.
2022–2026: 4-year layoff before Fundora.
You may’t stay elite at 154 lbs, a division currently shark-infested with young, lively talent, by treating boxing like a seasonal hobby. Morrell’s “silly” comment hits home because Thurman selected the cash over the legacy. By taking the Fundora fight right away, he essentially traded his “One Time” aura for a final massive check.
Morrell is a fighter, so he sees the Unattainable nature of the matchup. But promoters and networks see a reputation. Even a faded Keith Thurman sells more PPVs than a pointy but relatively unknown prospect.
“For co-main, for me, it’s higher for this fight,” Morrell said.
While Morrell thinks that’s where the fight belonged when it comes to quality, the business of boxing requires a “B-side” with a following. Thurman provided the name, Fundora provided the beating, and the bank accounts got filled.
