Brock Jarvis says he is concerned that 36-year-old Keith Thurman will show up for their fight on March 12 due to his injury problems. Jarvis (22-1, 20 KOs) notes that Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) hasn’t fought in three years and pulled out last year with an “old man injury” for his scheduled return against Tim Tszyu.
Age and injury
Thurman has been plagued with constant injuries since 2017, and it’s anyone’s guess whether his tired, brittle and aged body can withstand a grueling training camp to fight young lion Jarvis on March 12.
Thurman-Jarvis will headline a 12-round contest at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Australia. This is an important fight for Thurman as he already has big things lined up for him in 2025 in 2026, and he hopes to use the 27-year-old Jarvis (22-1, 20 KOs) as a springboard to the big money to get fight against the stars.
Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) hasn’t fought since his 12-round unanimous decision over Mario Barrios on Feb. 5, 2022. That was a long, long time ago, and Thurman doesn’t physically look like he still does. , Spy fighter he was then. Like anyone who’s been sitting on their couch watching TV and reading books for three years, Thurman can be a shadow of himself—food for Jarvis.
As we saw with Sugar Ray Leonard when he took a long six-year layoff to face Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho, Thurman could be headed for a loss.
Keith Thurman: “At 36, I still have a passion for the sport. I have been world champion twice. I love the sport. I have fans all over the world, and this gives me the opportunity to get back into the sport of boxing, which I love,” said Keith Thurman. Fox Sports Australiatalking about his return on March 12 against Brock Jarvis.
“It allows me to travel overseas to show the fans how I showcase my skills and talent in Australia to show you how wrong you are if you think you’re going to fight Keith Thurman and it’s going to be an easy fight be.
“You have to understand that he (Brock Jarvis) was not a champion. You have to understand that Keith Thurman was not only a champion, but I beat the champion, and I trained the last champion, Mario Barrios (in 2022). So, it’s hard to impress me, but what I saw was a very lively fighter.
“I saw a guy who was going to fight. He is an insider; he’s going to bring power punches to the table. I was notorious coming up, I was a power puncher. It allows me to go back to my roots. Of course my feet are always under me. I have an intelligent ring IQ that I can always bring to the table.
“As the promoter says. He knows that on March 12 there will be some crackers from the USA and Australia, and live in action on March 12. I look forward to it. This young man in his prime at 27 years old, and the fact that he’s not Mexican, but he’s got to have some cajones to step up to me,” Thurman said.
Brock Jarvis: “He said he was a power puncher, but I know he hasn’t had a knockout in 10 years. He hasn’t fought in three years. It is long at its age. For him to say this, last year he scheduled a fight (Tim Tszyu) and pulled out with an old man injury, a torn bicep. So, I’m a little worried that he might not even show up. I’ll feel a bit better when he gets here and gets on Australian soil.”
){kind=link}