Thurman last fought in March 2025, stopping Brock Jarvis in the third round. The result read clean, but the performance raised questions. Thurman was shaken up early, looked slower than in his prime, and carried more weight through the upper body. He relied heavily on movement to survive exchanges and spent much of the opening round stabilizing rather than imposing himself. He hasn’t fought since, leaving his current state largely theoretical.
The jump in opposition is steep. Fundora is 28, stands 6 feet 5 and a half inches tall, fights southpaw, and possesses a reach advantage that changes how rounds are built. He stays busy, applies pressure and has shown the ability to wear down opponents with volume and power. To many observers, these qualities are poor for an older challenger coming off of limited activity.
That reality shaped the public response. Much of the fanbase sees Thurman as spent, pointing to his durability concerns and long absences as signs of irreversible decline. Some believe the comeback is driven more by opportunity than belief, a final high-profile fight rather than a credible championship run.
“Defeat is something I’ve never tasted,” Thurman said in an interview with Show of Force, Inc. “Come March 28, I don’t think I’m going to taste defeat either. We don’t see fighters come back very often to beat a young champion, but I still believe that this is my time.”
Thurman’s confidence traces back to his 2019 loss to Manny Pacquiao, a fight he still describes as competitive despite the fact that he dropped and faded. He insists the move to 154 pounds offers one last chance to test that belief. Against Fundora, that demand will be measured quickly, and without much patience from those already expecting the answer.
