WEBVTT

1
00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:03.279
<v Speaker 1>It is my pleasure to be joined on the podcast

2
00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:06.879
<v Speaker 1>this week by Keith, one time Terman, the former unified

3
00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:08.759
<v Speaker 1>welterweight champion of the world. But Keith, you are now

4
00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:10.960
<v Speaker 1>fighting as if you're a bit away. First of all,

5
00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:12.400
<v Speaker 1>welcome to the show. I know you're a little late.

6
00:00:12.439 --> 00:00:15.560
<v Speaker 1>You're helping your daughter do some school stuff, so welcome,

7
00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:16.480
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for doing this.

8
00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:20.359
<v Speaker 2>Happy to be here man, just grinding it out. We're

9
00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:22.079
<v Speaker 2>weeks away from the big fight.

10
00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:24.359
<v Speaker 1>Exactly, so I'll tell everybody what you're going to be doing.

11
00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:27.120
<v Speaker 1>You have a fight, a rescheduled fight that was supposed

12
00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.000
<v Speaker 1>to originally take place last October. You will challenge the

13
00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:33.840
<v Speaker 1>WBC Junior Middleweight world Champion, Sebastian Fondora for his title.

14
00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:36.920
<v Speaker 1>Will take place on March twenty eighth, live on PBC

15
00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.600
<v Speaker 1>on Prime Video pay per view from the MGM Grand

16
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:41.520
<v Speaker 1>Gardnera in Las Vegas, one of the great venues in

17
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:44.359
<v Speaker 1>the history of the world. And as I mentioned, Keith,

18
00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:48.000
<v Speaker 1>the fight was supposed to take place last October, the

19
00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:51.039
<v Speaker 1>fight was two weeks away. He suffered a hand injury,

20
00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:54.399
<v Speaker 1>the fight was postponed. And that's really the same position

21
00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:56.479
<v Speaker 1>you've been in on the other side. Where you were

22
00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:58.479
<v Speaker 1>a guy that was a couple of you know, two

23
00:00:58.520 --> 00:01:01.320
<v Speaker 1>weeks ten days away from a important fight, and you

24
00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:03.600
<v Speaker 1>suffer an injury, fight gets canceled, and I just wonder.

25
00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:06.879
<v Speaker 1>I've dealt with fights being postponed numerous times, but I'm

26
00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:10.680
<v Speaker 1>not the fighter always curious how that impacts the guys

27
00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:12.920
<v Speaker 1>that it does impact the two men that are supposed

28
00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:14.359
<v Speaker 1>to get in the ring, where women for that matter.

29
00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.079
<v Speaker 1>You always had a full camp and then suddenly one

30
00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:19.400
<v Speaker 1>day there's no fight and no payday to go with it,

31
00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:22.040
<v Speaker 1>and it's got to be very disappointing and kind of

32
00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.519
<v Speaker 1>bums everybody out. So talk to me about what happened

33
00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:27.280
<v Speaker 1>in October and sort of dealing with that situation.

34
00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:31.159
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, like you said, you know, I mean overall, I mean,

35
00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:35.560
<v Speaker 3>it's just a bummer, you know, you know, because you

36
00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:41.040
<v Speaker 3>had a fight schedule for October, and then my birthday

37
00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:45.560
<v Speaker 3>month is November, and then of course holiday seasons December,

38
00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.159
<v Speaker 3>so you know, we were hoping to get the fight

39
00:01:49.159 --> 00:01:50.280
<v Speaker 3>and move into the.

40
00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:53.120
<v Speaker 2>Year this year, the new year of twenty twenty six.

41
00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:57.719
<v Speaker 3>As champion, right, and you know, it's been a long

42
00:01:57.719 --> 00:01:59.879
<v Speaker 3>time since we got the ball rolling. I finally had

43
00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:04.040
<v Speaker 3>after my setback and my injury when I had to

44
00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:06.599
<v Speaker 3>pull out two weeks for the Tim Zoo fight, which

45
00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:11.080
<v Speaker 3>led Fondora into the world championship status that he holds today.

46
00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.840
<v Speaker 4>You know, because he replaced you in that fight.

47
00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:17.120
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, he was the replacement, you know. So the thing

48
00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:19.719
<v Speaker 3>about Fundora last year is he's the champ. You don't

49
00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:22.120
<v Speaker 3>replace champions. You don't just call people champ.

50
00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:25.240
<v Speaker 2>We need another chimps come in two week notice, make

51
00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:26.000
<v Speaker 2>a fight happen.

52
00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:30.800
<v Speaker 3>That doesn't happen, right, So I understood the scenario and

53
00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:35.319
<v Speaker 3>the postponement, but that was just an unfortunate year once

54
00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:39.000
<v Speaker 3>again where it's hard to get the ball rolling for

55
00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:40.120
<v Speaker 3>killing Tom Thurman.

56
00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:43.599
<v Speaker 1>Since your two fights in twenty nineteen to win against

57
00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:46.599
<v Speaker 1>Joses Seed Lopez and the loss of your title to

58
00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:49.360
<v Speaker 1>Manny Pacyah, you know, it's been slow going. You had

59
00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:52.199
<v Speaker 1>just a fight against Mario Barrios in twenty twenty two.

60
00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:54.800
<v Speaker 1>You came back off of three and that was you know,

61
00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:56.319
<v Speaker 1>you had a good win in that fight, came off

62
00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:58.719
<v Speaker 1>a three year layoff, a lot of it injury related.

63
00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.120
<v Speaker 1>You went to Australia look good, I thought, in a

64
00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:05.199
<v Speaker 1>third round knockout against brock Jarvis on Enemy Territory, and

65
00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:08.639
<v Speaker 1>I'm wondering just how how frustrating is with the layoffs

66
00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.360
<v Speaker 1>and and and the injuries that we talked about just

67
00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:14.199
<v Speaker 1>before about with fights being postponed because of your injury,

68
00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:17.599
<v Speaker 1>the forced the Zoo fight off, and of course then

69
00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:19.240
<v Speaker 1>Fundora's injury that delayed this fight.

70
00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:22.919
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean, you know, at the end of the day,

71
00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:26.560
<v Speaker 3>last year was really it was it was fun, you know,

72
00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.400
<v Speaker 3>because we opened up that brock Jarvis fight early in

73
00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:32.560
<v Speaker 3>the year and it just felt good, right after three

74
00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:36.199
<v Speaker 3>years once again, another from Mario Barrio's fight was a

75
00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:39.639
<v Speaker 3>two and a half year comeback, then brock Jarvis was

76
00:03:39.639 --> 00:03:44.319
<v Speaker 3>a three year comeback, right, So just all that inactivity,

77
00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:45.919
<v Speaker 3>it was very unfortunate.

78
00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.560
<v Speaker 2>But I got to be, like you said on Enemy.

79
00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:53.319
<v Speaker 3>Territory, foreign land. But that's what I love about boxing.

80
00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:56.479
<v Speaker 3>Boxing's taking me all over the world. Boxing's allowed me

81
00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:59.719
<v Speaker 3>to see places in cities that my mother never took

82
00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:01.680
<v Speaker 3>me up. Even in the amateur days.

83
00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:04.840
<v Speaker 2>We would just go to Fort Lauderdale for sparring, Fort

84
00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:06.280
<v Speaker 2>Pierce for competitions.

85
00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:08.280
<v Speaker 3>I go all over the state of Florida. Then we

86
00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:11.560
<v Speaker 3>go to regional events and national events, and I was going.

87
00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:13.960
<v Speaker 3>I was always traveling. I got to fight in Canada

88
00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.240
<v Speaker 3>as an amateur, got to fight in Canada as a pro,

89
00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:20.319
<v Speaker 3>and so it just felt good because my roots in

90
00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:22.040
<v Speaker 3>boxing is I'm not scared.

91
00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.439
<v Speaker 2>To travel and go places.

92
00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:28.720
<v Speaker 3>I've done it throughout my whole career, but obviously New York, Vegas,

93
00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:35.240
<v Speaker 3>La Texas, Florida. We got plenty of action in the US,

94
00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:38.199
<v Speaker 3>and so for the majority of my career I've been

95
00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:41.680
<v Speaker 3>US bound. But it just felt good to get out

96
00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:44.800
<v Speaker 3>there to meet the fans, because when you have world

97
00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:47.959
<v Speaker 3>championship status, two time former world champion, you know you

98
00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:49.360
<v Speaker 3>have fans from all over the world.

99
00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:51.319
<v Speaker 2>You see them pop up in your feed.

100
00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:55.519
<v Speaker 3>Oh love from the Philippines, love from the UK, love

101
00:04:55.639 --> 00:05:00.000
<v Speaker 3>from Brazil, Like you know, we really have that status,

102
00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:02.680
<v Speaker 3>world championship status. So it was a lot of fun

103
00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:06.120
<v Speaker 3>to go to Sydney, have that comeback fight and interact

104
00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:08.800
<v Speaker 3>with the fans that I haven't been able to interact

105
00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:11.439
<v Speaker 3>with throughout my career. So that was really just a

106
00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:13.759
<v Speaker 3>lovely experience. It was a blessing. It was kind of

107
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:16.240
<v Speaker 3>bucket list for me. I've always wanted to travel and

108
00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:17.480
<v Speaker 3>make fights like that.

109
00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:17.920
<v Speaker 2>Happen.

110
00:05:18.279 --> 00:05:21.680
<v Speaker 3>So it was a beautiful experience. But we thought that

111
00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.519
<v Speaker 3>we would get this ball roll in. I didn't get

112
00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:26.920
<v Speaker 3>a summer fight, But.

113
00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:29.480
<v Speaker 1>I want to ask you about that was the big thing. Yeah,

114
00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:34.079
<v Speaker 1>to Australia, you fought Jarvis, that was all predicated that

115
00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:35.759
<v Speaker 1>you were going to be fighting Tim Zoo. He was

116
00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:39.120
<v Speaker 1>ringside calling your fight. A few weeks later after your victory,

117
00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:42.160
<v Speaker 1>he got his own victory, knocked out Joey Spencer, and

118
00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:44.480
<v Speaker 1>it's like, okay, now we're going to see this, this

119
00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:46.680
<v Speaker 1>fight that a lot of people were interested in. Keith

120
00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:48.800
<v Speaker 1>one time terming against Tim Zoo and all of a

121
00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:51.879
<v Speaker 1>sudden he's not in the fight. He ends up going

122
00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:56.279
<v Speaker 1>and taking the rematch against Sebastian Fundora, who dominates him,

123
00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:57.199
<v Speaker 1>stops him.

124
00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:59.639
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, what happened to the fight between you and Tim?

125
00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:03.360
<v Speaker 3>You know, I mean it's pretty obvious he had options.

126
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:05.600
<v Speaker 3>You can only fight one guy at a time. This

127
00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:09.759
<v Speaker 3>is not wwe people. We will not be seeing mashups

128
00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:13.120
<v Speaker 3>where everyone gets in the rig and throwing each other

129
00:06:13.160 --> 00:06:15.959
<v Speaker 3>all around the place. You know, maybe one day Dana

130
00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:18.000
<v Speaker 3>White will make something happen, who knows, you know, But

131
00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:22.680
<v Speaker 3>for right now, that's not what world class boxing is about.

132
00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.399
<v Speaker 3>So he must have had these options on the table,

133
00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:30.199
<v Speaker 3>and his team chose to go for their strike at

134
00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:32.000
<v Speaker 3>being champion of the world once again.

135
00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:34.480
<v Speaker 2>I think that was obviously the pool.

136
00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.600
<v Speaker 3>You know, we can say like, oh, you know, they

137
00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:40.560
<v Speaker 3>saw my power, they saw I was how well my

138
00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:41.480
<v Speaker 3>movement was.

139
00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:42.680
<v Speaker 2>Maybe they just.

140
00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:45.759
<v Speaker 3>Thought, you know, he's not old enough just yet, he's

141
00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:49.000
<v Speaker 3>still a threat, and the reward is not there. If

142
00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:52.439
<v Speaker 3>he's not champion, the reward is not there. I think

143
00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:57.199
<v Speaker 3>that personally, they did see me as somewhat of a threat,

144
00:06:57.480 --> 00:07:00.959
<v Speaker 3>and they saw Fandora, who had the title, a lesser

145
00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:03.600
<v Speaker 3>of a threat. And why did they Why did they

146
00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:06.040
<v Speaker 3>see him as a lesser of a threat because the

147
00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:09.319
<v Speaker 3>first time they fought, Fondora won on the on the

148
00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.800
<v Speaker 3>back end of his jab, and the only damage that

149
00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:15.759
<v Speaker 3>tim Zu suffered was the damage he dealt to himself

150
00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:19.839
<v Speaker 3>when he when he went into Fandora's elbow.

151
00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:21.279
<v Speaker 2>And he was cut and bleeding.

152
00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:25.879
<v Speaker 3>So in his mind, Fandora didn't beat him up right

153
00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:27.160
<v Speaker 3>in his mind.

154
00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:29.480
<v Speaker 1>And you look, you look pretty friend. You looked like

155
00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:32.240
<v Speaker 1>a guy off a three year layoff against Rock Jarvis,

156
00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:33.759
<v Speaker 1>So you know.

157
00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:36.040
<v Speaker 2>So I think they their risk reward.

158
00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:38.839
<v Speaker 3>I thought, you know, hey, before we fight Thurman, let

159
00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:42.519
<v Speaker 3>us become champions again. Little did they know that the

160
00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:46.959
<v Speaker 3>reason why Fandora was so timid in that fight was

161
00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:50.279
<v Speaker 3>two reasons. Reason Number one, he was coming off of

162
00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:53.800
<v Speaker 3>a KO loss to Mendoza.

163
00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:57.959
<v Speaker 1>Now, yeah, Brian Mendoza, right, brember Tis the layup I

164
00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:01.879
<v Speaker 1>thought was the guy that knocked him out. Well, it

165
00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:04.000
<v Speaker 1>was for the it was for the IDF title.

166
00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:06.759
<v Speaker 4>Yeah that's Zoo. I got you.

167
00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:08.399
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, I'm talking about Frondora.

168
00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:09.680
<v Speaker 4>I got you.

169
00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:13.439
<v Speaker 2>How Fandora got dropped? Right, So Fandora got dropped.

170
00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:18.680
<v Speaker 3>Now he's being a two week replacement against the undefeated

171
00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:21.959
<v Speaker 3>Tim Zoo. That everybody I was an eight to one underdog,

172
00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.199
<v Speaker 3>you know. So they were saying he was really scary.

173
00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:28.759
<v Speaker 3>So I think a lot of that made fendor be

174
00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:33.679
<v Speaker 3>very timid his loss and the two week notice, and

175
00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:36.159
<v Speaker 3>they were trying to be very conservative. They took a

176
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.360
<v Speaker 3>very conservative approach, and they were able to be victorious.

177
00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.879
<v Speaker 3>When the second fight came around, they realized like, hey,

178
00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:47.360
<v Speaker 3>Tim Zuo wasn't really that scary. Maybe I can hold

179
00:08:47.399 --> 00:08:49.759
<v Speaker 3>my ground more, Maybe I don't need to be so

180
00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.399
<v Speaker 3>timid and we all, well, we all saw Tim Zoo

181
00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:58.679
<v Speaker 3>get dropped. We all saw his downfall, and Fandora got

182
00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:03.600
<v Speaker 3>his matchup earlier last year, right, I think like within

183
00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:06.840
<v Speaker 3>weeks after my fight, ye, he had a fight and

184
00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:08.960
<v Speaker 3>he had a great performance, and I think that was

185
00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:12.600
<v Speaker 3>a big confidence booster, so that when they renegotiated, he

186
00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:16.759
<v Speaker 3>stepped into that ring last summer with all that confidence,

187
00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:17.120
<v Speaker 3>you know.

188
00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:19.399
<v Speaker 4>And I want to get to a few other things

189
00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:20.720
<v Speaker 4>beause I know we're gonna run out of time, So.

190
00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:24.759
<v Speaker 3>Maybe I wanted to say that because of that, he's

191
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:28.639
<v Speaker 3>going to be stepping into March twenty eighth with more confidence.

192
00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:32.559
<v Speaker 3>He's gonna be he believes in himself once again. It's

193
00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:36.080
<v Speaker 3>not easy to be coming off of KO losses and

194
00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:40.919
<v Speaker 3>re establish that valor of a true fighting champion. But

195
00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.039
<v Speaker 3>I believe Sebastian Fandora is exactly right there in his

196
00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:48.320
<v Speaker 3>mental game, physical game, and me versus him in a

197
00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.360
<v Speaker 3>few weeks from now is going to be fireworks.

198
00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:52.720
<v Speaker 1>Well, he did look pretty good against him in the rematch,

199
00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:55.840
<v Speaker 1>for sure. One thing I always have to ask Sebastian

200
00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:59.399
<v Speaker 1>Fandora opponents is about the wild discrepancy in the height.

201
00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:01.799
<v Speaker 1>You are a listed that five foot nine. He is

202
00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.720
<v Speaker 1>listed at six foot five. He's a very tall man.

203
00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.240
<v Speaker 1>I'm six foot I've stood next to him. I gotta

204
00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:10.360
<v Speaker 1>look up. Uh, how do you deal with that? And

205
00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:13.399
<v Speaker 1>how do you even try to simulate that in a sparring?

206
00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:17.919
<v Speaker 3>Gotta get my spar partner six foot six and six

207
00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:18.480
<v Speaker 3>foot four.

208
00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:20.960
<v Speaker 4>Okay, I got.

209
00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:23.000
<v Speaker 2>I got good guys. You know.

210
00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.679
<v Speaker 3>One happens to be a heavyweight, which is it's a

211
00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:29.840
<v Speaker 3>little annoying. I told myself, I said, we're not hiring

212
00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:32.000
<v Speaker 3>no heavyweights. And then look what I ended up doing.

213
00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:35.919
<v Speaker 1>I who these guys are that you're that are in

214
00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:36.759
<v Speaker 1>with that are so tall?

215
00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:43.159
<v Speaker 3>Uh? We got we got Michael Fox and then man

216
00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:47.000
<v Speaker 3>my my other guys. My trainer Tony brought him in.

217
00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:50.000
<v Speaker 3>They're really close from winter Haven, and I don't have

218
00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:52.159
<v Speaker 3>his name off the top of my head right now.

219
00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.120
<v Speaker 4>Okay, but it's I know Michael Fox is obviously he's

220
00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:57.080
<v Speaker 4>got the height for sure, so you're you.

221
00:10:58.039 --> 00:10:58.720
<v Speaker 2>He got the height.

222
00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.000
<v Speaker 3>Tim Zu used him and Brian Mendoza use them in camps.

223
00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:04.440
<v Speaker 3>He's the go to guy for the Fundora fight. He's

224
00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:06.799
<v Speaker 3>the go to sparing partner. He's got a really nice

225
00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:08.480
<v Speaker 3>long jab and we.

226
00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:10.080
<v Speaker 2>Just we just get used to it.

227
00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.200
<v Speaker 3>I was already doing I was already working with these

228
00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.240
<v Speaker 3>two individuals last year, and just so happens.

229
00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:17.879
<v Speaker 2>That we could Recordinate Camp all over again. I'm very fortunate.

230
00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:21.759
<v Speaker 3>I'm very grateful to my sparing partners because they're giving

231
00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:25.759
<v Speaker 3>me the looks that I need to understand that, like

232
00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:29.279
<v Speaker 3>you said, discrepancy and to cover that distance.

233
00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:32.360
<v Speaker 2>It's it's a game, you know, it's footwork.

234
00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:34.399
<v Speaker 3>It's in and out, and you might, you know, I

235
00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.399
<v Speaker 3>might be swinging in and missing a little bit, and

236
00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.840
<v Speaker 3>then I got to press a little harder, and you know,

237
00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:43.559
<v Speaker 3>but eventually, you know, I'm I'm learning how to touch

238
00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.399
<v Speaker 3>these guys. And that's given me confidence that you know,

239
00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:48.120
<v Speaker 3>Fondora too, he will be touched.

240
00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:52.480
<v Speaker 1>So during the last few years, since you've been somewhat

241
00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:57.360
<v Speaker 1>idle and now you're thirty seven, we've discussed the inactivity

242
00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:00.039
<v Speaker 1>situation with your career. These twenty eight years old. He

243
00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:02.200
<v Speaker 1>seems to be in his prime. He's certainly been more

244
00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:05.440
<v Speaker 1>active than you. What is the case that you make

245
00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.600
<v Speaker 1>while you beat him based on those factors.

246
00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:13.120
<v Speaker 3>Gill's face, the bills man, look at the resume, look

247
00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:16.080
<v Speaker 3>at the resume from the amateurs to the pros. Keith

248
00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.039
<v Speaker 3>Thurmans fought the best in the world my whole life,

249
00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:19.879
<v Speaker 3>you know.

250
00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:23.360
<v Speaker 2>I was by the time I was sixteen years old.

251
00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:30.039
<v Speaker 3>My sparring partners were Winki right, Jeff Lacy and Twine Echos,

252
00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:32.120
<v Speaker 3>Chad Dawson, Andre Burdo.

253
00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:34.279
<v Speaker 4>Okay, a lot of good guys.

254
00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.480
<v Speaker 3>I've I've been in I've just been in the ring.

255
00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:41.000
<v Speaker 3>I've been in the ring with some of the best

256
00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:46.039
<v Speaker 3>fighters that boxing can can give. You know, right before

257
00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:52.879
<v Speaker 3>the Olympic Trials, I was sparring Anthony Drell Right.

258
00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:56.799
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and one thing you just mentioned is all the

259
00:12:56.840 --> 00:12:59.720
<v Speaker 1>top quality names that you will fought. It made me

260
00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:02.360
<v Speaker 1>think bat the fact, and I don't on my social media.

261
00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.919
<v Speaker 1>I like to post my memorabilia, my posters and programs

262
00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:10.360
<v Speaker 1>and such. And I recently posted the posters from your

263
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:13.440
<v Speaker 1>your tremendous battle you had with Danny Garcia nine years

264
00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:16.000
<v Speaker 1>ago this month. That was the fight and you were

265
00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:18.399
<v Speaker 1>that was a big time fight. It was live on CBS,

266
00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.759
<v Speaker 1>did millions of viewers. You're like on the verge. What

267
00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:22.840
<v Speaker 1>I thought was big time start him at that point.

268
00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.919
<v Speaker 1>You're on a tremendous run you had defended your welterweight title,

269
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:29.600
<v Speaker 1>beat Robert Carrero, beat Lewis Colazo by knockout, had a

270
00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.000
<v Speaker 1>big win against Sean Porter, and then you beat Garcia

271
00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:34.039
<v Speaker 1>and you're just you're cruising, you know what I mean,

272
00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:37.360
<v Speaker 1>You're You're everything is going tremendous, and then you're out

273
00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:39.559
<v Speaker 1>after that fight for like two years. Do you ever

274
00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:42.200
<v Speaker 1>let yourself think or allow yourself to think about what

275
00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:44.960
<v Speaker 1>might have been with your career had you not had

276
00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:47.799
<v Speaker 1>the injuries and you were able to be more active.

277
00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.919
<v Speaker 2>You know, water under the bridge.

278
00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:55.080
<v Speaker 3>You know you can't you can't help, but you can't

279
00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:58.480
<v Speaker 3>help in life. You know, I don't wish anybody to

280
00:13:58.519 --> 00:13:59.960
<v Speaker 3>have Keith Thurman's story.

281
00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:04.120
<v Speaker 2>You know, it's just for me. It's my story, it's

282
00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:05.840
<v Speaker 2>my comeback. You can't have a comeback like me.

283
00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:10.759
<v Speaker 3>Okay, it's just for me, all right, But no, Like honestly, man,

284
00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:13.440
<v Speaker 3>I don't wish this upon any fighter, any athlete.

285
00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:14.080
<v Speaker 2>You know.

286
00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:20.360
<v Speaker 3>After Danny Garcia, it was bone spur surgery, right yeah.

287
00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:24.480
<v Speaker 3>And then after Manny pacyall it was bone fusion surgery,

288
00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:27.320
<v Speaker 3>and then two weeks before the Tim Zoo fight, it

289
00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:30.919
<v Speaker 3>was bicep tending surgery. Right, So at thirty seven years old,

290
00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:35.480
<v Speaker 3>I'm three surgeries in and you know, and just still grinding.

291
00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:38.240
<v Speaker 2>It just is what it is.

292
00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:43.120
<v Speaker 3>I did my best to you know, obviously, when I

293
00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:46.480
<v Speaker 3>came back in twenty nineteen, I made the fights and

294
00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:49.840
<v Speaker 3>I made the pack y'all fight, and you know, we

295
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:53.799
<v Speaker 3>always made great action. And then really it was after

296
00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:58.600
<v Speaker 3>that in twenty twenty in COVID there were some decisions

297
00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:01.240
<v Speaker 3>I made that weren't good for my career. I chose

298
00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:04.480
<v Speaker 3>not to fight when I got the phone call. I

299
00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:07.039
<v Speaker 3>didn't know what the repercussions of that were gonna. Do

300
00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:11.960
<v Speaker 3>you remember when Sean Porter was one of the first

301
00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:15.879
<v Speaker 3>to come back for PBC in the Fox studio with

302
00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:21.000
<v Speaker 3>no fans. Yes, So I got that phone call first down,

303
00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:22.799
<v Speaker 3>and I turned it down because I.

304
00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:26.480
<v Speaker 4>But to fight somebody, to fight somebody, yeah, not to.

305
00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:28.919
<v Speaker 2>Fight, not a rematch with Sean, to fight somebody.

306
00:15:29.240 --> 00:15:31.559
<v Speaker 3>I was coming off of my first career loss against

307
00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:34.840
<v Speaker 3>Mandy pacyall they just wanted to keep me in the limelight,

308
00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.799
<v Speaker 3>which I should have meditated on more. But I gave

309
00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:42.639
<v Speaker 3>a quick answer or quick reaction, which was this sounds

310
00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:46.559
<v Speaker 3>boring because I just fought in the MGM Grand with

311
00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:50.679
<v Speaker 3>a packed arena, you know, and little did I know

312
00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:53.639
<v Speaker 3>the repercussions, little did we all know what COVID was

313
00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.519
<v Speaker 3>bringing us, right, So there was that.

314
00:15:57.080 --> 00:16:00.279
<v Speaker 2>Then once Vegas opened up, there was a lot of fighters.

315
00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:02.720
<v Speaker 3>That didn't get to fight, and because I wasn't champion,

316
00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:07.080
<v Speaker 3>I wasn't pushed to the frontline at that time. But

317
00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:10.559
<v Speaker 3>eventually I got my contract to fight Mario Barrios, right,

318
00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.840
<v Speaker 3>and so even after that political things hit.

319
00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:16.360
<v Speaker 2>It wasn't my choice this time.

320
00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:21.399
<v Speaker 3>It was more some networks, some politics happening, and because

321
00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:25.320
<v Speaker 3>I fought, I beat Barrios. But Barrios was back in

322
00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:28.120
<v Speaker 3>the ring before I was back in the ring, right, which.

323
00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:29.879
<v Speaker 4>I always find unusual when things like that happened.

324
00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:34.480
<v Speaker 2>So, you know, I don't want anybody to have my story.

325
00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:39.279
<v Speaker 3>But luckily, thirty years in the game, I've been living

326
00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:42.320
<v Speaker 3>this dream since I was seven years old, and I

327
00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:46.600
<v Speaker 3>still believe big things are coming. I finally got my

328
00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:50.679
<v Speaker 3>opportunity seven years from twenty nineteen. It's a seven year

329
00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:54.799
<v Speaker 3>comeback people, not approximately it would be seven years this summer.

330
00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:59.360
<v Speaker 3>It's approximately a seven year comeback from twenty nineteen that

331
00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:03.080
<v Speaker 3>your man won one time is finally getting a world

332
00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:03.919
<v Speaker 3>title shot.

333
00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:06.240
<v Speaker 2>They only want me to fight a giant.

334
00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:10.839
<v Speaker 3>They only want me to fight the living, walking, breathing

335
00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:15.160
<v Speaker 3>Mount everest of a man fun Dora. But I'm ready,

336
00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:19.240
<v Speaker 3>I'm focused, I do. I have all the confidence in

337
00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:22.400
<v Speaker 3>the world that we're gonna represent and do what we

338
00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:25.799
<v Speaker 3>do best, and that's put everybody through the Keith Thurman test.

339
00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.119
<v Speaker 1>So I'll just wrap up with this then, because you

340
00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.759
<v Speaker 1>just mentioned about that you're back, and it's not like

341
00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:32.799
<v Speaker 1>you feel like you're going anywhere. You win this title.

342
00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:35.720
<v Speaker 1>You're you're back in big time business. It'll be your

343
00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.519
<v Speaker 1>second fight at one fifty four, but it's one of

344
00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.079
<v Speaker 1>the best divisions in boxing, and your presence in it

345
00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:43.880
<v Speaker 1>gives it another big name you've got besides yourself. In Fondora,

346
00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:46.319
<v Speaker 1>there's a lot of conversation about you know what's gonna

347
00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.519
<v Speaker 1>be if it's fight between Virgil Ortiz and Boots and

348
00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:50.799
<v Speaker 1>this takes place, a very hot fight that a lot

349
00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:53.799
<v Speaker 1>of people want to see. Sanders Aias is his unified champion.

350
00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:56.400
<v Speaker 1>He just recently unified not that long ago. Josh Kelly

351
00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:59.119
<v Speaker 1>just won a title where Tazalev is there. Tim Zu

352
00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:02.279
<v Speaker 1>is still around, came back with the victory. If you

353
00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:03.960
<v Speaker 1>get this win that, I know what you expect to

354
00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:06.200
<v Speaker 1>do is what's the and I know you want to

355
00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:08.279
<v Speaker 1>fight the biggest fights. What's the big fight you think

356
00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:09.279
<v Speaker 1>for yourself after this?

357
00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:13.880
<v Speaker 3>You know that's interesting, you know, I really, I really

358
00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:19.799
<v Speaker 3>don't know, you know, because this is completely a new division.

359
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:24.400
<v Speaker 3>Like you said, there's a list of hot names. But

360
00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:30.720
<v Speaker 3>you know, I'm kind of at I feel like I'm

361
00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:33.200
<v Speaker 3>ready to go in any direction.

362
00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:35.839
<v Speaker 4>Right. We'll hear the money.

363
00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:38.720
<v Speaker 3>I'll take fights from I might take fights from one

364
00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.599
<v Speaker 3>forty seven up to one sixty eight.

365
00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:44.160
<v Speaker 2>You know what I'm saying. I just want I want boxing,

366
00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:46.119
<v Speaker 2>and just put Thorman back in the game.

367
00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:48.880
<v Speaker 3>Just let Thurman be in the mix, because there's no

368
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.720
<v Speaker 3>such thing as a bad Keith Darmant fighting as well.

369
00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:53.480
<v Speaker 1>You're back in You're back in the mix with an

370
00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:57.240
<v Speaker 1>important fight, fight for the world title against Abastian Fandora.

371
00:18:57.400 --> 00:18:58.920
<v Speaker 1>I wish you good luck, Keith. I thank you for

372
00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:01.000
<v Speaker 1>your time in the I look forward to watching your

373
00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:02.000
<v Speaker 1>fight on March twenty eight.

374
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:06.000
<v Speaker 2>Don't blink, That's all I can say. Don't blame enjoy

375
00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:07.240
<v Speaker 2>the show, Appreciate it.

376
00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:08.880
<v Speaker 4>Keith thank you sir, take care