Keith Thurman Looking Beyond Fundora

Keith Thurman is looking beyond his rescheduled bout against WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora, revealing a list of fighters he intends to pursue if he emerges victorious.

Thurman was meant to box Fundora this month, but the latter pulled out with a hand injury. The fight is now expected to feature on a Manny Pacquiao card on January 24, 2026. Thurman has only boxed once since 2022 when he defeated Mario Barrios, beating Brock Jarvis in March. Injuries and inactivity have hampered him, but a win over Fundora makes him a two-weight world champion after having unified at 147. Thurman has now earmarked the following names.   

Thurman’s List

Terence Crawford 

Jermell Charlo 

Vergil Ortiz Jr. 

Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero 

Manny Pacquiao 

Errol Spence 

Will The Fights Happen?

Fights against Charlo and Spence would be easy to make since they are big names. Both have also not boxed since 2023, which may entice them back. Charlo lost to Canelo Alvarez in 2023 after moving up two weight classes from 154 in an undisputed super middleweight fight, while Spence has not boxed since Crawford stopped him to become undisputed at 147. The issue is that both fighters made life-changing money for those fights. Charlo earned $20 million for the Canelo bout, while Spence secured $25 million for facing Crawford. They may want similar numbers to fight Thurman.

Thurman also says he was offered the Ortiz fight before Fundora, while Ennis is looking for big names having only boxed once at 154 when he stopped Uisma Lima this month. A bout against Crawford is unlikely, though, since Bud may opt to box at 160 if undisputed presents itself. Meanwhile, the winner of a prospective Pacquiao vs. Romero fight could happen if Manny and Thurman win their next fights. They fought previously in 2019 when Manny beat Thurman in his only loss to claim the WBA Welterweight Title. Either way, Thurman wanted the big names. 

​​”Vergil Ortiz is [possible], because they were offering me Vergil Ortiz right before they offered me Fundora. They never sent me the Vergil contract. Otherwise, it would have got signed first. Then there are some big fights, like Thurman vs. Charlo. We were supposed to have had Thurman vs. Spence a long time ago. We could do the throwback. I might get a contract if I get the winner of Rolly and Pacquiao. There’s ‘Boots’ Ennis, but his team wants tune-ups. Thurman vs. Crawford. If he wants to come back down, that’s something for us,” Thurman said