TIM TSZYU will compete in America for only the second time as a pro when he fights Keith Thurman on March 30 in Las Vegas.
The fight, which will take place at the T-Mobile Arena, headlines the first Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) event on Amazon Prime and has reportedly been signed at a catchweight of 155 pounds.
Tszyu, 24-0 (17), is the current WBO super-welterweight (154 pounds) champion having won that belt with a 12-round decision over Brian Mendoza in October. He has spent the bulk of his career in the super-welterweight division and has also fought primarily in his native Australia, where, as the son of the great Kostya, the 29-year-old has built quite the following.
His only fight outside Australia to date was against Terrell Gausha in March 2022. That was another fight Tszyu won via decision, yet he had to get up off the canvas in the very first round in the process.
Keith Thurman (Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)
Thurman, meanwhile, a former welterweight belt-holder known for his explosive power, has been largely inactive as a pro, especially of late. His last fight, a 12-round decision win against Mario Barrios, was all the way back in February 2022 and that also happened to be his first fight since losing against Manny Pacquiao in the summer of 2019. In other words, since beating Josesito Lopez four years ago, Thurman has fought just twice (against Pacquiao and Barrios). That, for a 35-year-old who relies on his timing and sharpness, is anything but ideal and Tszyu, in contrast, is somebody whose form owes a lot to the momentum he has been able to generate by staying active and regularly winning fights.
It remains to be seen whether this factor will be the deciding one when the pair meet on March 30.