SUPER-WELTERWEIGHT contenders Tim Tszyu and Keith Thurman, who are set to revisit their cancelled clash of last year, have been given a timely launch up the WBC rankings.
The pair were supposed to square off in March of 2024, until Thurman, 31-1 (23 KOs), was forced to withdraw from their contest after suffering an injury during his training camp.
As a result, formidable operator Sebastian Fundora was drafted in on short notice to take on Tszyu, 25-2 (18 KOs), the then WBO world super-welterweight champion.
After being compelled to contend with a horrific cut on his head following an accidental elbow, though, Tszyu ultimately lost his title via a split decision defeat.
Then, in his next outing, the Australian found himself on the receiving end of a punishing three-round beatdown against IBF titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev.
But despite the devastating nature of his second professional defeat, the 30-year-old bounced back earlier this month with a fourth-round stoppage victory over Joseph Spencer.
Thurman, meanwhile, rolled back the years to produce a clinical finish inside the distance against a visibly undersized Brock Jarvis in March.
Other than that, the 36-year-old has only outpointed Mario Barrios, the reigning WBC world welterweight champion, since his defeat to Manny Pacquiao back in 2019.
Yet still, ‘One Time’ has nonetheless expressed his interest in colliding with Tszyu, urging his rival to sign on the dotted line soon after his victory against Spencer.
Not only that, but with Thurman now sitting at 11th – five places behind Tszyu – in the WBC rankings, their potential matchup could even be a world title eliminator of sorts.
