Keith Thurman‘s activity in the ring has been scarce lately, leading many to overlook his status as an active fighter. Thus, the announcement of his comeback bout came as a surprise to fans. After a two-year hiatus, Thurman will finally return to the spotlight in a match against Tim Tszyu at a catchweight of 155 pounds, scheduled for March 30th in a Las Vegas arena. How confident is Thurman?

Tim Tszyu retained his WBO super welterweight world title by securing a unanimous decision victory over Brian Mendoza in his last fight. The 29-year-old has been quite active in the boxing scene delivering results. Then what makes Thurman so sure that his own inactivity will not be a problem in his fight against Tszyu?

Keith Thurman explains where he gets his confidence from

Thurman has done a thorough analysis of his opponent before the fight. Tszyu will not surprise ‘One Time’, he is certain of that. Answering the question of whether his absence from the ring will affect his performance, he said in an interview with Thaboxingvoice: “The things that I do in the ring, the angles, the power punches. I know I haven’t gotten knockout in a long time but there’s nobody who hasn’t really gotten shook by my punches in the ring.”

“I make contact. I’m very good at making contact. No one’s just been in a fight and it’s like-he just handles Keith Thurman. We never seen myself be handled in that manner. That’s where my confidence comes from,” added Thurman. Keith Thurman is one of the highly respected boxers and one of the reasons is his way of approaching things. He remains unfazed and is more than happy to be facing a fighter as capable as ‘The Soul Taker’. Someone who agrees with Thurman is Shawn Porter.

Shawn Porter makes his prediction

Porter acknowledges that on the surface, Thurman might not seem like the favorite against Tszyu, but deeper analysis reveals a different story. Despite Thurman’s smaller stature historically, he’s expected to be equally sized or even larger than Tszyu on fight night. Porter believes Tszyu’s style plays into Thurman’s strengths, as Thurman will use his movement to frustrate Tszyu and capitalize on openings. Porter’s confidence in Thurman’s abilities stems from remembering Thurman’s past dominance in the sport.

Read More: Tim Tszyu Warns Keith Thurman of Bringing Totally Different Style Than Manny Pacquiao and Mario Barrios

“He’s either gonna wait on a perfect shot. If he’s not waiting on that perfect shot, he’s walking directly forward. Either way, Keith is gonna bounce around the ring. He’s gonna pull whatever patience Tim thinks he has at this point in his career and he’s gonna force him to walk into those shots,” said Porter. While Thurman may need to work hard to recapture his former prowess, Porter believes Thurman will ultimately showcase his skill and experience in the ring.

Do you agree with the two? Or do you believe Tim Tszyu has the upper hand in this match-up? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: “There’s a Reason”: Tim Tszyu Reveals the Size of Gloves for March 30th Fight Against Keith Thurman