Keith Thurman vs. Leonard Bundu Fight Predictions, Stats & Boxing Schedule [POLL]
Keith Thurman and Leonard Bundu will duke it out in an "old school" vs. "new school" boxing match on Saturday night on Dec. 13.
Both fighters come in undefeated with a combined record of 54 wins and zero losses. Thurman and Bundu are separated by 12 years of age, but both have yet to lose in the ring. While Bundu is eyeing retirement, Thurman has his sights on a potential super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao.
Let's break down the fighters and see who has the edge in this match:
Keith Thurman (23-0-1)
Keith "One Time" Thurman is one of the biggest up and comers in the sport of boxing. With zero defeats in his career, Thurman is considered by many to be the future of the sport. Thurman has constantly called out Mayweather for a fight but still hasn't got his wish. Last year, Thurman defeated Diego Gabriel Cháves to win the Interim WBA Welterweight Championship by knockout.
Thurman comes in 5-foot-7 and a half feet tall weighing 147 pounds. Thurman's reach is listed at 69 inches. The 26-year-old from Clearwater, Florida, has one of the hardest right hands in the welterweight division today.
Thurman is currently ranked No. 5 in the Welterweight division behind Mayweather, Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez. Thurman knows he's better than that, and there's no better way to prove his value that to keep winning. In his last match, Thurman defeated Julio Díaz of Mexico to retain his title.
Of Thurman's 23 career victories, 21 have ended by way of knockout. Only Francisco Garcia was able to draw a "no contest" against Thurman, back in 2009. Thurman would love nothing more than to add another knockout to his resume, but he can't underestimate Leonard Bundu.
He isn't the next George Foreman or Mike Tyson, but Thurman can drop the very best if he connects.
Leonard Bundu (31-0-2)
At 40 years old, Leonard Bundu is trying to end 2014 with a bang.
The Italian veteran boxer who was born in Sierra Leonean, Africa is also undefeated. He may be at the end of his career, but a victory over Thurman in the United States would do wonders for Bundu's career.
"The Lion" comes in standing 5-foot-6 and a half, one inch shorter than Thurman. At 147 pounds, the two boxers are pretty even in physical nature. Bundu is the No. 1 ranked Welterweight Italian boxer in the world, one spot ahead of Gianluca Branco. More importantly, Bundu is currently ranked No. 12 in the Welterweight World Rankings.
Although Bundu is a regular orthodox boxer, he has been known to switch to southpaw in the middle of fights to confuse opposing fighters. It's very unlikely Bundu will be able to knockout Thurman, but his complex tactics could confuse Thurman early on. Bundu's switch hitting technique could give Thurman some early issues, but he also has to keep his head moving at all times to avoid the big Thurman right hook.
Bundu may be 40 years old, but he remains undefeated and can't be overlooked.
Schedule, Where to Watch
Keith Thurman and Leonard Bundu are scheduled to face off on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 9 p.m. EST on Showtime. The fight will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can view a live fight stream here.
Predictions
This should be a great fight between two boxers who have something to prove. Thurman is the up and comer, and this fight could bring him closer to a match with Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather that he so desires. Thurman is the best young knockout artist today, and he will prove it once again.
Thurman wins by knockout
Who do you think will win? Feel free to vote in our boxing poll below
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