How do you rate Thurman's skillset and the current WW division?

Althought it looks to me like he became more fluid than ever, prehaps I've never seen him being this fluid before, even despite the lay off. His hands and feet were perfectly synchronized and he did a great jab of fighting on the move, sticking and moving till the mid-rounds. It was so nice. Also he landed a bunch of great counters and had really good head movement in those rounds.

But he's been making the same technical mistakes for years: Repetitive paterns of attacking the same way, not feinting, using his fast feet as the only line of defence, not setting up punches at all, not bringing his hands back after punching, telegraphing his punches, slipping punches without looking at Lopez, but looking at canvas instead.

Look, I'm not trying to look like a boxing hypster or a wannabe Ray Arcel, because I know even the greatest technicians make mistakes, but my hobby is closely analyzing the fights and I like to pay attention to details, more than the average boxing fan and I can't help myself but speak about them, I'm just speaking out on what I see, the films don't lie. Now despite all of that, I still think Thurman is a very good fighter, especially for the current WW division, but I just don't want to pretend like he's amazing when I see the basic mistakes he's been making, and I think the whole current WW division is overrated anyway. I think that exactly these small, subtle technical movements (or the lack of them) are a big reason today's welterweights are seen inferior to the welterweights from only 8-10 years ago, never mind Duran, Leonard, Benitez and Hearns.

To me, Thurman is a good example of the american boxing today, where average to bad coaches open the gym, than get lucky when an athletically gifted kid comes to their gym, so they teach them "the slick" style and how to use their athletic abilities and footspeed, but rarely turn them into fundamentaly sound fighters or teach them the little tricks. They can do good in amateurs, but they fight only in America, never on the biggest amateur stages, and even when they did, they do terrible (exactly because of their lack of strong basics). Thurman is probably even better and more skilled than most of the current american beltholders, but his fundamentals are far from the top level. Imagine if he was fighting 32 years old Floyd, or if one day a WW version of Finito Lopez emerges and he has to fight that type of guy. He would get schooled badly.

 

I think his ring rust really highlighted his flaws which you've covered very thoroughly.
He hates pressure and in round 7 he couldn't even hold a tight high guard whilst trying to escape Lopez. If his heart is in it I expect him to improve. If not, he's headed for a fall very soon. It looks like he's tried to learn some new tricks like varying the pace and power of his punches but I don't think it worked that well. In time it may become more natural.
I think management chose Lopez for his toughness. Making sure Thurman worked off his ring rust for 12 full rounds. Even though he dropped Lopez I think Josesito was only a little buzzed and not hurt at any other time.
I wonder how much improvement Thurman has left in him?

Good post Official Scorecard. Are you the Serbian from BDA?

 

I'd add that he took a bit more punishment than needed by not knowing when to tie up, and instead biking backwards leaving his head open over and over. Using the high guard or tying up when in dire straits is supposed to be fundamental!

 

"but his fundamentals are far from the top level." Hes literally been top level for years.
"But he's been making the same technical mistakes for years." Hes literally 29-0.
______________
I swear where do you guys come from? Have you seen Thurman fights before this one?

Thurman has a better resume than another other fighter at 147 even with the lay off.
How soon we forget peoples body of work. Time will soon tell.

 

I thought he looked great the first few rounds. Definitely looked more fluid then before. I'm HOPING his slight scare w/ Lopez was more a conditioning thing. His next fight will tell us even more.

 

It's simple really as of now the whole division is overrated by itself.And also depends how you rank them. You can rank them in the eye test which many will rank Crawford or Spence as the top guy . You can rank them in accomplishments from their entire career from which many will rank Crawford as the #1 guy. Or you can rank them from their accomplishments in the division in which many will rank Thurman ..(note I did not include Pacquiao because I am taking about welterweights that will be fighting for a forseeable future. fanboys
do not get upset )

 

by the end of the year, he will be no higher than 4th best welter on any list.

 

....or maybe, maybe, he's just trying to look vulnerable in order to lure a "big" fight?

 

B rate fighter
Top 5

 

The biggest thing with Thurman is not bringing his hands back after punching. He simply tries to just slip or duck and move away using good footwork. This is not good because sure yo may avoid a lot of punches but it leaves you open to getting caught from time to time which any competent pro will do and yo saw Lopez do several times during the fight. This is something he needs to stop doing or hes going to get starched by somebody soon. He also needs to go back to sitting on his punches. Hes neutralizing his own punching power. Thurman has serious power but the more he boxes and stays on the move the more we`re seeing his opponents going the distance and not hitting the canvas. Thurman seems to be tryng to be more Mayweather like in hopes of having similar success and longevity but he doesnt have the same skillset to do so. Hes athletic enough to pull it off but lacks the skillset. This is why Broner is trash. He tried to fight like FlIVd when he shouldve been fighting like James Toney which is far more conducive to his skills. Hes also an idiot outside the ring.

 

too dangerous and risky a ploy I think.

 

He’s definatly a talent, a thinking fighter always liked him. Think it’s guna be difficult for him to get back to the top of the division. Because it’s a longer road back than he will be allowed, the fans will be screaming Crawford, Spence he will probably get a mandatory soon aswell.
You are right the ring rust was definatly there.
But so was the talent and timing and more than anything the composure.
He didn’t look as confident at times especially when he got caught with counters, but that was to be expected.
I did however see a few glimces what makes him different to many boxers out there, the adjustments he makes on the fly, I saw it at least twice maybe more.
I don’t remember the combination he threw, but he had over committed himself and his body weight/momentum were over his centre of gravity, and Lopez came forward and one time some how managed to spot the opening and even more impressive generate the power.
Crawford Thurman is one fight id love to see both beat Spence imo.
Quality post man

 

I'm not forgetting his body of work but that is in the past and last week's performance shows he's got a way to go to get back to his best. Is it possible for him to scale that mountain? It could be, he's trying to add wrinkles to his game so that shows a desire to improve and diversify his skill set. But on the other hand I and others are surprised by how badly he handled the pressure from Lopez. It's not getting rocked that's concerning, it's his reaction to it. He was the dominant boxer for most of the fight but isn't that what we all expected? A lay-up after a hiatus.
Don't mistake my comments on Thurman as me S**t canning him, I wasn't. What I am is shocked by how he responded to pressure.

 

Yes bro, that's me. I also wonder the same thing. I pretty much agree with you.