Strengths for Each Man
Photo by Naoki Fukada
Keith Thurman has many positive attributes that can help him beat Robert Guerrero. He is ruthless, but he is also a very focused and technically-gifted fighter. Mentally, Thurman always appears to be totally honed in on his opponent the moment the first bell goes off, if not before.
You can immediately tell that Thurman wants to be there and no matter the opponent in front of him, he wants to win.
In addition to deep thinking in the ring, it is no secret that Thurman is fast and packs dangerous power, especially in his right hand and lead hook. He also knows how to use his jab to thwart his opponent’s attacks while setting up his own.
Thurman is able to set up punches by using his quick and strategic footwork, which is something Robert Guerrero had trouble with when fighting Floyd Mayweather.
Fighting a southpaw may not be an issue for Thurman, as he even managed to switch to the stance himself and drop Leonard Bundu with a nasty left uppercut in his last bout. We’ll have to stay tuned to see if Thurman has the guts to try a move like that on Guerrero, but it would be great for the highlight reels.
Photo by Ping Nepo/CrossFit
After studying Thurman and Guerrero’s most recent fights, I have noticed they have quite similar fighting styles. Besides being one of the toughest southpaws in the game, Guerrero too has a wicked jab. The lead hand is super-important as a first line of defense and offense when southpaw and orthodox fighters face each other.
Guerrero has already put himself in good standing by mastering a quick jab he can even throw back-to-back with purpose.
If you know Guerrero, you know he loves fighting on the inside with those powerful, crisp punches. Thurman also loves a good brawl, which is great intel for Guerrero to keep in the back of his mind.
If Guerrero can bully Thurman into exchanges on the inside, he’ll feel right at home and will eliminate variables like jazzy footwork, something that Thurman would want to use on the outside and at mid-range.
