It’s About Time: Keith Thurman Returns March 12

After being out of the ring more than three years, former unified world champion Keith Thurman of Clearwater, Florida (30-1, 22 KOs) returns to face Australian contender Brock Jarvis (22-1, 20 KOs) in a 10-round WBA International Super Welterweight main event on Wednesday, March 12.

U.S. fans can watch the fight on the Premier Boxing Champions YouTube Channel in a replay (not live) presentation from Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Australia.

The replay stream begins at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT. The event is promoted by No Limit Boxing and The Rose Brothers, in association with TGB Promotions.

“Fight fans will get a special streaming lineup of exciting action Wednesday, March 12, all topped by the former unified champion Keith Thurman against a power-punching Australian in Brock Jarvis,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions.

“Thurman is looking to make another championship run and solidify his Hall of Fame case, but will be in tough against a fighter in Jarvis who’s looking to make a statement headlining this big card in front of his Australian fans.”

Both men made weight at 153.75 pounds. They’ve done their part to talk up the fight, and we know Thurman has the edge there.

Keith Thurman Hopes to Have One More World Title Run

For many years, the former unified champion was among America’s best welterweights. He is known by his moniker “One Time.”

Thurman acquired the nickname by winning his early fights by knockout. Thurman mowed down much of his competition, including wins over former champions Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, and Robert Guerrero.

Thurman’s fight with Garcia was one of the last major broadcast network fights, drawing a record audience of 3.74 million viewers on CBS.

Thurman became a unified world champion in a rare unification bout that night in 2017 between undefeated welterweight world champions.

Thurman’s single loss was in his 2019 bout against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Thurman suffered a shocking first-round knockdown and ended up on the wrong side of a split decision.

Thurman’s Last Fight: Victory over Mario Barrios

Thurman defeated former world champion and current highly ranked welterweight Mario Barrios by unanimous decision in February 2022.

He was originally scheduled to face another top Australian fighter in former champion Tim Tszyu in March 2024 before being forced to withdraw due to injury. Infamously, Tszyu agreed to fight Sebastian Fundora and suffered a loss in a bloody battle.

What does Thurman expect from the Australian in front of him on Wednesday?

“Brock Jarvis is a sturdy guy – rough and tough, an inside fighter – but he’s been sheltered on his island, in his little bubble,” said Thurman. “I’m coming to pop that bubble.

“To me, he looks like somebody who knows how to go for the win, but has he really been swimming out there with the sharks? It doesn’t look like it to me. That’s what I’m bringing to the table – something he’s never seen before.”

Meet Brock Jarvis

The 27-year-old Jarvis has risen up the rankings in his native Australia since turning pro in 2015 as a teenager.

Jarvis has solid power with a 15-fight knockout streak following his pro debut. He has five stoppages in each of his last five victories.

Jarvis had a single loss in a 2022 showdown against fellow Australian and former 140-pound world champion Liam Paro. He bounced back from that loss with back-to-back victories, knocking out Marlon Paniamogan in March 2023 before most recently stopping Adrian Rodriguez in December 2024.

“I was super excited to get this opportunity and I’m really looking forward to this one,” said Jarvis. “To have a fight of this magnitude against Keith Thurman means everything to me. If he thinks he’s coming here for a tune-up fight, then he’s got the wrong mindset and I’m gonna expose that on fight night.”

Fight Predictions: What Does Keith Thurman Have Left?

Oddsmakers have Keith Thurman as the slight favorite on the eve of the fight. But at age 36, coming off a three-year layoff after having dealt with multiple serious injuries, what is left of the Keith Thurman who was competitive with every single opponent?

Thurman is always professional and prepared. He’s looked sharp in workouts since arriving in Sydney. But this is no sure indication of how ring rust might show up when he steps into the ring against Jarvis. Three years of inactivity and three years of age are not a boxer’s friends.

Jarvis will be fighting at super welterweight for just the second time. In his last fight in December, he took on middleweight Adrian Rodriguez. He showed patience but was easily able to break down the journeyman Rodriguez for a fourth-round TKO.

Rodriguez isn’t Thurman on his worst day. The only credible opponent on Jarvis’s resume is Paro, and that’s his only loss. We’ll find out what he learned from fighting Paro, and just how hungry he is to score the upset.

But make no mistake, this fight was made to give Thurman the best possible opportunity to win without suffering any more damage, to expose himself to the Australian fans, and tee up a fight with Tim Tszyu.

Thurman, at his best, and probably at less than his best, is many levels above Rodriguez. He chews up opponents who aren’t sharp and deliberate. If Jarvis tries to make it messy or a brawl, he’ll be disappointed with the outcome. Thurman should still have a former champion’s mindset and his experience will help him time Jarvis with counterpunches.

It wouldn’t hurt Thurman to go the full ten rounds and knock all that rust off him before he takes on “The Soultaker” in a redemption fight both men badly need to win.

Undercard Lineup for Thurman vs Jarvis

The Wednesday No Limit and PBC card will live stream five of the ten fights on the card, all featuring Australian and New Zealand regional talent.

Co-Main: Michael Zerafa vs Besir Ay

In the 10-round co-main event, former world title challenger Michael Zerafa of Melbourne (32-5, 20 KOs), a longtime contender, steps back into the ring to challenge streaking German contender Besir Ay of Germany (19-1, 19 KOs) and hopes to put himself in a position to earn another world title opportunity.

Zerafa won four straight to earn the title fight that he eventually lost to reigning WBA Middleweight world champion Erislandy Lara last March. Since then, he defeated Tommy Browne in August 2024.

Zerafa had previously split a pair of matchups against former champion and Australian rival Jeff Horn in addition to a first-round knockout of longtime contender Anthony Mundine. The 32-year-old also competed in the U.S. in 2015 when lost to former middleweight champion Peter Quillin. The veteran has also challenged former champion Kell Brook.

Ay is fighting out of his native Germany for the first time. Since a split-decision loss in his second pro fight, Ay has put together 18 consecutive victories and earned the German middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Dustin Ammann in June 2023.

Mateo Tapia vs Sergei Vorobov

Mateo Tapia of St. Petersburg (17-0-1, 10 KOs), a longtime friend and sparring partner of Tim Tszyu, steps back into the ring to pursue his claim as a 160-pound contender against Sergei Vorobev of Russia (20-2-2, 14 KOs), who now fights out of Sydney.

The 26-year-old Tapia is a native of Tijuana, Mexico. Tapia spent much of his career fighting out of Australia, putting in over 500 rounds of sparring against Tszyu. Now training out of St. Petersburg, Florida, Tapia made his U.S. debut in October 2023 with a stoppage victory over Eric Robles.

Vorobev scored a major upset in his seventh pro fight when he defeated then 34-0 contender Konstantin Ponomarev to win the Russian super welterweight title. The 30-year-old has victories over veteran contenders, including Diego Chavez and Breidis Prescott, in addition to a narrow split-decision defeat to two-time title challenger Karen Chukhadzhian.

Tongotongo vs Ruston at Light Heavyweight

Light heavyweight Tonga Tongotongo of Wollongong, New South Wales (9-0, 9 KOs) hopes to continue his knockout streak against Kirra Ruston of Southport, Queensland (4-0, 4 KOs), who hopes to do the same.

Both men are 26 years old and will try to make quick work of each other and put on a show for the Australian fans.

PBC YouTube Channel Opening Fight

Opening the five-fight stream on the PBC YouTube Channel will be super welterweights Sonny Knight of Newcastle, New South Wales (4-0, 3 KOs) and Jordan Martin of Sydney (6-1, 2 KOs).

After knocking out his first two professional opponents, Knight went the distance and won a split decision victory over Laban Stringer before retiring his last opponent. Martin hopes to expand his current win streak to five in a row against Knight.