Thurman's making his way back to the top after some time away from the sport. He's had a good run lately, winning a unanimous decision against Mario Barrios in February 2022. Then, in March, he moved up to 154lbs and dominated Brock Jarvis with a third-round knockout. After that win, Thurman said he wanted to keep fighting regularly.
Ortiz Jr. is coming into this fight with a perfect record of 23 wins and no losses, with 21 of those wins by knockout. His last fight was in February when he beat Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision.
The news of this fight came from Julius Julianis, who posted on social media:
"Attention! I hear Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Keith Thurman and Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Frank Martin are being scheduled for October. It will be a GBP vs. PBC event."
This fight is a big deal for both boxers. Thurman's trying to show he's still got what it takes after losing to Manny Pacquiao back in July 2019. For Ortiz Jr., a win could set him up for a shot at Jaron Ennis, another former unified welterweight world champion, maybe as soon as 2026.
The event in October won't just feature Thurman and Ortiz Jr. Fans will also get to see Arnold Barboza Jr. take on Frank Martin on the same night. It looks like it'll be a showdown between fighters from Golden Boy Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions.
This matchup is shaping up to be an exciting night of boxing. Thurman's experience against Ortiz Jr.'s perfect record is sure to make for an interesting fight.