Keith Thurman vs Tim Tszyu and Rolly Romero vs Isaac Cruz fight previews
Accomplished trainers Calvin Ford and Kevin Cunningham previewed the upcoming PBC Pay-Per-View available on Prime Video, which is topped by Keith Thurman vs. Tim Tszyu and “Rolly” Romero vs. “Pitbull” Cruz matchups, during a virtual media roundtable on Tuesday before the anticipated clashes.
These showdowns take place Saturday, March 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the pay-per-view action set to begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Here is what the trainers had to say Tuesday:
CALVIN FORD Trainer of Five-Time World Champion Gervonta Davis:
“I think Thurman moving up in weight could benefit him. He knows that Tim is coming to get him, and that makes it a chess match.
“If I was training Keith I’d focus on conditioning and putting a lot of bodies in front of him. He knows what he needs to do to win the fight, it’s just that lay off that he needs to overcome.
“Thurman isn’t a showcase fight for anyone. You can see that he’s confident from his interviews. It’s just about him performing on that night. We’ve gotta see how he can handle the pressure. Legacies and careers are on the line.
“I think that Rolly against Pitbull fight can go either way. They’re both trying to show the hard work they’ve put in since they’ve lost. They’re only gonna be as good as their training camps allow them to be on fight night. Who can endure the other guy’s power and land the cleanest shot is what’s gonna determine the fight.
“I think Thurman needs to test that power of Tszyu. You have to see if he can really hit. I don’t think Tszyu has faced a mover like Thurman.
“Rolly has to work on things to keep Pitbull off of him, while Pitbull can just go in there and be himself. I’m going with Pitbull because I think the style of the fight suits him best.”
KEVIN CUNNINGHAM Trainer of Top Super Welterweight Contender Erickson Lubin:
“Thurman against Tszyu is an interesting matchup because you have a veteran who’s been less active against a young hungry champion. Tszyu is strong and poised. Each fight I watch, he gets better and better from a technical standpoint. It’s a tough fight, but if Keith Thurman has the legs, he can run Tszyu into a power shot. I think it could be a hard fight for Thurman.
“I’d prepare Thurman to use his strengths, which are the lateral movement and his legs. He boxes well with good power. So we’d be boxing and keep Tszyu in the center of the ring. You know Tszyu will be aggressive, so I’d try to use his aggression against him. I really think he has the power to hurt Tim Tszyu.
“If I were training Tim Tszyu I’d be applying pressure and try to break down Thurman to the body. Thurman is moving up in weight and has had trouble with body shots in the past, so we’d definitely test that bread basket.
“There’s gonna be opportunities for Rolly to catch Pitbull coming in. He needs to use his reach, range and footwork. He can definitely have success if he does. We all know that Pitbull is coming straight at you. We’ll see if that’s the right recipe to defeat Rolly. He’s gonna be in Rolly’s wheelhouse all night long, but Pitbull might be able to stream roll him.
“I think Pitbull is gonna overwhelm Rolly and win by decision or late stoppage. Rolly has to catch Pitbull with something earlier on in the fight.”
Keith Thurman and Tim Tszyu virtual press conference quotes
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are available now through AXS.com. The main event is promoted in association with No Limit Boxing.