Kathmandu, June 26

American professional boxer Keith Thurman Jr arrived here on Monday on a personal visit. Seven-time national champion Manohar ‘Max’ Basnet welcomed Thurman, who is scheduled to meet the participants of Champ of Champions — first-ever professional boxing tournament organised by Basnet — on Tuesday.

Thurman, born in 1988, is currently the unified welterweight world champion having held the WBA title since 2013 (promoted to Super champion in February 2017) and the WBC title since March 2017. As of December 2016, he was ranked as the world’s second best welterweight by BoxRec and The Ring magazine, and third best by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. BoxRec also ranked him as the world’s eighth best boxer, pound for pound. Nicknamed “One Time,” Thurman is known as a knockout artist and one of the hardest punchers in the welterweight division.

Basnet informed Thurman was here to attend a family function. “Although this is his personal visit, Thurman agreed to take some time out of his schedule to meet our boxers,” said Basnet. “I am taking him to the Total Fitness to have a session with all the participants of the Champ of Champions and I believe the boxers will have a great time meeting the world champion,” said Basnet.

Thurman, who made his professional debut in 2007, holds a career record of 28-1. Among them, he won 22 bouts by knockouts and six by points, while remaining one bout was a no contest.