It is possible that Keith Thurman will make millions of dollars in his future, it is also possible that Thurman like many other fighters will never reach those type of heights.
Jay Z and Roc Nation offered him a guaranteed deal, that he can’t get currently anywhere else, but he turned it down.
Roc Nation Sports, the company owned by music mogul Jay Z that opened a boxing division in August, is looking to sign fighters who have the goods in the ring as well as the potential to be marketed to the mainstream public outside the ring.
Thurman fits the profile of what the company is looking for, and Roc Nation went after him in mid-October, offering him a three-fight contract worth $6 million.
Thurman would have gotten a $2 million advance against the total package — so he could have a nice chunk of the money up front — followed by fight-night payouts of $1 million, $1 million and $2 million.
Ultimately, however, Thurman told ESPN.com that he passed on the offer before even bringing it to adviser Al Haymon to discuss.
“For the most part, it’s a move that I’m not willing to make right now,” Thurman told ESPN.com on Monday. “It’s nice to throw dollar signs in front of a young guy like me and I appreciate it. But I am a man of faith and I believe all that’s coming to me in the future. As long as you have a ‘0’ (on your record) it’s like holding on to a golden goose egg.”
Thurman is represented by Al Haymon, but he doesn’t have a promotional contract with any company. Haymon doesn’t get along with Jay Z and doesn’t like his fighters tied down to any company. Thurman believes he will make $6 million with Haymon in 2015, but unless he is fighting Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao I don’t see how that will be possible.
He would have been guaranteed $6 million with Roc Nation win or lose, so he is taking a big risk that he will become a marketable name. He is known within boxing but isn’t a draw outside of boxing. We will have to see if his gamble pays off or he craps out.
