The former WBA and WBC welterweight champ contended during a press conference Thursday at MGM Grand that upsetting Sebastian Fundora in their 12-round, 154-pound title fight would secure his place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Thurman, 37, will fight for just the third time in nearly seven years when he faces Fundora in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view card at MGM Grand Garden Arena (8 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. PT; $74.99).

“When I beat Sebastian Fundora,” Thurman said, “many great things will be said about Keith Thurman, many articles will be written about Keith Thurman, and, yes, Keith Thurman will be a Hall of Famer.”

Defeating Fundora would mark Thurman’s most meaningful win since he beat Danny Garcia by split decision to become a unified 147-pound champion in March 2017. The Clearwater, Florida, native has lost only a split decision to Manny Pacquiao, who dropped Thurman in the first round and beat him on two scorecards in July 2019 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Thurman stands almost a foot shorter than the 6-foot-6 Fundora, a southpaw who is also 9 years younger than he is. Those advantages are among the reasons Fundora is listed as almost a 4-1 favorite by most sportsbooks.

The experienced, strong Thurman nonetheless predicted Thursday he’ll provide Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) with “a flashback” to his devastating seventh-round knockout loss to Brian Mendoza in April 2023. Thurman sat beside Mendoza (23-4, 17 KOs) on the dais because Albuquerque’s Mendoza will encounter Cuban junior middleweight contender Yoenis Tellez (11-1, 8 KOs) in the 12-round co-feature before Fundora faces Thurman.

Fundora, who will defend his WBC belt, laughed off the trash-talking Thurman’s promise to replicate Mendoza’s knockout. The Ring’s second-ranked junior middleweight believes he’ll become the first fighter to knock out Thurman.

“I definitely don’t see it going 12 rounds,” Fundora said. “I think that it’s gonna be a good fight, a very powerful fight, but of course with me with my hand raised at the end of the night.”

Fundora, 28, has won each of his last two bouts by knockout. He stopped former WBO champ Tim Tszyu (26-3, 18 KOs) after the seventh round of his most recent bout, a rematch July 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs, 1 NC) was scheduled to challenge him October 25, but Fundora suffered a hand injury that necessitated a postponement.

“We were supposed to get that off in October,” promoter Tom Brown said. “We’ve done all this talk, and it’s finally here. It’s the hottest division in boxing. I believe Sebastian Fundora is the best super welterweight in the world today. And that’s saying a lot in that division. And if Keith can pull this thing off, it stamps him as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

The reserved Fundora thanked Thurman for carrying this promotion twice, an often-thankless task Thurman embraced.

“It’s just been a long time [in the] making, a lotta hype, a lotta talk,” Thurman said. “It’s been fun. I enjoy a good buildup. But, you know, I don’t know about what’s all going down – I just know Sebastian Fundora is going down. And, you know, it’s as soon as I land a great punch, man. It could be early, it can be late, but 12 rounds is not up for debate.”