By Luis Sandoval

Keith “One Time” Thurman is on the verge of winning his first world title and making a strong move in the Welterweight division when he faces undefeated Diego Chaves this Saturday night in San Antonio, TX. Thurman and Chaves may come from different backgrounds but they both have one thing in common; they can knock people out.

Two guys who can punch fighting each other is always a recipe for excitement but when Thurman was a guest on BoxingScene Radio, he said he believes the outcome of this fight might also be decided by more than just power.

“It could come down to who lands the big punch first. It could be that simple. With Diego having 18 knockouts, me having 18 knockouts, it obvious [we] both have the one punch knockout potential and can end the fight in any given round and any given moment. But it could boil down to a lot more [like] who trained harder. If the fight doesn't end early, how is it going to look in the later rounds? Who is prepared for the later rounds and the longer fight? It's the beautiful aspect of boxing; the uncertainty” Thurman would tell BoxingScene Radio.

Thurman’s last fight against tough veteran Jan Zaveck went the full 12 rounds and even though Thurman didn’t get the stoppage, it wasn’t for lack of effort. Many may have not found the fight particularly exciting but against Chaves, Thurman expects a more thrilling affair.

“You can expect action. Golden Boy put One Time on a card with a KO bonus so you best believe I'm going to be looking for that shot. You best believe he better not hang his chin out there and leave his right hand too low. This is my time to shine. This is my life, this is my dream and part of my dream is to entertain the fans” said Thurman.

“I really do my best every time to give you guys a great performance but while I do it I also do want to protect myself in that ring. It is a very dangerous sport but this guy is going to come to fight. I'm going to step into the danger zone because in the danger zone, that's where all the action happens. And that's where I'm going to be able to do the most damage to him”.

While Thurman looks to entertain the fans, this fight will also serve as a barometer to see if Thurman is indeed ready for the next level. Diego Chaves may not be known but we’ve often seen lesser known fighters with an impressive knock out record prove to be the real deal.

“I'm just going to have to look out for his power because Diego Chavez is 22-0 with 18 knockouts. Regardless of the fact that nobody has really known of him, this is a tremendous match up and I really don't see the fight going the distance. Somebody is going to sleep Saturday night”.

You can listen to Keith “One Time” Thurman’s interview in its entirety by listening to the BoxingScene Radio Podcast:

You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007. You can also tune in to BoxingScene Radio, Boxingscene’s official audio show every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.