Tag Archives: pacquiao

Posted on 07/13/2019

By: Hans Themistode

WBA Welterweight champ Keith Thurman has a big task in front of him. With just over a week left til his showdown with Manny Pacquiao, Thurman took a little bit of time to address the media during a recent conference call.

For the undefeated Thurman, to say that he has not been very active would be putting it mildly. Before making a successful return, albeit a lackluster one against veteran fighter Josesito Lopez, Thurman was absent from the ring for 22 months. An elbow injury, followed by a bruised hand was the reasoning behind it.

Before going down with injuries, Thurman was the face of the division. Now that he is back, he is looking to reassert himself as the man to beat at 147. His bout against Lopez showed that undefeated title holder had a long way to go before he could fully return to form.

In that bout he was stunned and almost stopped in the seventh round. Not like exactly the results Thurman was looking for. Still, he managed to get away with the victory and is fully expecting a much better version of himself when he takes on the future hall of famer and fighting senator Manny Pacquiao on July 20th, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

His showdown with Pacquiao is one that was a bit unexpected. There is a growing assumption that this bout is only taking place because of a level of vulnerability that Thurman showed in his last contest. That doesn’t matter to Thurman, he has the fight he’s always wanted and could care less why it materialized.

“That’s been the talk of the town,” said Thurman. “Since I didn’t look as sharp against Lopez like people are used to seeing that maybe the reason why Pacquiao choose me, but at the end of the day who cares?”

In terms of any nerves he could be possibly feeling heading into the biggest contest of his career, there isn’t any. Pacquiao doesn’t just have arguably the best resume of anyone in the sport of boxing today, but his resume rivals that of anyone in history. Thurman, to his credit, has his own impressive accolades. One that he feels carries its own weight.

“Everyone keeps talking about the resume of Pacquiao but what about Keith Thurman? Last I checked, Keith Thurman has the best resume at 147. Two years away from the game and I still have the best resume. I am one of the best fighters in the world.”

The notion that Thurman has the best resume at 147 is debatable. One thing that isn’t debatable however, is that this contest is sure to bring fireworks. For all of his bravado and trash talking of the legend, Thurman did acknowledge just how special this moment is for him.

“This an amazing opportunity, it’s as if I’m fighting Sugar Ray Leonard himself. It’s as if I’m fighting Roberto Duran. This is Manny Pacquiao we’re talking about here. This is a tremendous feeling and it will feel even better when my hand is raised at the end of the night.”

Thurman is correct in his assessment. Pacquiao is a legend that has earned his place amongst the pantheon of greats. With a victory, Thurman will begin to etch his own name in history.

Posted on 07/12/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Manny Pacquiao is many things. A philanthropist, the senator to his home country in the Philippines, the only eight division world champion and a boxing legend.

Angry and easily riled up are words that don’t associate with the man nicknamed Pac Man.

As Pacquiao continues to train for his July 20th showdown with undefeated WBA Welterweight title holder Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), he is pissed.

During the build up to their matchup, Thurman has said over and over that he is going to put Pac Man to sleep. Even going as far as to say that he won’t be able to make it to the sixth round. If you ask Thurman, he’ll tell you that he is in no way trying to disrespect his opponent. He is simply pontificating himself in the best way he knows how. Pacquiao, on the other hand, is exasperated.

“I’m just so motivated for this fight. He’s talks too much, but when he gets in the ring with me it will be a different story. He’s even gotten my mom upset, so yeah I am very motivated.”

The cautionary tale of Ricky Hatton comes to mind. Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), dismantled the former world champion in two rounds when they matched up back in May of 2009. It was quick, swift and harsh. That is the level of drubbing, that Pacquiao is looking to unleash come fight night.

“I have not been this motivated since the Ricky Hatton fight. I am always motivated for every contest but this is a little extra.”

Trying to bait the eight division champion champion into giving a brash statement is unlikely. His trainer, hall of famer Freddie Roach, has no such issues.

“We’re going to knock him out,” said Roach. “I think he can take a punch but if he comes looking for a fight and looking to exchange like he’s been saying then we’ll knock him out.”

Roach ended his segment of the interview by telling the world his views on Thurman, or “One Time” as he has been known to go by, for his tendency of ending his contest with just one blow.

“He’s a good fighter, but nothing that we haven’t seen before,” said Roach. “It’s one time vs all-time.”

Posted on 07/09/2019

By: Hans Themistode

For the vast majority of Manny Pacquiao’s career, he has stepped inside of the ring as the betting favorite. As an eight division world champion it’s easy to see why. On July 20th, in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will stand across the ring from current WBA Welterweight champion Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs).

Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) is once again the betting favorite, but should he be?

Experience goes a long way in the sport of boxing, and Pacquiao has an abundance of it. In 1995 Thurman was running around his Kindergarten classroom preparing himself to do such things as recite the alphabet and getting in his daily naps. Pacquiao on the other hand, was making his boxing debut. The age gap between these two is an entire decade.

It isn’t just experience that has pushed Pacquiao as the favorite, at least in the eyes of the betting public. Although the resume of Thurman is impressive, it cannot compare to that of his adversary come July 20th. The eight division world champion has shared the ring with the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley Jr, Miguel Cotto and of course Floyd Mayweather. Simply put, there won’t be anything that Thurman can bring to the table come fight night that Pacquiao hasn’t seen before.

With the mental side of this bout squarely in the favor of Pacquiao, it is Thurman who holds a massive edge from a physical perspective. The WBA Welterweight title holder will enjoy a two inch height advantage and a four inch reach advantage. Thurman also seems to have a bit more pop in his punches as well. At age 40, and with 70 fights to his name, there is no doubt that the odometer of Pacquiao is reaching its critical point. Still, the betting public are fully expecting Pacquiao to get the job done come fight night.

The question has yet to be answered. Should Pacquiao be favored over his much younger opponent? No he should not.

Thurman is a truly great fighter that is in the prime of his career. Don’t be fooled by his last performance against Josesito Lopez. It was a contest where Thurman was expected to dominate. Instead, he struggled against the long time veteran fighter. Pay no attention to that performance as Thurman was ending a two year lay off and was just getting back into the thick of things. Expect him to look much more like the version of himself who outpointed both Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter.

Keith Thurman is being highly underestimated going into this contest. Pacquiao shouldn’t be the favorite going in, but he can very well still win it. This will be a close back forth contest. It’s anyones guess as to who exactly will win but Thurman should be viewed as the fighter who has the upper hand.

Posted on 07/03/2019

By: Rahat Haque

It was music to all of our ears when we heard Manny Pacquiao would fight Keith Thurman on July 20th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Both fighters took a step down in competition in their last matches in facing Adrien Broner and Josesito Lopez respectively. Obviously, this irked many fans who do not want the stars of the game to partake in any fights that may remotely resemble a warm up or tune up. In their eyes, every star of the boxing game should keep taking leaps in the level of opposition fought. Even if Manny cleaned his division in the past, that did not excuse him from fighting the best out there at present. In Thurman’s case, even if he was on a steady progress to fight the best out there, such as getting the W versus Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia in recent memory, it was high time for him to fight the main man at 147 or an active legend in Pacquiao. As he is doing the latter, all fans’ wants have been met!

The result of this fight definitely means more to Keith “One Time” Thurman than it does to Pacquaio. Pacquiao’s motivations remain the same as it had been during the Broner fight. He loves fighting, wants to stay sharp, and possibly entice Mayweather out of retirement for one more gratuitous payday. Nobody will bat an eyelid if the 40 year old senator loses. It is not the same for Thurman, who has taken a lot of heat already for being relatively inactive compared to his compatriots at 147. A loss here would further plummet his stock by taking away the undefeated chip from his table. We have seen many arrogant undefeated fighters get used to defeat very quickly after they have tasted their first loss. That is not a road Thurman would like to embark on. Especially with much tougher challenges in Errol Spence and Terrence Crawford on the horizon.

From initial study of the tape, Thurman has his work cut out for him. He is undefeated, but not invincible. He took a lot of punishment versus Porter, Garcia and Lopez. He does not have the best defense, and he himself will tell you that he is not a defense oriented fighter. But yet he can box on the outside, as he had shown against Jan Zavek. But that was only because the seasoned Slovenian was extremely one dimensional and clearly was not ready for Thurman’s athleticism and range. When Porter matched Thurman’s athleticism, or when Garcia posed an element of danger with equivalent power, Thurman’s real instincts as a boxer came out. He edged both of those fights, but not without losing multiple rounds, and moments of vulnerability in almost every round. Manny Pacquiao, despite being 40, is more like the two aforementioned fighters, and less like Jan Zaveck. He will switch angles on you, he will look to pounce when he can, and so Thurman’s lack of defense may be unveiled once more.

But what Keith has going for him is that if there is another fighter of his caliber who also does not care about defense, it’s Manny. Indeed if Thurman has taken punishment, Pacquiao has taken hellish torture throughout his career. This makes the fight next month all the more fan friendly. It will be action packed, and it could come down to a battle of attrition. In which case, it is unbelievable to predict the different outcomes of the match, as all of which are wild! Thurman has looked vulnerable plenty of times, and it is not hard to envision him suffer technical knock out (TKO). Pacquiao on the other hand has been knocked out clean, and it is not hard to envision him suffering the same fate against Thurman.

Pacquiao’s straight left could debilitate him, and if he freezes up like he has shown to do in occasions versus Porter or Garcia, he could be in for a long night. Alternatively, engaging with Pacquiao is not any better for the Florida pugilist. Taking that road could leave him badly exposed. If Lopez could hurt him, so can Pacquiao. Keith has talked about that not materializing, because of Pacquiao’s shorter reach. That invariably gives away his gameplan, though it was not difficult to guess to begin with. Keith “One Time” Thurman, will be very patient staying on the outside, cocking his head back as needed to evade all of Pacman’s power shots. He will commit on his own shots, but only when Manny is lunging in. He won’t commit at the same level when he is being the aggressor.

From Manny’s point of view, he cannot afford to be passive. The shorter man never outboxes the vastly lankier man, not just in height, but reach. But he can hurt him with power or speed. On July 20th, the Filipino slugger will try to do what he does best, i.e., turn the match into a slugfest. If he is successful in doing that than he has a shot. Otherwise, Keith is the favorite. It may be an unpopular opinion right now, given how easy Manny is to root for, and how everyone is cheering for the active legend. But at the same time, Keith has quietly taken too much flack for his inactivity. Arguably, the third best fighter at 147 is being talked about like he won’t even graze the top five. He will want to make a decisive statement. The world awaits. What a treat this fight is going to be!

Posted on 06/27/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Its been a long and storied career for Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs). Arguably no one in the history of boxing has a better resume, as it is littered with hall of famer after hall of famer. The boxer turned Filipino Senator has won world titles in a record eight weight division.

Come July 20th in Las Vegas, Nevada he will have the toughest test of his career. On that night he will be taking on the undefeated WBA Welterweight champion Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs). The aforementioned Thurman isn’t quite a hall of famer but he is a legitimate great fighter that is in the prime of his career.

Pacquiao has faced a who’s who of fighters. His four fights with Juan Manuel Marquez were all classic battles. Marquez, who is a four division world champion and surefire lock to get into the hall of fame, only managed to get one victory from Pacquiao. How about Erik Morales? Again, another absolute lock for the hall, managed to defeat Pacquiao once in their three battles with one another. Pacquiao put an end to their rivalry with a third round knockout win in their last contest, proving that he is the superior fighter between the two.

Marco Antonio Barrera entered the ring twice against Pacquiao and both times he failed to get his hand raised after the bout. Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Timothy Bradley Jr, Shane Mosley and of course, the one and only Floyd Mayweather have stepped inside of the squared circle with the eight division world champion. Pacquiao didn’t always leave with the victory but he always battled to the end. In fact, of those names that were just rattled off, only Floyd Mayweather managed to remain unbeaten against the Filipino star.

Does Keith Thurman deserve a spot amongst this illustrious group? Take nothing away from the career Thurman has put together thus far, but he does not. With that being said however, he is slowly but surely making his own path to the hall of fame. Victories over Robert Guerrero, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia have proven his level of greatness in this current day and age.

When compared to the other great Welterweights of his current class including Errol Spence Jr, Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter, Thurman has put together a resume that trumps all of theirs.

Although Thurman wont be the best fighter Pacquiao has faced, he will be the most difficult when considering the circumstances. When Manny faced his murderous row of competition, he was roughly around the same age of his competitors. In the case of his July 20th opponent Keith Thurman, Pacquiao will have a decided age disadvantage of 10 years, 40 years of age compared to just 30 years of age for Thurman.

The eight division world champion has never ducked a challenge. Come fight night, he will rely on his experience and skill to overcome his much younger opponent. Let’s be clear, this contest is not a mismatch. It’s a testament to the skill that Pacquiao possesses to still be able to compete at an elite level even into his 40s.

On paper, this won’t be the toughest bout of his career however, make no mistake about it, Pacquiao will have to push himself to the limit to secure this victory. Keith Thurman will prove to be the toughest test of his hall of fame career.

Posted on 06/21/2019

By: Sean Crose

“I’m always going to come to fight,” 16-2-1 super welterweight Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams told me back in January. That attitude has proven to be quite successful for the 32 year old fighter out of New Haven. For now, Williams has been slotted to fight on the undercard of the highly anticipated Keith Thurman-Manny Pacquiao bout which is going down July 20th in Las Vegas. His opponent will be the 24-3 Abel Ramos of Arizona. “I know he’s a tough, tough fighter,” Williams says of the man he will share the ring with. “I’m just ready for a war.”

Williams says he found out about the match “about three days ago,” though he knew “it was in the works.” Although the fight may be on short notice (Pacquiao and Thurman, for instance, have been training for July 20th for some time), Williams has been keeping himself in shape since his last bout in March. The fighter indicates that now it’s simply a case of taking things to the next level. “I’ve got to step it up,” he states matter of factly, showing the attitude required for a fighter on the rise. “I accept the challenge,” he says.

Williams is living proof that a loss or two isn’t the end of a career. Although he walked into his last fight with a single loss on his resume, Williams was defeated by Mark DeLuca via Unanimous Decision last winter in Boston. DeLuca was essentially the hometown fighter, and it’s been indicated in some quarters that the judges’ ruling that night was arguable. Williams, however, didn’t let the matter sink him emotionally. “I never doubted myself,” he says. “I knew some opportunities will come.” Williams thought right, as Thruman-Pacquiao is one of the most anticipated cards of the year.

“I’m ready for the challenge.”,” says Williams, who will be training in the New Haven area until just before the bout, when he will head out west. He has good reason to stay home as much as possible, as those who follow his Facebook feed can attest that Williams is openly and happily a family man – something that’s unique, perhaps, in this era of flash and trash talk. Not that Williams isn’t eager to show what he’s made of in his next fight. Being impressive on one of the top cards of the year has it’s benefits.

“If they don’t know me,” Williams says of fight fans, “they’ll know after the fight.”

Posted on 05/29/2019

By: Waqas Ali

Boxing’s only eight division titlist Manny Pacquiao has been in a battle of verbal exchanges with Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman over the possibility of retirement.

The pair are scheduled to meet in a welterweight clash on July 20 for a Fox pay-per-view event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Thurman (29-0) will be defending his WBA welterweight belt for a third time against Pacquiao and has vowed to end the Filipino’s career in retirement.

“If you understand boxing history, you know that times change,” Thurman said.

“Boxing is in a new era. Come July 20, Pacquiao will disappear. He’ll always be remembered in the sport, but I’m doing to Pacquiao what he did to Oscar De La Hoya. I’m excited to be the guy who shows Manny Pacquiao where the exit is.”

The reference to De La Hoya was when Pacquiao retired the Mexican – American fighter in their 2008 bout. Pacquiao had moved up three weight classes for that bout.

But Pacquiao (61-7-2), who’s been a professional fighter for 24 years, insisted that he’s not ready to retire and will decide on his own terms.

“He’s saying things before we fight, but I will send a message to him in the ring about exactly who he’s fighting; he will come to know that,” Pacquiao said Wednesday as he and Thurman stopped at the Beverly Hills Hotel to promote their bout.

“No man can dictate when I’m going to retire.

“I’ve been in this sport two decades. Nobody intimidates me. Thurman should respect his elders, especially this elder.”

When the 40-year-old legend spoke to reporters at a press conference on Wednesday, they asked him on his thoughts regarding Thurman considering retirement, should he lose to Pacquiao, he simply said: “He will retire.”

There was a huge distinction from both fighters in their recent bouts.

Pacquiao fought former four-division titlist Adrien Broner in January and outclassed him for 12 rounds.

The speed. The timing and the footwork was executed really well and for most of the fight Broner could not respond to the punches utilised by Pacquiao.

According to Compubox, Pacquiao landed 112 of 568 punches (20 percent), and Broner connected on 50 of 295 (17 percent).

Many viewers and spectators at ringside felt that it was like the Pacquiao of old. For Broner, it was lowest amount of punches he’d ever landed going the 12 round distance.

Thurman on the other hand fought Josesito López and after a year and a half away from the ring he was pushed to his limits in this bout.

By Compubox statistics, Thurman landed 247 of 899 punches (27%), and Lopez connected on 117 of 513 (22%).

There were times in the fight where Thurman was troubled in the middle rounds and in particular rounds seven and eight.

Though he managed to survive and won on two of the three judges’ scorecards, it had raised doubts of the 30-year-old’s ability to defeat a man of experience like Pacquiao, who was already a 3-weight world champion when Thurman turned pro.

Regarding the purse for the bout, there has been no official confirmation of how much Thurman will be making but sources have indicated Pacquiao will be making at least $20 million for the bout.

This bout is a crucial one for both fighters as one could contemplate retirement higher than the other. Pacquiao in particular had not stated when he would retire specifically but a loss against Thurman could be the option for him.

A second fight with Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather would be a mega sell as boxing fans have been yearning for it since the first. It broke records in gate, television, tickets and purses. But neither Mayweather nor Pacquiao have come close to negotiations.

Thurman, however has stated that if he were to lose to The Fighting Pride of the Philippines, he would possibly consider commentating as a fighting analysis broadcaster.

“Pshh … probably,” Thurman said when asked about retiring if Pacquiao beats him.

“I’d at least think about it. I’d at least be like, ‘Can I do some more commentating or something? Can I do some more commentating?’ Momma said I look good in a suit. I don’t think she wants to see her boy get punched on TV. Getting beat up by an old man.”

It’s really doubtful that this could be the case considering that it would the one loss in his record and that he would still a lot in his ammunition to offer.

Especially when the welterweight division is packed with exceptional talent and potential rivals such Terence Crawford, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence Jr, Danny Garcia and Mikey Garcia.

Posted on 05/24/2019

By: Kirk Jackson

The man known as “One Time” finally has his time across boxing’s biggest stage on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View. The date July 20th, 2019 is finally etched in stone, as former unified welterweight champion and current WBA (Super) welterweight champion Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KO’s), takes on eight-division and current WBA (Regular) welterweight champion, Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KO’s).

For a large portion of his unblemished career, the Clearwater city-native chased the big fish. He famously chastised Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KO’s) for years, although while managing to conveniently circumvent a looming, menacing, encounter with a shark in the form of current IBF welterweight champion, Errol Spence (25-0, 21 KO’s).

However, en route to unifying the WBA and WBC welterweight titles, Thurman conquered former multi-division world champion Robert Guerrero (35-6-1, 20 KO’s), along with a series of other former world titlists. Thurman culminated his quest, defeating current WBC welterweight champion Shawn Porter (30-2-1, 17 KO’s) and former two-division champion Danny Garcia (35-2, 21 KO’s), capturing the WBC welterweight title in a unification bout.

A series of nagging injuries, along with a string of personal events subsequently followed, keeping Keith on the shelf for approximately 22 months. After a successful return bout and bouncing back from nearly a two-year absence, Thurman finally reeled in the catch of a lifetime in the form of Pacquiao.

The question beckons, now that he finally has this once in a lifetime opportunity, can “One-Time” still live up to his moniker under the bright lights of Showtime? Its been a long-time since he delivered on his promise of “KO’s for life.”

Not everyone is Deontay Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KO’s); armed with a right hand possessing the power of Thor’s hammer. And knockouts are not necessary, as of course this is the “Sweet Science.”

But when the fighter professes his love of knock-outs, with several quotes referencing such,
knock-outs should be delivered.

The last time Thurman stopped an opponent was Dec 14, 2013 – stopping gritty Jesús Soto Karass on the undercard of Adrien Broner vs. Marcos Maidana.

In spite of the recent uphill battle, in his comeback bout after two years of inactivity against Josesito López, Thurman is still in a good position to end his KO-less streak against an aging fighter.

“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity to get a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Thurman at the Los Angeles Press Conference for Pacquiao-Thurman.

“The right circumstances have aligned for it to happen now and I’m grateful for that. Me and my team are looking forward to it. It’s going to be an honor to be in the ring with Manny Pacquiao. It’s going to be fun to go back to MGM Grand in my first pay-per-view with FOX Sports. I believe that Ben Getty would be very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish. He said I’d be able to dominate the welterweight division and be a multi-million-dollar fighter and a star in the sport.”

Thurman also eluded to weaknesses and deficiencies in Pacquiao’s style during the press conference.

“Manny Pacquiao is beatable. He’s been beaten before in his career. He’s a fan favorite and a legend. For me his boxing tactics are predictable. He fights in spurts and you have to take advantage of that. You have to be respectful of his power. But I believe my movement, athleticism and ring knowledge will be able to present him something he’s not seen in all his years of boxing.”

Thurman is in an interesting timeframe for boxing and for his weight class at welterweight. Regarded as one of boxing’s deepest divisions, match-ups of historic proportions remain a foreseeable possibility.

The champion from Clearwater, FL has the opportunity to align his stars with some of the greats of yesteryear and even with those of recent memory. Although the bulk of “One-Time’s” career is embedded in the pages of history, there are still many chapters left to unwind; meaning much is left to be determined and he has the opportunity to construct his legend.

Thurman believes his time is now and that with Pacquiao and Mayweather gone from the sport, it’ll leave him, Errol Spence, Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter as the main guys in the 147-pound division.

The narrative of the eventual fight and the story is the already cemented legacy of Pacquiao, with Thurman chasing his footsteps. Although the focus is on one another, each fighter frequently mentioned in the past, and even still to this day, another legendary fighting potentially fighting into the equation.

“It’s really important to have a (rematch) with Floyd (Mayweather),” Pacquiao told FOX Sports’ Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe during a recent edition of Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on FS1. “Some fans still doubt who won the fight.”

“I still believe I deserved to win. But like I said, I respect the judges. It’s why we want the rematch though; people have a lot of question marks in their minds.”

Not certain many people doubt who truly won the fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather, nor is there much demand to the see the bout, as both fighters are in their 40s.

But as history indicates, whenever there’s a fight with Mayweather involved, typically it generates a lot of money for all parties involved.

Regarding Thurman, in speaking with Sporting News, he mentioned, “There were moments where I kind of knew Floyd (Mayweather) was not looking at me as an opponent toward the end of his career. One of those moments was when I became the WBA (Regular) champion and he became the [WBA] (Super) champion because the (Super) champion is not required to fight mandatories, so I could not force Floyd Mayweather in any position to step in the ring with me.”

“I just don’t think I was on Floyd’s to-do list and then I had a few minor setbacks – not the same as the elbow surgery, but some shoulder problems at that time,” Thurman added.

While referencing Pacquiao and Mayweather, it’s interesting analyzing and comparing Thurman’s career, to the two main legendary figures he is in pursuit of. It’s always fun to compare resumes and speculate right?

Keith Thurman: World Titles, World Title Fights and other feats

World Titles
• WBA Welterweight (Interim/Regular) Title (July 27, 2013 – January 28, 2015; 5 defenses).
• WBA Welterweight (Super) Title (February 7, 2017 – present; 3 defenses).
• WBC Welterweight Title (March 4, 2017 – April 24, 2018; 0 defenses).
o Vacated WBC Welterweight Title in 2018.

Championship Record
(7-0, 3 KO’s) against world champions.
(5-0, 1 KO’s) in world title fights.

Notable opponents: Carlos Quintana, Julio Diaz, Luis Collazo, Shawn Porter, Robert Guerrero and Danny Garcia.

Other Accomplishments
• Defeated 4 undefeated opponents with ten or more bouts.
• The Ring Magazine Prospect of the Year (2012).
• Winner of 2 World Titles.

Manny Pacquiao: World Titles, World Title Fights and other feats

World Titles
• WBC World Flyweight Title (December 1998-September 1999; 1 defense).
• IBF World Super Bantamweight Title (June 2001-2003; 4 defenses).
• WBC World Super Featherweight Title (March 2008-July 2008; 0 defenses).
• WBC World Lightweight Title (June 2008-February 2009; 0 defenses).
• WBO (3) World Welterweight Title (November 2009-June 2012; 3 defenses, April 2014-May 2015; 1 defense, November 2016-present; 0 defenses).
• WBC World Super Welterweight Title (November 2010-February 2011; 0 defenses).
• WBA World Welterweight (Regular) Title (July 2018-present; 1 defense).

Ring Magazine Title
• World Featherweight Title (November 2003-March 2005; 2 defenses).
• World Junior Lightweight Title (March 2008-July 2008; 0 defenses).
• World Junior Welterweight Title (May 2009-July 2010; 0 defenses).

Lineal Title
• World Flyweight Title (December 1998-September 1999).
• World Featherweight Title (November 2003-March 2005).
• World Junior Lightweight Title (March 2008-July 2008).
• World Junior Welterweight Title (May 2009-July 2010).
• World Welterweight Title (April 2016).

Championship Record
• Has a record of 18-4-2 (9 KO’s) in world title fights.
• Has a record of 24-6-2 (11 KO’s) against former, current, and future world champions.
• Has a record of 5-1 (4 KO’s)* against International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees.
** As of 2019.

Notable opponents: Juan Manuel Marquez (4), Erik Morales (3), Marco Antonio Barrera (2), Chatchai Singwangcha, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley (3), Floyd Mayweather, Chris Algieri and Joshua Clottey.

Other accomplishments
• Only boxer with 5 Lineal Titles.
• Only boxer with world titles spanning across 8 divisions.
• Winner of 9 World Titles.

Floyd Mayweather: World Titles, World Title Fights and other feats

World Titles
• WBC Super Featherweight Title (1998-2002; 8 defenses).
• WBC Lightweight Title (2002-2004; 3 defenses).
• WBC Super Lightweight Title (2005; 0 defenses).
• IBF Welterweight Title (2006; 0 defenses)
• WBC (2) Welterweight Title (2006-2008; 1 defense, 2011-2015; 5 defenses).
• WBC Super Welterweight Title (2), (2007; 0 defenses, 2013-2015; 1 defense).
• WBA Super Welterweight (Super) Title (2012-2016; 1 defense).
• WBA Welterweight (Super) Title (2014-2016; 3 defenses).
• WBO Welterweight Title (2015; 0 defenses)
• Unified Junior Middleweight Title (2013-2015; WBA, WBC).
• Unified Welterweight Title (2), (2014-2015; WBC, WBA, 2015; WBC, WBA, WBO).
• Simultaneously held WBC Welterweight Title and WBC Junior Middleweight Title (2007).
o Vacated WBC Junior Middleweight Title in 2007.
o Vacated WBC Welterweight Title in 2008.
• Simultaneously held WBC Welterweight Title and WBA Junior Middleweight Title (2012-2015).
• Simultaneously held WBC Welterweight Title and Unified Junior Middleweight Title (WBA, WBC) (2013-2015).
• Simultaneously held Unified Welterweight Title (WBC, WBA) and Unified Junior Middleweight Title (WBA, WBC) (2014-2015).
• Simultaneously held Unified Welterweight Title (WBC, WBA, WBO) and Unified Junior Middleweight Title (WBA, WBC) (2015).
o Stripped of WBO Welterweight Title in 2015.
o Vacated WBC Welterweight Title and WBC Junior Middleweight Title in 2015.
o Vacated WBA Welterweight Title and WBA Junior Middleweight Title in 2016.

The Ring Magazine Title
• World Lightweight Title (2002-2004).
• World Welterweight Title (2), (2006-2008, 2013-2015).
• World Junior Middleweight Title (2013-2015).

Lineal Title
• World Junior Lightweight Title (1998-2002).
• World Lightweight Title (2002-2004).
• World Welterweight Title (2), (2006-2008, 2010-2015).
• World Junior Middleweight Title (2013-2015).

Championship Record
• (26-0, 10 KO’s) in world title fights.
• (23-0, 9 KO’s) in lineal title fights.
• (24-0, 7 KO’s) against world champions.
• Has a record of (13-0, 3 KO’s) against former or current lineal titlists.
• Has a record of (2-0, 1 KO’s)* against International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees.
** As of 2019.

Notable opponents: Genaro Hernandez, Zab Judah, Jesus Chavez, Angel Manfredy, Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz, Ricky Hatton, Manny Pacquiao, Robert Guerrero, Arturo Gatti, Shamba Mitchell, DeMarcus Corley, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo (2), Marcos Maidana (2), Carlos Baldomir, Andre Berto and Canelo Alvarez.

Other accomplishments
• Fourth boxer to win a world title in at least five weight divisions (Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya).
• Second boxer to win a lineal title in at least four weight divisions (Manny Pacquiao).
• Holds the record for most world titles held simultaneously 5 (WBC, WBA, WBO Welterweight Titles and WBA, WBC Super Welterweight Titles).
• Olympic Bronze Medalist*
• Winner of 11 World Titles.

While comparing Thurman to Pacquiao and Mayweather by the numbers, it looks skewed heavily in favor of the legends. Albeit minor, there are discrepancies with some of the numbers.

For example, Thurman’s title defenses of his WBA (Regular) Welterweight Title are not tallied as official title defenses – at least according to Boxrec. However, that very same title (the world title Pacquiao currently covets) is listed as an official title defense against Adrien Broner across the very same site.

Another question is how the Lineal and The Ring titles are tallied. The Ring title, differing from the four sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO) awarded world title belts since 1922 and have their own championship policy. Again, minor details perhaps not truly important when grading fighters and their respective careers at the end of the day.

Nonetheless, it’s a tall mountain to climb for Thurman, if he truly intends to walk the same footprints traveled by his pugilistic predecessors.

“Manny Pacquiao fought Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao fought Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao fought ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley, so sharing the ring with Manny Pacquiao is like sharing the ring with all of these legends of the past.”

"There is no more Floyd and soon there will be no more Pacquiao.”@keithfthurmanjr is ready to put Manny to bed. 😴 pic.twitter.com/mHSb6u3yni

— Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) May 21, 2019

It’s more than just sharing the ring with a legend. The truly great fighters, want to supplant the other great fighter rivaling them across the corner, each and every fight. Many don’t want to shine amongst the other great stars, they want to shine brighter; shine the brightest.

Come July, spectators will see which star illuminates brightest. The verdict is already out on Pacquiao, but the world will see how great Thurman truly is and if he can catch and surpass the legends he is chasing.

Posted on 05/22/2019

Eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten welterweight world champion Keith Thurman, plus unbeaten super middleweight champion Caleb Plant and unbeaten Mike Lee,squared-off for the second day in a row Wednesday, this time at a Los Angeles press conference as they previewed their respective showdowns taking place Saturday July 20 presented by Premier Boxing Champions and FOX Sports from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao and Thurman will battle in a welterweight world title attraction that headlines a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Plant will make the first defense of his title against the unbeaten Lee in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes preceding the Pay-Per-View and beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office. Plant vs. Lee is presented by TGB Promotions and Sweethands Promotions.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles:

MANNY PACQUIAO

“It’s easy for my opponents to talk before the fight, and I’m used to everything they say. But when we get to the ring, it changes, and it will change on July 20.

“I chose Keith Thurman because he’s a great fighter, he’s undefeated and because we can give a good fight to the fans. I want to make the fans happy on that night and show that I can still go toe-to-toe with any opponent.

“He said he’s young, but we’ll see who looks young in the ring on July 20. I’m going to let my fists say everything for me.

“We will work hard in training camp like always for this fight. We’re not going to take Keith Thurman lightly or underestimate him. He’s a world champion. I’m thankful for what he’s been saying, because it’s giving me motivation to prove that at 40-years-old, I feel 29.

“Keith Thurman is aggressive and throws a lot of punches. I’m hoping on July 20 he will follow through with what he says and fight toe-to-toe with me.

“The fans need to watch this fight because it’s a once in a lifetime fight. It’s going to be a Fight of the Year and full of action from start to finish. I’m ready to get it on July 20.

“Most of my opponents are bigger than me and I beat them all. When we get into the ring, it doesn’t matter. This has happened before and it will happen again against Thurman.

“My experience will be very important for this fight. It’s going to be useful against an undefeated fighter. I’m going to give him the experience of losing for the first time.

“I’m still having fun and enjoying the sport. I’m excited to go straight to the gym after this and start focusing on training for the fight.”

KEITH THURMAN

“It’s a blessing to be on this stage and have a fight of this magnitude. I’m an all-American fighter, an all-American champion and come July 20, I’m going to stay champion.

“Manny is a world class fighter. He’s a gentleman inside and outside of the ring. I look forward to trading punches with a living legend. But one thing’s for sure, he’s not walking away with my title.

“All Manny does is hop around in the ring. I’m not going to lose to a bunny rabbit. He’s not Tupac, but he does a little hip hop and he’s not going to stop until he gets dropped.

“Manny is a world class fighter, not a world class boxer. I’m going to trip him up in the ring and he won’t know what direction to turn to. I know who I am as a fighter, and it will be proven come July 20.

“I’m destroying the legend of Manny Pacquiao. His legacy ends on July 20 and mine begins. He’s an inspiration to many people throughout the world and everyone respects him, but I’m respectfully going to finish him.

“This is a big fight as far as the stage goes, but it’s a big fight against a little guy. He’s a veteran and I’ve dismantled veterans in the past. I believe I would have destroyed Manny Pacquiao five years ago. I’ve always been ready for this fight. He’s never fought someone like me with this kind of lateral movement, speed and power. I’m coming for him.

“I was in the gym four weeks ago starting some preparations. I wanted to get the ball rolling and use the momentum from my last training camp for this opportunity. Who better to showcase my skills and talent against than Manny Pacquiao? He chose me because it will be a guaranteed action fight.

“I think this is one of the best Manny Pacquiao fights in a long time. I’m going to bring it. Pacquiao did not get reminded in his last fight what it feels like to be up against a real champion. I’m the youngest, fastest, hungriest fighter that he’s ever been in the ring with. July 20, it’s the ‘Keith Thurman show’.”

CALEB PLANT

“I never consider myself the A-side because my history says that I shouldn’t even be here. As beautiful as the belt is, it’s about more to me than that. It’s about legacy for me. I’ve been carrying myself as a world champion since the day I started this journey, so this is nothing new to me.

“I’m the whole package. I have speed, I have footwork, I have power, I have the heart and the will to win. Until you find someone else who’s all that, I’m going to keep having my hand raised.

“Where I’m from, there’s confrontation every day. This is nothing new to me. There are times I was told that I wouldn’t make it. Nobody paved the way for me like I’m from New York or Los Angeles. I paved my own way.

“Mike Lee is in uncharted territory. I’m curious on how he plans on beating me. Does he plan on roughing me up and trying to knock me out like my last opponent? Can he do that better than Jose Uzcategui? Is he going to try to outbox me with his hand and foot speed? Because there’s no person from 160 to 175 who could do that.

“I’ve been committed to the same thing for the last 18 years straight. Rain, sleet or snow, I stayed committed. I’m bred for this. I was created for this. It’s the only thing I’ve done my whole life. On July 20, I’ll be keeping the thing that I’ve worked my whole entire life for.

“At every decision that has to be made, you can go left or you can go right. From the genesis of my being, every time it was the moment to make a tough decision, I went the same way. Because I do not bend or fold for anything. No matter what’s tossed my way, this journey must go on for me. He said he has nothing to lose, but I have everything to lose.

“All the motivational videos that he watches and books that he reads, I’m the very essence and meaning of that. I’m the pinnacle of all those things he’s studied. You can’t learn mental fortitude in a book. Those things are earned, they’re not learned.”

MIKE LEE

“This is a dream come true for me. I’ve been through so much and there were days where I thought my dream was over. I’ve chased this since I was eight-years-old and I’m thankful for this chance to go after a dream that others thought I couldn’t reach.

“The beauty of this sport is that it’s only me and Caleb in there. Everyone else can only talk. I’ve been in the ring through adversity and stuck it out, because that’s the kind of person I am. I know that if I come on July 20 as the best Mike Lee possible, that I can win.

“I’ve been in the gym working every day. Doctors told me at one point that I wouldn’t fight again, but I’m still standing right here. I pushed through my pain to get here.

“I’m excited to be here in Los Angles, where we hold training camp. I’m bringing the belt back to Chicago, but Los Angeles is a second home to me.

“Today is the culmination of years of sacrifice, hard work and discipline. I’m undefeated for a reason but I feel people underestimate me and I like that. I’ve been underestimated my whole career. I’ve thrived off people say I couldn’t do it.

“I respect Caleb Plant. He’s the champion for a reason and I respect any fighter who can step into that ring. You have to be a different kind of animal to do that in front of all those people, and I am that animal.

“I’m coming with power, strength, speed and I’m going to give it everything I have. I’m going to become the new IBF Super Middleweight World Champion.”

RICHARD STURM, President of Las Vegas Live Entertainment & Sports

“I’d like to welcome back Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman, two of the world’s best fighters, back to Las Vegas and MGM Grand. Manny returns to the ring at MGM Grand following his convincing win in January while Keith will fight in Las Vegas for the first time in four years, looking to remain undefeated.

“We’re truly excited to be hosting this sensational event at MGM Grand and we look forward to seeing everybody in July.”

BILL WANGER, Executive Vice President of Programming, Research & Content Strategy for FOX Sports

“Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman is a living legend, versus a legend in the making. We’re excited to deliver an unprecedented night of boxing on July 20 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“Manny is one of boxing’s biggest stars. Keith Thurman is an undefeated world champion and a huge ratings draw. We’re excited to bring viewers inside the ropes and up close to the action on fight night, and produce extensive behind the scenes preview programming that will air across the FOX networks.

“FOX Sports is thrilled to have a battle on July 20 with such a compelling storyline to kick off a great night of championship boxing with the IBF champion Caleb Plant against the undefeated Mike Lee.

“In January, Caleb Plant headlined the most-watched boxing event ever on FS1. Now he’s fighting on the FOX network for the first time as the main event. At FOX Sports, big events that capture America’s attention are in our DNA. This fight certainly fits that bill.

“Our goal with the PBC deal is to build these fighters into household names, and we’re well on our way. We expect a great show on July 20 in Las Vegas.”

Posted on 05/22/2019

By: Sean Crose

“I’ve never been scared of a challenge,” Manny Pacquiao said during a New York press conference on Tuesday to promote his July 20th WBA welterweight title bout against Keith Thurman. “I’m so excited for this fight against an undefeated champion. He’s the kind of fighter that you can’t underestimate. His record and success gives me more motivation to work hard.”

Pacquiao, the aging great, is now in his forties – in many ways a remnant from a bygone era. Thurman, on the other hand, is in his prime, poised to be a pay per view star (the Pacquiao-Thurman match will be aired live on Pay Per View from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas). Yet Pacquiao made it clear that he doesn’t intend to be on the receiving end of a passing of the torch ceremony.

“I will make sure that I’m 100 percent and ready for this fight,” the 61-7-2 ring legend claimed. “We’ll find out what happens on July 20, but it’s going to be exciting. I like being the underdog for this fight because that gives me more focus in training.” Pacquiao also made it clear that he’s taking the fight with Thurman with the utmost seriousness.

“I’ve been careless and over confident in some fights,” he admitted, “but this time around it’s different. Keith Thurman is a good fighter and we’re going to make sure the fans are happy on July 20.”

As for the 29-0 Thurman, the enigmatic fighter exuded both confidence and respect. “Pacquiao wants a challenge and I’m very grateful to be sharing a ring with a legend,” he said. “If you understand boxing history, you know that times change. I believe boxing is in a new era. Come July 20, Pacquiao will disappear. He’ll always be remembered in the sport, but I’m doing to Manny Pacquiao, what he did to Oscar De La Hoya.”

The Florida native indicated that he intends to be the man to take Pacquiao out of the fight game. “”I’m excited to be the guy who shows Manny Pacquiao where the exit is,” said Thurman. “He’s a legend who’s done great things. But I’ve never lost to a fighter who’s lost seven times. I have no intention of losing this fight and I don’t see him winning in any shape or form.”

“Speed, power and overall ring IQ will be the difference,” Thurman continued. “I’m one of the smartest fighters in the sport. I always find a way to win. I know Pacquiao comes in shape, but he’s going to fall short of that finish line.”

Pacquiao, of course, would beg to differ.

“I chose Keith Thurman because he’s undefeated and I want to prove that at age 40 I can still beat a great fighter like Keith,” he said. “”My time is not yet over. My journey is continuing. I’m going to prove that and more on July 20 against Keith Thurman.”

Posted on 05/22/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) kicked off their media tour press conference at the Gotham Hall in New York City. The contest is slated to take place on Saturday July 20th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Thurman, who ended a 22 month lay off when he took on Josesito Lopez on January 26th at the Barclay Center, is looking to add a big name to always impressive resume. To be frank, Thurman didn’t look as sharp as he normally does in his contest against Lopez. It was clear that the long layoff had took a toll on him. Coming into this contest against Pacquiao, many have questioned which version of Thurman we are going to see come fight night. Thurman reassured everyone that he will be back to his normal self come fight night.

“I came off that 22 month layoff against Lopez and there was definitely some rust but I was able to knock it off in that fight. For my fight against Pacquiao you will be see a much better Keith Thurman. I am still an elite level boxer.”

It has been four years since Manny Pacquiao has entered a contest as the betting underdog. His 2015 fight against Floyd Mayweather. The eight division world champion is keen to this stat and admitted that it has lit a fire inside of him. One that he hasn’t felt in quite some time.

“I am very motivated. I haven’t felt this way since the Oscar De La Hoya fight. I am very motivated.” Said Pacquiao.

At age 30, Thurman will enjoy a 10 year age advantage over his foe come fight night. Not only does the undefeated Thurman believe that he will defeat Pacquiao but he also believes that it will be in devastating fashion.

“He’s a great fighter, there’s no doubt about that, he has done a lot in the sport of boxing but he’s too small. After I give him this beating he won’t want to fight anymore. If I was all of you guys I would tune in because this is going to be his last fight.”

Could this be a passing of the guard? Or will Pacquiao prove that he still has plenty left in the tank? As both men faced off one last time before a packed house in New York City, it became clear that this fight is actually taking place. Both men talked a good game, but come July 20th they will get the opportunity to stake their claim as the best in the world.

Posted on 05/11/2019

By: Sean Crose

Premiere Boxing Champions took Saturday’s Jarrett Hurd-Julian Williams televised card from Fairfax, Virginia to announce a major battle between the iconic Manny Pacquiao and the undefeated WBA welterweight titlist Keith Thurman. Pacquiao (61-7-2) was last seen besting Adrien Broner in a pay per view bout last January. Thurman (22-0) was also last seen fighting last January, when he bested Josesito Lopez in a tougher than expected bout. Pacquiao will be facing Thurman on Fox Pay Per View. No location was presented to fans Saturday evening, although the city of Las Vegas will most likely host the fight.

Al Haymon’s PBC finds itself in a fortunate position in that many, if not most, of the top welterweights in boxing now fight under it’s banner. Aside from Pacqiuao and Thurman, Errol Spence, Danny Garcia, and Shawn Porter are also PBC fighters. With IBF (and WBC “Diamond”) champion Spence reportedly being set to face Porter next, it appears pieces may be getting set into place to decide just who dominates the division (though it would be hard to declare a welterweight king without WBO champ Terence Crawford getting into the mix).

IBF super middleweight titlist Caleb Plant (18-0) will also appear on the Pacquiao-Thurman card, as it was announced that he would defend his belt against the 21-0 Mike Lee that same evening.

Posted on 04/11/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Manny Pacquiao, shocked the world this past weekend when he signed up with MMA promotional company, RIZIN. He is expected to make an appearance on the April 21st, super show. For those of you that are expecting to see Pac-man mix it up in the octagon can think again.

Pacquiao will play the roll of a Filipino Ambassador. On the card that night will be Tenshin Nasukawa who is most known for his failed attempt to defeat retired all-time great boxer Floyd Mayweather earlier this year. That contest gained public notoriety but the match itself was an utter mismatch as Mayweather dismantled Nasukawa.

Pacquiao publicly criticized Mayweather for his exploits. Although Pacquiao seemingly has no intentions of following his longtime rivals blueprint. RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara has plans of his own to make it a reality. Not only does he have visions of having Pacquiao compete in the same fashion that Floyd once did but he already has an opponent in mind as well.

“If anybody were to fight Manny in an exhibition, it would have to Takanori Gomi.”

For those unfamiliar with Gomi he is a long time veteran in the world of mixed martial arts. His professional record stands at 36 wins across 15 defeats. If these two were to matchup he would hold the advantage in terms of experience but when we take a deep look at his record it appears he is on the downside of his career. He has lost six of his past seven contests, also more importantly he is 40 years of age.

Does anyone truly want to the future hall of famer step inside the ring against Gomi? The answer to that question should be no. Could there be potentially a big pay day for him if he did indeed go through with what many believe would be a farce level match up? Absolutely.

Posted on 03/28/2019

By: Sean Crose

“Who should I fight next?” Manny Pacquiao asked on Twitter last week. The list of options included some of the biggest names in the fight game. It did not, however, include the one person many around the boxing world wish for the man to step into the ring with. Floyd Mayweather, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, and Shawn Porter were all named as potential foes in Pacquiao’s poll. And the results ended up appearing in that order, with old foil Mayweather earning 73% of the vote. Keith Thurman earned 13%, while Garcia and Porter earned 9%, and 5% respectively.

Missing from poll, though, was Errol Spence Jr., the undefeated IBF welterweight champ who recently invited Pacquiao into the ring with him after he beat Mikey Garcia in one sided fashion at AT&T Stadium outside of Dallas. Spence made it clear right then and there that he was eager to have Pacquiao as a foe. Pacquiao, mild mannered by nature, essentially said that sounded fine with him. The poll on Pacquiao’s Twitter page, however, told another story. Of course, it may well be the case that Pacquiao isn’t the person who actually created the poll. There’s no guarantee that he doesn’t allow people to post on his page.

The wide consensus among fight fans and analysts is that Pacquiao’s best ring years are behind him. After a stunning rise into the mainstream with a defeat over Oscar De La Hoya in 2008, Pacquiao went on a tear, taking out big name after big name. Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosely, and Juan Manuel Marquez all ended up earning losses against the fast fisted Filipino. After being knocked out by Marquez in stunning and brutal fashion late in 2012, however, Pacquiao started to be regarded as being on the downside on his illustrious career. Even the 2015 superbout between Pacquiao and Mayweather was widely considered to have gone down years after it should have.

Spence on the other hand, looks to be boxing’s future. A big, hard hitting welterweight, the Texan proved he was more than just a power puncher when he clearly outclassed the smaller Garcia in Dallas. Although he’s now bested big names like Garcia, and also former IBF champ Kell Brook, Spence has never met anyone with near the status of Pacquiao. Add in the fact that Spence has been seen as being avoided by his contemporaries, it’s little wonder why he’d want to get in the ring with a future Hall of Famer. Yet, having just beaten Adrien Broner in a successful pay per view event last January, Pacquiao isn’t viewed as an easy out for anyone.

Posted on 03/21/2019

By: Waqas Ali

IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr produced a masterful performance following his 12-round decision win against former world champion Mikey Garcia (39-1).

The bout took place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in front of over 47,000 fans in attendance.

Spence (25-0) executed his craft, cynical and crisp jab right from the start of the first round and kept using that for the entire round.

Garcia, a former four-division titlist did very little in terms of the activity level. The 31-year-old did step up his tactical style in the second round. Arguably that was his best round and close round to give him.

Spence, who was in the third defence of the title, stepped up his pace and landed devastating hooks in the third round that shook Garcia in his position.

The 29-year-old mixed up his punches in the middle and later stages of the fight with sharp left hooks to the head and body.

Garcia doing very little to fight back.

In round nine, Spence aka ‘The Truth’ cornered Garcia to the ropes and landed blistering body shots.

Much of the later rounds were repetition to the previous one and despite Garcia not landing any more than 10 punches per round, he showed great heart and devotion to the ring.

According to Compubox, Spence landed 345 of 1082 punches (32%). This was the most ever punches he had thrown as a professional.

This was also the most punches ever landed on Garcia.

Garcia landed only 75 of 406 punches (20%). His previous five bouts, his power punching accuracy was at above 40%. However, against Spence, he landed at a low 28%.

Spence won every single on all three judges scorecard. Reading at: 120-107 and 120-108 (twice).

The question remains: who is next for Spence and can he conquer the welterweight division?

According to a poll conducted by well-known boxing page on Twitter called Editinking, out of over 5,000 voters, 47% of them chose Terence Crawford for Spence to fight next, 28% chose Pacquiao and 15% picked Keith Thurman.

🤔 Who next for Errol Spence?

— EditinKing Boxing 🥊 (@EditinKing) March 17, 2019

In a post-fight interview of the bout, Spence instantly called out Pacquiao, who could be in the works of fighting him in July.

“Manny Pacquiao would definitely be a good fight,” Spence said.

“I’ll definitely give him that retirement check that he needs. I’m ready in July,”

Pacquiao in response stated: “Yeah, why not? We’ll give the fans a good fight. I’m so happy to be here in Dallas and I’m hoping I will be back here soon.”

For Pacquiao, this is a unique fight for him – considering the fact that he would a huge amount of money from this and to end his career on a high note would be big for him and a learning curve for Spence.

A much bigger financial award for the Filipino could be fighting the bigger fighters in the middleweight division such as Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin or the Charlo brothers.

But that is highly unlikely considering the huge weight advantage they would have over the 40-year-old veteran.

Terence Crawford, as boxing fans in the poll above, voted the most to fight Spence, is the main fight that has been going on for over two years.

He’s got great styles and variations in his arsenal of weaponry. His style of artilleries consists of footwork, speed, restricted and defensive guard, height and accuracy.

According to Compubox review, Crawford throws around 48 punches per round and connects with a rate of 35%. That’s five percent higher than the average welterweight.

In the power punching department, Crawford throws around 22 with a connect rate of 48%. That is 11% higher than the average welterweight.

Crawford opponents landed just 7 punches per round- 10 fewer than the welterweight and just 5 power shots per round.

Another fighter that could be a challenge for Spence is former two-weight world champion, Amir Khan.

Khan is always up for a challenge and has never been backed down from any competitor. He’s fought the likes of Marcos Maidana, Marco Antonio Barrera, Zab Judah, Paul McCloskey, Paulie Malignaggi, Luiz Collazo, Lamont Peterson, Danny Garcia and Canelo Alvarez.

Khan is known for his immense speed with blistering combinations which has always been his strongest asset throughout his amateur and professional career.

He would certainly be a great matchup for Spence in late 2019.

Whatever the case may be for Spence, the names listed above and in the poll are no easy target to take on. He possesses great talent and has proved it in the Kell Brook fight and even against Garcia. He is a fighter to watch out for and definitely a star of the future. Spence deserves to fight the big names in his division and boxing fans both casual and hardcore will no doubt be supporting him.