Tag Archives: thurman

Posted on 07/17/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) has been in some big fights in his career. Two match ups against Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia pushed him to near stardom and gave him the sort of experience you just can’t buy. Those experiences however, won’t compare to what he has ahead of him as a showdown with Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) is just a few short days away.

As we get closer, more and more experts as well as fans are backing Pacquiao to get it done against the fighter nicknamed “One Time”. No matter how much he has prepared, there is just no way to get ready for someone like Pacquiao. It’ll be a tough contest for Thurman, but one he can easily win. All he has to do is follow our keys and it will surely lead him to victory.

Set And Keep A Fast Pace

Thurman always comes out of the gates on fire. In his 2017, unification contest against Danny Garcia, he set the tone for the first half of the contest by landing some huge bombs. The second half of that fight saw Thurmans pace slow down considerably. Even in his last ring appearance, after being away from the sport of boxing while recovering from injury, he still employed the same game plan. A second round knockdown and dominant first half, really set the tempo for Thurman. Yet again, the second half of the contest was a bit shaky as he was hurt several times.

If Thurman can keep his pace consistent for both the first and second half of the fight, he should be able to run right through Manny Pacquiao. At the age of 40, Pacquiao hasn’t exactly shown signs of slowing down. With that being said, it will be difficult for him to keep up a frantic pace if Thurman chooses to push the tempo for the entire contest.

Go Down To The Body

Hardly any of Pacquiao’s opponents ever go to his body. Why is that? Pacquiao uses a ton of movement when he fights. Also at just five feet five inches, his smaller, more compact body could make it difficult to successfully attack his midsection, but still, no one has really kept a consistent attack down there.

The fighter nicked named Pac-Man has been stopped three times in his career, but those should come with an asterisk attached to them. Only once has he been stopped as this current version of himself, as the other two came at an early point in his career. With 70 fights under his belt, it’s safe to say that Pac-Man can take a punch.

Moving from side to side with a continual high energy rate can be a problem for Thurman, he needs to slow his man down. As hall of famer Teddy Atlas would say “put some water in the basement.” Or in other words. If you want to slow a guy down, go down to the body. That is exactly what Thurman should do.

Stay Off The Ropes

Thurman loves to hit and move. He’s terrific at it, but he does find himself having a few issues at times. During his matches, Thurman typically finds himself trapped against the ropes and having to fight himself off of them. Laying back on the ropes is the last place that Thurman wants to be when he’s facing Pacquiao. Once there, that’s when Pac-Man does his best work, usually letting off about a ten punch combination which gets the fans behind him and looks good for the judges.

Pacquiao is already the favorite going in. The last thing Thurman needs is the perception, although it may not be true, that Pacquiao is controlling the fight. Simply put, if he stay off the ropes Keith Thurman will keep his undefeated record intact.

Posted on 07/16/2019

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of July 9th to July 16th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Yordenis Ugas Camp Quotes

Welterweight contender, Yordenis Ugas (23-4, 11 KOs) wrapped up his final day of training camp and talks about his up coming showdown with Omar Figueroa Jr. (28-0-1, 19 KOs), a 12-round bout that will serve as the co-main event to Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao vs. WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman, ahead of their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event this Saturday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the event 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.

Here is what he said about training camp, facing another undefeated fighter, and more.

On his upcoming fight with Omar Figueroa Jr.:

“This is a big opportunity for me to derail another undefeated fighter. Omar Figueroa Jr. is a young hungry fighter who’s never tasted defeat but that will all change on July 20th. He’s never been in with an experienced fighter like me. I have the style to beat him and I’m going to let my hands fly on fight night!

On fighting in the biggest boxing event of the year:

“I can’t ask for a better situation at this stage of my career. To be fighting on FOX PPV, on the same card as one of the greatest fighters to ever step in the ring in Manny Pacquiao, is a dream come true. I’m truly blessed to be fighting on such a big stage and I’m going to give the fans a night to remember. The fans deserve a war and that’s what I’m going to give them.”

On what a win will do for his career:

“Beating an undefeated fighter like Figueroa will get me right back into a world title fight. These are the type of fights I need to win if I’m going to become a world champion. I’m determined more than ever to prove to the world that I’m one of the best welterweights in the division.”

On his recent training camp:

“Training camp is finally all wrapped up. I did my last day of sparring this past weekend. My trainer Ismael Salas has a masterful game plan in place that we believe will be the perfect blueprint to beat Figueroa. I’m in tremendous shape, ready to let me hands go.”

Devin Haney Back in the Gym Going Hard

Undefeated lightweight contender, Devin “The Dream” Haney (22-0, 14 KOs), has returned to the gym after his sensational knockout over Antonio Moran, a fight that took place at the MGM National Harbor Hotel in Maryland on May 25, 2019.

Haney, no longer a prospect, is now ranked top ten by all four sanctioning bodies in the lightweight division and is currently WBC #2, WBO #,5 WBA #3 and #9 in the IBF. Beyond that, the bible of boxing, Ring Magazine, has Devin Haney #4 on their own list of the best lightweights in the world. This is no small feat for a boxer who is barely 20-years old. Haney is back in the gym as he awaits his next fight date.

“I’m back in the gym getting ready with an unofficial date in September,” stated Haney. “Ironically the WBC ordered a lightweight tournament to decide the mandatory for the winner of Loma vs Campbell. When Teofimo Lopez went the opposite direction, it made me and Zaur Abdulaev the final elimination bout. I’m also ranked #3 WBA and #5 WBO so my opportunity for a World Title is right around the corner. I took a well deserved break that I hadn’t taken since I began the sport. Now I’m recharged and ready to reap havoc on the lightweight division.”

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring,” Haney Continued. “My time is coming and I will be 100% ready to show the everyone that I’m ready for a world title shot.”

Coming this Saturday: Pacquiao vs. Thurman Broadcast Live to US Movie Theaters

Boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Philippine Senator and regular WBA welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao returns to face undefeated Super WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman in a powerhouse 147-pound showdown broadcast live on Saturday, July 20 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. With his speed, power and tremendous boxing skills, Thurman represents the most dangerous challenger that the future Hall of Famer Pacquiao has faced in recent bouts. This high-stakes match will firmly give the winner a claim for the top spot in one of boxing’s deepest and most talented divisions.

Tickets for “Pacquiao vs. Thurman” can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices now.

The live broadcast of “Pacquiao vs. Thurman” presented by Fathom Events, Premier Boxing Champions and FOX Sports is set for Saturday, July 20 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. AK / 3:00 p.m. HI. Boxing fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 175 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). A complete list of theater locations is available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

In his last match on January 19, Pacquiao put on a vintage performance against four-division champion Adrien Broner, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision in the 70th match of his illustrious career. It was his first time fighting in the U.S. in two years. Before that, he scored an impressive knockout over Lucas Matthysse to win his version of the WBA welterweight championship in Malaysia last July 15.

The 30-year-old Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) is the longest reigning welterweight champion in boxing, having collected his WBA title with a stoppage victory over Diego Chaves in 2013. He has successfully defended that title eight times and became a unified welterweight champion when he defeated Danny Garcia by split decision to win the WBC title. Thurman was out of action for nearly two years due to injuries before getting back into the ring with a hard-fought victory against Josesito Lopez in January. His power punching earned him the nickname “One Time.”

“Fight fans coast-to-coast were thrilled to watch Pacquiao’s victory over Broner live and larger-than-life in their local cinemas in January,” said Ray Nutt, Fathom Events CEO. “We’re pleased to partner again with our friends at FOX Sports and Premier Boxing Champions to bring another of Pac Man’s highly-anticipated bouts to the big screen.”

Freddie Roach: It Will Be One Time vs. All Time

For the third time in 12 months, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) will be battling in a world championship fight. Forget collecting on a pension, amazin’ Manny, 40, the reigning Fighter of the Decade, will be punching more than the clock this Saturday, when he tries to complete his world title hat trick, against undefeated WBA welterweight super champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), from Clearwater, Florida, who is 10 years Manny’s junior. The Pacquiao – Thurman welterweight world title attraction headlines a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

“Keith Thurman has it easy. His only job is to train for this fight. I have three jobs. I am a fighter. I am a public servant. And on Saturday, I am going to be Keith Thurman’s teacher,” said Manny. “I have heard everything he has said about me. I have heard everything he has said he will do to me in the fight. Those things he says about me do not make me angry. They inspire me. This has been the best training camp I have had in years. Keith Thurman thinks he is going to retire me. I am not ready to look back. I am still looking forward. Keith Thurman is going to be very surprised by what he sees from me in the ring. He is going to leave the ring a very disappointed fighter.”

“It will be ‘One Time’ vs. All Time,” said Manny’s Hall of Fame trainer world-famous Freddie Roach. “Thurman may be ten years younger but Manny still has extraordinary talent and an era’s worth of experience against Hall of Fame opposition. The betting action on this fight reflects that. I have done a lot of interviews. All the media seem to be picking Thurman to win. They consider this a battle between Generation X and Generation Geritol. But we’re talking about Manny Pacquiao. He pushed himself to the limit in this training camp. Youth will be served a big slice of humble pie on Saturday night.”

Statement from Salita Promotions Regarding Otto Wallin vs. B.J. Flores Heavyweight Fight

As part of the licensing process in the state of Washington, the doctor appointed by the boxing commission to oversee tonight’s event reviewed medical tests and determined that B.J. Flores would not be medically cleared to compete. Based on that opinion, Washington State Department of Licensing spokesperson Gigi Zenk notified Salita Promotions this afternoon that they would not issue B.J. Flores a license to fight against Otto Wallin tonight. Due to medical privacy requirements we are unable to provide further information at this time.”

STATEMENT FROM WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING SPOKESPERSON GIGI ZENK: “Benjamin Flores was not medically cleared to compete.”

DAZN to Broadcast Whyte-Rivas Around the World

The heavyweight title eliminator between Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas for the number one spot in the WBC will be streamed live in all DAZN markets on Saturday, July 20, from The O2 in London. DAZN is available across four continents with the service available in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “This is a huge night of Heavyweight boxing and I’m excited for DAZN subscribers that they will get to watch it live. Dillian Whyte who has proved himself as one on the best Heavyweights on the planet takes on the relentless unbeaten Oscar Rivas who is coming off a brutal knockout of Bryant Jennings. Brit Derek Chisora faces off against Poland’s Artur Szpilka and crowd favourite Dave Allen tackles David Price in a big domestic shootout. Tune in and don’t miss it!”

Whyte (25-1 18 KOs) holds the number one slot with the WBC and puts that on the line as the hard-hitting ‘Body Snatcher’ continues to blast his path to a World title shot. The Brixton banger put Derek Chisora away in devastating style in his last outing, the pair thrilling the Greenwich crowd in their rematch in December – before icing Del Boy in the 11th round.

The 31-year-old Briton will be gunning for a tenth straight win against Rivas, with wins over Joseph Parker, Robert Helenius and Lucas Browne sandwiched between his two wins over Chisora. Whyte has become a must-watch fighter since rocking old foe Anthony Joshua in their battle at The O2 in December 2012, and yet again takes on a high-risk challenge as he cements his spot as the leading Heavyweight contender in the world.

Rivas (26-0 18 KOs) is yet another dangerous challenger for Whyte to risk his number one rankings with, and the Colombian comes into the bout on the back of his biggest win in the paid ranks. Rivas traveled to Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York in January and KO’d former World title challenger Bryant Jennings in the final round of their clash, underlining his dangerous potential to World titlists and fellow contenders.

In the United States, action will begin on DAZN at 1:00 p.m. ET with the full six-fight Matchroom Boxing undercard from The O2 in London.

Posted on 07/16/2019

By: Hans Themistode

As it currently stands, Manny Pacquiao vs Keith Thurman is undoubtedly the biggest fights of the year. It also will be one of the toughest in the long career of Pacquiao as well. When this fight was first announced, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) was the betting favorite. The rabid fanbase of Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) has since changed that.

Pacquiao might be viewed as the favorite going into this contest according to the odds, but make no mistake about it, he will have several disadvantages including height, speed and a decided 10 year difference in age. For any other fighter, these unfavorable circumstances would prove to be too much to overcome, but not for Pacquiao. The fighter nicknamed Pac-Man has plenty of paths to victory.

Continue reading as we highlight the three most important keys that will lead to his victory over Keith Thurman on July 20th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cut Off The Ring

For all of Thurmans bravado coming into this contest, his natural tendencies as a fighter just does not match up with what he has been saying. Thurman has promised to bring the fight right to Manny but, if you have been watching Thurman for the entirety of his career then you will know that he isn’t exactly a knockout artist. He’s more of a boxer puncher. Thurman does have plenty of power but he would much rather use the entirety of the ring to make his opponents work.

Thurman has called Pacquiao a bunny rabbit because of his in and out nonstop movement. In actuality, it’s Thurman who moves continually during his contest. Pac-Man needs to neutralize that. If he can get his man in the corners of the ring or against the ropes then that will give him a chance to do what he does best, let his hands go.

Whether The Early Storm

The WBA Welterweight champion Keith Thurman has shown a tendency to get off too fast starts. He is a terrific fighter for the first half of fights. During the second half however, he tends to take his foot off the gas.

The reason behind this strategy is that he likes to build an early lead on the scorecards of the judges and coast to victory. When the championship rounds arrive, he’ll usually steal one of those rounds which will aide in his victory. Just ask Danny Garcia how effective this strategy is. During that unification contest which took place in 2017, Thurman dominated the first half of the action and coasted during the second half, picking up another round or two along the way which made it impossible for Garcia to win. Pacquiao needs to fight fire with fire. If the eight division world champion could at the very least battle Thurman to a draw during the first half of the fight, he should be able to dominate the back end of it.

Hurt Thurman Early

The theme of Thurmans game plan, at least the game plan he has revealed to the media, is roughing up Pac-Man. Thurman has condemned Pacquiao for struggling with the physicality of Jeff Horn. Although most of the boxing world believes that Pacquiao was unjustly given a loss during that contest, he did have a bit of a hard time with the rugged approach of Horn.

Let’s not forget that Pacquiao did almost have his man out in the ninth round. If Thurman truly intends to be physical than Pac-Man needs to get his respect early. If Pacquiao is able to buzz him, then Thurman might think twice about just trying to bulldoze the smaller Pacquiao.

Posted on 07/15/2019

By: Hans Themistode

With twenty nine bouts and nine of those coming in the form of title fights, including eight defenses, WBA Welterweight belt holder Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) has a plethora of experience to rely on. He’ll need every bit of it as he takes on Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) on July 20th, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Thurman took a trip down memory lane as he gave a complete breakdown of how each of those nine title fights went down.

10th Round Stoppage Over Diego Chaves On July 27th, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio Texas

Thurmans first crack at a world title came of the interim variety. On July 27th, 2013, Thurman took on the undefeated Diego Chaves. The aforementioned Chaves wasn’t just defeating opponents, he was steamrolling them as he was riding a five fight knockout streak going into that contest. Thurman rose to the occasion and put on a show.

“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevation me to the WBA interim champion,” recalled Thurman. “ I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”

TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio

Thurman’s first defense of the interim title came against Jesus Soto Karass. He booked his spot against Thurman by stopping former champion Andre Berto in his previous contest. In that bout Thurman made a statement to the boxing world.

“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”

Knockout 3rd round, Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, California

Thurman kept his momentum rolling in his second title defense against former champion Julio Diaz. What ensued was an emphatic victory for the young undefeated champion.

“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”

Decision Over Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas:

Leonard Bundu was next on the list for Thurman. At the time, he was an undefeated awkward fighter. At the age of 40, Thurman had a clear advantage in terms of youth. He used every bit of that edge and rolled to an easy victory.

“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”

Decision Win over Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena

Former Welterweight champion Robert Guerrero, has always been a tough out. Questions surrounding Thurmans toughness were quickly answered. Not only did he overcome an absurd hematoma but he also managed to drop the former champion and ultimately cruised to a unanimous decision victory.

“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”

7th Round Corner Stoppage Over Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa:

A 2015 matchup against former champion Luis Collazo, allowed the boxing world to see Thurman like never before. A body shot from Collazo in the fifth round saw Thurman in serious trouble. It was the first time that he was in serious trouble. Instead of folding, he bit down on his mouthpiece and gutted out an impressive stoppage win.

“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”

Decision Win Over Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Shawn Porter came into this contest well known for his aggressive, come forward style. At this point in his career, it seemed as though it would be Thurmans toughest match yet. The contest proved to be just that. Not only did the contest live up to the hype but it also won fight of the year.

“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”

Split Decision Win Over Danny Garcia, Unification Match, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center

Thurman unified his WBA and WBC title on on March 4th, 2017, then undefeated Danny Garcia and also undefeated Keith Thurman clashed at the Barclay Center. Not only was it the tenth unification clash in the history of the Welterweight division, but it was also just the third time that it came against two undefeated fighters. After a close twelve rounds of fighting, it was Thurman who was victorious.

“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”

Majority Decision Win Over Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center

Following the two biggest wins of his career, Thurman was forced to the sidelines with elbow and hand injuries. The former resulting in elbow surgery. After a 22 month recuperation period, Thurman took on veteran fighter Josesito Lopez. It looked like nothing more than a simple tune up bout. One that would make Thurman look good. It turned out to be anything but.

“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”

With all of this experience in the memory bank of Thurman, he plans on using it to his advantage come fight night against Manny Pacquiao. A win, is not good enough for Thurman. He wants to make a statement that resonates loud and clear to the rest of the Welterweight division.

“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”

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 07/02/2019

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of June 25th to July 2nd; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Keith Thurman Training Camp Quotes

Keith Thurman’s head trainer Dan Birmingham is typically a man of few words who likes to keep his focus on his job; which is training, coaching and creating world champion boxers. So when Dan speaks, people listen. His Mr. Miyagi-style message ahead of Keith’s blockbuster PBC on FOX Sports pay-per-view showdown versus Manny Pacquiao?

“Freddie Roach is going to lose a lot of money,” said Birmingham. “When the fight is over Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman’s hands will be raised. Keith is going to win this fight and win it in fine fashion.”

“Dan and I have worked together since I was an amateur, he was my mitt-man when my trainer Ben Getty couldn’t take my power,” said Thurman. “Ben would be on the sidelines and tell me what to throw and Dan would be there to catch it. The day I turned pro, Dan was in my corner and I felt blessed to have Dan become my coach and first corner when Ben passed away. Dan knows my strengths and he’s worked with other world champions. We’re not rookies. We’re prepared to be on the big stage.

“He’s a man of few words but his actions and words that he picks are always right on point. He sees what is going on even when I can’t or don’t see it. He isn’t hype. He is honest. He is giving me technique, criticism and whether or not we won the round; I know I can trust him.”

Trained by Birmingham since his original coach Ben Getty passed away ten years ago, Thurman continues to hone and develop his boxing prowess at Birmingham’s St Pete Boxing Club gym in St. Petersburg, FL. The Florida Boxing Hall of Famer knows what is needed for his pupil to win this historic fight on Saturday, July 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“This is a very important fight for Florida boxing and for our gym,” said Birmingham “From Winky to Jeff Lacy and all the guys who train and fight for titles, we have a lot of pride in Keith. This fight and holding this title means everything to our gym.

“Manny knows Keith’s a puncher, and that he brings youth and experience like Manny does. But Keith wants to fight, he’s anxious to fight and he’s got someone to fight for besides himself.”

One of the keys to Thurman’s impending victory is very simple, said Birmingham. “It’s been the rest factor. He’s rejuvenated his body and mind, he got married and as I said before, he has someone to fight for.”

Thurman’s over two-year recovery have allowed him to fully heal and its made for a powerful training camp. The undefeated, two-time world champion is operating at his very best – showing glimpses on his Instagram channel (@KeithOneTimeThurman) of his high intensity workouts.

“I am back on the big stage, I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase my talent and skill with a legend in the sport. It’s a big ‘get back’ year for me,” said Thurman. “I tried to tell everyone that and this is what it’s like when champions get back to performing like world class champions. No excuses. I want to be the best Keith Thurman I can be, and we set up a camp where we can bring out the best in me, for myself, for the fight and for the fight fans.”

“He has a renewed vigor – more energy – and he’s anxious to fight and anxious to train,” said Birmingham. “His power, ferociousness and tenacity will be a problem for Manny. We’ve only escalated that in this camp. He has two strength and conditioning coaches – NFL great Yo Murphy and leading strength coach Kimberly Doehnert. The core team includes post-workout trainer Eric Wilson for stretching and recovery in addition to myself and Chris Getty for strategy and training.

“We’ve mixed up sparring with some guys who emulate Manny but are tougher, stronger fighters who can take a punch. You’ve got to be tough to box with Keith.

“We’re going to win this fight.”
Carl Frampton-Emmanuel Dominguez To Headline Philly Fight Night on ESPN+

Carl “The Jackal” Frampton is on the hunt for another world title. Frampton, the former two-division world champion from Belfast, Northern Ireland, will make his first stateside appearance in more than two years in a 10-round featherweight bout against the hard-hitting Emmanuel Dominguez on Saturday, Aug. 10 at the Liacouras Center.

Frampton-Dominguez and a co-feature will stream live on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The entire undercard, including South Philadelphia heavyweight sensation Sonny Conto (3-0, 3 KOs), Philadelphia-born featherweight prospect Donald Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) and Puerto Rican middleweight puncher Edgar Berlanga (11-0, 11 KOs), will stream on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets, priced at $100, $55 and $35 (not including applicable fees), are on sale now and can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office and www.liacourascenter.com, or by calling Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922.

“Dominguez is a tall, young, hungry featherweight, so I’ll need to be on my game,” Frampton said. “The premise of an Oscar Valdez fight is dangling in front of me, so I want to go out and show the world that I’ve still got what it takes to be a world champion. Winning is always the most important thing, but I want to do it in style. It’s great to be boxing stateside again. And Philly, in particular, has so much boxing history. I’d like to thank MTK Global and Top Rank for giving me the opportunity. I won’t disappoint.”

“Carl Frampton is already looking ahead to an Oscar Valdez fight, which gives me added motivation,” Dominguez said. “I am not a stepping stone. I am coming to Philadelphia prepared to ruin Carl’s plans.”

Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs), a 10-year pro who compiled more than 100 victories during a standout amateur career, is on the road back to another world title opportunity following his competitive decision loss to IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington last December. Frampton won the IBF junior featherweight world title in 2014 and unified titles against WBA champion Scott Quigg via split decision in February 2016. He upset Leo Santa Cruz to win the WBA super world featherweight title in July 2016 but lost the immediate rematch six months later.

Frampton won three in a row, including an interim world title, before running into Warrington in front of a sold-out Manchester Arena crowd in one of the year’s best fights. With his sights set on Valdez, he must first defeat Dominguez (26-8-2, 18 KOs), a 25-year-old native of Aguascalientes, Mexico, who has won four of his last five, all by knockout.
Joseph Parker Signs Promotional Deal with Matchroom

Matchroom Boxing have signed a three-fight promotional deal with Heavyweight star Joseph Parker.

Parker will fight for the first time with Matchroom Boxing USA on June 29 in Providence, Rhode Island on the undercard of the Demetrius Andrade’s WBO Middleweight world title defense against Poland’s Maciej Sulecki, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

Team Parker also announce today that David Higgins has been appointed to Joseph Parker’s management team.

The bout marks the beginning of the second phase of Parker’s career – and the start of the road to becoming the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world.

“My six-year promotional contract with Duco Events ended on March 26,” said Parker. “It was a wonderfully successful partnership – so much so that David Higgins will always be part of my team, advocating in my best interests in a management capacity.

“Since my contract with Duco ended I have been a free agent, with my team and I spending several months assessing how to best achieve my goal of not only becoming a World Champion again, but unifying all of the belts to become the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world.”

Parker said he and his management team conducted a robust process that included seeking offers from boxing’s most prominent promoters.

“Ultimately we decided that the best option was to partner with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing. We believe the three-fight deal that we are announcing today will be the start of a long and successful partnership.”

Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn said he had no doubt Parker could once again become Heavyweight Champion of the world.

“If Joseph Parker performs the way we all know he can over these next three fights then he will have a strong case for some huge fights,” Hearn said. “Parker is a young man with a great mix of experience and ambition, and this is a really exciting signing for Matchroom.

“And, I must say, I am also looking forward to sparring again with my old mate David Higgins as we haggle over the terms of each deal for Joseph. David unquestionably has Joseph’s best interests at heart and he is a tough negotiator, so there are going to be some interesting discussions ahead.”

Higgins said: “This is absolutely the right decision for Joseph and Team Parker, which I have supported every step of the way. I’m pleased that I can now work with Joseph’s existing management team to help carefully guide the remainder of his career.”

Higgins confirmed the creation of a new company, Sports Advisory and Management Limited, with his business partner Rachael Carroll, a former international pole vaulter.

The company will manage and advise a stable of talented athletes, he said.

The fight will be streamed on DAZN in the US and available on Sky Sports UK. Negotiations are underway for live broadcast rights in New Zealand.
Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions Inks Undefeated Super Middleweight Prospect Juan Jose Barajas

Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions’ growing stable of gifted fighters has expanded with today’s announcement of its latest addition, undefeated super middleweight prospect Juan Jose “Just Business” Barajas.

The 22-year-old Barajas (10-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Victorville, California, is scheduled to make his RJJ Boxing debut August 24 at Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine, California (outside of San Diego). Barajas’ fight against an opponent to be determined will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

Barajas’ last fight was his most impressive to date as a professional. Last May in Memphis, he took a 10-round majority decision against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. protégé Lanell Bellows (18-4-3, 11 KOs).

“I am excited about fighting for RJJ Boxing Promotions,” Barajas said. “I am happy about the direction I am going and feel confident that RJJ Boxing will put me in the bests position to reach my goals. I am looking forward to fighting the best and showcasing my skills among the top players in the super middleweight division. It’s time to go to work!”

Barajas, who won 27 of 30 amateur matches, is managed and trained by Michael Love.
Greg Cohen Promotions Signs Louis Rose to a Promotional Contract
Greg Cohen Promotions proudly announces the signing of charismatic middleweight contender Louis Rose to a promotional contract.

Rose (16-3-1, 7 KOs) is a former NABF Middleweight Champion who in October 2015, lost a razor-thin majority decision to current WBA Middleweight Champion Rob Brant for the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Title. In his seven-year career, Rose has also taken the undefeated 0’s from Delen Parsley (then 10-0), Gino McClellan (9-0), Fabian Reyes (10-0), Ievgen Khytrov (6-0), Milorad Zizic (11-0), and Jorge Ivan Ibanez (8-0).

The 30-year-old Rose was world-rated and closing in on a title shot when he says he got sidelined by managerial problems for the last two years. With this new deal, he is eager to get back in the 160-lb mix.

“I feel amazing! This is going to resurrect my career and put me back where I was,” said Rose. “After the fight with Rob Brant, I feel that I should have been right there next to him. Most people think I beat him, but right after that fight, everything started going south. I didn’t feel like I could trust the team I was with, so now that I’m with GCP, I’m looking forward to getting the fights I deserve.”

A native of Los Angeles, Rose says he came to boxing after fleeing an unhealthy home life, living with relatives and eventually becoming homeless at age 17.

“Before boxing, I had a tough time on the street. When I was 20, I joined a boxing gym for $20 a month and I was just going to use the shower every day before work because I had no place to live. But then, I thought about it and I said I’m paying this money I might as well hit the bags. I learned I really like it!”

Rose’s story took another unexpected turn recently, as he chased love to Europe and is now living there, awaiting the birth of his first child in Athens, Greece, while training with Stavros Stofylas and Costa Vetimes at The Coliseum Gym. Rose says he and his new family will be returning to LA soon to get back to business.

“With the right fights I should be in line for a title shot by next year. I have a lot better resume than a lot of the guys getting title shots. I’m happy to have signed this deal with Greg Cohen and I’m looking forward to getting everything back to where it should be with this sport I love.”

Promoter Greg Cohen says he’s happy to be adding Rose to his stable of world contenders.

“Louis impressed me against Rob Brant. That was a close fight. When you look at what Rob has gone on to do, it’s not difficult to picture Louis being successful as well. He’s got a lot of personality and he’s a very talented fighter. No one coddled Louis Rose on his way up, he’s already beaten a lot of guys he was probably supposed to lose to. I think with the right guidance, he could be world champion some day soon.”

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: Jonah Dylan

Keith Thurman and Manny Pacquiao have been promoting their July 20 welterweight world title fight this week, so, understandably, they’ve been trying to say stuff that’ll get picked up in the mainstream media. When Thurman (29-0, 22 Kos) was asked if he’d fight again this year, he had an interesting response.

“No sir, no sir,” he said. “We get this job done, shoot, we’ve gotta relax.”

It’s a concerning comment from a guy who’s been infamously inactive over the last two years. After he won a split decision over Danny Garcia in March 2017 to unify two titles, he didn’t fight again for 22 months before he returned with a shaky majority decision win over Josesito Lopez in January. Seeing him turnaround relatively quick for the Pacquiao fight was a good sign, but not if he doesn’t stay active after it.

This isn’t to write Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) off, either. Obviously the guy is one of the greatest fighters of all time and still looks like a good fighter, even if he’s clearly not the fighter he once was. It’s very possible he could beat Thurman, especially considering the trouble Lopez – not considered a top-flight contender – gave him back in January.

In some sense, this fight is a no-win scenario for Thurman. If he wins, well, he just beat a 40-year-old guy whose career is on its last legs. If he loses, he just lost to a guy who no one thinks is in the same league as Terence Crawford or Errol Spence, and realistically Thurman would have a lot more work to do to rehabilitate his image as the best welterweight in the world.

It’s easy to forget, but it wasn’t that long ago that everyone had Thurman as their top guy in the division. Then Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) burst onto the scene when he knocked out Kell Brook to win a piece of the welterweight title and suddenly became arguably the most avoided fighter in the division. A couple months later, Crawford vacated his undisputed super lightweight crown to enter the mix and later won a world title in his first fight at 147 pounds.

Without fighting, Thurman went from being the No. 1 guy in the division to someone who isn’t even a real part of the conversation. Pacquiao probably picked him due in no small part to how beatable he looked against Lopez, and the fact that he doesn’t look nearly as dangerous as Spence in terms of his power (“One Time” nickname aside).

The fight everyone wants to see is Spence against Crawford, but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Spence against Shawn Porter – a guy Thurman already beat – makes sense, and it’ll give Spence more leverage when he’s ready to actually negotiate with Crawford. The fight is also reportedly already in the works for late summer or early fall.

After that, Spence could opt to fight the Thurman-Pacquiao winner to get another belt (and continue #StrapSzn, as he says). Or he could fight Garcia, or Yordenis Ugas, or Sergey Lipenets, all solid welterweights under the PBC banner. Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs) has no one to fight, and as time goes on, he needs Spence more and more.

But this is where Thurman could come back into the picture. Let’s say he beats Pacquiao, and Spence takes out Porter and unifies titles. The next obvious fight would be Thurman against Spence, but if Thurman really doesn’t want the Spence fight, he could actually circumvent the whole process and try to get the Crawford fight for himself. Think about it: Top Rank is going to be desperate for Crawford opponents, and Thurman (especially an undefeated Thurman with a belt) would be a good one. They want one of the PBC welterweights, and he fits the bill.

Thurman could make a lot of money to go fight Crawford. This time, it’d be a win-win scenario. If he wins, he just went to the other side of the street and took down arguably the best fighter in the world. If he loses, he can say he was the one who was truly willing to fight anyone, not Spence. It would also justify his layoff if he actually fought top-level opposition in the near future. As an added bonus for fans, Crawford and Spence would both have two belts and that fight would be even more appealing.

This is still unlikely, for a number of reasons. For one, there’s no indication that Al Haymon is going to send any of his welterweights to fight Crawford. If he did, it probably wouldn’t be Thurman. But who knows?

Thurman needs to build himself back up, and he needs to do that with consistent activity, not against B-level guys but against the best the 147-pound division has to offer.

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.”