“One Time” vs. “All Time”: Staff Picks for the Pacquiao — Thurman Welterweight Clash
Saturday is set to be an action-packed night of fights, topped off by another thrilling matchup in boxing’s glamour division.
Senator Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (61–7–2 39KO) is no stranger to the boxing spotlight that ever so brightly shines over Sin City. Having fought many times there over his illustrious career (including the biggest PPV of all time against Floyd Mayweather), this Saturday is expected to be business as usual. The 40 year-old Filipino star looks to extend his winning streak to three in his second fight with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions.
Keith “One Time” Thurman (29–0 22KO), the current WBA Super World Welterweight champion, returned in January after nearly a two year lay-off in the ring. What was originally expected to be a tune-up fight against Josesito Lopez soon became a nightmare for the undefeated champ as he got badly hurt in round 7 and nearly stopped. The fight would end in a majority decision victory for Thurman but would leave many boxing fans scratching their heads. What had happened to the Keith Thurman of old?
This shadow of doubt and new-found vulnerability is perhaps what caught Pacquiao’s eye and led to the formation of this fight. Will Thurman make a statement and return to his dominant self, or shall Pacquiao turn back the clock and deliver another historical performance like those of his past? With many question marks leading into this Saturday’s bout, the Sunday Puncher staff share their thoughts on how the fight will play out.
Staff Picks:
Ryan: It is crazy to think that in 2019 a Pacquiao-Thurman fight would be seen so 50–50 (with the betting odds actually being in Pacquiao’s favor). Thurman’s last fight has many boxing fans believing that Pacquiao can pull off the “upset” and set up a mega-fight with fellow Welterweight star Errol Spence. I wouldn’t expect Thurman however to just roll over and let this happen as he has much to prove from his last outing. His youth will shine in this fight as he shows off his superior movement and underrated ring IQ, reinforcing the idea that father time shall always remain undefeated. Pacquiao will be chasing Thurman around the ring all night constantly attempting to catch Thurman with the big punch, all in which will play into his boxing off of the back foot. This telling of the fight will result in Thurman winning a safe unanimous decision, silencing all of his critics in the process. Thurman via UD.
Leo: Full disclosure, I’m really excited to see Pacquiao fight in person. If this was Pacquiao from 10 years ago, there is no doubt in my mind that One Time would become Nap Time. Time waits for no man, however. Pacquiao’s move to PBC was the mark of the beginning of his sunset tour. There are a fair few that are giving Thurman less of a chance because of his poor outing in his return to the ring. Pacquiao still looks good, but he’s absolutely not the same fighter that gave us the meteoric rise that made him a global iconic. Thurman will have shaken off the cobwebs and rust, gotten his feet back under him, and should have his stamina back come fight night. The same way Guerrero talked up his win over a shoulder roll (Berto) as a chance against Mayweather, Pacquiao beating Broner isn’t proof positive that he still has the drive to beat younger fighters. Will he be competitive? Absolutely. At this age, Pacquiao will be solid and keep Thurman on his toes. Time is catching up though, and Thurman will take a close but clear win that Pacquiao stans won’t be able to comprehend as a loss. Bottom line: Thurman, Decision.
Iitate: I think Thurman is better than Broner, and can outlast him in dealing with Pacquiao’s power, but this should be an easy fight for Pacquiao to win on points. Pac by decision.
Greg: 2 years ago, Keith Thurman was sneaking onto P4P lists after unifying two belts in the sport’s deepest division. Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao was fending off calls for retirement after a terrible performance against an Australian school-teacher. A lot has changed since then. The Filipino Senator now stands the betting favorite to ascend in the history books this Saturday, while we’re left to wonder if Keith already has a foot out the door. Manny might not be able to storm through elite fighters like a hurricane anymore, but he still has the speed and skill to catch you off-guard. I expect him to fight patiently and feint just waiting for Thurman to misjudge distance. The moment Keith slips-up, Manny can gap close and unload flurries or sting him with a single-shot. In a flash, Thurman backing up in a straight line with his hands down (as he’s prone to do) could spell the loss of an entire round for him. Even if Manny hits gloves more often than not, the roaring crowd behind him could be enough. And with Pacquiao mixing up shots to the body more than ever, expect something to get through. Thurman has a few choices. He can try to push Pacquiao back to control the narrative of the fight (as Horn did) and abuse his physicality or he can exploit his length and box on the back-foot. I expect him to try a bit of everything. Using his throwaways/jab to set traps on the back-foot, seeking to catch Manny rushing in by ripping him with body shots and right-hands, and looking for chances to press the Senator back. This is an especially tricky fight to call because Pacquiao was the sharper guy last time around, but he’s only getting older while Keith has presumably been shaking off the rust. I’m leaning to Keith on points as he has more things to try in this match-up (not to mention size, youth, power), but a draw wouldn’t surprise me.
Rollins: Thurman by clear decision. I see the opening rounds featuring aggressive exchanges in the center of the ring with both guys looking to put their opponent on the back foot. As the fight settles in and both guys earn the other’s respect by eating a few power shots, it turns into more of a boxing match with Keith’s younger legs, underrated boxing skill and ring IQ causing him to pull away and secure a career defining victory.
Justin: Manny’s time is done, this is Keith’s time. As long as Keith is still mostly the same fighter he was, he will be able to out-think, our-maneuver, have the better stamina and should be able to do what he wants with Manny. I know it’s hard to accept for some that their favorite fighter of the past two decades does not have what it takes any longer but Keith will prove that. I truly believe that if Keith already hasn’t already figured out what he needs to do, he will be able to figure it out in the ring like he always has. Therefore I can see this playing out in a variety of ways with the majority of those scenarios leading to UD for Thurman. So that’s what I’m going with.
Tom Cody: Here we are in 2019 and Manny Pacquiao again finds himself at the center of one of the biggest bouts of the year. Since the Marquez KO or so, it has felt like Pacquiao has been fighting on borrowed time, and yet he continues to make himself relevant. Meanwhile, Keith Thurman turned pro in 2007 and he’s only now reaching the grand stage. This is a fight between an all time great and a decorated champion who may or may not ever reach historic significance. The Keith Thurman who beat Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter should beat the Manny Pacquiao who looked worn against Jessie Vargas and Jeff Horn. But everything changed in each of their most recent bouts as Manny Pacquiao turned back the clock against Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman looked and acted every bit like he had been out of the ring for 2 years. There are so many unknowns at play here, and that’s what makes the matchup so fun. I’m going with Keith Thurman by decision.
Final Tally: 6–1 Keith Thurman. While the betting odds lean slightly in Pacquiao’s favor, most of us see a competitive fight that will go Keith Thurman’s way. This should be one to remember.
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