I had a chance to catch up with interim WBA welterweight champ, Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman to talk about the current boxing scene. In this interview, I get Thurman’s thoughts on the mega fight that the boxing world is awaiting, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. Keith talks about the significance that this fight has for the sport and whether the fight has lost some of its luster due to the long delay for the fight. ‘One Time’ also gives his views on how the fight plays out and who he feels would emerge victorious. Here is what Keith Thurman had to say.
Robert Brown: What do you think will be the tipping point for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, if it does happen?
Keith Thurman: Mayweather’s running out of options. Not only is he really running out of options, he almost can take his pick but at the end of the day, Mayweather is ‘Money May.’ For a certain duration, for the past several years of his career, his focus has really been on money, “How can I make the most money?”
When I say he’s out of options, he’s really out of big money options, and Manny Pacquiao is that. Amir Khan won’t bring in the revenue, I wouldn’t bring in the revenue, Kell Brook wouldn’t bring in the revenue, which Manny Pacquiao can bring in. At the end of the day, what can you say? It’s a long awaited fight, I know the fans are gonna love it, I’ll be there. It’s great for the sport, to finally see two of the worlds most entertaining welterweights go toe-to-toe.
Robert Brown: Do you think the fight not happening five years will take some of the buzz and excitement away?
Keith Thurman: For the most part, it would be great for the fight to go down with the initial buzz. At the end of the day, nobody has the credentials that Floyd Mayweather has. Outside of Floyd Mayweather, nobody has the credentials that Manny Pacquiao has. You’re still looking at two of the best fighters in this generation going at it. How can you be displeased with it because it’s happening now instead of before?
There was a long time where people thought that it’s a fight that we’ll never see, and you know what they say, “Never say never.” At the end of the day, a lot of people are gonna be happy, a lot of people are gonna be excited.
Think about the Filipino fan base, the African American fan base, and the Latino fan base. Even though Manny Pacquiao is not of Latin descent, he’s still a warrior and I know from speaking to a lot of Latinos, I got a lot fans from Argentina ever since I stopped Diego Chaves. At the end of the day, real boxing fans like to see warriors and that’s what Manny Pacquiao is. The fight is gonna be tremendous.
Robert Brown: Are you still picking Mayweather to win the fight?
Keith Thurman: I still pick Mayweather, especially if the fight is happening at the MGM. Outside of that, Pacquiao needs to be the Pacquiao that made him famous. He needs to throw the punches, the combinations.
We know that Pacquiao is better than Cotto and Cotto gave Mayweather one hell of a fight. Maidana was able to land several good punches on Mayweather. I do see Pacquiao having a great chance of winning the fight, but I do believe that to truly win the fight he’s gonna have to at least create one to two knockdown — A minimum of one knockdown to get that 10-8 round.
Manny is gonna have to worried about the right hand, but he shouldn’t be too worried because it’s not Marquez’ right hand. Mayweather has suffered a lot of hand injuries throughout his career and we haven’t seen him get a knockout since his freebie with Victor Ortiz.
I almost see the fight fifty-fifty, but I still see the fight more leaning in Mayweather’s favor. He’s real technical, he knows what the judges are looking for, he’s really accurate with that right hand, he knows how to snap your head back when he lands it and it’s clear power punches that win fights.
It’s one thing that a lot of people don’t know, it’s the clean, power punches and Mayweather always finds a way to lands those punches, just cleanly, clearly and highly accurate. I’m gonna favor Mayweather until someone shows me a reason not to — and maybe it will be Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd. I’ll be cheering for both fighters, at the end of the day, I just want to see a great fight going down in the world of boxing.
Robert Brown: Assuming you get past Robert Guerrero, would you be interested in fighting someone like Amir Khan?
Keith Thurman: Of course. Ever since he stepped up to 147lbs I’ve been willing to fight him. I said I was willing to fight him the night I fought Bundu. That ain’t nothing new man. I’m ready, let’s go. I said it a thousand times, I got an 0 and I’m not afraid to let it go. Beat me, beat me, BEAT ME!!! Let’s go, I’m not worried about nothing.
non bias great analysis.
Mayweather thinks deeply of what he must pick either having zero losses but no mega buck revenue or having the biggest payday throughout his life but get a big L. Many have said Mayweather will win against Paquiao but Mayweather himself knows he’ll gonna lose. Did you know that when Mayweather fought cherry picked opponents he overhyped his opponent telling you he might lost? But when talking of Pacquiao, they always say Mayweather will whoop his ass yet they never take an action, why? They know 90% Pacquiao will give a strong left hand to Floyd and Floyd knows he couldn’t take it.
i can see manny dropping mayweather, thurman is right but i favour Manny cuz he can land power that you dont see and also the fact that he`s always at his best against the best Mayweather might get stopped cuz his stamina aint good unless he takes shit like moseley did. To land power like marquez landed you gotto take punches and take huge risks so manny has nothing to fear and will bringit
You’re absolutely correct, Boxing Legend!
In short, It’ll be a boring fight. More dodging, running, catching and cha-cha in between….
A great offense will prevail over a great defense, just do the math. My humble opinion.
I say Mayweather right hand is only accurate with fighters who can’t move like Pacquiao. In this fight I can Pacquiao’s right hooks and straight lefts to be very effective. I can almost picture it that Mayweather, like Rios, will frequently get hit from the side of the face. I think Pacquiao’s foot speed is faster than Floyds.
Well… lets see what will be like when Mayweather for the first time find himself hit by a punch that he didnt see coming.
I heard The Reverend Congressman
from Sarangani said: “I can beat him
easily” and I believe that…
Mayweather needs not forget that Pacquiao is a very offensive minded,elusive and power laden boxer.The “Pochiaao” that Floyd is calling; the ” midget” that he is demeaning; the Asian man that he is telling to cook ” fried rice and egg roll” for him will bring all the goods to him(Floyd) come fight night.Unless Floyd announces that he is fighting somebody else?I’m pretty sure that Floyd will be pressured by Pacquiao from pillar to post and he will get hit by jarring haymakers that he has not received before..So ,Floyd has a choice: Flight or fight?In that ring ,only Men clash.And Pacquiao is a Man.Prove us,Floyd,that you are the man.Hasten up the contract,and let ‘s get ready to rumble.
a “freebie” to funny!
My Word to K. Thurman: You’re the man dude. l am one of your Fan; keep your foot on the ground and you win a million fans!. Mayweather is a accurate counter puncher; have a brilliant in defense, but; Pacman is hell of punching power, speed.
My prediction: Pacquioa by KO at round 11. Mark my Word.
How can Mayweather pick his shots when he’s too busy trying to evade Pacman’s power combinations?
For the last 5 years i never saw manny slows down.. The carnage he dealt to cotto from there never change up to the present time. that phenom skills of manny still there up to his last fight with algerie. Remember, He made marquez a bloody pipe during that 4rth encoynter before he was ko by that lucky punch.. I see it Manny will dominate floyd easily..
Nacho Beristain who have known Pacquiao as an opponent better than anyone else recently said, ” Pacquiao is too strong, too tough mentally, too offensive and throws a lot of punches will definitely beat Mayweather in their fight because Floyd is used to winning easy fights” Numerous Boxing Analyts have given Manny a slim chance in winning agaisnt Mayweather thinking that the latter would beat the former easily. Is that so? this assertion really have made me laugh. Do they think Pacquiao will just stand before Floyd to get hit? Total non sense! The most underrated aspects of Pacquiao’s greatness are his incredible footwork and awkward fighting style. To say that Floyd is faster than Pacquiao is absolutely hilarious and absurd. The question will be, how long is the tight defense and clinching of Mayweather could withstand Manny’s offense? Remember we are talking here of 12 gruelling rounds. I say this Floyd must have to kill Manny in order to win this fight because im pretty sure Pacquiao is coming to annihilate him.
Honestly until they announce different opponents there’s a chance, if it don’t go thru I don’t care who mayweather fights hes gonna be side “B” because 90 percent of the revenue will come from his opponent… Imagine pacquiao the one who couldn’t even get a fair shake against Bradley with he’s belt on the line telling mayweather MGM Grand basically ur backyard, a fight I’m gonna have to knock u out to win OK fine.. like pac or not u gotta appreciate the mans heart and confidence personally I think mayweather is in envy besides the (0)H he’s facing someone who has been there done that and perhaps a little better
until they announce different opponents there’s a chance, if it don’t go thru I don’t care who mayweather fights hes gonna be side “B” because 90 percent of the revenue will come from his opponent… Imagine pacquiao the one who couldn’t even get a fair shake against Bradley with he’s belt on the line telling mayweather MGM Grand basically ur backyard, a fight I’m gonna have to knock u out to win OK fine.. like pac or not u gotta appreciate the mans heart and confidence personally I think mayweather is in envy besides the (0)H he’s facing someone who has been there done that and perhaps a little better