Via Dan Ambrose: Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman will return next Saturday night on February 5 to take on Mario Barrios in a pivotal battle that Keith hopes will lead to a title in the summer.
Some boxing fans call this Mayweather’s BANK robbery for Thurman to collect millions for his return before disappearing back to Florida for another two-year layoff.
The fact that Thurman is so determined to fight for a world title after just ONE comeback fighting against Barrios shows that his comeback is all about the money.
If Thurman is serious About reclaiming his No. 1 spot at the top of the welterweight division, he’ll take his time, fighting five to seven tweaks before looking to challenge for a world title.
As for Thurman in saying he wants a world title immediately after Barrios, it suggests he’s just looking for a payday before returning to domestic life in Florida on a break. other long-term work.
For boxing fans who want to see the return of the inactive 33-year-old ‘One Time’ Thurman, they’ll need to pay $74.95 to Order events on FOX Sports pay per view.
Given that this is another return for Thurman against a non-boxer, it will be a tough sale to try and get many boxing fans willing to pay the asking price. Since 2017, Thurman has had TWO long-term breaks between games, including 2 of the last 5 years.
Fans won’t object to paying the $74.95 price tag if Thurman is up against relevant heavyweights like Vergil Ortiz Jr, Jaron Ennis, Errol Spence Jr, Terence Crawford or Yordenis Ugas. In other words, the fighters will likely decimate Adrien Broner-esque Thurman and bring him back to another long fired.
In an interview earlier this week, Thurman gave a 10-minute speech explaining why his comeback fight against the recently eliminated Barrios has such a high price tag on PPV. .
Everything in the economy is more expensive right now, says Thurman, so that means his fight will cost too.
He then said that his event card was filled with great battles, using the journeyman Josesito Lopez as an example of one of them. Interestingly, due to injury, Josesito has now withdrawn from the match against heavyweight contender Abel Ramos.
After nearly three years out of the ring, former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) will face off against the grumpy, 26-year-old Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) at Michelob Dues. Ultra School, Las Vegas.
Thurman wants a title after Barrios
WBO heavyweight champion Terence Crawford is likely to hand Thurman a championship belt this summer if the Nebraska native can’t get a shot at the winner of the IBF/WBC champion unification bout Errol Spence Jr and WBA belt holder Yordenis Ugas.
Thurman’s chances of beating Crawford after just one game upstream against Barrios are slim, but it’s unclear if that’s what ‘One Time’ is worried about.
Thurman = new Adrien Broner
If Thurman’s return is just for a nice day of pay before disappearing back to Florida for a two-year or longer layoff, his loss to Crawford won’t be a big deal. Some have suggested that Thurman became a different kind of Adrien Broner warrior.
Broner is a guy who won a lot of world titles earlier in his career against beatable opponents but then became a B-side opponent for the better boxers later in his career.
Thurman is now capitalizing on his previous success with wins over Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter, Luis Collazo, Josesito Lopez, Diego Chaves and Robert Guerrero. Those are the best boxers Thurman has had during his 15-year career.
“They gave me a few opponents. Mario Barrios is the best, a former world champion who lost only one game, the others lost four,” Keith Thurman told the newspaper. The Jim Rome Program.
“It was the ideal situation for Keith Thurman. I definitely want to win the belt,” Thurman said when asked what he plans to do if he successfully defeats Barrios on February 5.
“I barely lost my belt in a split with Pacquiao. I want to redeem that mistake, get in the ring with these champions and have a great fight later this summer.
“I think we can make a really great big battle [against one of the welterweight champions]. Not only because I’m Keith Thurman, but I think Keith Thurman’s battles are great battles.
“I get great feedback from all the fans. I just love knowing that I’m one of the most interesting, let alone one of the most talented individuals in the heavyweight division.
“I like the fact that I bring excitement, I bring charisma, I know how to fuel a fight and I know how to box. I know how to punch; I know how to box. There’s a little bit of Muhammad Ali in me, a boxer/fist. We’ll see what comes out.
“I might need to wake up my inner Mike Tyson without having to bite my ear to get Mike Tyson back to get his energy back into the game just for the night of the fight. I just love the sport of boxing and have a lot to offer.
Keith hopes Barrios will be tough
Barrios has never been a great boxer during his short career, but he has a real chance to beat aging, dormant Thurman right now if he can stand his ground for all 12 the match. As long as Barrios doesn’t get repeatedly knocked out by Thurman, he has a great chance of defeating the old spoiler.
“As this ball rolls on February 5, we must continue to maintain this momentum and continue to give our fans great battles later this year,” Thurman said.
“I don’t want the critics to say too much about me as an elite heavyweight athlete. They always have something to say, but I think this is a huge fight after 30 months.
“He had a great performance against the Davis Tank in a pay-per-view event,” Thurman said of Barrios. “He’s young; he’s hungry; he’s got a lot to show. He’s ready to sign, which means he wants to prove something, so I’m looking forward to the challenge coming in. February 5th.
“We have to let go of that stuff,” Thurman said of his loss to Manny Pacquiao two and a half years ago. “We are showing a new person, a 33-year-old still at his peak and wiser than ever, who has learned from his mistakes.
“I just wanted to prove once again that I have what it takes to be number 1. Like many great champions before me, a great champion can fall, and we are on our own. revive. That’s my plan for this year, starting now next Saturday with Mario Barrios.
“If you can’t let go of the past, how can you put your best foot forward in the present.
Fists will fly! Saturday, February 5, superstar @keithfthurmanjr is back and he will face the former champion @Boxer_Barrios. #ThurmanBarrios pic.twitter.com/E8Ixw8CFCp
– FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) January 5, 2022
