Via Dan Ambrose: Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman will fight tonight in the main event against Mario Barrios on the FOX Sports pay-per-view in Las Vegas.
This is the long-awaited return of former WBA/WBC heavyweight champion Thurman after more than two years out of the ring, and there’s plenty of interest from boxing fans to see if he can still achieve it. it or not.
Boxing News 24 will update live and the results of the action below on the Thurman vs. Barrios tonight at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas:
Initial result:
- Light weight welding Omar Juarez (13-1, 5 KO) beat PBC Ryan Karl (19-4, 12 KOs) by decision to divide 10 rounds. Karl is forced to fight with his ugly mutilated face after a confrontation. The score is 95-94, 96-93 for Juarez and 95-94 for Karl.
- Welding light weight is not beaten Eniko Gogokhia (13-0-1, 8 KOs) and Ken Cruz (16-0-1, 10 KOs) fought to draw 8 rounds. The score is 76-74 for Gogokhia, 76-74 for Cruz and 75-75. In the fifth round, Cruz was knocked down twice.
- In middleweight action, undefeated prospects Fernando Vargas Jr. (5-0.5 KO) scored his fifth knockout goal with goal Kody Koboski (2-1, 2 KO) in the third round. Koboski failed in the first round.
What we’ve learned over the last two weeks is that Thurman is as good as ever flaunting and self-appreciating his accomplishments years ago, but it’s unknown if he’ll turn out to be the same boxer as he was in his heyday. or not.
When looking at Thurman’s physical appearance, he looks like he’s aged a lot since he left the ring, but that may not matter.
As long as Thurman still possesses good punching power, hand speed, reflexes and fitness, he will win tonight against former WBA lightweight champion Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs).
“I don’t think that matters to him. Keith can box,” said Shawn Porter above Porter Way Podcast. “Keith has natural strength, the kind of strength where you don’t have to be pressured from the bench, and you don’t really have to go down and do pushups.
“Over time, I think that could happen,” Porter said when asked if Thurman’s powers may have worn off due to his time out in the ring.
“But the reality is still the same, he [Thurman] has the kind of power that even with his foot back he can stop, throw it on the ground and clean you up. The guy has power.
“Then, of course, if he sees you in retreat mode, he will initiate. Keith was the one to finish. Yes, I believe this young Mario Barrios is too young, and I think his hunger will get him in trouble.
“I think you have to be smart enough to know when to take a step forward and step back. Keith, he spelled it out for us on the show. In a way, he’s way ahead of me.
“Not to say it was a difficult thing to do, but at a time when we were both quite young and he had the foresight and thought to do what he did against me.
“Understand that ‘if I do it like this, it will work out the way I want it to.’ The judges helped him and it worked, Keith. What I’m saying is I think he’s too smart and too much,” Porter said with conviction that Thurman would be too good for Barrios tonight.
