Although Mario Barrios is the favorite in his upcoming title fight with Manny Pacquiao, many believe the veteran has what it takes to pull off an upset.
A win for Pacquiao, 46, would make him one of the oldest champions in boxing history, as he ends a four-year hiatus from professional boxing.
As for Barrios, he is aiming to get his first win as a world welterweight champion having drawn his last bout with Abel Ramos.
As Pacquiao and Barrios have a mutual former opponent, he is the fighter who perhaps has one of the best insights into the fight on July 19th. However, the former foe of the pair is hoping the man who beat him reigns victorious.
Keith Thurman is hoping Manny Pacquiao defeats Mario Barrios despite losing to ‘Pac-Man’
Keith Thurman (31-1) is a fighter who knows both Pacquiao and Barrios quite well. Facing Pacquiao in 2019, Thurman was on the losing side of a split decision in Las Vegas.
As for Barrios, Thurman met ‘El Azteca’ in 2022, but was successful in a one-sided victory against Barrios.
Despite being narrowly bested by Pacquiao, ‘One Time’ clearly has no ill feelings towards the fighter from the Philippines. Speaking to MillCity Boxing, Thurman said he would be ‘rooting for’ Pacquiao.
“It would be exciting to see him [Pacquiao] do great,” Thurman said. “I’m rooting for Pacquiao, the vet. The vet can pull out some veteran moves and that’ll just show you what boxing is all about, baby.”
Thurman also said that Pacquiao has the potential to hurt Barrios when previewing the fight. The 31-1 fighter referred to Barrios’s loss to Gervonta Davis, saying that Pacquiao can hurt him in the same way.
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Manny Pacquiao’s last professional fight ended in defeat in 2021
Although it has been four years since Pacquiao last competed as a professional, the veteran will be aiming to improve on his previous outing.
As a professional, Pacquiao’s last fight came in August 2021, against Yordenis Ugas. Similarly to Thurman, Ugas is a mutual opponent of Pacquiao and Barrios.
However, unlike Thurman, Pacquiao was not able to get the victory over Ugas, while Barrios was.
Barrios knocked down and dominated Ugas in 2023, while Pacquiao was beaten by the Cuban via unanimous decision.
The fight against Ugas was not the last time the multi-weight world champion was in a ring. Pacquiao competed in a 2024 exhibition bout under the combat sports promotion Rizin, but no winner was announced in the fight.