Thurman gives Barrios ‘slight’ edge

Keith Thurman is the common denominator of Filipino challenger Manny Pacquiao and reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios.

Pacquiao beat him in 2019 but Thurman defeated Barrios in 2022, making his views on the 19 July clash in Las Vegas as valuable as the WBC 147-pound belt the two fighters are going to dispute at the MGM Grand.

Thurman, who lost on a close split decision to the Filipino eight-division legend, told fighthype that he “slightly favors” Barrios.

“It’s hard to know, you know the age of Pacquiao. What’s we are going to get from him. But I will tell you this: Depending on his conditioning. How much he can pop-in on that instep? The one that he brought in to me. The fast instep? How he can get in?”

If Pacquiao, 46, comes in hardly showing signs of old age and a long layoff, the title is going to change hands, Thurman said.

“I know he can hurt Barrios. I hurt him multiple times. Tank (Davis) hurt him. That’s one thing in Pacquiao’s favor. Abel Ramos hurt him.”

Thurman added that “the defense of Mario Barrios is still suspect” and that Pacquiao won’t have problems scoring.

“He (Barrios) is there. He is willing to get caught. You can catch him. He’s not hard to find.”

But then again, Thurman insists that everything would all boil down to how Pacquiao would look like on fight night.

“Who is showing up on that night? Who is he on that night? We are going to witness. We are going to find out. That’s the big question. And for that I just slightly, favor Mario Barrios.

In the end, Thurman still remained not 100 percent that Barrios is going to prevail.

“If you want a safe bet, put the win on Barrios and put the knockout on Pacquiao,” he added.