Welterweight

Triller Fight Club has pledged $1 million to charity if UFC President Dana White gives the green light for ex-UFC champion Georges St-Pierre to fight ex-boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya in the boxing ring.

Ryan Kavanaugh, who is the CEO of Triller's parent company Proxima Media, spoke with ESPN's Marc Raimondi about the offer, which is contingent on the fight occurring through Triller's promotion:

"We're trying to hope we can appeal to Dana's charitable side. I've offered $250,000 and I've asked others to join in. So, it's now up to a million dollars to a charity of Dana's choice—to allow GSP to go fight for money in boxing, not UFC. When [White] knows [St-Pierre] will never fight again for the UFC."

The retired St-Pierre has not fought in four years but remains under contract with UFC.

De La Hoya is looking for a comeback in the ring, making an announcement in March:

What are your thoughts on the pro #boxing comeback of @OscarDeLaHoya on July 3?

Who would you like to see Oscar face in his comeback fight?#TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/TyBY9CBBS7

— TrillerTV (@Triller_TV) March 27, 2021

St-Pierre appears up for a fight, too, telling Mick Joest of Cinema Blend as much. However, it appears White is not on board.

"I understand that Dana didn't want me to fight," St-Pierre told Joest.

"However, it would have been fun. Because my career as a professional fighter, to become the best in the world in mixed martial arts, is done. I’m turning 40 years old tomorrow; I’m going to be 40 years old. It’s a young man's game. However, to rather fight a boxing match under the rules that Triller put on against the legendary Oscar De La Hoya?

"For me, it would have been a dream come true, because he is my second favorite boxer of all time, behind Sugar Ray Leonard. Plus, a lot of the money made would have been given to charity. So it would have been for a good cause, just to show that we don't take ourselves too seriously. And it would have been serious competition because you say, I play basketball, I play hockey, but you don’t 'play' fighting. It would have been fun."

Raimondi gave an update from White's perspective.

"The UFC did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. But White did address the situation last Saturday night at the UFC 262 postfight news conference in Houston. White said Kavanaugh has repeatedly tried to get in touch with him, but that he is ignoring his calls and texts because 'they're all full of s--t.' White has also publicly feuded with De La Hoya, a former friend of his."

St-Pierre, who turned 40 years old Wednesday, was a two-division UFC champion who went 26-2 as a professional. He ended his career with 13 straight victories.

De La Hoya won his first 31 professional boxing matches before finishing 39-6 lifetime, winning 11 world titles in six weight classes. He hasn't fought since 2008.

After surviving a horrific car crash last October, undefeated welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. is ready to climb between the ropes again. 

Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) will put his WBC and IBF world titles on the line Saturday night when he takes on Danny Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He's hoping 14 months of ring rust doesn't get in the way of him furthering what has already been an excellent career.

One could have forgiven the 30-year-old if he opted for a tune-up fight in his first foray back into the ring after that single-car crash in Dallas, a collision that he escaped without serious injury and also resulted in a driving while intoxicated charge. He was ultimately sentenced to probation.

Instead, "The Truth" is getting right back into the mix by fighting Garcia, a former welterweight and junior welterweight world champion.

        

Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

TV: Fox PPV, Premier Sports (UK)

Live stream: FoxSports.com/PPV, FITE.TV

Odds: Spence -500, Garcia +325 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

Garcia is a heavy underdog against Spence, but he's no slouch. He has beaten the likes of Robert Guerrero, Zab Judah and Amir Khan, and his most recent bout saw him score a dominant seventh-round stoppage win over Adrian Granados in April.

The 32-year-old is a sharp counterpuncher with a great chin, but he's hasn't been able to rise to the top in a crowded welterweight division, having narrowly lost big fights to Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman in recent years.

Spence will be perhaps the toughest challenge of Garcia's career, but the Philadelphia native believes he can carve out a path to victory.

"After the Mikey [Garcia] fight and the [Shawn] Porter fight, you know I saw some holes in his game and I felt, you know, it's a good opportunity for me to become champion again", he told PBC on Fox (comment at 3:15 mark in video below):

Whatever part of Spence's game Garcia plans on exploiting, he'll do so knowing he has little margin for error. Spence didn't get a knockout in his last two wins—over Mikey Garcia and Porter—but he showed he can bully smaller fighters (Garcia) and survive a relentless firefight (Porter). 

Assuming he's at his best, Spence should be able to handle whatever Garcia throws at him. But doubts will linger right up until the fight gets underway considering all that Spence has been through in the last year.

The 30-year-old southpaw paced his recovery from the crash and only started sparring again in September, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole. He admitted to worrying about his ability to fight at some points.

"Of course it runs through your mind, 'Am I really going to be able to fight again?'" Spence said. "I didn't tell anybody that was running through my mind, but it was."

While he wasn't seriously hurt in the crash, there's no way to know for sure if he will be the same pound-for-pound superstar moving forward. Fans can only hope that is the case, because if Spence wins on Saturday night, it sets up the possibility for some interesting superfights.

He could jump onto the global stage and line up a fight with Manny Pacquiao, who holds the WBA "super" world welterweight title. But the Filipino is 41 years old, and we've seen him humbled before.

A fighter who hasn't yet been humbled in the ring, and the one boxing purists would most like Spence to face, is Terence "Bud" Crawford.

The undefeated 33-year-old is coming off a stunning knockout win over Kell Brook and has expressed interest in taking on Spence. Crawford, the WBO titleholder at 147 pounds, is three years older than the New Yorker, so the sooner that fight can get made, the better for all involved.

Of course, that assumes Spence is able to beat Garcia on Saturday night. If he falls short, Garcia wouldn't be a bad opponent for Crawford, either.

Terence "Bud" Crawford will put an undefeated record and a world title on the line Saturday night when he takes on former world title-holder Kell Brook at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) is regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters of his generation. The WBO world welterweight champion switches stances, fights on the outside and toe-to-toe with ease, has excellent timing and a knack for dismantling his opponent's game plans. He's had incredible success at every level he's fought at, and at 33 years old is hoping he can soon line up some of the biggest fights of his career. 

Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) has had a fine career but is a massive underdog against Crawford. He has won three fights in a row since losing to Errol Spence Jr. and Gennady Golovkin in back-to-back fights. At 34 years old, "Special K" is looking to prove he still has some of the magic that allowed him to capture a world title at 147 pounds.

Here's how to watch the fight.

     

Crawford vs. Brook Fight Info

When: Saturday, Nov. 14 at 10 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: MGM Grand in Las Vegas

TV: ESPN (US), Premier Sports (UK)

Live stream: ESPN.com

Odds: Crawford -1667 (bet $1,667 to win $100), Brook +700 (bet $100 to win $700) (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvWrzJyfwQA

     

Even though his opponents have been underwhelming at times (through no fault of his own), there's no doubt Crawford has put together a brilliant career. A world champion in three divisions, Crawford has already defended his WBO title three times after winning it from Jeff Horn in 2018. The year before, he accomplished one of boxing's rarest feats, in which he unified all four world titles in the super lightweight division with an all-too-easy-win over Julius Indongo. 

The Omaha, Nebraska, native has won 10 of his last 11 bouts by stoppage, the most recent a ninth-round TKO win over Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Most of Crawford's stoppage wins are of the TKO variety. He so thoroughly breaks down and overwhelms his opponents that the referees or the trainer has no choice but to call it a night. 

Brook is hoping to become the first boxer to solve the riddle Crawford poses. He's a former IBF champion at welterweight, with a signature win over Shawn Porter in 2014 (one of only three bouts he's fought in the United States). He's naturally bigger than Crawford, having made a brief foray into middleweight which ended when Golovkin fractured his eye socket.

Brook hopes he can use his physicality to pull off an upset, citing Teofimo Lopez's recent win over Vasiliy Lomachenko as an example, per ESPN.com's Nick Parkinson:

"But I believe it will be like Lopez-Lomachenko, I felt the difference between me and Golovkin. I'm a big welterweight, and Crawford started at lightweight so I'm naturally the bigger guy. I've also got experience on my side, I've been in with the likes of Shawn Porter and Errol Spence Jr., and I know what these top guys are going to be like."

Brook may cut a more imposing figure than Crawford, but he's going to have to contend with the latter's long reach. According to BoxRec, Crawford has a 74-inch reach to Brook's 69-inch reach.

Crawford likes to take a couple of rounds to figure out the rhythms and tactics of his opponent. He can stay safe behind his jab in the early rounds, neutralizing Brook's physicality before imposing his will on the match. That's how its gone for so many fights in his career. Assuming Bud hasn't lost a step, Brook is likely going to need to find a way to get some power shots in early and force Crawford to respect his punches. 

Should he get past Brook, Crawford has made it clear who he wants to see in the ring next. 

"Manny Pacquiao. Because that's the fight that I've been calling for over the past few years," he said, per Bleacher Report's Kelsey McCarson. 

Pacquiao would be an excellent opponent for Crawford, who isn't quite a household name but could easily be one thanks to his skill and crowd-pleasing fighting style. The window of opportunity for Crawford to put together a few blockbuster fights to cap his career is shrinking as he heads toward his mid-30s. A win over Brook puts him in prime position to do just that.

     

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Terence Crawford will put his undefeated record on the line in a welterweight bout against Kell Brook, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN's Ben Baby.

The fight will reportedly happen November 14, with the location yet to be determined.

Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) has been out of the ring since a technical knockout of Egidijus Kavaliauskas on December 14. It was his third consecutive successful defense of the WBO welterweight title, which Crawford will once again risk in his matchup with Brook.

The fight will be made available on a linear ESPN platform rather than pay-per-view as Arum looks to navigate the financial constraints his sport is facing because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"These networks have to understand how people are hurting, how many people in this country and in the UK are out of work because of this pandemic," Arum said. "I think it's really immoral to require people to spend [more] money watching their favorite sport every week, every other week."

Brook (39-2, 27 KOs), fighting out of Sheffield, England, last defeated Mark DeLuca via TKO to earn the vacant WBO intercontinental light-middleweight belt. He previously held the IBF welterweight title from March 2015 to May 2017.

The famed promoter is hoping wherever the fight is staged, fans will be permitted to attend. Las Vegas, Nevada and Crawford's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, are both considered options to host the card.

"We hope this will lead to events where we can have paying spectators [at a] safe distance and [on] a limited basis," Arum said.

One of the most sublime finishers in boxing is on tap to help close out 2019. Terence "Bud" Crawford will put his WBO world welterweight title on the line against Egidijus Kavaliauskas on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs) has gone the distance just once in his past 10 fights, a unification bout against Viktor Postol in 2016 that Crawford won easily on the cards. A complete boxer, he usually spends a couple of rounds sizing up his opponent. As soon as he's figured them out, Crawford proceeds to break them down with quick combinations, razor-sharp counterpunching and excellent defense. He's as relentless as gravity, and he rarely lets his opponents see the final bell.

Kavaliauskas (21-0-1, 17 KOs) is a solid, if unsatisfying opponent for Crawford. A decorated amateur and undefeated as a pro, Ring considers him the eighth-best fighter at 147 pounds. He's not to be taken lightly, but the 31-year-old is likely to be seen as yet another sacrifice upon Crawford's altar as fans wait for the Pride of Omaha to get the superfight some believe he needs to cement his legacy.

The prime-time ESPN card Crawford is headlining features two other interesting bouts. Teofimo Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs), a 22-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, with superstar potential, will fight for his first major belt when he takes on IBF world lightweight champion Richard Commey (29-2, 26 KOs).

Also on the card is a grudge match of sorts between featherweights Michael Conlan (12-0, 7 KOs) and Vladimir Nikitin (3-0). Conlan will be looking to avenge a highly controversial loss to Nikitin in the 2016 Olympics.

                     

Terence Crawford vs. Egidijus Kavaliauskas Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 14 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York

TV: ESPN

Live stream: Watch ESPN

Odds: Crawford -2,500 (bet $2,500 to win $100), Kavaliauskas +1,100 (bet $100 to win $1,100)

Odds courtesy of Caesars and updated as of Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7 a.m. ET.

           

While boxing fans lament the fact that Crawford still hasn't fought the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, the 32-year-old champion prefers to focus on the big picture, per Bad Left Hook's Wil Esco:

"It really too much don't bother me as much as people think. I done accomplished more than all those welterweights over there except Pacquiao. If you look at what I accomplished in the sport of boxing, if you looks at what Errol, Keith, Shawn, Danny Garcia, all those other welterweights over there, I done accomplished way more each and every one of them, except Pacquiao."

Crawford is a three-division world champion, and in 2017, made history by unifying all four major titles in the junior lightweight division. He's undefeated and is the No. 4 pound-for-pound fighter and No. 1 welterweight, per Ring. It's an excellent resume, but he has made it look all too easy at times.

When he was busy dominating the 140-pound division, there was a sense the real action would begin at welterweight. He's a couple days away from his fourth fight at 147 pounds, and the biggest name he's drawn was a past-his-prime Amir Khan in April, whom he beat via sixth-round TKO (an incidental low blow ended the affair, but Khan was taking a thorough beating).

Crawford always keeps his cool, but he may be itching to get a big fight put together before he gets too deep into his 30s. He's teased one possible way to make that happen.

"I'm going to 160 after this...I'm going to 160, whoever," he said, per Esco. You think I'm playing? I'm going to 160. My next fight I'm going to 160."

While Bud gets peppered with questions about his legacy, there isn't much to ask the relatively anonymous Kavaliauskas about other than his upcoming fight. That's fine—it appears to be all he thinks about.

"Crawford was on my mind from the start of training camp in June," Kavaliauskas, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "So every day was Crawford, Crawford, Crawford. My mindset is good."

It's hard to describe what a path to victory would look like for the challenger because Crawford has no glaring weaknesses. He can box on the outside or slug it out at close range, switch stances if he feels one gives him more of an advantage, play defense or pile on the pressure.

Kavaliauskas' best bet is to try to frustrate Crawford, throw him multiple looks and hope he can land a power punch that stuns the favorite. Nobody has done that in 35 professional fights, but maybe the 36th time is the charm. The likelier scenario is Crawford beats up on Kavaliauskas and retains his title, adding another victory to a sterling resume that some argue could use a little more polish.

Unified welterweight boxing champion Errol Spence Jr. has been charged with driving while intoxicated, a class B misdemeanor, following a one-car crash that took place early last Thursday morning, according to TMZ Sports.

Police said Spence was driving his Ferrari at high speeds on a Dallas street at 2:53 a.m. CT when the car crashed, jumped a median and rolled over multiple times. J.D. Miles of CBS Dallas provided security camera footage of the crash.

#BREAKING Exclusive video from a nearby security camera shows the crash that injured Championship Boxer Errol Spence Jr when he lost control of his Ferrari and it rolled multiple times ejecting him. Fortunately he survived and expected to be ok pic.twitter.com/2Z1xh9DDiA

— J.D. Miles (@jdmiles11) October 10, 2019

The 29-year-old did not suffer any serious injuries, coming away with "several broken teeth," per TMZ Sports. He's since been released from the hospital and is expected to recover fully.

Spence made his first public post-crash comments on Wednesday, per Manouk Akopyan of Boxing Scene, writing "No broken bones, I'm a savage!!" in an Instagram Stories post.

That was deleted minutes later, per Akopyan, who also reported news from a source that Spence "remains hospitalized under regular care and a further update on his health condition will be provided as soon as the family is ready to share new developments."

Spence, who is 26-0 lifetime, most recently beat Shawn Porter via split decision for the WBC welterweight title, unifying the belt with his IBF championship.

As for the charges, a Dallas police spokesman said the following Wednesday, per ESPN's Dan Rafael.

"Mr. Spence has been released from the hospital and will need to address those charges. As for getting a speed of the vehicle, we will not be getting one. It was a single-car accident with no other criminal charges. Therefore, no reason to get a warrant to pull the [black box] of the vehicle."

As Rafael noted, it's unclear when Spence will get back in the ring, but Rafael wrote that previous plans "called for Spence to return in the main event of another Premier Boxing Champions main event on Fox pay-per-view Jan. 23 against former welterweight and junior welterweight world titleholder Danny Garcia."

Garcia, 31, is 35-2 on the professional level and currently holds the WBC Silver welterweight title after beating Adrian Granados via KO on April 20. Garcia won his first 33 fights before falling to Keith Thurman in 2017.

The welterweight title unification fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter on Saturday is a sure bet. Not in terms of who wins—Spence is the favorite, but Porter is capable of pulling off the upset—but in terms of fight fans getting what they crave. 

Spence (25-0, 21 KOs), the undefeated IBF world titleholder, is a gifted technician with a stiff jab and sleep-inducing power in both hands. He is Ring's No. 6 pound-for-pound fighter, trailing only Terence "Bud" Crawford (No. 2 overall) among welterweights.

Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs), who is risking his WBC strap on Saturday night in Los Angeles, is an all-action boxer who loves has swift hands and excels when trading blows at close range. He will not shy away from the challenge Spence presents, though he will have to be in the form of his life if he's going to come away with the win.

The fight figures to be one of the better matchups of 2019. The result should have a cascading effect in the welterweight division, setting up the winner as the top dog and hopefully putting them on a path to take on the other big names in the weight class.

Here's how to watch. 

Spence vs. Porter Fight Info

When: Saturday, Sep. 28 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: Staples Center in Los Angeles

Live stream: Fox Sports (pay-per-view)

TV: Fox Sports (pay-per-view)

Odds: Spence -750 (bet $750 to win $100), Porter +525 (bet $100 to win $525)

Odds courtesy of Caesars and updated as of Thursday, Sep. 26 at 7 a.m. ET.

Spence, 29, is a solid favorite going into this fight, and several things seem to be working out in his favor. The southpaw is two years younger than Porter, has a longer reach (72" to 69½", per BoxRec), has power that's about as good as it gets at 147 pounds and has looked like a champion throughout his undefeated career.

His last time out, Spence made a skilled opponent in Mikey Garcia look like he had only just discovered the sweet science. Sure, Garcia made the difficult (and many would say ill-advised) decision to jump up two weight classes to take on Spence, but it wasn't like Spence just overpowered him.

Instead, the Texas native showcased everything that made him dangerous, letting a strong jab set up combinations to both the head and body, while at the same time escaping Garcia's attacks with great footwork and head movement. Garcia's indomitable spirit helped him make it to the final bell, but he lost every round on the way there.

That's just the carnage from Spence's most recent fight. Of Spence and Porter's common opponents, Kell Brook is one who might offer clues to how the unification bout turns out.

Porter, 31, lost an IBF title fight to Brook by majority decision back in 2014. Spence had his fair share of difficulties fighting Brook in 2017, but eventually, his power paved the way to a late TKO victory. Spence broke Brook's eye socket.

Even if Porter rises to occasion on Saturday, Spence's strength is what sets him apart. He plans to use that strength to keep the fight out of the judges' hands.

"He's been talking a lot, his dad [and trainer, Ken Porter] has been talking a lot, and I want to knock him out. After Saturday night, they're going to call me the 'showstopper,' I can promise you that," Spence said, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael.

Porter will be looking to make a liar out of "The Truth," but he needs the right game plan to do it. The way TheFightCity.com's Jamie Rebner sees it, "Showtime" should focus on what he does best and make things awkward for Spence:

"Porter’s sole chance of scoring the upset relies on him making it a dog fight. He needs to get inside and stay there, by any means necessary. Throw elbows, wrestle, use the head as a battering ram. And don’t be afraid to lose a point or two. He’s not out-boxing Spence so he should go for broke. But ultimately, I see Spence being too skilled, slick, and savvy for the Ohio native. Spence by decision."

Porter has several big wins under his belt, including victories over Danny Garcia, Andre Berto and Adrian Granados. In those battles, Porter's aggression and ruggedness made life difficult (and painful) for his opponents.

His last time out was a different story. Porter had trouble keeping up his preferred pressure-based style in a split-decision win over Yordenis Ugas in March. Ugas was able to pick Porter off before he could attack, forcing him to think rather than let his hands fly. Garcia was able to do some of what Ugas did, too. Spence has it within him to time Porter's forward movement, land his punches and control the distance.

Even if he frustrates his opponent, Spence will have to keep it up for as long as Porter can stay on his own two feet. Porter's heart and determination are unquestioned, and he is not one to give up, even when few expect him to win.

"Being in the underdog position is literally where I come from. Northeast Ohio is always an underdog," Porter said, per Rafael. "Everybody works where I come from. We always do the best we can."

This is a matchup that should satisfy boxing fans who shell out the cash for the pay-per-view. The winner will become the man to beat in a talent-laden welterweight division that includes Keith Thurman, Manny Pacquiao and Crawford.

There are plenty of matchups to be made after this, but the one that might be the most craved by boxing fans is Spence vs. Crawford. They are both considered among the best in the sport and would make for a compelling clash of styles and skills. Substituting in Porter's name for Spence takes away some of the glamour from that potential fight, but if that's how it shakes out after Saturday night, there's no question Porter will have earned it.

The boxing legend of Manny Pacquiao grew on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The 40-year-old showed he can still trade with the best of them, defeating Keith Thurman via split decision to win the WBA world welterweight title, becoming one of the oldest world champions in the history of the sweet science.

One judge had it 114-113 for Thurman (29-1-0, 22 KOs), while two judges scored the bout 115-112 for Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs), per ESPN's Dan Rafael.

BoxingScene.com provided a look at Compubox's punch stats:

Pacquiao vs. Thurman - CompuBox Punch Stats https://t.co/PEbut5Hzut pic.twitter.com/OgrN8bBrWy

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) July 21, 2019

While the action-packed bout saw Thurman land more punches overall, it was Pacquiao who won the big exchanges and landed the better-quality blows.

The pride of the Philippines knocked down Thurman in the first round with a right-handed shot to the chin, set up by a jab and a left hook to the gut. Devastating body shots in the fifth and 10th rounds also visibly hurt the 30-year-old Thurman, who struggled with the elder fighter's speed and clever positioning. 

Here's a look at that 10th-round body shot, per PBC on Fox:

.@MannyPacquiao with a massive body shot in the 10th!

Eight-division World Champion Manny Pacquiao faces World Champion Keith Thurman for WBA supremacy! BUY NOW: https://t.co/AeIXwbC2Dr pic.twitter.com/zkBRF3Uc2G

— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) July 21, 2019

That was an important round for Pacquiao, as he was in danger of letting Thurman get complete control of the fight. Three rounds earlier, "One Time" was working his way back into the fight, loading up on power shots and forcing Pacquiao to fight on the back foot.

Here's a look, via PBC on Fox:

WBA Champ @keithfthurmanjr gettin' loose in the 7th 👀

Eight-division World Champion Manny Pacquiao faces World Champion Keith Thurman for WBA supremacy! BUY NOW: https://t.co/AeIXwbC2Dr pic.twitter.com/uGIXM2U0Ip

— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) July 21, 2019

Thurman had several stretches where he was clearly the better fighter, but Pacquiao did a great job of stifling his rhythm. Any time it looked like the 40-year-old might be losing his edge, he would find a second wind or string together a beautiful combination that forced Thurman to go on the defensive.

It was brilliant work from Pac Man, and Thurman recognized it as such after the fight on Twitter:

I’ve always said I’m not afraid to let my 0 go, if you can beat me — beat me. @MannyPacquiao beat me tonight. Hats off to the Senator on a great performance. #OneTime #PacThurman pic.twitter.com/piX4A6lUOA

— Keith Thurman Jr. (@keithfthurmanjr) July 21, 2019

ESPN Stats & Info noted Pacquiao pulled off an incredible feat by winning the world title in what is presumably the twilight of his career:

Manny Pacquiao defeats Keith Thurman in a split decision.

At 40 years and 215 days old Manny Pacquiao becomes the 5th-oldest male boxer to win a world title.

Pacquiao improves his record in title fights to 20-4-2 and 11-3 as a welterweight. pic.twitter.com/nQOAQm707b

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 21, 2019

The judges made the right decision in awarding Pacquiao the victory.

Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis felt Pacquiao showed he has plenty left to give to the sport: 

Youth vs Experience is an age old argument. Someone forgot to tell @MannyPacquiao to leave his youth at home tho so he brought them BOTH to the table against Thurman. Hard to beat that combination even for an incredible fighter like Thurman. #PacquiaoThurman

— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) July 21, 2019

That's a testament to how hard Pacquiao works in between fights. He puts in the hours so he can put on a show for his fans, win or lose.

"Every fight I have, my main concern is, I don't want to disappoint my fans with my performance," Pacquiao said, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole. "That's why every training camp, I always punish myself."

The question for Pacquiao is what does he do with his world title. He likely only has a couple of bouts left in him (though that's been said about him for a few years now).

The welterweight division is brimming with great fighters. Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Terence Crawford and even a rematch with Thurman would all be huge draws. As of right now, taking the winner of the Spence-Porter bout in September appears to be the most likely path for Pacquiao.

"It was fun,'' Pacquiao said, per the Los Angeles Times' Houston Mitchell."I think I will fight next year. I will go back to the Philippines and work and then make a decision. I hope to be at that fight on Sept. 28."

Whatever he decides to do, millions around the world will be supporting him. Pacquiao has been a professional boxer for 24 years now, and he is still mesmerizing to watch in the ring. He's not done yet.  

Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman are set to battle for the WBA "super" welterweight title Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, 40, seems to have little interest in winding down his legendary career. He's gunning for another world title against one of the most dangerous fighters in what is arguably boxing's most talent-laden division.

Just a few years ago, Thurman was on his way to superstardom, having beaten Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia in consecutive fights. He looked set to rule at 147 pounds, but injuries derailed his career for nearly two years. In that time, Pacquiao has had a resurgence, Errol Spence Jr. has continued his ascendancy, and Terence "Bud" Crawford moved up to welterweight in style.

After a shaky tune-up fight against Josesito Lopez in January, there can be no setbacks for Thurman if he wants to prove he's still the best in the division and set up some lucrative unification bouts. All he has to do is beat a boxing icon Saturday night.

The fight is available via Fox Sports pay-per-view. The main card starts at 9 p.m. ET.

                   

Tale of the Tape

Records: Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) — Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs)

Age: Pacquiao (40) — Thurman (30)

Height: Pacquiao (5'5½") — Thurman (5'7½")

Weight: Pacquiao (146.5 lbs) — Thurman (146.5 lbs)

Reach: Pacquiao (67") — Thurman (69")

Stance: Pacquiao (southpaw) — Thurman (orthodox)

Hometown: Pacquiao (General Santos City, Philippines) — Thurman (Clearwater, Florida)

Nickname: Pacquiao (Pac-Man) — Thurman (One Time)

Boxer information courtesy of BoxRec. Weigh-in information courtesy of ESPN's Dan Rafael.

                    

Fight Preview, Predictions

Despite being 10 years older than his opponent, Pacquiao is the slight favorite going into this one. According to Oddschecker (as of 7 a.m. ET on Saturday), Pacquiao is a -148 favorite (wager $148 to win $100). By all accounts, Pac-Man is in incredible shape and has not lost his passion for the sport. He avenged a controversial loss to Jeff Horn in July 2017 with wins against Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner. 

Thurman showed his power in January against Lopez, scoring a second-round knockdown. In years past, he might have finished the job right then. Instead, Lopez recovered and was the better boxer for long stretches in the later rounds.

This shaky showing is a big reason why a 30-year-old undefeated boxer defending a world title is a slight underdog. Another tune-up bout might have erased some doubts, but it's too late for that.

It appears the boxing world is fairly evenly split on this one. ESPN's Andres Ferrari polled 15 members of boxing media; nine see Pacquiao winning it, six say Thurman.

CBSSports.com's Brian Campbell rounded up the opinions of 23 fighters and trainers. In his poll, 10 have it for Pacquiao, 10 for Thurman and three say it's too close to call.

Many of the opinions are close because it's hard to tell which version of each boxer is going to step into the ring Saturday night. If Pacquiao's speed and precise combinations are there, he can make life difficult for Thurman. All he has to do is shake him up early on to plant a seed of doubt.

However, if Pacquiao has lost a step, Thurman might not even need to resort to big, winding power punches to impress the judges. He can use his physical advantages and a strong jab to keep the southpaw out of rhythm.

Likewise, Thurman will have to tap into the well that allowed him to win a slugfest with Porter in late 2016. If that version of One Time shows up, he should have no trouble winning a war against an ageing Pacquiao. The Thurman who came out against Lopez can still win, but he will have to box smartly and rely on defense and his jab.

It could be a slugfest or it could be a cagey battle of competing strategies and styles. Thurman has been aggressive in the pre-fight buildup and told Bad Left Hook's Will Esco "I wanna trade with Pacquiao," so that he can use his power to his advantage.

His power will pose problems for Pacquiao and impress the judges. If he can win a few of the high-output rounds, look for him to switch to a defensive approach and use his bigger body and jab to keep Pacquiao from stringing together combinations.

             

Prediction: Thurman by split decision.

It's not often world title challengers are the favorites going into a boxing match. Then again, Manny Pacquiao isn't your typical challenger.

For starters, the Filipino (61-7-2, 39 KOs) is a legend of the sport, a world champion in an unprecedented eight divisions who has beaten some of the best boxers of his generation.

Also, thanks to boxing's patchwork quilt of sanctioning organizations and championship hierarchies, Pacquiao is technically a welterweight world champion going into Saturday night's pay-per-view fight against Keith "One Time" Thurman.

Pacquiao is the "regular" WBA world titleholder at 147 pounds, having beaten Lucas Martin Matthysse in July 2018.

The undefeated Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) is the "super" champion. He earned that status when he beat Danny Garcia in March 2017. Injuries kept him out of the ring for nearly two years, so the WBA kept the world title chase alive in his absence with the "regular" title.

So Pac Man is a champion, and so is Thurman. The latter has never lost, though, which makes him the man to beat when the two enter the ring Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

However, the 40-year-old challenger is still one of the most popular boxers alive, and he is likely the main reason people will tune in on Saturday night.

With a win, Thurman can ensure he's both the main man and the main draw in his next fight.

                   

Fight Info

When: Saturday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: MGM Grand in Las Vegas

TV: Fox Sports Pay-Per-View ($74.99)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Pay-Per-View

Odds: Pacquiao -132 (bet $132 to win $100), Thurman +135 (bet $100 to win $135)

Odds are according to Oddschecker and updated as of Thursday at 7 a.m. ET.

           

Thurman's advantages going into Saturday's bout are obvious. He's 10 years younger than Pacquiao, taller with a thicker frame and he has a two-inch reach advantage, (69" to 67", per BoxRec). When he's at his peak, combining a strong jab with thunderous power shots and deft footwork, he can make proceedings lopsided.

But it's possible we won't see his peak Saturday. In his return to the ring in January, he spent the first few rounds beating up on a game Josesito Lopez, even scoring a knockdown in the second round.

The fight took a turn in the latter half, with Lopez wobbling Thurman in the seventh and generally making life difficult for him every round after that. In what was supposed to be a tune-up bout, the champion had to settle for a majority decision.

Instead of another tune-up, Thurman jumped at the opportunity to face Pacquiao. He's made it his mission to get under his skin, saying he will "crucify" the Filipino and referencing his political career, per CBS Sports' Brian Campbell:

Pacquiao has apparently been listening, but he's kept his cool in the pre-fight buildup.

"The more Thurman talks, the more it will help me," the veteran said, per ESPN's Dan Rafael. "His words are motivating me and encouraging me to work even harder day after day."

It's hardly lightning-rod stuff, but that's how Pacquiao tends to operate in the twilight of his career. Working with longtime trainer Freddie Roach, he needs to find a way to hit whatever counts for his peak to win Saturday. It's hard to tell exactly where that is these days, considering Matthysse and his most recent opponent, Adrien Broner, didn't offer him much resistance.

Pacquiao is a tricky southpaw who can counter a jab better than most and string together combinations. He's looking to use his speed to create problems against his bigger opponent.

"Better for me, especially if you are going for the body," Pacquiao said, per the Los Angeles Times' Norm Frauenheim.

If Pacquiao can find the vulnerabilities lurking in Thurman's game the same way Lopez did, he has a good chance at pulling off the victory. He will have to be cautious as he goes about his business, though.

The Filipino has hit the canvas before, and Thurman is going to load up on the big punches if he feels himself falling behind.

However, there's so much for Thurman to lose Saturday. A defeat will confirm the suspicions of those who believe he lost a step during his injury layoff or that his killer instinct is gone. It will take him out of the lucrative championship circuit, where potential megafights against Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter await (the latter two are booked to fight in September, per The Athletic's Lance Pugmire).

A win, however, and Thurman gets to tout a victory over a boxing legend as he makes his next move. Pacquiao might hang it up with another loss, but he's showing few, if any, signs he wants to leave the sport behind. He didn't do it after his undeserved loss to Jeff Horn in July 2017.

Beating Thurman would give him a chance for a big showdown with the aforementioned titleholders. Pacquiao might just keep fighting until someone in the sport forces him out.