Keith "One-Time" Thurman is set to fight Luis Collazo on July 11 in Premier Boxing Champions' first show on ESPN, and he will be a big favorite to win the fight. Should Thurman look impressive, this win will set him up for bigger things as one of the PBC's top talents. Judging from his recent comments about Manny Pacquiao, Thurman might be trying to goad the Filipino star into making him famous.
Thurman put the onus on Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach for making Pacquiao's fight vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. a dull, one-sided affair.
"I knew Mayweather, as long as he used the best strategy, I figured his best strategy was to use his footwork and potshot all night, and that's pretty much what he did," Thurman said. "He controlled Manny Pacquiao on the outside, and he never really stood in front of Manny Pacquiao, not being an easy target for him."
Pacquiao initially said after the fight that he believed he won based on his high workrate, and having landed the bigger punches. His big shots never hurt Mayweather, however, and they were too far removed from each other to make an impact on the judges. Later, Pacquiao revealed he had a torn labrum that he fought with, and he's currently sidelined while rehabbing it. Thurman wasn't letting Pacquiao off the hook with an injury excuse.
"At the end of the day I believe that it is the fighter and his trainer's job to show up in the best physical shape possible and they didn't do that and that's their bad," Thurman said. "Mayweather came to perform. I don't think he deserves a rematch, I don't think anyone wants to see a rematch. Just like my nickname, sometimes you only get one time."
Perhaps Pacquiao might want to face Thurman when he returns to the ring. Thurman is under Al Haymon's PBC umbrella, so a fight may not be easy to negotiate, but Thurman-Pacquiao is one of the best possible matchups to be made at 147 pounds, if that's where Pacquiao plans to remain upon his return to the ring.
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