LOS ANGELES – Patuloy pa rin ang tirada ng reigning WBA welterweight world champion na si Keith “OneTime” Thurman (29-0-0, 22 KOs) kay pambansang kamao Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs).
Kumpiyansa raw si Thurman na mapapabagsak niya ang eight-division champion sa loob lamang ng dalawang rounds sa kanilang nalalapit na sagupaan sa July 20 (US time) o July 21 Philippine time.
Sa panayam kay Neil Hilario, isa sa tinaguriang mga L.A. Boys ng “Team Pacquiao” sinabi nito na “kakainin ni Thurman ang kanyang mga pangarap.”
Ito ay dahil ibang klaseng Manny Pacquiao raw ang bubulaga sa buong mundo.
Ready to rumble na rin ang fighting senator.
Sa tingin nito kahit alagang baka raw ay kayang matumba sa lakas ng kamao ng senador.
Una rito, nagpasaring ang defending champion sa kampo ni Pacman matapos magbigay ng forecast ang Hall of Fame trainer na si Freddie Roach na mag-uuwi ng “huge score” ang tataya sa 40-anyos niyang alaga.
Una rito, nagpasaring ang defending champion sa kampo ni Pacman matapos magbigay ng forecast ang Hall of Fame trainer na si Freddie Roach na mag-uuwi ng “huge score” ang tataya sa 40-anyos niyang alaga.
Naglabas naman si Thurman ng kanyang sariling taya kung saan sa bawat round daw na matatapos ay magbibigay siya ng $10,000.
“About 10K a round, that’s motivation!” ayon sa panayam ng TMZ Sports kay Thurman. “I can’t go three minutes going ‘tap-tap-tap’ when I got 10K on the round. I gotta swing a few times, you gotta try to hit a home run.”
Matatandaan na walang tigil ang patutsada ng 30-anyos na undefeated American champion at nangako pa itong tatapusin ang karera ng pambansang kamao kasabay nang pagsasabing handa siyang “i-crucify” si Pacman sa loob ng ring.
Dahil na rin dito ay napilitang bumwelta ang kampo ni Pacquiao sa panunguna ni Roach kung saan pinuna niya ang huling laban ng Amerikano na muntik nang maisahan ni Josesito Lopez.
Para naman L.A. Boys member na si Hilario, ang patuloy na pagyayabang ni Thurman ay nagsisilbing gasolina lamang sa motibasyon ng isang Manny Pacquiao.
“I like that, because he does get angry,” ani ni Roach sa isang interview. “I do like when Manny doesn’t like his opponent because he does fight better.”
Ngayong ilang araw na lang at magtatapat na ang dalawang kampeon, todo-bigay na sa ensayo ang fighting senator na kinakitaan na ang pagbabalik ng eksplosibong bilis at tatag ng stamina.
Handa na rin ang training staffs ni Pacquiao sa pangunguna nina Roach, strength and conditioning coach Justine Fortune at kanyang matalik na kaibigan na si Buboy Fernandez sa pagpasok ng huling linggo ng training camp at paghubog sa katawan ni Pacman para makuha ang tamang timbang at kondisyon.
At habang nalalapit na duwelo, nananatili ang composure at focus ni Pacquiao para madungisan ang malinis na kartada ni “One Time” at patunayan na magpapatuloy pa ang kanyang karera.
Sa panig ni Thurman, ito na ang pinakamalaking laban sa kanyang career at inaasahang magiging tulay ang panalo upang umangat siya ng husto sa boxing spotlight.
Sa ngayon ay nananatiling underdog si Pacquiao sa mga bookmakers, matatandaan na ang huling beses na nangyari ito ay noong laban ni Manny kay Floyd Mayweather.
Canelo Alvarez ex-promoter Eddie Hearns predicts that Terrence Crawford will retire after his victory vs Israil Madrimov last August 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Crawford is now the 4-division champ after winning by unanimous decision.
However, Hearns said that three fighters are a must fight against Crawford before hanging his gloves – Vergil Ortiz, Jaron Ennis, and Canelo.
“I don’t think Crawford wants a Boots fight. I don’t think Crawford will fight again unless he fights Canelo Alvarez because he’s got money, he’s getting on [in age],” Hearns revealed.
He added that Crawford ducks Ortiz. He also mocked him for getting lucky with the scoring for his fight against Madrimov.
Hearns underscored that 36 year old Crawford is craving for mega-money, mega-fights, and real legacy fights that is why he does not like to fight the undefeated Ennis. He furthered that 27 year old Ennis is like the young Crawford version that is why he is skipping him.
Meanwhile, Crawford still hates Ennis because he is overrated.
Three welterweight champs are on queue against IBF belt holder Jaron “Boots” Ennis (32 – 0) : Brian Norman Jr WBO; Mario Barrios WBC; and Eimantas Stanionis WBA for his undisputed title dream,
Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearns said that 27-year old Ennis is the future of boxing as he beats everyone. He added that Boots is a special fighter that needs to be tested against the best in the world.
However, boxing experts suggested Ennis to move up to 154 and target Terence Crawford, Sebastian Fundora, Errol Spence, Tim Tszyu, Vergil Ortiz Jr, Israil Madrimov, Serhii Bohachuk, and Erickson Lubin.
Super-welterweight Terrence Crawford is set to fight Israil Madrimov – WBA and WBO interim World Super-Welterweight champ on August 3, 2024 in BMO Stadium – a Soccer-specific stadium in Los Angeles, California.
Crawford will move up to 154 pounds to clash Madrimov for his WBA junior middleweight title. This is halfway to Canelo Alvarez – the super middleweight undisputed champ of the world.
However, undisputed heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk wants to see Crawford beating Canelo. It can be recalled that Usyk smashed Tyson Fury just recently.