Notable boxing coach, and long-time Manny Pacquiao trainer, Freddie Roach recently said that Keith Thurman would be 'cooked' should he try and go toe-to-toe with the boxing icon. Roach added that he would not be surprised if Pacquiao knocks Thurman out.
Praising Pacquiao's current condition, Roach said, "If Thurman comes straight in and goes after Manny, which I think he will, he is going to be cooked. Chef Many will be serving him up on a platter like Lobster Thurmandor."
While some might dismiss this as just Roach talking trash to Thurman, it is important to note that Pacquiao does have a storied career of knocking his opponents out. However, one might argue that could be possible during Pacquiao's prime, and that he is currently in the twilight of his career.
For Pacquiao, who turned 40 last December, age is just a number. Pacquiao has a professional record of 61 wins, seven losses, two draws, with 39 of those wins coming by way of knockouts. For the eight-division champion, knocking Thurman will be the culmination of his career as it will bring his knockout count into an even 40.
Thurman, who has an unblemished record of 29 wins, will be putting his welterweight world title in the line against Pacquiao. Hailing from Clearwater, Florida, he boasts an unbeaten 29 bouts, with 22 of it coming by way of knockout. On paper, he has a clear advantage as he is 10 years younger than his Filipino opponent. Nevertheless, these 10 years is also a valuable experience for the Filipino ring icon.
This is Pacquiao's third title fight in the last 12 months. Despite calls from fans and experts alike for him to retire, the fighting Senator from the Philippines is still resilient in his quest for glory.
Boxing experts and professionals have weighed in on the upcoming bout, and a significant majority give Pacquiao the edge due to his experience and unrelenting attack style. Those in the Thurman side cites the American's youth could play a major factor, especially towards the latter half of the fight. It is also important to note that Thurman has a much better knockout statistics of the two with 22 out of his 29 fights. Nevertheless, one should not discount Pacquiao's deadly combination of speed and power which has also downed quite a lot of notable names in boxing.
Pacquiao and Thurman will face each other on July 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
