Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has gotten the odds working for him gradually. Short of three weeks into his title bout with American fighter Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 20, the Filipino champ has now been listed the favorite at 1.8. He was the underdog at 2.1 but switched placed to Thurman, who's now at 1.95.
According to the South China Morning Post, it's clear that between the Pacman and the loud-mouth Thurman, boxing fans easily pick the former. It seems the same applies for bettors, who now realized Thurman would not win over the Filipino pound-for-pound on the basis of his talking skills alone.
The American may overwhelm with his fighting words, but it is Pacquiao that gets the attention of more matchmakers.
"Pacquiao ... has now been installed as the favorite for the fight after more money piled in for the much-loved fighter," the report added.
It helped too that the Pacquiao brand has a better recall, Forbes said in a related report that covered the surging numbers attributed to the Filipino boxing icon.
"Because of Pacquiao's huge popularity, and the slight edge in the early odds in favor of Thurman, there was likely a good amount of money coming in on the former. That sort of action stimulates the market in the underdog's favor, which in that situation was Pacquiao," the report said.
Pacquiao's gain was likewise credited to recent reports that the fighter has been making life difficult for his sparring partners. And it's not hard to believe he can do so, as attested by images of the boxer circulated by his camp. The photos showed a ripped Pacman and evidently ready for a fierce slugfest against the challenger from the United States, Forbes added on its report.
The publication noted too that Thurman's extended break from the ring might have swayed bettors to look the other way. The Welterweight titlist last fought two years ago, and in that bout that he won eventually, there was a brief moment that he lost control and nearly suffered a knockdown.
Now the underdog, it's hardly surprising that Thurman was triggered even more to rain insults on his opponent. In a report by Bad Left Hook, the U.S. native insisted Pacquiao's fight with Australian Jeff Horn was a draw because "Manny Pacquiao didn't do a goddamn thing."
Thurman added that after the watching the duel, he thought Pacquiao should now be called "T-Rea Arm" since he failed to score on punches and he can blame his evidently shorter reach.
When asked about the unkind words from his foe, Pacquiao said they motivated him even more to knockout Thurman.
