ni Louis Pangilinan
Nararamdan ni WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman na hindi siya nirerespeto ng mga eksperto, kung saan nagiging paborito na sa pustahan para sa nalalapit niyang laban kontra Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao.
Idedepensa ni Thurman ang kanyang titulo sa Pinoy icon, ang WBA's secondary beltholder, sa July 20 sa MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
“This is my fight. He’s fighting for my belt. And yet, it’s as if the world has forgot. So I wanted to … stab him a little bit, hit him where it hurts,” sambit ni Thurman PBC’s Face to Face. “He’s fighting for my belt…it’s as if the world has forgot.”
Marami nang usapan ang sumentro sa edad ni Pacquiao.
Ang Pinoy boxer ay 40-years-old, at galing sa one-sided twelve round unanimous decision win kay four division champion Adrien Broner noong Enero ng taon.
Naisabit ni Pacquiao ang rekord na walong divisional belts sa larangan, gayunman paniwala ni Thurman na ang future Hall of Famer ay laos na bilang top fighter at gusto niya itong tuldukan pagsalpok nila sa ring.
“I just believe the hourglass is almost finished,” ani Thurman. “He doesn’t have much left. Go play basketball, Manny! You say you like to play basketball every day. Go shoot hoops with the guys, man!”
“I’ve watched Manny for many years, this is the first time truly being face to face. I’m trying to look for some grey hair, I don’t really see much. He don’t look too aged, he’s got that Asian blood in him, he still looks like he’s 15 years old. But does he move like he’s 15? After he gets punched, is he going to be able to recover like the young fighter?
“He said I felt good [after the Adrien Broner fight], In my head at home I said, ‘He felt good because he didn’t get punched in the face, he felt good because he didn’t get punched in the body’. How good is he gonna feel after 12 rounds of boxing with your man right here, Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman?” ( Louis Pangilinan)