• Boxing

ni Louis Pangilinan
Wa epek para kay WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman kung anuman ang mga puna ng kritiko na target idepensa ang kanyang korona kay Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao.

Buhat nung Enero, itinigil ni Thurman ang 2 taong pananahimik upang manaig sa inaasahang desisyon kontra underdog Josesito Lopez.

Matapos ang panalo, agad nilinaw ni Thurman na ang 2019 ay "get-back" year - kung saan pinatalas niya ang kanyang skills na may mid-tier opponents.

Sinabi niya sa panayam na ang mga kampeon gaya nina Errol Spence at Shawn Porter ay kailangang maghintay hanggang 2020, pinakamaaga na para harapin nila sa unification.

Maraming observers, at fighters, ang malasado sa pasya ni Thurman na sagupain si Pacquiao, na 40-years-old na at nasa gulugod na ng kanyang karera.

Inihayag ni Thurman na bawat top welterweight - tulad ni Spence, Porter at Terence Crawford -ay pawang puntirya si Pacquiao. At naniniwala siyang ang ilan sa kanila ay dismayado dahil tinalo sila ng malaking datung na oportunidad.

“I wanted to fight Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather six years ago at the age of 24. I was never presented with the opportunity at that time. I’m presented with the opportunity today. So the opportunity’s not coming tomorrow, it’s here today. I’ve got to take full advantage of it,” ani Thurman sa Boxing News.

“Every welterweight in the welterweight division wanted this fight. They can say whatever they say want to say about this fight but everybody wanted this fight. (Louis Pangilinan)