by Nick Giongco
LAS VEGAS – Either Keith Thurman has gone cuckoo or he simply feels he has Manny Pacquiao all figured out way ahead of this Saturday night’s showdown at the MGM Grand.
“Oh, you know, we’re going for the overall victory,” Thurman said on Wednesday during the post-press conference chat with scribes. “And then we’re going for first-round knockout, second-round knockout and then, lucky-number-seven-round knockout.”
Thurman said his team has “gone to the bank” so they could place the bold but high-paying wager considering that the odds continue to favor Pacquiao.
“This is still going to shift. It’s still not yet Friday night. All the fans aren’t here at the MGM yet. Asians have been getting it in. I think I have offended a lot more other Filipinos than I did Manny Pacquiao,” said Thurman, adding that even former Pacquiao sparmate Shawn Porter, who he beat, is siding with his opponent.
“A lot of people, including Shawn Porter who picked Pacquiao to win this fight. I remember you picked yourself to beat me too now. Just because you feel like something’s doesn’t mean it’s gonna happen.”
Armed with a 29-0 card with 22 KOs, Thurman doesn’t see himself getting the short end of the stick.
“I am an undefeated for a reason. I have been presented with many challenges. I have always overcome these challenges. I am diverse and well-rounded and I am ready for anything Manny Pacquiao ready to throw up.”
However, the one thing that has Thurman buzzing with optimism is his strong belief that Pacquiao’s style won’t mess up his gameplan.
“Manny’s not gonna be throwing punches from angles I have never seen. You know, he might throw awkward combinations. He might fight in spurts. I’ve been in the ring with fighters with that similar style.”
Then he downplays Pacquiao’s whirlwind attacking mode.
“The number one thing that’s different is his overall footwork. One thing I’m not a big fan of, is Manny Pacquiao’s defense. His offense is his defense. I don’t think he really has defense. He’s not technical.”
It is for this reason that Thurman feels that Pacquiao will end up absorbing a beatdown.
“Don’t be surprised if Manny goes night-night,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao will be told to relax and reserve all the pent-up energy on fight night, according to conditioning coach Justin Fortune.
“He’s just bored and can’t wait to fight,” said Fortune.
That’s simply a threat camouflaged as a message to Thurman.
Pacquiao dares foe to go toe-to-toe with him
Pacquiao is keeping his fingers crossed that brash American rival will live up to his pre-fight trash talk when they face each other Saturday night at the MGM Grand.
“I hope he goes toe-to-toe on Saturday because it will be good. I am sure this is going to be exciting and he does it,” said Pacquiao during Wednesday’s press conference.
Since the time their fight was formalized, Thurman had been on the offensive using his mouth and that was on full display anew when they faced the media three days before their world welterweight clash.
While he doesn’t admit it, Pacquiao, 40, has felt slighted by Thurman’s tirades. Asked whether Thurman has gotten under his skin, the Filipino legend brushed it off, saying it is easy to criticize someone but way harder to back it up.
“It is easy to say but it’s not easy to do it in the ring. I have been in this sport over two decades. Nothing personal. Just doing my job. I have to prove something that’s why I am so motivated for this fight,” he said.
Actually, even before contracts were signed, Thurman had been dissing Pacquiao on Youtube.
During the Los Angeles stop of the press tour two months ago, Thurman raised eyebrows when he told the media that he was going to “crucify” Pacquiao, a clear jab at his rival’s religious beliefs.
However, there are those who feel that Thurman is just playing so he can drumbeat the fight.
But whether Thurman is kidding or not, it has become clear that he has earned the ire not only of Pacquiao and his legions of fans.
