Pacquiao predicts short night for Thurman if they go toe-to-toe

MANILA - Manny Pacquiao said on Friday that it would be a short night for WBA world welterweight champion Keith Thurman should they go toe-to-toe inside the ring on July 20 (July 21 PHL time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Filipino boxing icon hinted that he would be going all in when he took on the 30-year-old Thurman, who he acknowledged was a top pugilist with an unblemished record of 29-0 with 22 knockouts.

"There is a big percentage that this fight will not go 12 rounds. That is not a prediction, just my analysis. If he goes toe-to-toe with me that will be lovely. It will make it a shorter fight," said Pacquiao.

"Keith Thurman is a good fighter. His record shows that. His record also shows who he has fought. His era of opposition is a lot different than mine," he added.

"The difference between the mentality of my era compared to Keith Thurman’s is I have a strong passion for the sport of boxing and he seems to have other interests."

Pacquiao, boxing's lone champion across eight divisions, further noted that he still had something to show and prove at age 40.

"This is not about my legacy. It is about adding an important milestone to my resume. It is about proving that at forty I can still fight anyone, that I am still relevant in boxing," he stressed.

Motivated by Thurman's pre-fight trash talk, Pacquiao was hoping that his American counterpart would back his bravado on fight night.

"I have pushed myself to the limit in training camp and I am prepared to push myself to the limit on July 20," he quipped. "Keith Thurman has talked a good game. We will see how far he is willing to push himself on Saturday night." — DVM, GMA News