MANDALAY BAY, LAS VEGAS, NV - On Saturday night former champions Keith "One Time" Thurman (29-1) and Mario "El Azteca" Barrios (26-1) will collide in a Premier Boxing Champions FOX pay-per-view main event. The action takes place at the Michelob Ultra Arena on the Las Vegas strip. In the co-featured bout, former multi-division champion Leo Santa Cruz will take on Keenan Carbajal.
This will be Thurman's first fight in over 30 months. In his last ring appearance, he dropped a split decision to Manny Pacquiao in what was the final victory of the Filipino senator’s career.
Much of the time out of the ring for the 33-year-old former unified champion can be attributed to an injured left hand and subsequent surgery.
He believes that he will breathe even more life into one of boxing’s most glamorous divisions. If everything goes right against Barrios, he said that he is ready to take on anyone in the division.
"Keith Thurman is the most exciting fight for any champion out there. I want any belt out there. I have been telling you all this for a long time, send the F'n contract. It is simple. I see a contract - it is probably going to come looking stupid - so I am going to throw it right back at you, but we can work out the wording and we can negotiate, and we can have a beautiful night of boxing like we are doing right now. I negotiate. This is a real sport. We are independent contractors. It happens one fight at a time, and I like making great fights man. So whatever champion wants to step in the ring with Keith Thurman, that is who will be next,” Thurman told a BoxingScene.com and a group of reporters after Wednesday’s final press conference.
Errol Spence and Terence Crawford are considered the top dogs in the division. Crawford last fought in November when he stopped and sent former champion Shawn Porter into retirement. Spence is expected to unify titles with Yordenis Ugas in April.
When asked which one of them would provide a greater challenge, Thurman offered up an interesting reply.
"That is up to them. They are both challenging. They are both world class. That is the upper echelon. I just look forward to it. I still believe that Crawford lets some punches slip in. But I do know he is sharp. I do know he is fast. I do know that if you let him counter you early, it could be your temple that gets rocked but that is what makes it a great fight - you got two dangerous and deadly fighters in the ring. That is what it is always about," Thurman explained.
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