This coming Saturday night, Mario 'El Azteca' Barrios will make his welterweight debut in a battle of former champions, when he faces the returning Keith Thurman at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The fight will be carried by Fox Sports Pay-Per-View.

Both boxers are coming off defeats, with Barrios suffering a stoppage loss to Gervonta Davis last year. It was the first loss of Barrios' career.

Thurman, a ex-unified welterweight beltholder, is returning for his first fight in over two years, with his last bout coming off in July 2019 - a decision loss to Manny Pacquiao.

“The fight against Gervonta Davis was fundamental. It was my first PPV, but now I have the opportunity to star in a big card and this has been a dream that I have always had. It will be a tough fight, but I'm a younger, taller, bigger fighter, so I'm going to use my distance, my size and my skills," Barrios told Fox Deportes.

While Thurman will be tabbed as the big favorite and viewed as the physically bigger man with the bigger puncher, Barrios will not be afraid to trade punches with him. He feels confident that his skills will overcome the veteran.

"I've been boxing since I was 6 years old, and I turned pro at 18. I could describe my style as a boxer with a good punch, with different skills, but one who knows how to throw 'f----ing punches,'" Barrios said.

“I feel good, I've had a great camp, I'm ready and I'm very excited. I expect a very dangerous Keith Thurman, who comes back smarter and more determined. It will be twelve very intense rounds and in which I am not afraid to trade punches with Keith Thurman."