Former unified welterweight world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman(29-1, 22 KOs) and former super lightweight world champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios(26-1, 17 KOs) on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, February 5 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features Thurman and Barrios clashing in the 12-round welterweight main event, while Santa Cruz and Carbajal duel in the 10-round super featherweight co-main event.
The last time we saw the 33-year-old Thurman was July 2019, when he suffered the first loss of his career to Manny Pacquiao by split decision in Las Vegas. .
Now, he’s back after being out of the ring for over two years.
“It’s not ideal to have a layoff like I had, but you just have to roll with things in life,” Thurman said via virtual press conference Wednesday. I’ve spent a lot of time meditating and prioritizing different things. Now the date is set, and I can’t wait to get back in action. I truly love this sport.
“I was given a few options for opponents, and once I heard Barrios had interest in it, I knew that he was coming off an exciting fight and that I wanted to make it happen. Once Barrios was on the menu, I was ready to take him.”
Because of the layoff, many are questioning Thurman’s hunger to be one of the top guys at 147, but according to Thurman, no one should write him off.
“The fire has been burning inside me my whole life,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what we’re competing in. When you’re in this sport, you’re in it to win. You have to be. That competitiveness is natural for me. No matter how long I’m off, I’m thinking about boxing.
“I’m here to prove that I’m not the kind of fighter that you can write off. The cream is going to rise to the top. I might have fallen, but you best believe I’m going to rise again. This year is about doing what I have to do to be at the pinnacle of the division.”
If hungry, Thurman is one of the top guys at 147, but it should be interesting to see how he looks after such a long layoff.
