NAWALA ang paghanga ni Top Rank chief executive officer Bob Arum sa performance ni WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman kaya naniniwala siyang tatalunin ito ng dati niyang boksingero na si eigh-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

Halos dalawang taong hindi lumaban si Thurman sanhi ng mga pinsala sa katawan kaya muntik siyang mapatulog sa 7th round ni challenger Josesito Lopez bago nanalo via 12-round majority decision noong Linggo sa Barclays Center sa Brooklyn, New York.

“During the seventh round of the fight, Thurman was badly hurt by Lopez and he appeared to be on the verge of getting stopped,” ayon sa ulat ni Miguel Rivera ng BoxingScene.com. “Thurman was able to survive the round, but he stayed on the move for the remainder of the contest - boxing and using his legs as Lopez continued to pursue him around with knockout intentions.”

Pagkatapos ng laban, kaagad hinamon ni Thurman si Pacquiao sa unification bout pero naniniwala si Arum na wala itong ibubuga sa Filipino boxer na tinalo naman sa kumbinsidong 12-round unanimous decision ang Amerikanong si Adrien Broner noong nakaraang Enero 19 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

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“I do not think Thurman can keep fighting, I think he looked terrible against Lopez,” sabi ni Arum. “Let’s be honest, Lopez is not an elite fighter, he never was, and he hurt Thurman in the seventh round, and it is well known that Lopez is not a knockout artist and the referee could have stopped the fight in that round.”

Naniniwala rin si Arum na kung maghaharap sina Pacquiao at Thurman ay magwawagi ang Pinoy boxer.

“Yes, I think it’s a fight that he can win, it is,” sabi ni Arum sabay banggit kay Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach na gusto rin ang laban ni Pacquiao kay Thurman. “I think Freddie (Roach) saw the same thing as me.”