Living legend and all-time great Manny Pacquiao may break his record-setting achievement, which he cemented his greatness with five years ago. On this day in 2019, a 40-year-old “Pac-Man” took both Keith Thurman’s WBA welterweight title and his unbeaten record.
The fight took place in Las Vegas, and Pacquiao, turning back the clock while at the same time sticking it to Thurman and Father Time, scored a well-deserved 12-round split decision victory.
Pacquiao dropped Thurman in the opening session, this with a right to the head, while the southpaw dynamo doubled “One Time” over with a nasty left-hand body shot in round ten. Pacquiao made boxing history with the win, becoming the oldest welterweight champion ever. Now, however, Pacquiao is in danger of breaking his record! You’ve heard the talk of Pacquiao, now aged 45 and not having won a fight since the triumph over Thurman, coming back to face current 147-pound titlist Mario Barrios.
The fight is said to be close, and Manny, if he fights Barrios and defeats him, will rubber-stamp his greatness. Pacquiao, the only man to have been a legit world champion across a staggering four decades, could end up fighting Barrios later this year. And quite a few experts and fans think Pacquiao could pull it off and get the win. Amazing.
But then we’re used to Pacquiao being exceptional in the ring. Still, the last time we saw the Pac-Man magic was that night at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas half a decade ago. Pacquiao, who improved to 62-7-2(39) with the win over Thurman, fought just once more, with the Filipino icon dropping a decision against the all-wrong for him, Yordenis Ugas. Now, less than five months shy of his 46th birthday, Pacquiao is supposedly close to trying to bag one last win, one last title.
Having kept himself in shape and his hands still capable of moving in a blur, maybe Pacquiao can become champion again at age 45. There were doubters going into the Thurman fight, and Manny silenced them. No fighter can go on forever, but with a win this year, Pacquiao will come pretty close to making us think differently.
It’s quite something to think that Pacquiao is the only man to have ever beaten Thurman. Thurman fought just once more himself after the loss to Pac-Man—Thurman beating Barrios, Manny’s possible next dance partner, in February of 2022.
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