By: Sean Crose
After a two-and-a-half year absence from the ring, Keith “One Time” Thurman finally returned to action Saturday night in Las Vegas when he faced the underdog Mario Barrios in a scheduled 12-round bout at the MGM Grand . All eyes will be on Thurman, who lost his final bout by tight decision to Manny Pacquiao in the summer of 2019. This was Thurman’s only defeat to date and it cost him his welterweight title. WBA center. Barrios, too, is about to lose to big-name rivals. His battle with Gervonta Davis last June ended in the eleventh round – an especially bitter pill to swallow as there are people who have won Barrios up to that point. Short story – every man has something to prove.
Thurman has a style and personality that simply attracts attention. The Florida native 29-1 speaks quickly and slyly. He has previously said that he is not afraid to let go of his “Oh” (meaning the zero on the loss column on his record). Now that the “Oh” has been replaced by “One”, the 31-year-old will enter the ring and be a different man than he was before the match against Pacquiao. Gone are the auras of the invincible ring. A considerable amount of time has passed in the past 28 months. Now 33, Thurman is facing a reputation as a part-time fighter rather than a real divisional presence in the welterweight division.
As for Barrios 26-1, this is the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to redeem himself after a bitter loss to Davis. At 26, he’s, if not a man in his prime, he’s a man on the fast track to it. If Barrios skips the sad Saturday night, he’ll be the toast to boxing. Many would be surprised, though perhaps not, given the time Thurman left the ring and Barrios’s mighty display against Davis. While it’s true that he doesn’t qualify as a “big name” competition, Barrios is still a skilled, confident, and aspirational fighter. He’s clearly not one to let Thurman or fans fall asleep heading into this weekend.
The Thurman-Barrios fight will be the headline of the Pay Per View event presented by Fox Sports and Premiere Boxing Champions. The broadcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET tomorrow night.
