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Steve KimESPN
Keith Thurman has made it clear who he wants to line up against when the boxing schedule resumes — the man who handed him his first professional loss last summer.
“Every day no one is allowed to do anything, it makes me feel like I’m one day closer to my rematch with Manny Pacquiao,” Thurman said Monday during a live stream on Premier Boxing Champions’ Instagram account.
Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) lost his WBA welterweight title to Pacquiao in Las Vegas on July 20. After getting floored in the first round and falling behind in the early stage of this contest, Thurman rallied down the stretch but lost a split decision by the scores of 115-112 (twice for Pacquiao) and 114-113 (for Thurman).
Afterward, Thurman underwent a procedure on his left hand that kept him sidelined for the rest of 2019.
“I understood after my hand surgery he was most likely going to step in the ring before I would be prepared to step in the ring, but now we’re both looking at a situation where we both might be prepared to step in the ring at the same time. If that’s the case, I mean, the ball’s in his court,” said Thurman, who like every other boxer in the world is sidelined as boxing has shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pacquiao has not fought facing Thurman in July.
“I just don’t see somebody else really giving him a great fight,” Thurman continued. “I also believe I deserve the rematch from being the undefeated welterweight champion at the time.”
There was no rematch clause in the agreement for their first fight, but the 31-year-old said that “everything is up for negotiations.”
Thurman said he believes that with Pacquiao having no concrete future plans, the two are on equal footing.
“This time has only give me more time to prepare and maybe line up with his future date,” Thurman said.
It’s not clear just when boxing will resume, and it’s also uncertain if these first few events will include a live audience inside the venues. Thurman said he believes crowds are an essential facet of major fights.
“Without the people, it takes away a certain dynamic, it takes away a certain energy, it takes away the humanism, it takes away the life,” he said. “The life of the sport is to participate for the fans, to hear the uproar, to hear the cheers.
“You can’t have a championship match (without the crowd). It’s very essential.”