ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | July 13, 2020
Inamin ni dating welterweight titlist Keith “One Time” Thurman na malaki ang naging epekto sa pagkatalo niya ng first round knockdown na natamo laban kay eight-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao para sa kanilang World Boxing Association (WBA) title fight noong isang taon.
Sinisisi rin ng 31-anyos mula Clearwater, Florida ang pagkawala umano ng disiplina nito sa sarili at mga tinamong injuries na naging dahilan ng pagkawala ng kanya ng titulo at malinis na rekord; samantalang, inamin nitong wala siya sa tamang kondisyon para labanan ang 41-anyos na fighting Senator. Iniinda umano nito ang injury sa kamay at siko sapol ng matapos ang unification fight nito noon kay Danny Garcia para sa WBA at WBC 147-lbs title noong Marso 4, 2017 sa Barclays Center sa New York City sa US.
“There were a lot of variables,” sambit ni Thurman sa panayam ng PepTalkUK. “The number one thing that I blame is my weight control. When it comes to self discipline, I failed at that. My hand was a little bit of an issue as well. I had to cut sparring short many times. My preparation and where I was at in my sparring, I was not happy. Normally I’m turning it up on my sparring partners but I was just not at a certain level. It was just a rough year for me, I can admit that. I just wasn’t 100 percent.”
Inamin ng dating undefeated boxer na kahit hindi siya ganoon kaprepara laban sa Pambansang Kamao ay naging mahigpit pa rin ang kanilang bakbakan. Gayunpaman, naging malaking hadlang sa kanyang pagkapanalo ang hindi magandang pag-uumpisa ng bumagsak ito sa unang round pa lang mula sa kanang suntok ni Pacquiao , na siyang naging dahilan upang matalo sa scorecards.
“The fight wasn’t lost in that first round,” ani Thurman. “The fight was lost somewhere around the tenth. I kinda saw the fight as a draw with two rounds to go and that’s where I lost the fight. I believe that if I would’ve pushed and convinced myself that I needed a knockdown that maybe it would’ve led to something other than a one point decision in his favor.”
Masakalap man umanong isipin, ngunit, mahirap umanong umasa na magkakaroon pa ito ng rematch sa Filipino boxing icon sa mga darating na panahon, kung kaya’t marami naman itong mapagpipiliang labanan sa malalim na welterweight division.
“It’s really about what doors open up. I can fight Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia or Danny Garcia. I would be surprised if a fight with Errol Spence popped up right away but there is so many Opportunities.”