Keith Thurman sharp in return, wins unanimous decision
Former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman ambled to the sportsbook inside Mandalay Bay on Saturday night before his fight against Mario Barrios, only to learn that it wouldn’t accept the cashier’s check with which he wanted to wager on himself.
Too bad for the 33-year-old from Clearwater, Florida.
He would have cashed a winning ticket.
Thurman ended his 31-month layoff in style, coasting to a 118-110, 118-110, 117-111 victory over Barrios, a 26-year-old from San Antonio who was making his welterweight debut, at Michelob Ultra Arena. Thurman didn’t score the stoppage he hoped for and is still seeking his first since 2015.
But he overwhelmed Barrios with a blend of speed, quickness, grace and power to send a message to rest of the division.
“One Time is back,” Thurman proclaimed in the ring, referencing his nickname in the third person.
To that point, Thurman (30-1, 22 knockouts) had faded to the periphery of a crowded 147-pound division that features WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr., WBO champion Terence Crawford and WBA champion Yordenis Ugas — along with rising stars Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz.
A subpar performance against Manny Pacquiao on July 20, 2019, triggered the longest layoff of Thurman’s career and prompted legitimate questions about his future. He arrived in Las Vegas last week, determined to answer those questions by beating Barrios, who previously fought in the 140-pound division.
Barrios is the taller and longer fighter, but Thurman proved the stronger and better fighter, pouncing early in the first round by blending right hooks around a stiff left jab.
He spent the ensuing 11 rounds circling Barrios (26-2, 17 KOs), attacking openings and unleashing combinations to the head and body. He cut Barrios above the left eye in the eighth round and continued to fire power punches until the final bell sounded.
“I knew that I was sharp from the sparring,” Thurman said. “I showed him some movement. I saw some fundamental mistakes. … I’ve got the stamina. I’ve got the timing. I’ve just got to go a little harder. And we’re prepared to do that later on this year.”
Thurman said he wants to fight again for the titles, having previously owned the WBC and WBA crowns.
Spence and Ugas are expected to unify their belts this spring. And Crawford is a promotional free agent — paving the pathway for a possible title fight with Thurman, who, like Ugas and Spence, is aligned with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions.
Fights like that wouldn’t have been likely had Thurman not showcased the arsenal of skills that once propelled him to the top of the division.
“I want to be back on top,” he said. “So whoever is willing to send Keith Thurman a contract, let’s go, baby. Let’s go.”
In the co-feature, former four-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz (38-2-1, 19 KOs) pummeled super featherweight Keenan Carbajal (23-2-2, 15 KOs) to secure a unanimous 100-90 victory. Santa Cruz hadn’t fought since losing to Gervonta Davis in October 2020.
Top super welterweight prospect Jesus Ramos (18-0, 15 KOs) punctuated his pedigree with a sixth-round technical knockout over Vladimir Hernandez (13-5, six KOs). Ramos stunned Hernandez with a left hook midway through the first round and followed with a flurry to force a stoppage at 2:21.
Former two-weight world champion Luis Nery (32-1, 24 KOs) avenged his first loss with a 96-93 95-94, 94-95 split decision over super bantamweight Carlos Castro (27-1, 12 KOs). Nery dropped Castro with a straight left in the first round, and the knockdown proved to be the difference.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
