FILE – Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao poses for photos during a press conference shortly after arriving at the international airport in Manila on January 24, 2019, days after defeating US boxer Adrien Broner in Las Vegas. (Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines—Oddsmakers have undefeated American Keith Thurman as the favorite over Manny Pacquiao ahead of their welterweight world title fight on July 21 (Manila time) at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division champion, though, wouldn’t want it any differently.
“Beautiful. That’s what I like,” Pacquiao said in a story on the Manila Bulletin.
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The underdog tag also serves as additional motivation for the 40-year-old Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), who is 10 years older than Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs).
“It’s going to make me even more determined to win,” he said.
The last time Pacquiao was the underdog was against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015 when he lost by unanimous decision.
The other time in the last 12 years was when he obliterated Oscar De La Hoya, who was forced to quit on his stool at the end of the eighth round, in 2008.