Thurman bets on himself to KO Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – WBA “super” welterweight champion Keith Thurman continues to ooze with confidence heading into his mammoth showdown with fellow champion Manny Pacquiao less than a month from now.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, the brash 30-year-old fighter said he is betting on himself to stop Pacquiao during their July 20 clash at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (July 21 Manila time).

And Thurman boasted he can do it in less than three rounds.

“I don't think it’s a good bet but you know, you gotta believe in your fighters. I'm gonna put some money down on the fight too you know,” he told TMZ. 

“Yeah, let's go for the first or second round knockout. Why not? You know what I mean. We don't wanna just make money so I don't wanna bet straight up, I wanna bet on the KO,” he added.

Thurman is entering the fight as a slight favorite, a fact that Pacquiao relishes, saying it will serve as one of his motivations to win.

Pacquiao has never been stopped since 2012, when Juan Manuel Marquez knocked him out cold in their fourth meeting. Even at 40 years old, beating the Filipino icon remains a tall order, as Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner — Pacquiao’s last two opponents — found out for themselves.

But Thurman believes he’s a different breed and can get the job done.

“Gotta bet on the KO,” he continued.

The undefeated fighter (29-0, with 22 KOs) out of Clearwater, Florida said he is wagering $10,000 (around Php513,000) on himself to pull off a knockout win inside three rounds.

Thurman is treating the bet as his own motivation.

“You see fighters, you know they can be confident this and that, but like I can't go three minutes going tap, tap, tap when I got 10k on the round?” he said.

Speaking of betting, Freddie Roach said the other day he’s putting his money on a Pacquiao win. Thurman said Pacquiao’s longtime cornerman is about to be disappointed.

“So, if Freddie Roach is betting that his fighter's gonna win the fight, he's not winning the fight,” he added.

For Thurman, losing to Pacquiao is not an option.

“I don't think Manny's style could ever beat my style, alright? Anybody who knows me and watch my boxing and watch how I speak upon boxing, I just really understand the game very well and every fight that I've taken I've never felt like the underdog,” he continued.

“They've never made me the underdog. I always felt like I was always gonna be coming out on top even if they you know, win some rounds, they're not winning the fight.”