Keith Thurman makes his return to the ring after his loss to Manny Pacquiao in this early February clash. Mario Barrios, while not top talent, is also not a punching bag. He’s big, and he’s got pop on his punches with reasonable defense. It will be interesting to see how much rust Thurman needs to shake off.
Keith Thurman: Thurman is one of those fighters who, for me, has always been on the fringe of the real conversation at welter. He passed the eye test better than Porter, but Porter had the better resume (though Thurman did beat Porter). He’s strong, but Spence is stronger. He’s slick, but Crawford is slicker. But if he passes this test with flying colors, then he might get his shot to really prove himself against either Crawford or Spence, as both of them will be looking for a good fight if the fight between them fails to materialize.
Mario Barrios: Barrios is one hell of a gatekeeper. He’s never been a true title contender, but he will tear up anyone who considers him an easy fight and doesn’t prepare properly. He’s a pretty basic fighter style-wise, but it works for him. If he cracks Thurman, then his stock will shoot up massively and he will likely get a shot at either Spence or Crawford.
Prediction: Thurman by KO/TKO. Thurman may have been on the fringe of welterweight greatness, but welterweight is an absolutely stacked weight class, and he is clearly an elite-level fighter. Barrios has yet to prove that, which is why I back Thurman in this fight.
HOW TO WATCH: Live on FOX PPV on February 5, 2022 at 9:00 PM ET.