PACQUIAO IS OUT TO PROVE NOT ALL 40 YEAR OLDS ARE OVER
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 26 Jun 2019
Pacquiao (R) connects at his sparring partner during Tuesday's sparring.
Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao is even more challenged by the fact that he was viewed as an underdog against the decade younger Keith Thurman. ?Every time that I get negative [things said] against me it gives me more to focus on and work hard for,? he said. ?The mindset of fans or boxing analysts, when you get to the age of 40 you become lazy or like that and your career is over."
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The fighting senator explained that he is 40 but not all boxers of his age have to quit the sport they love most. ?This is the time I want to prove not all 40 year olds are over, their careers finished. Exercise is my favourite, beside boxing I always exercise, I play basketball four hours a day. I keep in shape all the time.?
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Thurman is very positive he can beat the legendary Filipino WBA regular welterweight champ. "I do expect a challenge from Manny but it?s a challenge I can overcome,? he was quoted on Fox. ?Pacquiao, we?ve seen his power in the past. I do believe I need to respect his power, and avoid his power, but I believe I?ll be able to handle what he throws at me."
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Thurman is very confident he has the big advantage over Pacquiao boasting his unbeaten record. ?I?m the ?A-side?, 29-0, 22 knockouts. Manny Pacquiao?s a legend, who has been defeated. It?s harder to go against a man who?s never been defeated. I have a 10-year age gap.?
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Hebthinks Pacquiao is just "easy work," and added that he would be ready for Errol Spence or everybody after he defeats the Philippine boxing icon. The unification fight between IBF welterweight champion Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) and WBC champion Shawn Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs), will be on September at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Thurman predicts Spence to come out victorious.
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Per World Boxing News, Sergey Kovalev is open to defending his WBO light-heavyweight title against Canelo Alvarez. Kovalev?s promoter Kathy Duva reacted to these rumors. "I have been hearing these rumors too. I have been told that Canelo would like to challenge Sergey for his title,? Duva told WBN. "But to date, we have received no offers from Golden Boy. So I don?t know how serious these rumors could be."
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Duva added that it would be a great fight if the Kovalev-Alvarez bout pushes through. "Of course, Sergey is open to it. It would be a historic matchup. With Canelo trying for a world title in his fourth weight class." Canelo is the WBA "regular" super middleweight title holder since December 2018. He has also held the light middleweight and middleweight titles.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks won the Most Valuable Player recognition during the NBA Awards. The 24-year-old forward
also earned All-NBA first-team honors, his sixth time with the Bucks. He led the franchise to the league best record in the regular season and the Bucks almost reached the NBA Finals losing to the eventual champions Toronto Raptors, 4-2. He averaged 27.7 points and 12.5 rebounds.
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Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece, on December 6, 1994, whose parents were immigrants from Nigeria. Even though he is almost 7 feet tall, he has extraordinary "ball-handling skills of a point guard and the battering ram force of an old school center," which earned him his nickname the "Greek Freak".
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In the 2016?17 season, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in all five major statistical categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in the league. He was given the Most Improved Player award in 2017.
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