Keith Thurman is expected to defeat Tim Tszyu after ‘beating the brakes off’ Manny Pacquiao, according to the Mayweather Promotions CEO.
Leonard Ellerbe says he watched as Thurman piled pressure on Pacquiao late when he fought the Filipino legend in July 2019.
World Boxing News was in the MGM Grand arena that night. Pacquiao dropped Thurman in the first and was on top for at least eight of the twelve rounds.
There’s another debate, a valid one at that, for a Pacquiao victory by scores of 118-100.
However, Ellerbe – who is the right-hand man of arch-rival Pacquiao nemesis Floyd Mayweather, doesn’t see it that way.
He clarified his feelings as he backed Thurman to hand Tim Tszyu a first loss on March 30. With only six fights in nine years and two and a half years out of the ring, Thurman battles the undefeated Tszyu at a catchweight of 155 pounds.
The fight headlines Al Haymon’s first offering of PBC [Premier Boxing Champions] on a Prime Video multi-year deal.
After going head-to-head with Tszyu at the kick-off press conference, Thurman told fans not to miss his or co-main eventer Rolly Romero’s bouts.
He said: “My boy Rolly Romero and I are back March 30 in Vegas!”
‘Keith Thurman beat the brakes off Manny Pacquiao’
Ellerbe then responded to Thurman by making a bold statement. “I expect both of these guys to win their fight,” he predicted.
When a fan pointed out that Pacquiao was forty years old when he beat Thurman to become the oldest welterweight champion of all time, Ellerbe responded: “But Keith beat the brakes off him down the stretch and lost a split decision. Keith is coming to win.”
Another reply reminded Ellerbe that his comment was a ‘bit of an overstatement’ and that Pacquiao ‘almost dropped Thurman again in the tenth.’
Ellerbe still didn’t budge with his view that Thurman overpowered the Pac-Man late and that he could succeed against the Australian next month.
“With all due respect, we were sitting in the corral, and it was bad. That kind of rough fight does real damage long term.”
Pacquiao put on a stellar performance that night and thoroughly deserved the victory. The only saving grace for that statement on Ellerbe’s part is that he didn’t say Thurman won the fight.
The Mayweather CEO is loyal. That’s a great trait to have. But it sees musings like that made without really pointing out Pacquiao’s brilliance on the night.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
