Fight Week: Keith Thurman to make his return against Mario Barrios

Fight Week: Keith Thurman will make his return to the ring against Marios Barrios on Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

Keith Thurman returns from a 2½-year layoff to face Mario Barrios. Carlos Cuadras, Chris Eubank Jr. and Claressa Shields also are in action on a busy weekend.

Keith Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) vs. Mario Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 5
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Welterweight
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Thurman 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Abel Ramos vs. Lucas Santamaria, welterweights; Leo Santa Cruz vs. Keenan Carbajal
  • Prediction: Thurman KO 10
  • Background: Thurman, a former 147-pound titleholder, is returning from a 2½-year layoff in an attempt to regain his prominence. The athletic, hard-punching Floridian was last in the ring in July 2019, when he lost his WBA belt in an upset against 40-year-old Manny Pacquiao. The long hiatus, mostly a product of the coronavirus pandemic, has allowed him time to recover from nagging injuries and make a fresh start. He has said he feels as fit as ever at 33. We’ll see whether ring rust is a factor in the fight. If he defeats Barrios, he said, he hopes to fight for a major title in his next fight. Barrios will be making his debut as a full-fledged welterweight. The 26-year-old from San Antonio is coming off an 11th-round knockout loss at junior welterweight against Gervonta Davis, who moved up in weight to fight him. He’s a good boxer-puncher who will have youth the fact he has been active on his side. Key questions for him: 1. How much does Thurman have left? 2. Will he be able to handle the power of a 147-pounder and do damage himself.

 

Carlos Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) vs. Jesse Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 5
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Junior bantamweight
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Vacant WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Jamie Mitchell vs. Carly Skelly, bantamweights (for Mitchell’s WBA title); Raymond Ford vs. Edward Vazquez, featherweights
  • Prediction: Cuadras UD
  • Background: Cuadras, the former 115-pound titleholder, was supposed to have faced Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in a much anticipated rematch on Saturday and titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada was slated to face rival Roman Gonzalez on March 5 in a mini-tournament. However, the party has been spoiled. Both Sor Rungvisai and Estrada pulled out of their fights because of illness. Rodriguez, who had been scheduled to fight on Saturday’s card, agreed to step in this past weekend. And Gonzalez will face 112-pound champ Julio Cesar Martinez. Cuadras, 33, hasn’t held a major belt since 2016, when Gonzalez took it from him by decision. The Mexican is coming off an 11th-round knockout loss in a title challenge against Estrada in October 2020, his most-recent fight. Rodriguez, who had been scheduled to face Fernando Diaz, will be taking a significant step up in opposition. The southpaw from San Antonio was a good junior amateur who can box and punch. And he’s in a groove, having stopped his last six opponents. We’ll find out whether it’s too early for him to face a foe of Cuadras’ caliber and experience.

 

Chris Eubank Jr. (31-2, 23 KOs) vs. Liam Williams (23-3-1, 18 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 5
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales
  • TV/Stream: FITE
  • Division: Middleweights
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Eubank 2½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Claressa Shields vs. Ema Kozin, middleweights (for Shields’ IBF, WBA and WBC titles); Samuel Antwi vs. Conah Walker, welterweights; Chris Jenkins vs. Julius Indongo, welterweights
  • Prediction: Eubank UD
  • Background: Eubank is on a roll. The 32-year-old son of Chris Eubank has won five consecutive fights since he lost a unanimous decision to George Groves in 2018, including victories over Marcus Morrison and Wanik Awdijan last year. The fight against Williams is probably his most significant since he upset James DeGale by a unanimous decision in 2019. Eubank is seeking a fight against the winner of a projected title-unification bout between Gennadiy Golovkin and Ryota Murata if he wins on Saturday. Williams was outclassed by titleholder Demetrius Andrade in his most-recent bout, last April in Florida. He lost a wide decision in his first major title fight. However, Williams also was on a hot streak before that setback, with seven consecutive victories since back-to-back losses to Liam Smith in 2017. Williams is a solid boxer with heavy hands. His last 15 victories have come by knockout. In the co-feature, Claressa Shields (11-0, 2 KOs) returns to boxing after an 11-month hiatus. She’ll defend her middleweight titles against Ema Kozin (21-0-1, 11 KOs) of Slovenia.

Fight Week: Keith Thurman to make his return against Mario Barrios

Fight Week: Keith Thurman will make his return to the ring against Marios Barrios on Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

Keith Thurman returns from a 2½-year layoff to face Mario Barrios. Carlos Cuadras, Chris Eubank Jr. and Claressa Shields also are in action on a busy weekend.

Keith Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) vs. Mario Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 5
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Welterweight
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Thurman 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Abel Ramos vs. Lucas Santamaria, welterweights; Leo Santa Cruz vs. Keenan Carbajal
  • Prediction: Thurman KO 10
  • Background: Thurman, a former 147-pound titleholder, is returning from a 2½-year layoff in an attempt to regain his prominence. The athletic, hard-punching Floridian was last in the ring in July 2019, when he lost his WBA belt in an upset against 40-year-old Manny Pacquiao. The long hiatus, mostly a product of the coronavirus pandemic, has allowed him time to recover from nagging injuries and make a fresh start. He has said he feels as fit as ever at 33. We’ll see whether ring rust is a factor in the fight. If he defeats Barrios, he said, he hopes to fight for a major title in his next fight. Barrios will be making his debut as a full-fledged welterweight. The 26-year-old from San Antonio is coming off an 11th-round knockout loss at junior welterweight against Gervonta Davis, who moved up in weight to fight him. He’s a good boxer-puncher who will have youth the fact he has been active on his side. Key questions for him: 1. How much does Thurman have left? 2. Will he be able to handle the power of a 147-pounder and do damage himself.

 

Carlos Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) vs. Jesse Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 5
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Junior bantamweight
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Vacant WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Jamie Mitchell vs. Carly Skelly, bantamweights (for Mitchell’s WBA title); Raymond Ford vs. Edward Vazquez, featherweights
  • Prediction: Cuadras UD
  • Background: Cuadras, the former 115-pound titleholder, was supposed to have faced Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in a much anticipated rematch on Saturday and titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada was slated to face rival Roman Gonzalez on March 5 in a mini-tournament. However, the party has been spoiled. Both Sor Rungvisai and Estrada pulled out of their fights because of illness. Rodriguez, who had been scheduled to fight on Saturday’s card, agreed to step in this past weekend. And Gonzalez will face 112-pound champ Julio Cesar Martinez. Cuadras, 33, hasn’t held a major belt since 2016, when Gonzalez took it from him by decision. The Mexican is coming off an 11th-round knockout loss in a title challenge against Estrada in October 2020, his most-recent fight. Rodriguez, who had been scheduled to face Fernando Diaz, will be taking a significant step up in opposition. The southpaw from San Antonio was a good junior amateur who can box and punch. And he’s in a groove, having stopped his last six opponents. We’ll find out whether it’s too early for him to face a foe of Cuadras’ caliber and experience.

 

Chris Eubank Jr. (31-2, 23 KOs) vs. Liam Williams (23-3-1, 18 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Feb. 5
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales
  • TV/Stream: FITE
  • Division: Middleweights
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Eubank 2½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Claressa Shields vs. Ema Kozin, middleweights (for Shields’ IBF, WBA and WBC titles); Samuel Antwi vs. Conah Walker, welterweights; Chris Jenkins vs. Julius Indongo, welterweights
  • Prediction: Eubank UD
  • Background: Eubank is on a roll. The 32-year-old son of Chris Eubank has won five consecutive fights since he lost a unanimous decision to George Groves in 2018, including victories over Marcus Morrison and Wanik Awdijan last year. The fight against Williams is probably his most significant since he upset James DeGale by a unanimous decision in 2019. Eubank is seeking a fight against the winner of a projected title-unification bout between Gennadiy Golovkin and Ryota Murata if he wins on Saturday. Williams was outclassed by titleholder Demetrius Andrade in his most-recent bout, last April in Florida. He lost a wide decision in his first major title fight. However, Williams also was on a hot streak before that setback, with seven consecutive victories since back-to-back losses to Liam Smith in 2017. Williams is a solid boxer with heavy hands. His last 15 victories have come by knockout. In the co-feature, Claressa Shields (11-0, 2 KOs) returns to boxing after an 11-month hiatus. She’ll defend her middleweight titles against Ema Kozin (21-0-1, 11 KOs) of Slovenia.