Thurman looks to end Pacquiao's resurgent career in showdown

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Thurman looks to end Pacquiao's resurgent career in showdown

2019-07-20 06:49 Last Updated At：07:00

Keith Thurman certainly seems like more than the modern Manny Pacquiao should be able to handle.

Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) is a decade younger, certainly more powerful and maybe even a bit faster than his famously speedy opponent. Thurman is a tough, voluble welterweight champion in his prime competitive years, and Pacquiao represents the biggest fight of his career — a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pound a boxing great into retirement.

"It's been a build up and a progression my whole career toward this moment on Saturday night," Thurman said. "This really is the outcome of an individual living out their dream."

So why are the 40-year-old Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) and trainer Freddie Roach so confident heading into the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas? And why is the older eight-division champion actually a slight betting favorite against one of the best 147-pounders in the world?

After 18 years together, Pacquiao and Roach believe Thurman is just another challenge to be overcome by hard work, smart planning and the psychological edge of experience.

Thurman looks daunting on paper, but Pacquiao and Roach are virtuosos on canvas.

"Tomorrow night, class is in session," Pacquiao said Friday after the weigh-in. "I hope Keith Thurman studied hard, because Professor Pacquiao gives very hard tests."

Pacquiao and Thurman both hold versions of the WBA 147-pound title heading into this Fox Sports pay-per-view showdown. In Roach's educated mind, the vaunted Thurman has far more questions to answer than Pacquiao, who is coming into this fight off back-to-back victories over Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner.

Can Thurman recapture his prime fighting form after two years of relative inactivity caused by a 22-month injury layoff? Can he match Pacquiao's legendary speed while showing the stamina to fight effectively for 12 rounds against Manny's famed pace?

"I hope Thurman brings his best, because that's when Manny will be at his best," Roach said. "Thurman is a good fighter, but Manny beats good fighters all the time. And I don't think Keith Thurman is a great fighter. I think Broner is a better fighter, and Manny took care of him (easily)."

While Thurman is in the biggest bout of his career, the Filipino senator's late-career resurgence also reaches a vital point Saturday. Despite what Roach says, Thurman seems certain to be a big step up in competition from Matthysse and Broner, and the cumulative effects of a boxing career rarely wear well after 40.

"Manny isn't going to do anything with those little T-Rex arms," Thurman said. "He's about to get beat up. I get to punch a senator in the face, and he's going to feel it."

Thurman earned the nickname "One Time" with his one-punch knockout power, yet he has stopped just one of his seven opponents since December 2013. And though Thurman is still in his ostensible prime, he has shown a few signs of weariness with his sport.

He has never looked more vulnerable as a professional than he did in his comeback victory last January over tough veteran Josesito Lopez, who rocked Thurman repeatedly and even won a 10-8 round without a knockdown. More recently, Thurman has repeatedly spoken about how he's eager to get a few big paydays and then get out of boxing — a sensible mentality that nonetheless could indicate a fighter's focus isn't completely on competition anymore.

Thurman has been totally focused in public appearances for this big-money bout, however.

"I'm going to do to Manny Pacquiao what he did to Oscar De La Hoya," Thurman said, referring to Pacquiao's landmark victory over the Golden Boy in 2008.

While Thurman would love to retire his opponent, Pacquiao plans to keep competing indefinitely, and he doesn't dismiss the notion of fighting to 50 and beyond, as Bernard Hopkins did. He has openly looked beyond Thurman to his hopes of a second fight with the retired Floyd Mayweather, or a unification bout with champion Errol Spence.

But just in case anybody believes he isn't focused on Thurman, Pacquiao said that even his mother took offense at Thurman's pre-fight trash talk , including his vow to "crucify" the vocally evangelical Pacquiao.

"I'm just always smiling, no matter what Keith says," Pacquiao said. "It's easy to say things, but it's not easy to do it in the ring. I've been in this sport longer than Keith Thurman, so my experience will be the difference."

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‘Civil War’ declares victory at the box office, toppling 'Godzilla x Kong'

2024-04-15 21:38 Last Updated At：21:51

Alex Garland’s provocative “ Civil War ” didn’t only ignite the discourse. The film also inspired audiences to go to the cinemas this weekend where it surpassed expectations and earned $25.7 million in ticket sales in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It’s the biggest R-rated opening of the year to date and a record for A24, the studio behind films like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “The Iron Claw.” “Civil War” also unseated “ Godzilla x Kong ” from its perch atop the box office. The titan movie from Warner Bros. had held the No. 1 spot for the past two weekends.

“Civil War,” starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny as front-line journalists in the near future covering a devastating conflict in the U.S. and trying to make their way to Washington, D.C. The story, written by Garland, who is also the mind behind “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation,” imagines a U.S. in which California and Texas have united against a president who has disbanded the FBI and given himself a third term.

Though entirely fictional, “Civil War” has been inspiring debates since the first trailer that have extended beyond the musings of film critics and traditional reviews. This weekend, The New York Times ran two opinion pieces related to the movie, one by Stephen Marche and another by Michelle Goldberg. There were also pieces on CNN and Politico.

Going into the weekend, projections pegged the film to debut in the $15 to $24 million range. The studio said “Civil War” overperformed in markets “from LA to El Paso.” The data analytics company EntTelligence reported that the film has attracted over 1.7 million patrons this weekend and that the top three markets were Los Angeles, New York and Dallas.

“The title alone is enough to spark a conversation in a year where the political discourse is top of mind,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “And they couldn’t have picked a better date. This movie is perfectly timed in a month that is very quiet.”

The film opened on 3,838 screens in the U.S. and Canada, including IMAX. It’s the most expensive movie that the studio has ever made, with a production budget of $50 million, which does not account for millions spent on marketing and promotion.

IMAX showings of “Civil War,” which was playing on 400 of the large format screens, accounted for $4.2 million, or 16.5% of the domestic total.

Reviews have been largely positive. It’s currently at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 77% audience score. Its CinemaScore was a B-, which has sometimes indicated that word of mouth might not be strong going forward. But that might not be the case with “Civil War,” which doesn’t have a tremendous amount of competition over the next few weeks until “The Fall Guy” opens on May 3.

“You have to take all the metrics together, including the competitive landscape,” Dergarabedian said.

But it is a notable win for the studio, which doesn't always open films nationwide out of the gates. Before “Civil War,” A24’s biggest debut was the Ari Aster horror “Hereditary,” which opened to $13.6 million in 2018.

“This isn’t destined to be a $200 million global blockbuster. But it’s a very high-profile win for A24,” Dergarabedian said. “They’re a studio that pushes the envelope. They’re a brand associated with a certain level of quality and filmmaking expertise, pushing boundaries and taking risks. It’s well-earned over the years.”

Second place went to “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which earned $15.5 million in its third weekend to bring its running domestic total to nearly $158 million. Another “Empire” movie, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” took third place in its fourth weekend with $5.8 million. It’s now at $160 million worldwide.

Rounding out the top five was Universal and DreamWorks’ “Kung Fu Panda 4,” in fourth with $5.5 million in weekend six, and “Dune: Part Two” with $4.3 million in its seventh weekend. “Dune 2” has now earned $272 million domestically.

This weekend also saw the box office year-to-date comparisons take a big hit. Last year, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” brought in over $92 million in its second weekend in theaters. On the same weekend in 2023, the top 10 accounted for over $142 million, compared to this year's $68.4 million. The year to date is back down to 16% after seeing some recovery with the success of “Dune: Part Two.”

“The box office has been a seesaw,” Dergarabedian said. “But we all knew this was going to be a rough month for comps because of ‘Mario.’”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Civil War,” $25.7 million.

2. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $15.5 million.

3. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $5.8 million.

4. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $5.5 million.

5. “Dune: Part Two,” $4.3 million.

6. “Monkey Man,” $4.1 million.

7. “The First Omen,” $3.8 million.

8. “The Long Game," $1.4 million.

9. “Shrek 2," $1.4 million.

10. “SUGA - Agust D Tour ‘D-DAY’ The Movie,” $990,881.