Boxing: Now An Underdog Against Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman Is Betting On Himself

Keith Thurman opened as a slight betting favorite for his Saturday night bout against Manny Pacquiao. The basic rationale for such odds makes sense: Thurman is 10 years younger than his opponent, an undefeated welterweight title-belt holder and possesses all the core skills worthy of a reigning boxing champion. But the odds have flipped upside down and, one day before the bell rings, the wagering public has made clear its belief that it expects Pacquiao to get his hand raised.

The odds quickly shifted from Thurman as a favorite to a pick'em, meaning sportsbooks offered the same price on both fighters. But over the past couple of weeks, the wagering cash and public sentiment have moved swiftly in favor of the 40-year-old Pacquiao, the only boxer in history to win titles in eight different weight classes. As of Friday morning, sportsbook William Hill offered odds of -160 on Pacquiao (risk $160 to win $100), while Thurman is offered at +140 (risk $100 to win $140).

But Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, apparently is aiming for a payout of slightly better than even money. After seeing that the MGM Grand, which will host the fight (9 p.m. ET, PPV), offered odds of 60-to-1 for a knockout in the first or second round, Thurman said he plans to visit the sportsbook with cash in hand.

"I'm a winner in life so to bet on myself in the opening round it makes me swing, swing, swing," Thurman at a news conference Wednesday. "You have to swing to hit a home run. You can't just sit there and pump fake all day. So I want to encourage myself."

Even so, Thurman's recent history suggests oddsmakers are correct in making an early knockout a considerable longshot. Five of his past six fights have gone the distance. The last bout that didn't go the required length was in July 2015 against Luis Collazo, who retired after the seventh round. The journeyman also had Thurman in trouble before Thurman rallied.

Thurman's last three fights have resulted in close, disputed decisions and he returned from a nearly two-year layoff to narrowly edge journeyman Josesito Lopez in January. The lead up to Saturday's fight has been marked by mostly good-natured trash talk from Thurman, who appears motivated by selling the fight to a public that is more familiar with his decorated opponent. Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) doesn't seem to mind.

"It's easy to say things, but it's not easy to do it in the ring. You know me. I've been in this sport a long time. Let him prove it."