Keith Thurman, left, fights Danny Garcia during the fifth round of a welterweight championship boxing match Saturday, March 4, 2017, in New York. Thurman won the fight. | AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao should have no problem dealing with either WBC/WBA welterweight titlist Keith Thurman or former champion Danny Garcia.
Thurman and Garcia recently figured in a welterweight title unification, with the former hacking out a split decision victory.
Both fighters are appealing choices for Pacquiao, who remains without an opponent for his return bout after the botched showdown with Amir Khan.
But with two championship belts, Thurman (28-0, with 22 KOs), an undefeated American, seems to be the most logical option for Pacquiao, who holds the WBO version of the crown.
Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said he watched the fight between Thurman and Garcia last March 4 and liked what he saw.
"Not the greatest fight I ever saw but I mean it was a little bit competitive," he recently told Steve Kim of boxingscene.com.
"I thought Thurman won the early rounds and then gave some of the late rounds to Garcia and it made it a pretty close fight. But overall I thought Thurman did win the fight. And you know it looks like maybe two future opponents for Manny Pacquiao,” added the multi-titled cornerman.
Roach then assessed both Thurman and Garcia in the event either fighter ends up at the opposite corner against Pacquiao in the future.
He said the Filipino will handily defeat the two.
''Well, Thurman's a bigger boxer. At first he started out as a puncher and he went to more of his boxing technique and Manny's much faster and much better boxer than he is. I think it's an easy fight," Roach continued.
Garcia, Roach added, will even be an easier fight.
"I always said that from day one, ever since he [Garcia] beat Amir Khan – 'please fight Manny Pacquiao.' Manny will out-box him. He will pitch a shutout," said the trainer. – Dino Maragay
Source: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/03/14/1681033/thurman-garcia-easy-fights-pacquiao-roach