Even at 40 years old, Manny Pacquiao is still among the best welterweights on the planet and is still hungry for more.
At this stage of his career, it's hard to imagine what else is left for him to accomplish after multiple world title wins and victories over several future Hall of Famers. But even as he prepares for another big fight later this year, Pacquiao tells Fightful about his mindset as it relates to his training.
"In balancing my body conditioning, my mind, and how I work hard, it depends on how I focus and work hard in training. Right now, I still hunger and I'm still enjoying this and happy to do a training preparation for the fight. Even my coaching staff, they're very happy because they're still watching me and having to tell me when to stop, not watching me to push to do more. But watching me to stop because I might over train," Pacquiao said. "What I'm trying to prove this time because we know that a lot of our fans and people in boxing were doubting my capability at the age of 40. So I have to prove something this time because at the age of 40 I'm not thinking about my age. I'm thinking about what I can do for the fans."
Now Pacquiao faces arguably the toughest test he has faced since facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. back in 2015 when he takes on Keith Thurman on July 20. After dominant performances against Adrien Broner and Lucas Matthysse, Pacquiao suddenly finds himself in a position to really cement himself as the best welterweight in the world today.
Interestingly enough, although this is the first time Pacquiao and Thurman faced off in the ring, the Filipino senator is reminded of Ricky Hatton, someone whom Pacquiao has already faced in the past. Though Pacquiao told Fightful that both men have similar styles and Pacquiao having knocked out Hatton in relatively quick fashion in 2009, he doesn't expect such a favorable result against the 30-year-old Thurman.
In fact, despite Thurman having fought just once since the spring of 2017, Pacquiao expects his upcoming foe to be at 100 percent when the two meet in Las Vegas.
"I'm not basing anything off his last performances in his last fight because he was coming from a long layoff of almost I think almost two years. So I understand that as a boxer I really understand that it's hard to start again. But this time around he worked hard, he's well prepared for this fight because he's not fighting Lopez but he's fighting Manny Pacquiao. So I'm expecting him to work hard and prepare 100 percent," Pacquiao said.
Fightful will have live coverage of the entire Pacquiao vs. Thurman event, including the FOX prelim card which includes an IBF super middleweight title bout between Caleb Plant and Mike Lee.