Thurman: Broner is 'About Bullshit'

NEW YORK – Keith Thurman wanted Adrien Broner to win.

The welterweight world titleholder also wanted Manny Pacquiao to win because he wants to fight the Filipino superstar, but something inside of him decided to root for the underdog.

The result?

The 40-year-old Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KO's) dominated Broner over 12 rounds and won a unanimous decision at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last week.

"I wanted Broner to win. For once, I was in the underdog's corner. I wanted A.B. to win the fight," Thurman said.

Thurman (28-0, 22 KO's), 30, of Clearwater, Florida, who will return to the ring for the first time in nearly two years against Josesito Lopez on Saturday night, tried to encourage Broner to show the world the A.B. of old, the fighter that many prophesied would be the next Floyd Mayweather.

Broner did the exact opposite. Instead, he remained the same A.B. that we have become accustomed to seeing -- inactive and delusional.

According to Compubox, Pacquiao landed 112 of 568 (20 percent) punches, including a sharp 42 percent (82 of 197) of his power shots. Broner connected on just 50 of 295 punches (17 percent), and landed only three body punches.

"Once upon a time, he (Broner) looked tremendous. Who is A.B. today? 'About Bullshit,'" Thurman added.

Before getting dropped and outpointed by former champion Marcos Maidana in a December 2013 defense of his secondary 147-pound title, Broner was 27-0 with 22 knockouts and appeared on his way to being one of the sport's most successful, yet provocative fighters, like Mayweather.

Alas, no longer.

Although Broner is 6-4-1 since losing to Maidana, he has lost every bout to an elite opponent by decision: Pacquiao, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter, and Maidana.