One of the rising prospects in the weight division where Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao campaigns is picking the undefeated American over the Filipino champion in their highly-anticipated super fight on May 2, 2015 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States. 26-years-old Keith Thurman is predicting Mayweather Jr.’s offence will carry him to the victory although he also believes that Pacquiao will be a worthy opponent.

Unlike most boxing analysts, experts and fighters who were asked for a Mayweather-Pacquiao prediction and contended that Mayweather’s defence will be the key in the fight, Thurman expounded more on Mayweather’s ability on the other end, on offence.

“I lean towards Mayweather. He hasn’t shown us anything to doubt him. He is pound for pound the best. I expect Floyd to use his legs, use his agility, hopefully, it’s to his benefit to not stay on the ropes. If he is on the ropes that is going to be trouble, that will work in Manny Pacquiao’s favour,” Thurman shared to the ThaBoxingVoice days before he took on Robert Guerrero on Sunday.

“He’s gonna pop-shot with the jab to the head, the jab to the stomach like he likes, and he’s gonna mix up his power punches. The straight right hand, the right hook and the left hook all night. I don’t expect him to throw combinations, I expect him to pop-shot his way to victory.”

Like Mayweather Jr., Thurman remained undefeated in his career by beating Guerrero on Sunday to cop the World Boxing Council welterweight title winning in dominating fashion with judges’ scorecards of 120-107, 118-109 and 118-108. Thurman’s win was highlighted by knockdown of Guerrero in the 9th round.

Thurman is ranked seventh in The Ring Magazine’s welterweight rankings but his latest performance against Guerrero will add more stock to the American boxer as he remained undefeated in 25 fights with 21 knockouts. Thurman ranks fourth, next to Mayweather Jr., former champion Timothy Bradley and Shaun Porter, among all Americans who campaigns in the welterweight division but is the youngest in that group.

Both Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao have already started their respective training camps and are in the process of identifying sparring partners for their preparations for the super fight. Widely considered the “Fight of the Century”, Mayweather-Pacquiao is expected to break live gate attendance and pay-per-view records in boxing in May.

To contact author of this article, email j.quizon@IBTimes.com.au.

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