Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Manny Pacquiao’s inactive foe will have his hands full against The Towering Inferno, says former world champion

Originally posted on Bloody Knockout | By Harvey Burton | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 10:23 AM ET

Manny Pacquiao has not won a fight since 2019, though his last victim is set to return to the ring in a hugely risky fight on October 25th.

Manny Pacquiao has now had two unsuccessful comeback attempts, with the latest ending in a draw against Mario Barrios.

The last man Pacquiao defeated was Keith Thurman, who Pac-Man beat in a razor-close fight where one knockdown made all the difference.

Since his loss to Pacquiao in 2019, Thurman has fought just twice, defeating Barrios in 2022, and then stopping Brock Jarvis earlier this year.

With just two wins in six years, Thurman, who Pacquiao named his dog after, is set to face The Towering Inferno next, and one former world champion is unsure if he can win.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Shawn Porter unsure if Keith Thurman can defeat Sebastian Fundora

Thurman has been announced to be facing Sebastian Fundora, who has just come off his second win over Tim Tszyu.

The 6’6″ super-welterweight world champion completely dwarfs Thurman in height, and will prove to be a huge test for the inactive 36-year-old.

Shawn Porter, who shared the ring with Thurman back in 2016, losing a unanimous decision, spoke on the fight, and seemed sure it would not be an easy night for either man.

“At first look, this is an interesting fight, I can’t count out Sebastian Fundora at this point. [He has] attributes that, for me, those were things that I performed well against. Other guys aren’t performing well against this tall dude.”

Thurman vs Fundora will top the bill on a card that will also feature Stephen Fulton vs O’Shaquie Foster.

The only man to extinguish The Inferno lays out how the fight could go

Fundora holds a record of 23-1-1 after losing to Brian Mendoza in 2023.

Mendoza knocked Fundora out in the seventh round of their fight, claiming the interim world title for himself.

He has since laid out how he believes Fundora vs Thurman will go, “I feel like Thurman’s going to bring out a lot of that lateral movement that he likes to do, get Fundora to cross his feet a little bit. Everybody’s always waiting for Thurman to get old. […] I saw that comeback fight against Brock Jarvis, he got the job done, made it look easy.”

“I do think it’s a good challenge and everything for both of them. […] I still kind of lean towards Fundora.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Knockout and was syndicated with permission.

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