No ring rust Keith Thurman wins WBC eliminatory

Former welterweight champion Keith Thurman defeated former super lightweight champion Mario Barrios by unanimous decision in twelve action packed rounds this Saturday at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 In his first fight in more than 30 months, 33-year-old Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) was sharp and displayed the multi skills that took him to the top of the 147-pound division. He was in control throughout, bloodying his opponent`s nose and swelling Barrios` face. 

Barrios (26-2, 17 KOs), 26, held his own valiantly and had his moments, despite Thurman´s power shots. Barrios was wobbled by a big right hand in the eighth. His conditioning and his courage saw him weather the welter of follow up punches.  

 All three judges scored in favour of Thurman with the following scorecards: 118-110 (Tim Cheatham), 118-110 (Dave Moretti) and 117-111 (Steve Weisfeld).