Keith Thurman vs. Josesito Lopez: Fight Odds, Time, Date, Live Stream, TV Info

Keith "One Time" Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) will make his long-awaited return to the ring on Saturday, defending his WBA "super world" welterweight title against Josesito Lopez (36-7, 19 KOs) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 

Thurman last fought in March 2017, beating Danny Garcia by a split decision. Injuries have kept him away from the ring since then. The long absence forced him to relinquish his WBC welterweight title, leaving him with just the WBA strap. 

He will be looking to shake off the ring rust against Lopez, a veteran boxer who routinely puts in a good shift. Thurman should be able to win this fight handily, but Lopez will keep him honest.

Here's how to watch Thurman's return. 

Thurman vs. Lopez Fight Info

When: Saturday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn

TV Info: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSportsGo

Odds: Thurman -10000 (bet $10,000 to win $100), Lopez +1600 (bet $100 to win $1,600)

When we last saw Thurman, he looked primed to rule the welterweight division. Coming off hugely entertaining wins against Garcia and Shawn Porter, both of them at Barclays, Thurman had put himself in position for just about any high-profile fight he wanted. 

His body didn't play along, unfortunately, and now he's 30 years old and in a necessary tune-up fight. Thurman knows he needs the work, and he is honest about what kind of fighter fans can expect to see on Saturday, per the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire:

“Injuries, layoffs—you don't come back better, my man. This will not be the best Keith Thurman you will see ... but you also won't be saying, 'That doesn't look like Keith Thurman, doesn't look like a world champion,' or saying, 'Those other fighters will beat Keith later this year.'"

Even a Thurman operating at 75-80 percent capacity should have no trouble winning on Saturday.

Lopez's last fight of note was a TKO loss to Andre Berto in March 2015. He's won his last three fights, but those all came against no-name boxers.

The 34-year-old from Riverside, California, is far removed from the days when he mixed it up with the likes of Victor Ortiz, Canelo Alvarez, Jessie Vargas and Marcos Maidana. Even then, those were mostly losing efforts.

Thurman might need a couple of rounds to get going, and considering how long he's been away, he should welcome the work. He's entirely capable of ending things in a flash with a single, well-timed punch, but a steady escalation of punishment seems more likely. 

Assuming there are no setbacks for Thurman after Saturday's fight, he will be eager to schedule a big-name opponent.

One potential scrap is against the legendary Manny Pacquiao, who, even at 40 years old, is still dangerous.

Pacquiao had little trouble beating Adrien Broner on Jan. 19, and he holds the WBA "regular" welterweight title that became available in Thurman's absence. 

For Thurman, it would be a dream come true to fight Pac Man, per Pugmire:

“He's the last living legend at 147 [pounds]. There isn't another fighter left in the sport with his credentials. It'd be an honor to share the ring with the likes of Manny Pacquiao. It's hard for older fighters to compete against younger guys, but strength doesn't go away until you're 50."

Aside from Pacquiao, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. are potential opponents down the line, though the latter two have big fights to take care of in the coming months.  

No problem, though. If Thurman's above theory about strength is true, then he has plenty of time to make use of his prodigious power. He may have missed part of his prime, but he's still one of the best talents in the sport and is looking at a future with plenty of big fights.

Odds are courtesy of OddsShark and updated as of Thursday, Jan. 24 at 7 a.m. ET.