LAS VEGAS – Keith Thurman got in much-needed rounds Saturday night, but Mario Barrios made the former WBA/WBC welterweight champion earn a win in his first fight in 2½ years.

Thurman landed his fair share of power punches on the ever-brave Barrios, but he spent plenty of time moving away from a younger, taller, hungry opponent. When their reasonably entertaining encounter ended, judges Tim Cheatham (118-110), Dave Moretti (118-110) and Steve Weisfeld (117-111) scored Thurman a decisive winner in the main event of an 11-bout card at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Barrios, 26, moved up from the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds to the welterweight maximum of 147 pounds. He still pushed Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs, 1 NC) in what was the 33-year-old former WBA/WBC welterweight champion’s first fight since his 12-round, split-decision loss to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019.

Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs, 1 NC), of Clearwater, Florida, won in what was his first fight since July 2019.

“I really grade this one like a C-plus, B-minus for myself,” Thurman told FOX Sports’ Jordan Plant following his win. “But, you know, I knew I was sharp from the sparring. And he was very poised. I showed him some movement. I saw some fundamental mistakes. You know, he was crossing his feet over. I was like, ‘OK, I can treat this boy like some of my sparring partners and I can just school him a little bit, get back on that jab more and land the better power shots, like I did all night.”

San Antonio’s Barrios (26-2, 17 KOs) lost a second straight bout.

In his prior appearance, Gervonta Davis stopped Barrios in the 11th round of their 140-pound championship match June 26 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Baltimore’s Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) dropped Barrios three times on his way to winning the WBA world super lightweight title from him.

“We knew going into this fight he was gonna be on his bike, especially if I started to hurt him, which I believe I did several times,” Barrios told FOX Sports’ Heidi Androl in the ring. “It was an adjustment, you know, I should’ve made better. I’m gonna go back in the gym and work on all this. … Overall, I felt stronger. There was nothing in there, you know, that really hurt me, to where I touched the canvas or couldn’t continue.”

Barrios and Thurman traded as soon as the 12th round of their competitive clash started. Barrios landed a right hand as Thurman tried to keep away from him a little later in the final round.

Barrios caught Thurman with a right hand toward the end of the 11th round. Just before the end of the 11th round, Thurman lost his balance and spun to the canvas.

Referee Kenny Bayless ruled an obvious slip as such.

A left-right combination by Thurman stopped Barrios in his tracks in the 10th round. They exchanged flush punches near Barrios’ corner later in the 10th round, though neither fighter appeared hurt by any of those shots.

Thurman opened up the ninth round by landing a left-right combination. A right-left combination by Thurman moved Barrios backward again later in the ninth round.

Barrios landed right hand as Thurman backed into the ropes early in eighth round. Not long thereafter, Thurman connected with a right hand of his own.

Barrios suffered a cut around his left eye in the eighth round as well. Toward the end of that round, Thurman snapped back Barrios’ head with a left-right combination.

Barrios came back, though, to stun Thurman with a left hook to the body that made Thurman move away from him.

Thurman mainly moved away from Barrios and pumped his jab during the seventh round. Barrios pursued him, but Thurman defended himself well in those three minutes.

Thurman and Barrios mostly missed with their power punches for much of the sixth round. The action intensified toward the end of the sixth round, though, and Thurman landed a right hand that backed Barrios up a few feet.

Barrios got good extension on a right hand that landed early in the fifth round. Thurman and Barrios exchanged hard punches near the ropes in the final minute of the fifth round.

Thurman then caught Barrios with a sweeping left hook toward the end of the fifth round.

Thurman belted Barrios with a right hand and then a left in the middle minute of the fourth round. Thurman again nailed Barrios with a right hand later in the fourth round.

Thurman wobbled Barrios with a left hook in the final minute of the fourth round, but Barrios quickly recovered.

Thurman connected with a short, left hook early in the third round. Another left hook by Thurman landed in the middle minute of the third round.

A right hand by Thurman backed Barrios into the ropes in the final minute of the third round.

Barrios blasted Thurman with an overhand right that came over his jab early in the second round. Thurman landed a left hook as Barrios came forward later in the second round.

A lunging left by Thurman even later in the second round made Barrios lose his balance. Thurman missed with an overhand right just as the second round concluded.

Barrios landed a stiff jab and then a straight right hand that got Thurman’s attention as they neared the end of the first round. Thurman seemed to already have some swelling beneath his left eye by the time the opening round ended.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.