WORLD Boxing Organization welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley has promised to surprise eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao when they clash for a third time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 9.
Bradley, who won their first fight in a bitterly criticized decision and then lost a lopsided decision in their rematch, told a kickoff, two-stop media gathering at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles: “I know people still doubt I won the first fight. But I’m not the same fighter Pacquiao saw in our first two fights. I think he’s going to be surprised by what he sees.”
For his part, Pacquiao remarked that he chose Bradley because he believes he’s different than the fighter he fought before.
“Bradley showed it against (Brandon Bam Bam) Rios and I believe we can make a great fight,” said Pacquiao.
But the attempt to hype the fight was squelched by Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach.
“It’s the same Bradley. Look, who they put in front of him — an out-of-shape guy who was ready to retire,” said Roach referring to Rios, who had trained hard when he went 12 rounds with Pacquiao, but was nowhere near the fighter who faced the Filipino ring icon and was stopped in the ninth round by Bradley.
“Bradley hasn’t beaten Manny yet and he’s not going to beat Manny on April 9,” said Roach, downplaying the presence of a new coach in Teddy Atlas, who is now handling Bradley in his impressive showing against Rios.
In his effort to try and arouse interest in their third meeting, the congressman Pacquiao, who is seeking a seat in the Philippine Senate in the elections in May offered the excuse that “people still have some doubts,” about the first encounter.
“I thought I won that fight but the record shows that (Bradley) won. Now, we can settle it once and for all who the better fighter is,” said Pacquiao.
The only one on record, who said he thought Bradley won was the unbeaten young Terence Crawford, a Bob Arum fighter, whom the Top Rank Promoter pushed hard for a Pacquiao fight but which, according to Pacman insiders, Manny rejected in order to spite Arum and show who is the boss.
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz, who is suspected of working for both Pacquiao and Arum, sought to deflect the criticism about the choice of Bradley by claiming it offered the best financial package for the Filipino boxer.
Most media and fight fans have downplayed the attractiveness of a third Bradley fight pointing to the fact that aside from Crawford, Pacquiao could have chosen Amir Khan, former sparring partner Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman or Adrien Broner, whom Koncz had called and offered the fight just as he did in negotiations with Khan and his handlers.
Pacquiao dismissed concerns over the rotator cuff injury which was apparently aggravated in the fourth round of his “Fight of the Century” against unbeaten, pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., and for which he underwent surgery five days later.
“My shoulder is fine. I’m ready to train and ready to fight,” Pacquiao said.