MANILA, Philippines – Timothy Bradley Jr expects there will be backlash if he walks out of Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 9 (April 10 Manila time) with the victory over Manny Pacquiao.
With the 37-year-old Pacquiao coming off a nearly year-long layoff due to a shoulder injury, Bradley isn't expecting to receive much credit should he win, with some likely to dismiss it as a win against an over-the-hill boxer.
“[If] I beat Manny Pacquiao, I already know what’s going to be said. ‘Oh, he was old. He was over the hill. He was this. He was that.’ I already know what it’s goanna be. If I lose to Manny Pacquiao, ‘Oh, he’s still great. He can still fight. He’s still this.’ I know how it goes,” he said in a recent conference call.
Most boxing pundits believe that the third encounter between Pacquiao and Bradley will be a continuation of their first two meetings, where the sport’s only 8-division world champion held the upper-hand for most of the bout.
Bradley picked up a controversial win over Pacquiao by way of split decision in June 2012, with two judges scoring it 115–113 in favor of the American boxer and the other 115–113 to his Filipino rival.
In their April 2014 rematch, Pacquiao avenged the loss and routed Bradley via unanimous decision to regain the WBO welterweight championship.
Pacquiao received good feedback from longtime promoter Bob Arum, who saw his intense training first-hand when the Top Rank Promotions chief visited the renowned southpaw at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, California last week.
Bradley is determined to prove that he can score a decisive triumph against the Filipino boxing icon, hinting at a game plan that could negate Pacquiao’s relentless style in the ring.
“Our approach this time is going to be way different. We have a big game plan going into this fight and I am looking closely at Pacquiao and his weaknesses,” he stated. – Rappler.com