Pacman ‘embarrassed’ by Mayweather offer

source: Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES—Manny Pacquiao says the pieces were falling into place for a world title fight with Floyd Mayweather until the American boxer tried to low-ball him on the split of the pay-per view revenue.

Pacquiao said he called Mayweather personally to try to broker a deal for a world championship fight and thought they had an agreement until Mayweather brought up the pay per view.

Mayweather said he would give Pacquiao a $40 million lump-sum payment if Pacquiao agreed to let Mayweather keep the pay per view earnings for himself.

“It was embarrassing to me,” Pacquiao said Tuesday. “He was trying to take advantage of me. It is clear he didn’t want to fight.”

Some experts have estimated that the pay per view could be around $160 million.
Pacquiao and Mayweather have tried several times to get a contract signed but it has been scuttled for a variety of reasons, including disagreements over blood testing and the share of the purse.

“I called Floyd and told him that we need to make this fight happen,” Pacquiao said at The Beverly Hills Hotel. “I said he could have whatever he wants, blood testing, 50/50 split and he said ‘Oh, well. I will give you what you want.’ Then he mentioned the pay per view.”

For now, Pacquiao and the unbeaten Mayweather have lined up other opponents with speculation that the mega fight could happen later in the year if it comes off at all.

Pacquiao is scheduled to face American Timothy Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for Pacman’s World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.

Mayweather is set to fight Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto on May 5 for Cotto’s World Boxing Association super welterweight title at the same venue.

Paquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said they are not taking Bradley lightly but it is hard not to get excited about a possible upcoming mega fight against Mayweather.

“If both (Pacquiao and Mayweather) come off with good wins it will be a step in the right direction,” Roach said Tuesday. “That is the match everyone in the world wants to see.”
Bradley was one of several fighters in the mix as a possible Pacquiao opponent after Mayweather fell through.

Bradley boasts a record of 28-0 with 12 knockouts. Pacquiao, 54-3-2 with 38 knockouts, hasn’t lost since March 2005 and is considered the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
But Pacquiao was less than dominant as he struggled to a majority points decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in November.

Bradley and Pacquiao kicked off their promotional tour Tuesday at The Beverly Hills Hotel. They smiled as they posed for photos together and Pacquiao then lightheartedly borrowed a camera and took pictures of Bradley in his boxing pose.

Joking aside, Roach said he expects Pacquiao to be ready to knock Bradley out.

“I don’t want him to be compassionate,” Roach said. “I want him to knock people out. Manny can’t be a nice guy and try to touch gloves in the ring with him.”

Roach said Bradley is more than just a replacement fighter and that they want to hand him the first loss of his career while he is in his prime.

“It is nice to fight a fighter who is undefeated and not worried about losing that 0 on his record,” Roach said.

Bradley, of Palm Springs, California, is coming off an eight-round knockout victory over ex-world champ Joel Casamayor.

The 28-year-old Bradley said he plans to take the fight to Pacquiao. He won’t make the same mistakes as recent Pacquiao opponents Joshua Clottey and Shane Moseley who were booed because they talked a good fight but didn’t back it up once they got in the ring with eight division world champion Pacquiao.

“They were older and older boxers don’t take chances like young fighters do,” Bradley said.

“I don’t have a lot of miles on me like Manny. If I am going out then I am going out flaming. He is going to have to knock me out. Manny is going to have to kill me to stop me.”
Pacquiao will travel to New York for another news conference Thursday then fly back to the Philippines where he is a member of Congress.

Pacquiao has also divested himself of some bad habits, selling a casino he owned and getting rid of the roosters he kept for cock fighting in his native Philippines.

“Manny got a lot of distractions out of his life,” Roach said. “He sold all his cocks for fighting, doesn’t gamble, doesn’t drink and he and his wife are getting along.”

Pacquiao to begin training for Bradley fight in April

source: ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Fighting congressman Manny Pacquiao will begin his preparations for the Timothy Bradley fight sometime in April.

Ronnie Nathanielsz said in his Boxing Scene report that Pacquiao will kick-off his training in Baguio City in mid-April.

Pacquiao plans to spend four weeks in the City of Pines before flying to Los Angeles, California to spend the rest of his training in Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym.

The eight-division champion is scheduled to defend his WBO welterweight title against Bradley on June 9.

The fight is scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, who typically trains six to seven weeks for a fight, said he wants a longer training period for the Bradley bout.

He said he’s rested for quite some time since his third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez last November.

“I want eight to nine weeks,” he said.

“Medyo matagal pahinga kaya dapat mahaba ang training (I've had a long rest so I should go on longer training),” said Pacquiao.

Bradley is a toughest opponent for Pacquiao in a while, at least on paper

source: Igor Frank | Examiner.com

“Does Timothy Bradley have a chance to beat Pacquiao?” inquired Big Steve as he was trying to hurt a heavy bag at the Y in Glendale.

“Las Vegas book makers believe so,” I replied

Not many in the boxing world gave Manny Pacquiao a chance against, Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya a few years ago.They said Oscar was too big , too strong, too experienced for Manny. But somebody dreamed it; may be it was HBO's color commentator,Larry Merchant or maybe it it was Manny' s trusted coach, Freddie Roach or perhaps it was Pacquiao himself. Whoever he was, when they finally got into the ring for combat, not only did Pacquiao dominate De La Hoya, he made Oscar quit on his stool. Coming into the fight as a betting underdog, Pacman seized the opportunity to shine. That was a crowning moment in an incredible career of super star and currently pound for pound best boxer, Manny Pacquiao. Following that megical win in December of 2008 , the last time Manny was an underdog, Pacquiao has ruled a welterweight division with both fists. He nearly killed Ricky Hatton with a one punch knock out which people are still talking about today. Then he stopped a brave warrior from puerto Rico , Miguel Cotto at the tail end of 2009.

Last four fights, Pacquiao has been a heavy betting favorite coming into the ring. What do I mean heavy favorite? He has been at least eight to one favorite against Clottey, Margarito, Mosley and Marquez. So , at least on paper, Timothy Bardley is a toughest opponent in two years. Undefeated light welterweight champion from Palm Springs is only three to one underdog against Manny Pacquiao. At least Las Vegas book makers believe he has a chance against Pacman.

Is Timothy Bradley a legitimate threat for Pacman or the odds just reflecting Manny’s poor performance against Juan Manuel Marquez last December?

I saw a fighter they call Desert Storm last May immediately following Pacquiao destruction of aging Shane Mosley. Like most fans Timothy was disappointed due to lack of action.” At least you know I am going to fight him,” Bradley told me that Saturday night. He will get a chance to prove it on June 9th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Being from Southern California, I have been covering Timothy Bradley for quite some time. I remember watching Bradley ply his craft at a club show in Chumash Casino in early 2007. I remember writing that young fighter from Pal Springs looks at home in the ring and is bound to become a world champion soon. It was a prophecy that came to reality a year and a half later in England. Under adverse conditions Bradley beat a local champion Junior Witter for the WBC light welterweight title. Four years later he will enter the ring to face pound for pound king of sweet science, Manny Pacquiao. Does he have a chance of beating Pacquiao? Few believe that, but just like Manny did that against Oscar a few years ago, Bradley dreamed up this match up. He dropped his promoter Gary Shaw to sign up with Top Rank just for a chance of one day of meeting Pacquiao.

Timothy Bradley is battle tested. He demonstrated that he can pick himself up from the canvas to win the fight. He might need this experience in a battle with Pacman. He will be a younger man entering the ring and he believes he has what it takes to turn the boxing world upside down. He considers himself just as fast as Pacquaio and says that his movement in the ring will give Pacman trouble. And what he lacks in power department will be compensated in dogged determination. One thing I know that Bradley will deliver on his promise and will fight Pacquiao. With both warriors’ minds of offence, fans will get a thrilling action fight.

Roach: Bradley a 'dirty fighter'

source: Abac Cordero | The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - While Manny Pacquiao is checking on his golf swing, his trainer, Freddie Roach, is waging a word war against Timothy Bradley.

Roach has called Bradley a “dirty fighter” and a “loud mouth.”

And the boxer from Cathedral City in California, scheduled to challenge Pacquiao on June 9 in Las Vegas, has no plans of backing off.

“There will definitely be a lot of animosity in the air that night. This fight is more personal for me than people realize,” Bradley told www.fightsaga.com.

Bradley said Roach must have felt so bad with all the things he said about Amir Khan, who’s also being trained by Roach.

“All these people were saying how great Khan was but, as far as I was concerned, he was nothing but a fraud,” said Bradley of the former junior welterweight champ.

Roach said Bradley didn’t take the fight against Khan when he had the chance.

“Personally I don’t think his (Khan) name should even be mentioned in the same breath as mine,” said Bradley who also told www.fightsaga.com Roach will use Pacquiao to “shut him up.”

Bradley expects Pacquiao to follow the orders of his trainer.

“I expect (Pacquiao) to come out fast and hard. With the (Floyd) Mayweather fight still looming for them they think they’re going to use me to make a statement,” he said.

Bradley assured everyone that won’t happen because he also has plans of his own, and on top of the list is to beat Pacquiao, whom he considered the best out there.

Pacquiao talked to The STAR last week, and echoed Roach’s statement that Bradley is a dirty fighter who loves to “use his head.”

But Pacquiao, during a round of golf with friends, said he expects Bradley “to run” inside the ring, and try to avoid getting hurt or being knocked out.

Bradley is undefeated in 28 fights, and is no pushover.

“They’ve made a big mistake in thinking they can use me as a stepping stone,” he said.

“Hey, we’re all human and so is Manny Pacquiao. He’s not invincible. He’s underestimating me. You can’t try to make a statement with a fighter of my caliber.

“Pacquiao has made a big mistake by even taking this fight. Freddy’s (Roach) plan is going to backfire on him. I’ll be the one making the statement,” said Bradley.

Bradley can talk the talk. But can he walk the walk?