The protocol is, apparently, just a formality since Pacquiao already underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) a year ago. Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz wants the eight-division world champ to train in the United States for the full eight-week training camp leading up to the fight on April 9 but Pacquiao needs to campaign nationwide to ensure that he remains in the winning column of the pre-election surveys until election day.
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In a report by Steve Kim for Boxingscene, Koncz says the decision to pick Bradley as Pacquiao’s final opponent was partially because they had run out of options for opponents.
Bradley escaped with a split decision win during their first showdown in May, but WBO eventually ruled that Pacquiao was robbed off a victory.
“Again, my job is to do the best I can do for Manny and unfortunately whether the fans like it or not, that’s in the financial aspect and that’s what I did”, Koncz said of picking Bradley for Pacquiao’s next fight. There are many up-and-coming boxers he could have picked, including current World Boxing Association super lightweight champion Adrien Broner, two-time world titleholder Amir Khan or WBO junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford, but Bradley provides an intriguing fight for Pacquiao. “I know his style”, he told Philippine news site Rappler. That leaves Brook, also 29, as the obvious fight for Khan, and the Sheffield fighter, who defends his title against Canadian Kevin Bizier in March, said: “Khan has nowhere else to go”.
Pacquiao’s upcoming rematch with Bradley and looming retirement is a contrast to Mayweather’s last fight. But the promoters don’t want the fight because they don’t feel he’s quite ready for it yet. “He’s going to wish he never talked his way into the fight”. In addition to being a world champion, Ring Magazine ranks him as the No. 4 welterweight in the world and No. 10 on the pound-for-pound list, which encompasses all weight classes.
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If anyone could’ve found fault with Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) and Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs, 1 NC) boxing three times, it’s Crawford. If Arum could put all of those guys on the Pacquiao-Bradley 3 undercard and then reduce the price of the fight from $70 to $40, I think the Pacquiao vs. Bradley 3 card might do well.
