Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is set to pick his next and final opponent on Friday, according to Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum. Well, the last bit may only be partially true as the name that had been dropped recently is still unconfirmed.
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Though Pacquiao isn’t due to name his next opponent until Friday, several media outlets, including the LA Times, are suggesting that he is likely to choose two-time foe, Timothy Bradley.
So for the record I’d rate Bradley the most unsafe opponent of the three for Pacquiao and here’s why. None of these online sources had been able to link to a verified source, though; one of them, The Desert Sun, had even been honest enough to admit that they were unable to verify the information. Per Sport 360, Hearn told reporters “Amir’s not got the Pacquiao fight”. “With a new trainer, it’ll be a whole different Tim Bradley”. It sounds like he will be facing Timothy Bradley for a third time.
Bradley won a highly disputed 2012 split decision over Pacquiao, then was beaten by unanimous decision in their April 2014 rematch. Pacquaio won the rematch two years later, though Bradley has since regained the welterweight title he initially won from, and then lost to, Pacquiao. So a third match between the two fighters will surely break the “tie”.
Pacquaio has been biding his time since having surgery to fix a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder following his May 2 bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Khan is one of the frontrunners for the fight against Pacquiao, with reports saying that he and his camp already signed documents and are just awaiting for the Filipino’s signature to make it all official.
There is no interest from fans in wanting to see Pacquiao fight Bradley again, because it’s a fight that has already been played out twice.
If you look at Pacquiao’s fights, he likes to face opponents that stand in front of him and trade rather than people that run around the ring, holding, shoving and putting opponents in head-locks like Khan typically does.
The fight on April 9, 2016 is set to be Pacquiao’s last before he hangs up his gloves to focus on his political career.
Pacquiao (57-6-2), who will turn 37 on December 17, wants a final bout that would have a big impact in the world of boxing, unlike Floyd Mayweather’s last pro fight with Andre Berto.
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But with the welterweight division growing thinner with marketable fighters, Pacquiao’s options appear limited. In addition, Bradley tore a calm muscle early in the second fight and, if healthy, the fight could be more interesting this time around.
