Nagsimula na ang promosyon ng sagupaan nina WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley at No. 2 contender Manny Pacquiao sa Beverly Hills Hotel sa Los Angeles, California sa Estados Unidos kung saan nangako ang Amerikano na “bagong Bradley” ang sasagupa sa Pinoy boxer.
Muli namang iginiit ni Top Rank big boss Bob Arum na hindi niya ibebenta ang laban bilang “last bout” ni Pacquiao dahil naniniwala siyang magbabalik pa sa lonang parisukat ang eight-division world titlist.
“I know that there’s been talk that this may be Manny’s last fight. I can’t believe it,” sabi ni Arum sa Fightnews.com. “It could be and it may very well be, but when I stand up here to introduce him in this ballroom at the Beverly Hills Hotel where I’ve done it so many times and so many memories, I can’t come to grips with the fact that it would be the last time.”
“Maybe it will, maybe it won’t, that’s up to Manny…as a fighter, he has brought us great thrills, great excitement, great events, and he’s always given us everything that he had,” dagdag ni Arum. “If this is truly the last time, Manny, it’s been a great ride and I want to thank you for everything. “
Nangako naman si Bradley na iba ang magiging resulta ng kanilang ikatlong laban dahil nagbago na ang kanyang estilo sa tulong ng bago niyang trainer na si dating ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas.
“I heard Manny Pacquiao chose me because he knows me. I think it’s different now,” giit ni Bradley. “I honestly do.
I think this fight will definitely be different than the first two altercations that we had.”
Muli namang iginiit ni Pacquiao na huling laban na niya ang paghamon kay Bradley sa Abril 9 sa MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada at pinili niya ang Amerikano dahil may ibang istilo na ito lalo sa pagtalo via 9th round TKO kay dating WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios.
“I’m so thankful for this great opportunity before I retire. You’re giving me another chance to prove in boxing that I can still fight until the end,” giit ni Pacquiao. “This is a great opportunity and privilege to fight Bradley again and I chose Bradley because I believe Bradley is different than before. He’s improved a lot and we saw that it his last fight with Rios.”
Iginiit naman ni Pacquiao na si Arum ang nag-alok sa kanya na labanan muli si Bradley at hindi totoong siya ang pumili sa WBO welterweight titlist.
“They asked me about (fighting) Bradley and I said, ‘No problem,” paglilinaw ni Pacquiao sa Yahoo Sports sabay sabay sabing magpapasuri siya sa nag-opera sa kanya na si Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache sa Los Angeles para matiyak kung puwede na siyang lumaban.
Gayunman, idiniin ni Pacquiao na hindi siya namimili ng kalaban at haharapin kahit sino ang ikasa sa kanya ng Top Rank at nagpasalamat sa pagkakataong ibinigay sa kanya ng boksing.
“I don’t care who my opponent is, I have no problem with anybody,” ani Pacquiao. “It feels sad to be retiring from boxing. In the beginning I started boxing to help my family. I’m retiring to help my people, my country.”
(Gilbert Espeña)
