Page 19 - ATD09APRIL2016

SPORTS A19
Saturday 9 April 2016

Pacquiao has familiar place and opponent for return to ring

TIM DAHLBERG that he’s a man of his Manny Pacquiao, left, of the Philippines, and Timothy Bradley pose during a weigh-in, Friday,
AP Boxing Writer word,” Bradley said. “He’s April 8, 2016, in Las Vegas. They are scheduled to fight in a welterweight title fight Saturday in Las
LAS VEGAS (AP) — He re- always shown that charac- Vegas.
turns to a familiar place, ter and that integrity and I
with an equally familiar op- think he’s the right man for Associated Press
ponent. Manny Pacquiao the job.”
is taking no chances when Pacquiao has waffled under new trainer Teddy he hasn’t had a knockout Mayweather had trouble
he meets Timothy Bradley about whether this is his last
in what could be the last fight, saying he still loves Atlas, the longtime ESPN since 2009 though he was selling his last fight, too,
fight of his remarkable ca- boxing but his family wants
reer. him to retire. Trainer Fred- broadcaster who he con- on the receiving end of drawing relatively mea-
There’s chatter in the back- die Roach said he believes
ground about a possible Pacquiao has benefited vinced to return to boxing one when he lost to Juan ger pay-per-view numbers
rematch with Floyd May- from a year’s rest after the
weather Jr., though that Mayweather fight and to train him. Manuel Marquez. for what most considered
appears very unlikely. Their can go on at the age of
hugely hyped fight last 37, even though he hasn’t “Having Teddy is like hav- “I feel it’s good that I had a non-competitive bout
May was a dud, and May- scored a knockout since
weather has shown no in- 2009. ing a cheat sheet. He ana- a long layoff,” said Pac- against Andre Berto.
terest — at least publicly — “He hasn’t slowed down
in changing his mind about at all,” Roach said. “He still lyzes fights,” Bradley said. quiao, who began his pro The low numbers for both
retirement. has a couple fights left in “This fight will be fought dif- career as a 16-year-old in fighters indicate fans are
Pacquiao could be head- him.” ferently. I’m going to be a 1995 in the Philippines. “It suffering from hangover
ed there himself, even if Pacquiao weighed in Fri-
he beats Bradley in the day afternoon at 145 1/2 lot smarter than I was the makes me hungry again, from buying the May-
rubber match of their se- pounds to 146 1/2 for Brad-
ries. He’s running for the ley. The welterweight limit is first two fights.” makes me fresher.” weather-Pacquiao fight.
Senate in the Philippines, 147 pounds.
a job that takes far more Pacquiao is guaranteed Pacquiao is a 2-1 favorite in Not feeling quite as good Arum has tried to generate
time than his current posi- $7 million — a far cry from
tion of congressman in his the $100 million or so he his return to the ring, which is promoter Bob Arum, who more interest by trumpeting
native country, and polls got to fight Mayweather —
make him a favorite in next to meet Bradley again in a comes after shoulder sur- has struggled to sell the a “No Trump” undercard of
month’s election. pay-per-view fight that is
Pacquiao might solidify his struggling to get noticed. gery and a long rest in the fight. There were tickets mostly Hispanic fighters he
position in the polls with a With good reason, be-
win over Bradley in Satur- cause there’s still a hang- Philippines. The winner of widely available in the days said will strike a blow for im-
day night’s welterweight over from the Mayweather titles in eight weight classes leading up to the bout, and migrants.
fight at the MGM Grand, fight and he and Bradley — the first one coming 17 pay-per-view projections “My Hispanic army is
where he met Mayweather have already fought 24 years ago at 112 pounds — have been scaled down. marching,” Arum said.q
last May. mostly non-descript rounds.
“He will be remembered
Everyone loves a win- as one of the best fight-
ner, though Pacquiao is ers who ever put on the
already beloved by most gloves,” Bradley said. “But
people in the Philippines as I’m a different fighter than
the biggest sports hero the I was in the first two fights.”
country has ever had. Bradley won the first of
Indeed, Bradley said he those fights on a highly
would be in Pacquiao’s controversial decision, then
corner if he had a vote. faded in the later rounds
“He’s shown over and over to lose the second bout.
that he is for the people He says he is rejuvenated
and by the people and