WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of the US and his challenger, Manny Pacquiao, will both be seeking redemption when they clash for a second time on April 12 in Las Vegas.
Bradley believes he never gained the recognition he was due after controversially beating the Philippine southpaw on a split decision when they first met in June 2012, while Pacquiao feels he was robbed with that result.
“This is all about redemption,” Bradley (31-0, 12 knockouts) said during a news conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday to promote the fight. “I need Manny. He needs me. I’m going to beat him again. I am younger and a better fighter. Manny fights for the money; I have the hunger to win. I am a different fighter than the one who fought Pacquiao in our first fight.”
Photo: AFP
“I scored our fight eight rounds to four in my favor. No way he won that fight,” said the 30-year-old American, who trains in Indio, California. “Manny is great, but he is also mortal. I’m not intimidated by him or his legend.”
Pacquiao told the news conference he was on a mission.
“I thought I was leading after every round,” he said. “I thought I won the fight easily. I controlled the fight every round. I was very surprised by the decision. But that’s part of the game. He got the decision and my title. Now I want to get back that belt he won off of me. Boxing has always been fun for me. This time, the fun is secondary. This is a mission to prove that I am the best.”
Bradley’s victory over Pacquiao was met by a chorus of boos from the crowd in Las Vegas after the shock split decision was announced and promoter Bob Arum later described the judges as “The Three Blind Mice.”
Judge Jerry Roth (115-113) awarded the fight to Pacquiao, while C.J. Ross (115-113) and Duane Ford (115-113) gave it to the American, who had been a 5-1 underdog.
The faster and more powerful Pacquiao seemed to be in cruise control for at least nine of the 12 rounds, and Bradley himself made comments immediately afterward suggesting he had not done enough to win.
While Pacquiao was stunned after suffering his first defeat since he lost to Erik Morales in Las Vegas in March 2005, he took the decision with good grace at the time.
He went on to lose his next fight, a sixth-round knockout at the hands of Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012 that prompted retirement talks.
However, the Filipino rebounded two months ago with a decisive, unanimous decision victory against American Brandon Rios in Macau, improving his career record to 55-5-2 with 38 knockouts.
“The only way Bradley can beat me this time is to knock me out,” said the 35-year-old Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion.
“He cannot outbox me. I will be the aggressor. I will throw a lot of punches at him — more than I threw against Rios — and I will land them. Last time, I was too nice. This time, I will finish what I start,” Pacquiao added.
“Desert Storm” Bradley won his most recent fight, in October last year, beating Mexico’s three-division world champion Marquez on a split decision in Las Vegas after a display that captured the attention of Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach.
“Tim Bradley is one of the toughest guys in the world and I saw that up close when he fought Ruslan Provodnikov last year,” said Roach, who worked Provodnikov’s corner that night. “Tim looked even better in beating Marquez in his last fight. Tim is the champion and Manny and I know we have our work cut out for us to successfully challenge him.”
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
RSS