Ngayong nanalo si WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley kay challenger Brandon Rios, tiniyak ni Top Rank big boss Bob Arum na makapipili na si eight division world titlist Manny Pacquiao ng huling makakalaban sa Abril 9, 2016 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tinalo ni Bradley si Rios sa pamamagitan ng 9th round TKO kamakalawa sa Las Vegas, Nevada, at ito ay rason upang maging kandidato rin ito sa laban kay Pacquiao kasama ng kaibigang si WBO light welterweight titlist Terence Crawford at EBC Silver welterweight ruler Amir Khan ng Great Britain.
“Pacquiao will now review the tape of this fight, the tape of [unbeaten light-welterweight champion] Terence [Crawford’s] fight and he’ll make a decision,” sabi ni Bob Arum kay Lance Pugmire ng Los Angeles Times. “I don’t make the picks, not for Manny, because people would say I’m pulling the strings and he’s a puppet, which he’s not.”
Nagwagi si Bradley sa kontrobersiyal na 12-round split decision kay Pacquiao noong 2012 pero nakabawi si Pacquiao sa rematch noong 2014 sa kumbinsidong 12-round unanimous decision.
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Nagbawas ng timbang si Rios sa official weigh-in kaya natunugan ni trainer Ted Atlas na may kahinaan na sa bodega ang dating WBA lightweight titlist na tinalo rin sa puntos ni Pacquiao noong 2013.
“I did some things tonight that were better than what I did before. I did this little move where you throw this body shot and move, and it worked tonight,” ani Bradley. “It is a step in the right direction. I feel good about my performance. I haven’t mastered these things. It’s only been seven weeks. I can only imagine a year … I want to learn as much as I can.”
Masaya maging si Atlas na mas kilala bilang boxing commentator kaysa trainer.
“There were moments I was just so proud of what he was doing,” diin ni Atlas. “Our game plan was to take a brick at a time. If you take a brick at a time, the house falls.”
Pero naniniwala si Bradley na mas karapat-dapat labanan ni Pacquiao ang walang talong knockout artist na si Crawford.
“I want to see Crawford get that Manny Pacquiao fight. He’s the next superstar in boxing and I want to see if Crawford can dethrone the great Manny Pacquiao,” paglilinaw ni Bradley sa BoxingScene.com.
“Isn’t Crawford fighting Pacquiao?” pabirong sabi ni Bradley na waring umiiwas sa laban kay Pacquiao. “I just want to relax and let my wife figure out what’s next.”
Pero pag-aaralan ni Atlas ang laban ni Bradley kay Rios para makita kung maaari niyang harapin si Pacquiao sa huling laban ng Pinoy boxer bago magretiro sa boksing.
“I don’t know because Teddy hasn’t even looked at the tape yet,” dagdag ni Bradley. “But I’m sure he would come up with the perfect game plan.” (Gilbert Espeña)
