ShareThisBy JO ERLINDA G. NEBRES
MANILA (PhilAmPress) – World boxing icon and fighting congressman Manny Pacquiao and American world champion Timothy Bradley will start drumming up their April 12 rematch in Las Vegas with press tours in Los Angeles and New York on February 4.
The two fighters will hold their first stop at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on February 4, where they will face the media to officially announce their rematch. The World Boxing Organization welterweight belt held by Bradley will be at stake in the rematch.
On February 6, Pacquiao and Bradley will fly to the New World Stages in New York for another press conference.
The Pacquiao-Bradley 2 is scheduled on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It will be Pacquiao’s first fight on US since 2012.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) were urged to work together to end their battle over the alleged tax deficiencies ahead of his scheduled rematch with Bradley on April 12even as the Court of Tax Appeals held another hearing on Pacquiao’s appeal on his tax arrears.
Pacquiao, who attended the session of the House of Representatives last week, is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Feb. 2 to sign his contract and start promoting his fight against Bradley.
An excited eight-division champion said he would train early for his fight starting at his gym in the MP Towers on Feb. 10 and 11, before flying to General Santos City to resume training at his Pacman Wild Card Gym on Feb. 12.
On television, he was quoted saying that he wanted to proceed to the US early to be able to acclimatize and boost his training for his return bout with the undefeated Bradley who won lately against Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez.
Pacquiao said he planned to train for one month before the fight at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach in Los Angeles.
To avoid hassle and discomfort to Pacquiao, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., said both camps should agree to a compromise so that there will be no disturbance and he can be able to fight with an “unencumbered mind.”
“Now that it’s official that Pacquiao will fight Bradley, efforts should be made by the BIR and him to put an end to his tax problems so that the Pambansang Kamao could concentrate fully on his forthcoming match,” the veteran solon who is a lawyer-accountant said.
This developed as Pacquiao is excited to fight again in Las Vegas for the rematch with Bradley to reclaim his welterweight champion’s belt. The Filipino boxing icon is expected to get a guaranteed prize money of $20 million in that fight while Bradley is assured of $6 million.
The prize money is $2 million more than the $18 million he was guaranteed for his November 2013 showdown with Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios, but a $6-million cut from his purse when he fought Bradley for the first time in June 2012.
ESPN.com reported that Bradley is guaranteed $6 million, a $1-million raise from his guaranteed purse in the first fight.
Bradley had controversially beaten Pacquiao via split decision when they fought in June 2012, even though most observers had scored the bout in favor of the Filipino superstar.
According to Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum, both Pacquiao and Bradley will also get a share of the pay-per-view profits.
The first Pacquiao-Bradley fight generated approximately 890,000 PPV buys.
Pacquiao’s last fight in Las Vegas was on Dec. 8, 2012, when he suffered a shocking knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in the final second of the sixth round after battering the Mexican and having him on the verge of a knockout in the fifth.
Since the Marquez loss, Pacquiao fought only once, scoring a masterful 12-round unanimous decision over former world lightweight champion Brandon Rios at the Cotai Arena in the plush Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Macau, China.
As the Pacquiao-Bradley title fight is being readied, Bradley belittled the fighting congressman, pointing out that he no longer has the power that he used to have. The American champion thus is picking up from where fellow undefeated American champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been doing against the Filipino fighter.
“He doesn’t have that killer instinct. Yeah, he didn’t have that killer instinct in that Rios fight. I think it was because Rios has that power. So he’s a little scared of that power, man,” Bradley said. “There were times where he probably could’ve finished Rios, or attempted to, and he played it safe, you know what I’m saying. So I think that’s going to definitely work in my advantage.”
Last year, the BIR filed a tax evasion case against Pacquiao for failing to pay as much as P2.2 billion for his income from boxing in recent years, leading to the freezing of Pacquiao’s local bank accounts.
According to Barzaga, now that Pacquiao is the official opponent of Bradley who out outsmart him and lost, the eight-time world division champion must enter the ring without disturbance.
“He is our national pride and let us help him win by removing the burden of his tax controversy” Barzaga said.
Both BIR and Pacquiao tried to settle this issue out of court but there is yet no final decision, prompting the Court of Tax Appeals to issue a gag order.
“Every time Pacquiao wins, he gives the needed respite to the country especially in the wake of disasters with unimaginable magnitude. He is always a big morale booster and a true hero. He is our national pride and let us help him win by removing the burden of his tax controversy,” Barzaga stressed.
The Cavite solon said his resounding triumph over Brandon Rios last November shows the Filipinos strong determination to succeed in life despite the many hurdles and challenges.
“Manny’s resilience shows that ‘never say never’ attitude of Filipinos. Manny is always providing inspiration during times when we need it most,” he pointed out.