After beating Bradley, Pacquiao guns for dream fight with Mayweather

LAS VEGAS/MANILA (via PhilAmPress) – Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is really back, scoring a unanimous victory over erstwhile American champion Timothy Bradley Jr. in their grueling 12-round rematch to regain the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 12.
With his convincing victory, Pacquiao, 35, avenged his controversial split decision loss to Bradley in 2012 and handed the 30-year-old dethroned champion his first loss in 32 fights.

The victory bolstered the chances of Pacquiao finally facing undefeated American champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. which many boxing fans and supporters had been craving for years now. Before that fight, a fifth match between Pacquiao and Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez loomed.
Pacquiao after his fight against Bradley that he was ready anytime to negotiate for the Mayweather fight in which they were touted earlier to get $50 million in prize money, the richest in boxing history.
“If he (Mayweather) wants to fight, the fight will be on,” Pacquiao said in an interview.
Mayweather, 37, with a perfect 45-0 record, will clash with Argentina’s Marcos Maidana on May 3 in a World Boxing Council welterweight world title clash also at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas..
Pacquiao was to be $20 million richer with the victory. US media, however, reported that bulk of his prize will go the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue in the Philippines which are collecting millions of dollars and pesos of unpaid taxes over the years. Pacquiao has been contesting the assessment by IRS and BIR chief Kim Jacinto Henares who said the congressman now owed the agency P2.6 billion adding surcharges and penalties to the original assessment of P2.1 billion.
Filipinos all over the world celebrated their icon’s win as President Benigno S. Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. led the officials who who congratulated him.
A Malacanang spokesman said a red carpet awaits Pacquiao when he returns from Las Vegas.
Vice President Jejomar Binay hailed Pacquiao as the people’s champion. “Once again, Manny has showcased the Filipino’s heart and determination to overcome challenges,” he said.
Binay added: “Manny will always be the people’s champion. He inspires all of us to push ourselves to greater heights, to always believe in ourselves and in the Almighty, and see the limitless possibilities that await us. His victory over Timothy Bradley is certainly a victory to be cherished by all Filipinos.’
Pacquiao may have a fifth match with his Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez next.
Pacquiao, 35, improved his ring record to 56-5-2 with 38 wins via knockout and said his journey in boxing will continue at least in the next two years as he ruled out retirement.
”I proved tonight that my journey in boxing will continue. Timothy is not an easy boxer. He is a great boxer but thanked God who had given me this victory,” Pacquiao said in a post-fight interview.
Bradley was all praises for the Filipino boxing champion, saying the fighting congressman was better than him.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, said Bradley had improved much since their first encounter in 2012.
Except in the third round, Bradley was the busier fighter almost in the first half of the fight but the Filipino boxing icon came back strong and dominated the last six rounds to bring back home the world welterweight crown.
Pacquiao weakened Bradley’s legs with a flurry of punches towards the end of the sixth round and series of combinations midway in the seventh round.
Bradley tried to impress the crowd with his showboating in the eighth round but Pacqauiao kept his poise and slowed down again the American fighter monickered ‘The Desert Storm’ in the ninth with a strong left cross.
In the final 20 seconds of the fight, Pacquiao suffered a big cut on his left eyebrow but the referee ring physician allowed the fight to continue, with Pacquiao putting finishing touches using another combo.
American Idol finalist Fil-American Jessica Sanchez sang the Philippine national anthem to the delight of capacity crowd at the famous MGM Grand Arena.
It was another impressive win for Pacquiao following his dominant win over American Brandon Rios on Nov. 24 last year in Macau.
The victory bolstered the possibility of a fifth match with his Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez and the dream fight with current pound for pound king and undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Bradley said he tried to knock out Pacquiao but the Filipino fighter was elusive.
“I tried, I really tried,” Bradley said. “I wanted that knockout. Manny is a great fighter, one of the best in the world. I lost to one of the greatest fighters in boxing. I kept trying to throw something over the top. That’s what we worked on in camp. That was the plan, but Pacquiao has great footwork.”
Bradley added: “He has impeccable timing, great footwork. He’s very coordinated and he has tremendous punching power. He stunned me a couple of times, but I held on.”
Pacquiao, for his part, acknowledged that Bradley has improved a lot since their first fight in 2012 in which he lost in a controversional decision.
“I had to do more (in this fight), it’s very different (from) the first fight,” said Pacquiao. “He improved a lot. He showed his toughness. I hit him with solid punches, but he’s still standing.”
Malacanang congratulated Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao for his win.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a statement, said that the whole county was one with Pacquiao in celebrating the victory.
“After 12 rounds, the strength and guile of our national fist won to reclaim the World Boxing Organization Welterweight title,” Valte said in the vernacular.
She added that Pacquiao’s triumph was proof that as long as a Filipino poured his heart out in any field, all falls are temporary and may be recovered.
She also said that Pacquiao “served as an inspiration” to many Filipinos for embodying the rise of the Philippines after so many disasters in the previous years.
“Our message to the world is clear: While a terrible disaster may defeat us, we will resolutely rise again; deep faith, strong unity, and enduring heart of the Filipino race will always prevail,” Valte said.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a separate statement, described Pacquiao as a “national treasure in global sports.”
Coloma said that Pacquaio’s “magnificent triumph” embodies the world-class qualities of the Filipino in many competitive fields.
“We can hold our heads up high by dint of our industry, hard work and courage,” the PCOO chief said, adding that Pacquiao can expect a very warm welcome from the Filipino nation when he returns to Manila.