With Floyd Mayweather Jr. on his rear view mirror, and perhaps out of his radar until 2013, Manny Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum has set their sights on a suitable dance partner for the Pac Man’s June 9 ring return. The names have been narrowed down to two: Miguel Cotto and Timothy Bradley.
But wasn’t this supposed to be Bradley’s all along? It was the obvious Arum move since he signed the undefeated WBO jr. welterweight champ. Why else would Bradley jump in bed with Arum and fight in the featured undercard bout during Pacquiao’s last fight?
But then again, Cotto’s contract with Top Rank had expired, and with Mayweather looking for a compelling opponent, Arum needed a bargaining chip to convince his Boricua stud to stay, rather than align with his competition. And what better way to do that than offer the opportunity for revenge against Manny Pacquiao together with a sack full of cash?
A couple of weeks ago, a reliable source told me that the Bradley camp had been told to be prepared for the possibility of facing Pacquiao this spring as well as the beginning of construction for Arum’s planned outdoor stadium in Las Vegas.
Bradley is a formidable opponent that can cause problems for Pacquiao. Stylistically, he is not the typical opponent Pacquiao would look great against. With his fast hands, slick punching and inside fighting abilities, the man that used to wash dishes in the Coachella Valley early in his professional career to make ends meet, might just have what it takes to get the job done against boxing’s pound-for-pound king.
Aside from Cotto’s fans, I don’t think a lot of people truly want to see a Pacquiao-Cotto rematch. Yes, the first installment was definitely exciting and fun to watch, but so was the first Matrix movie. It’s a money-making fight for Pacquiao and nothing more. Asking Miguel Cotto, who has been campaigning at 154 since their last fight more than two years ago, to come down to 147 and drain himself does no favors for Pacquiao’s legacy. In tagalog ‘tabla-talo lang si Pacquiao dito’. After his third fight with Marquez and a fourth fight looming, fans want to see Pacquiao fight someone he hasn’t fought yet.
Not only is Timothy Bradley undefeated, he brings that African-American element Bernard Hopkins has been clamoring for. Pacquiao has yet to fight slick African-American opponent, or as rap mogul James Prince would translate, “a brother with soul”.
Heck, ask Bradley to talk smack during the fight promotions and that may very well be the closest you’ll get to seeing Pacquiao fight Mayweather.
Forget a Cotto rematch. Bring on Pacquiao vs Bradley in June.
Original Source: http://www.examiner.com/filipino-sports-in-national/cotto-or-bradley-weighing-on-pacquiao-s-options
By Dennis ‘D Source’ Guillermo
Filipino Sports Examiner
Dennis is a seasoned sports writer. For breaking news, live coverage, interviews and commentaries, he is “the source” for Filipino Sports. You may…Read full bio
