Manny Pacquiao poses with TV host Crystina Poncher during an interview upon his arrival at the Los Angeles International Airport early Tuesday. | Screengrab from Top Rank's video
MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao and his entourage arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday morning, ready to hype his rubber match with Timothy Bradley in a two-leg press tour.
A video posted by Top Rank Inc. showed Pacquiao being interviewed by TV host Crystina Poncher, saying he could hardly wait to start training for Bradley.
Video from Top Rank's YouTube channel
“Excited for this next training camp because I've been resting for almost one year,” said Pacquiao, who had been sidelined by a shoulder injury he suffered in the lead-up to his showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year.
He, however, insisted that his shoulder has healed.
“Shoulder is good. I'm feeling a hundred percent better,” Pacquiao added.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao and Bradley will grace the first of two scheduled pressers at the Crystal Ballroom of the famous Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Blvd. in California. The boxers will then fly to New York City the following day for the second press conference.
Pacquiao and Bradley will figure in a third clash on April 9 (April 10 Manila time) for the WBO welterweight title, after splitting their first two fights. The American pulled off a stunning split decision in their first encounter in 2012, while Pacquiao got even in their rematch two years later.
Many boxing pundits and fans believe Pacquiao won the first fight and have frowned upon Bradley’s selection as the fighting congressman’s final opponent.
But Pacquiao defended Bradley, saying “The Desert Storm” is a different fighter this time.
“Looking forward for more action. We know that Bradley improved a lot since our last fight. He improved a lot this time,” said Pacquiao, aware of Bradley’s impressive technical knockout win over Brandon Rios in November last year.
Rios, incidentally, was the same man Pacquiao battered in Macau in 2013.
Pacquiao concluded the interview by baring his training plans.
“We're going to start training in the Philippines then after one month, come back to LA to finish it,” he explained.
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BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – With the window of the sports car rolled down, President Aquino drove back to the lowlands early yesterday after spending three nights here since New Year’s Eve.
Seated behind the wheel of a red Nissan GT-R or grand touring racing coupe, with the driver’s window rolled down, the President went out of The Mansion House, the official presidential residence here, at around 7:30 a.m., moving toward Marcos Highway.
“They went out (of the gate) so fast so I wasn’t able to grab my camera or my cellular phone,” Joe Esteras, of PTV 4, said.
Several witnesses at a gasoline station near the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center said a red car and a couple of black sport utility vehicles trailing behind passed by the area.
Driving the same sports car, Aquino arrived here at 5 p.m. of Dec. 31.
He spent three nights in the city privately.
The President had dinner at the posh Baguio Country Club on Saturday night.
Last Friday, he hosted a dinner for top defense and military officials led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin at The Mansion House.
Sources said the President would be coming back to the city.
According to Senior Superintendent Rolando Miranda, Baguio City police chief, who manned the peripheral security at The Mansion House, Aquino was supposed to stay until Jan. 6.
Nissan launched the GT-R in 2007. Its website listed the US prices of the 2016 edition at a range of $101,770 to $149,990.
Palace officials said Aquino borrowed the sports car but did not identify the owner.
The President has a known fondness for driving fast cars. A few months after tak- ing office, he sold the BMW that he drove when he was a senator and replaced it with a used Porsche. The furor later forced him to get rid of the sports car.
Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will clash for the third time. | File
MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank Inc. chief Bob Arum says Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley are set to face each other in a rubber match on April 9 (April 10 Manila time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael said he has spoken to Arum, who confirmed that the fight is a done deal.
Just spoke to Arum. Pac-Bradley 3 is set. 4/9 MGM on HBO PPV. Paperwork being finalized but said it's done. Sent Pac $2M advance to close.
Pacquiao and Bradley fought twice, with the American escaping with a controversial decision in 2012 and the Filipino icon getting payback with a victory two years later.
Bradley is the current WBO welterweight champion, interestingly a title that used to belong to Pacquiao before he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in boxing’s richest match ever last May.
Prior to the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout, Bradley was the WBO interim welterweight champion after outpointing Jessie Vargas. But after Mayweather defeated Pacquiao to unify the WBC, WBA and WBO welterweight titles, the former relinquished the WBO diadem, prompting the organization to promote Bradley to full champion status.
Pacquiao, for his part, previously stated that it will be his final fight, after which he plans to concentrate on his political career. The Sarangani congressman is eyeing a Senate seat under the opposition party of presidential aspirant and incumbent Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Arum, however, isn’t ruling out a comeback by Pacquiao, who said that he has recovered from a shoulder injury he sustained in the weeks leading to the Mayweather showdown.
Veteran scribe Lance Pugmire of The Los Angeles Times tweeted that Arum has mentioned Pacquiao returning to fight again in November next year, possibly against rising star Terence Crawford.
Arum mentioned "November" as a possible next Pacquiao date, with Crawford a candidate, while Pac would obviously pursue @FloydMayweather.
On the upcoming third fight between Pacquiao and Bradley, Arum said it will be a different bout this time.
“We haven’t seen this fight already, because this is a new Bradley,” Arum told Pugmire.
“I don’t know that Manny has to prove anything other than he’s better than the current Bradley and his new coach. The Bradley who beat [Brandon] Rios was better than the Bradley I’ve seen of the last five years. Can that Bradley beat Manny Pacquiao? I don’t know, but I think it’s a close fight and he’s still coming off an injury.”
