PACQUIAO READY FOR BRADLEY, INSISTS ARIZA STAYS IN HIS CORNER
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 07 Jun 2012
?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao is ready for undefeated junior welterweight champion Timothy ?Desert Storm? Bradley when the eight division world champion defends his WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday morning, Manila Time.
Following a fantastic reception by hundreds of fans as his entourage rolled in to the MGM Garden lobby, Pacquiao told correspondent Bev Llorente of ABS-CBN, ?everything is fine. I?m ready and excited.?
Pacquiao worked out at the Top Rank gym after settling a testy dispute between trainer Freddie Roach, strength and conditioning guru Alex Ariza and cutman Miguel Diaz. Roach had indicated he didn?t want Ariza in Pacquiao?s corner. However, Pacquiao met with the trio and resolved whatever differences they had and made it clear that Ariza will remain in his corner, removing the only minor distraction that has surfaced during training camp in stark contrast to past fights, especially the third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez when personal problems wracked his preparation and scuttled his focus.
Ariza who was at Pacquiao?s workout at the Top Rank gym said Pacquiao had ?a very light workout. Did some punch-mitts. Nice fit and loose and not pushing too hard so close to the fight as we are trying to do everything right and prepare ourselves and recover correctly for Saturday night.?
The strength and conditioning coach who became an integral part of Team Pacquiao some two weeks before Pacquiao ripped WBC lightweight champion David Diaz in nine rounds, they ?went over some strategy, did some different drills. It was a good workout and for the first time nobody had to tell Manny to slowdown because I think he knows he has to let his body rest and recover for the fight? after a rigorous eight weeks of preparation.
Ariza said he hopes that Pacquiao ?takes it easy and rests and gets his focus on recovery and not to press too hard and get ready for the fight? even as he stressed that Manny ?is ready right now.?
Pacquiao unofficially weighed in at 146.2 pounds, just under the 147 pound limit.
Bradley?s arrival didn?t spark the same level of excitement and draw the crowd that Pacquiao?s arrival did, but the undefeated 140 pound champion told Llorente ?I?m 110 percent ready without a doubt in my mind, there?s no doubt in my bone, the weight is great.?
Bradley was obviously peeved when asked about Roach?s statement that he ?looks good for a body-building contest. But how hard can he punch. He?ll be slo-motion.?
Bradley said ?it don?t matter what Roach says. I don?t care what he says, he is not going to be in the ring fighting with Pacquiao, so Pacquiao will be telling him something different when he comes back in that corner.?
Talking to Jannelle So, popular host of Kababayan LA18 Bradley said ?I honestly don?t care about Freddie Roach, what he sees or what he says. He?s not going to fight me. They?ll come with their plan, I?ll come with my plan and we are gonna see who is going to be victorious that night.?
Bradley?s manager Cameron Dunkin said he doesn?t see his fighter being knocked out by Pacquiao. He predicted ?it will be a really good, competitive fight. Close fight, I don?t know which way. I believe in Bradley. I believe my guy can win. I believe it will be a heck of a fight.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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