PACQUIAO-BRADLEY KICKS OFF TODAY AS MARQUEZ HAS A CHANGE OF HEART
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 04 Feb 2014
The eagerly awaited rematch between ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao and undefedated WBO welterweight champion Timothy ?Desert Storm? Bradley begins on Wednesday, Manila Time, in Los Angeles.
The two fighters met at a commercial shoot in Beverly Hills on Monday.
From Los Angeles the two fighters and their entourage will fly to New York for the second stop on their press tour before getting down to serious training for their April 12 showdown.
Meamtime, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has said that Juan Manuel Marquez who persistently refused a fifth fight with Pacquiao following his stunning 6th round knockout victory on December 8, 2012 has apparently had a change of heart.
He is now saying that if Pacquiao beats the undefeated WBO welterweight champion in their rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 12, he?d be willing to face Pacquiao for a fifth time.
Arum, in an interview with Chris Robinson said Marquez ?really has one desire. He wants only one thing before he retires. He wants to win that title (WBO welterweight) and he has indicated to us that he would be very amenable to fight the winner of the Pacquiao and Bradley in the fall.?
Arum said that considering Marquez?s statements in the past that he would not fight Pacquiao and would savor his KO victory the rest of his life, ?it's obvious he has changed his tune? and would fight the Pacquiao-Bradley winner because the belt means so much to him.
Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles somewhat later than expected because of a delay in his flight according to his adviser Michael Koncz but the fans, friends and media were at the Los Angeles airport as usual to give the eight division world champion a warm welcome.
Koncz said that after the media luncheon in Los Angeles on Wednedsay (Manila Time) they would fly to New York for a second media blitz on February 6 after which Pacquiao would return home, train for a couple of days in Manila before setting up training camp at the Pacman Wild Card Gym in his hometown of General Santos City where he trained diligently for his last fight against Brandon ?Bam Bam? Rios in which he put on a master class to win by a near shutout over twelve rounds last November 24 to capture the WBO Intercontinental welterweight belt.
Pacquiao himself had earlier indicated he would wind up training for the Bradley rematch over the last two weeks at Roach?s Wild Card Gym in LA.
Koncz also told the Manila Standard that it seemed the discussions between Pacquiao?s top-notch tax lawyer and accountant with the US Internal Revenue Service was progressing satisfactorily because neither the lawyer or the accountant had called them which, Koncz interpreted as a good sign.
Photo: Superstar Manny Pacquiao adjusts his tie during a commercial shoot in Beverly Hills Monday for his upcoming rematch with undefeated WBO World Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley. Both fighters will announce their eagerly-anticipated rematch during a two-city media tour that will include press conference stops in Los Angeles on Tuesday and New York on Thursday. Promoted by Top Rank?, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will take place, Saturday, April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View? beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Photo: Chris Farina - Top Rank.
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