PACQUIAO WILL COME OUT SMOKING
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 10 Apr 2014
LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- He has the speed, Manny Pacquiao assured, along with the power, the courage, the stamina and the ability which he needs in to emerge triumphant in his coming grudge date with defending World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Garden Arena here.
The Filipino ring icon reaffirmed during Tuesday's Grand Arrival Ceremony that he will exploit to the hilt these weapons in his ardent desire to come out the one whose hands will be raised to recapture the 147-pound jewel wrested from him by this same man nearly two years ago.
"As I have been saying, I believe I won our first fight and I will prove that to him (in this rematch)," the 'fighter of the decade' asserted during the subsequent round table conference with media men following the welcome rites before a large predominantly pro-Filipino crowd at the hotel lobby.
Had the occasion been the actual showdown, Bradley could have lost by default failing to appear in the ceremony. Top Rank head Bob Arum later disclosed the undefeated title defender had an earlier guest commitment.
Pacquiao, who appeared with chief trainer Freddie Roach during the conference, when asked refused to categorically predicted a knockout is in the offing, except to say: "I'm prepared for that."
"In my 20 years as a boxer, I never predicted to win by KO," Pacquiao explained. "Of course all boxers want to win by KO, but to me, a KO will come at the right time during fights. You don't look for it. My record speaks for itself that I am capable of sending my rivals to dreamland."
"We had a long but excellent training camp," Pacquiao attested. "I want to show him (Bradley) that I am not yet the man he referred to as to have lost my killer instinct, power and speed. That my career is done .. over."
Roach agreed asserting that the long 10-week preparations his prized ward had undergone was geared towards leaving no doubts to the entire boxing world who he real king of the welterweight division is.
Both the boxer and trainer agreed though by way of answering queries that five years since scoring a KO is quite long as they intimated it's about time that Pacquiao, who is expecting a fifth child with Sarangani Vice Gov. Jinkee come out as the only man standing before the bell signaling the 12-round encounter is sounded.
The former world pound-for-pound best and the only fighter to win eight world championships in as many weight divisions and four lineal titles, last emerged winner by stoppage on November 14 in this same arena where he nearly ended Miguel Cotto's fighting career with a sensational 12-round KO, also in this, the world famous 'sin city.'
"That was one of my best fights," Pacquiao related of his feat, his 38th in 62 assignments marked by five losses and two draws since debuting as a pro on Jan. 22, 1995.
Roach reaffirmed his earlier pronouncement that Pacquiao will come out smokin' from the opening bell and the result will be overwhelming in favor of his pupil of 13 years.
Pacquiao, a three-time best fighter honoree of the Boxing Writers Association of America, heaped praises to his come backing strength and conditioning trainer Justin Fortune as the one responsible for his gaining back his competitive form he had 10 years ago.
Photo: Pacquiao waves to the crowd during his grand arrival at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Photo by Wendell Rupert Alinea.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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