Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley (Photo : Jeff Gross | Getty Images Sport)
Newly minted WBO Welterweight champion, Timothy "The Desert Storm" Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KO's) is seeking a rubber match against the only man to defeat him -- Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KO's) -- and thinks it would be 'fun' to fight the Filipino ring icon a third time.
Bradley defeated Brandon Rios by stopping him late in the ninth round of 12-round bout, since dumping now former trainer Joel Diaz and enlisting former Mike Tyson trainer Teddy Atlas.
In the Rios bout, Bradley looked revamped and resurgent, with newfound power and confidence. Since losing to Pacquiao in 2014, Bradley appeared lackluster in a split draw against Diego Chaves and didn't really excite the crowd much in a unanimous decision win against Jesse Vargas.
Against Rios however, Bradley looked very good and even stopped the previously durable Rios by thoroughly outboxing and outpunching him.
But to go after Pacquiao, after Pacquiao comprehensively dominated him over 24 rounds (despite the first fight's bogus scoring), makes it seem like Bradley is out for another payday.
To be fair, Pacquiao is on the slide and his next fight will perhaps be his last. If there is a perfect time for Bradley to catch a convincing win over one of the sport's living legends, the time is now. But the task at hand will be a daunting one, a task that now current trainer Atlas as well as Bradley himself will be willing to undergo.
"I got a little experience with Manny Pacquiao. We got a rubber match that we possibly can do, probably in April for his last fight," said Bradley, in a Top Rank broadcast.
The two pugilists have faced each other before, with Bradley winning a 12-round unanimous decision in 2012 in what is perceived as one of the worst decisions in the history of the sport. The rematch ended the way the first was supposed to, with Pacquiao taking a thorough points victory.
After the rematch, there was no clamor for a rubber match because the score had been settled, and there is no clamor for one now, despite Bradley's masterful performance against Rios.
But boxing is a business first and foremost, and Bradley is a big-name opponent for Pacquiao. It would be an easy sell to boxing fans and could even provide the angle that Bradley has turned over a new leaf with Atlas.
After all, Bradley was able to stop Rios which Pacquiao was unable to do in 2013.
Absolutely. Why not? I think it would be fun," said Bradley.
Pacquiao is expected to reach a decision and announce his next opponent soon, which is slated for early first quarter 2016 in what is expected to be the final bout of his professional boxing career as a seat at the Philippine senate looms.
