Manny Pacquiao v Timothy Bradley (Photo : Getty Images)
It was recently announced that eight-division world champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KO's) will face former foe Timothy "The Desert Storm" Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KO's) for the third time in a 12-round welterweight bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 9.
The fight is expected to be Pacquiao's final appearance as a professional prizefighter before retiring to pursue his political ambitions. Bradley was chosen over other frontrunners Amir "King" Khan of England and rising star Terence "Bud" Crawford.
The choice was lambasted by most.
No one outside of the Bradley and Pacquiao camps wanted this fight, but the choice was made. What perhaps was most surprising however is the fact that no one was shocked by the selection of Bradley.
In choosing Bradley, Pacquiao has sent a message to all boxing fans -- that he no longer fancies a challenge.
As fans recall, Pacquiao had already handily taken care of Bradley before, and twice, despite what the scorecards read in the first fight.
Their first encounter ended up with Bradley being awarded a split decision, in what would turn out to be one of the most widely appalling boxing robberies in the sport's history. The rematch merely served as a chance to 'right the wrong' with Pacquiao finally nabbing the victory he deserved.
In both fights however, Pacquiao easily handled whatever Bradley brought to the table, proving too fast and too powerful for the 32-year old American.
There is no doubt that the rubber match will focus on Bradley's new head coach, Teddy Atlas. Bradley and Atlas recently joined forces, producing a 'new and improved' Bradley with the alliance.
The reworked prizefighter is said to be faster, stronger, and smarter.
For the most part, Bradley lived up to the hype surrounding that, stopping the tough-as-nails Brandon Rios in his last bout, who had never been stopped before.
Still, there's an old boxing adage that goes, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks.'
By choosing Bradley, Pacquiao foregoes having to train at full capacity for a young and dangerous Terence Crawford. He chooses not to prepare for an Amir Khan who may or may not be faster than him at this stage in his career.
Bradley was the safest fight on the table, and a fight no one really wanted to see, but he was chosen nonetheless.
The April 9 bout, which could turn out to be Pacquiao's last, would send Pacquiao off into retirement and straight into a full-time political career.
