Manny Pacquiao training in LA (Photo : Jhay Oh Otamias)
Eight-division world champion and Filipino ring icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KO's) is deep in training in Los Angeles for a third bout against American Timothy "The Desert Storm" Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KO's), a welterweight contest scheduled for 12-rounds at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 9.
And from the looks of it, his team and everyone around him believes he'll knock Bradley out.
"Yeah, I believe coach Freddie [Roach] when he said Manny still has the punch to knock anyone out," assistant coach Buboy Fernandes told Philboxing reporter Eddie Alinea.
Pacquiao, 37, is at the tail-end of a more than 21-year professional boxing career, which saw him rise through the ranks from flyweight up to as high as super welterweight, winning eight world titles in as many divisions along the way. He has been unable to stop an opponent since 2009 however, making it over six years since his TKO 12 victory over Miguel Cotto.
Yet judging by what observers can take away from Pacquiao's training in Los Angeles recently, those closest to him believe Bradley is in for a world of hurt in this rubber match.
With less than a month to go, Pacquiao's assistant trainers believe the Filipino superstar will be at a hundred percent by next week, when training starts to taper off and the journey to Nevada begins.
Pacquiao has ascertained that this will be the last time he climbs the ring apron as a professional prizefighter, regardless of how the May elections play out. Pacquiao is eyeing a seat at the Philippine senate and if he is successful, it is a job that requires complete focus and all of his time.
There will be no time left for boxing, he says.
But many believe Pacquiao will continue to fight on depending on how he fares against Bradley. If Pacquiao is able to defeat Bradley convincingly, particularly by knockout, he'll be back in business and talks of future bouts with junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford and former training partner Amir Khan will reignite.
There's also the lingering possibility of Mayweather coming out of retirement and agreeing to a rematch with Pacquiao, which Pacquiao has previously stated to be the only bout that can bring him out of retirement.
Pacquiao complained of a right shoulder injury after the Mayweather bout, which he has since treated and is said to be completely healed. Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum says the injury had pre-existed since Pacquiao's victory over Oscar Dela Hoya in 2007, and now that it's fully repaired, Pacquiao has regained the power in his right hand.
Whether or not this is true can be taken with a grain of salt, but it seems that for now, answers to the biggest questions can also only be found in the ring on April 9.
