Lydell Rhodes: Manny can catch Bradley

Eight-division world champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KO's) has a tough task ahead of him. The Filipino ring icon not only wants to beat American, Timothy "The Desert Storm" Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KO's), he wants to do so by knockout, which he hasn't had in over six years. One of his chief sparring partners, Lydell Rhodes, believes he's capable of accomplishing the feat.

Rhodes, along with Congolese-Canadian Ghislain Maduma, is one of two chief sparring partners for Pacquiao who has followed the fighting politician from his hometown in General Santos City, Philippines to Freddie Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

"[Pacquiao] is really at an elite level. He's super strong for his weight," said Rhodes, who prepared Pacquiao for his first encounter with Bradley in 2012.

"I spar with a lot of guys, bigger or smaller. At 147 Manny is real strong, sharp, fast -- he does it all. He's ready."

Pacquiao spent the first half of training camp back home in General Santos City, following a year since his last bout, against retired arch-rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pacquiao had been sidelined since due to rehabilitation from a torn right rotator cuff which he had surgery on a couple of days after the Mayweather fight.

Pacquiao and Bradley lock horns in a 12-round welterweight showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 9, in what Pacquiao refers to as his final appearance in the ring as a professional boxer.

Pacquiao has expressed his intent to hang up the gloves for good after a 21-year career which has seen him win multiple world titles from flyweight to super welterweight. He's expected to win a seat in the Philippine senate in the May 2016 elections and will devote all of his time and resources to public office, leaving no room for his boxing career.

However, various observers and those close to Pacquiao believe that if the Filipino boxing sensation is able to knock out Bradley, his performance will open up doors to possible big money fights against junior welterweight champ Terence Crawford and former training mate Amir Khan.

It could also coerce Mayweather to come out of retirement to seek a high-profile rematch with Pacquiao.

Knocking out Bradley however is a different conversation. Bradley has never been stopped in his more than a decade-long career. Bradley is a true champion, and one that knows how to pull off gutsy victories in the face of adversity. In fact, Bradley's lone loss comes at the hands of Pacquiao himself, a unanimous decision verdict back in 2014.

But if there's one fighter out there who can accomplish the seemingly impossible task of stopping Bradley, Rhodes thinks it's his client Pacquiao.

"Anything is possible," said Rhodes. "[Pacquiao] punches hard enough, but Bradley, he's something else, man."

"There's a reason why [Bradley] hasn't been stopped but if there's anyone who can do it, it would be Manny because he's sharp and fast so he can catch him. If Bradley starts trading with him, Manny can catch him."

Pacquiao is set to wrap up the Los Angeles portion of training camp in a few days, and then make the trek to Las Vegas for fight week festivities.