HARD WORK: Tim Bradley is already in shape for Manny Pacquiao for their rematch on April 12 at the MGM Grand, and his trainer Joel Diaz says his fighter will have to be knocked out to lose. File Photo
Diaz says Tim Bradley will hurt Pacquiao
Joel Diaz, trainer of WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, is very happy with his fighter’s ongoing training camp for the rematch with Manny Pacquiao, taking place on April 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao will look to avenge a 2012 controversial twelve round split decision loss.
“Bradley is looking very sharp. The big difference is that now Bradley walks around at 155 pounds and that has allowed us to focus on the fight and the strategy. The last time with Pacquiao, and with Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez – [Bradley] had risen to 185 pounds. This time he is walking around at under 160 pounds, and that’s very important,” said Diaz.
“We know it will be a tough fight, but this time [we’re looking to win things clearly]. Pacquiao’s only chance is if he knocks Bradley out, but that won’t be easy. What I am sure of is that if it does not [knock Bradley out], then Bradley is going to hurt him.”
WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (31-0, 12 KO’s) will meet for the second time with one of boxing’s biggest stars and currently number 2 in the world best pound for pound Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) in a fight televised by HBO from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Since his election as a congressman in his native country, Pacquiao has become a busy man in and out of the ring. Some say that because he has become politically active he has somehow become passive in the ring, the ferocious Manny of the past has softened.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach has complained that in recent matches Pacquiao has avoided or ignored his instructions to go for a knockout.
By not finishing earlier matches as he supposed to he has allowed the judges to decide the verdict.
But many felt in his last fight with Bradley the judges can made a mistake and gave the decision to Bradley.
However, Pacquiao in recent reports has been preparing for the fight harder than ever. Roach and his team want to make sure that Pacquiao will be at his very best and most importantly going for the kill when he must.
Tim Bradley cannot be underestimated but neither can be the judges opinion. To save stress and other problems Pacquiao has to go for the kill this time.
Boxingscene.com contributed to this report
