Bob Arum. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley rematch is pushing through on April 12 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
This became crystal-clear Friday after Top Rank CEO Bob Arum acknowledged they are working on the fight details and that the formal announcement is forthcoming.
Though Arum told Ringtv.craveonline.com on Thursday that Pacquiao-Bardley II “is not done yet,” the Hall of Fame promoter hinted it’s bound to come.
“I hope to have the announcement (of the rematch) by tomorrow (Friday),” the 82-year-old Arum said.
The first fight in 2012 went Bradley’s way by split decision, rewarding the unbeaten American with Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight crown.
A collective howl of protest, however, reverberated throughout the world, prompting the World Boxing Organization to form a panel of elite judges to review the scoring of their peers at ringside. They all agreed that Pacquiao was the clear victor over Bradley.
The protagonists then went separate ways, with Pacquiao eventually losing by a shocking sixth-round knockout to Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth showdown on Dec. 8, 2012 before regaining his stardom with a 12-round domination of Brandon Rios in November last year in Macau.
Bradley, on the other hand, survived a bruising battle to decision Ruslan Provodnikov and bolstered his reputation by besting an off-form Marquez last year.
With Floyd Mayweather Jr. repeatedly rejecting offers for a megabuck fight and Marquez no longer interested on continuing their rivalry, Pacquiao opted to choose Bradley over Provodnikov, his former sparring partner.
Pacquiao believes that the time has come to settle scores with Bradley.
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