Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquez. (Julie Jacobson/AP PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao has just gotten another compelling reason to trounce Timothy Bradley in their second showdown for the World Boxing Organization crown on April 12 in Las Vegas.
Other than asserting his superiority over Bradley, Pacquiao will most likely be given the chance to exact revenge on old rival Juan Manuel Marquez.
This developed as Marquez, who knocked out Pacquiao cold in the sixth round on Dec 2012, rejected a WBO light welterweight title fight with Ruslan Provodnikov.
Marquez told ESPN Deportes that he’ll return to the ring in Mexico in May and then bared his intention to tangle with the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley II.
Marquez had his sights trained on Bradley, who bested him by split decision last year.
Bradley, however, chose Pacquiao for a bigger purse and his desire to prove that he deserved his widely lambasted split decision win over the Filipino ring icon.
Top Rank CEO and Pacquiao-Bradley II promoter Bob Arum affirmed Marquez’s change of tune from a hard line stance that he won’t fight Pacquiao ever again.
Arum told www.HustleBoss.com that Marquez is now amenable to fight Pacquiao again, provided that the Fighter of the Decade beats Bradley.
Pacquiao is slated to leave for Los Angeles last night to join Bradley on a two-city press tour to drum up their duel.