HAVING fought both Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, former World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Tim Bradley has an idea of how their next bout will play out.
Bradley, who split his two fights with Pacquiao and beat Marquez in their lone showdown, believes that if Pacquiao-Marquez 5 pushes through, it will end by stoppage.
As to who will be left standing, Bradley isn’t sure.
“I’m not even sure how that fight (Pacquiao-Marquez) is gonna go,” Bradley told otrboxingradio.com on Monday. “I just think it’s gonna be one shot. If they fought again I don’t think it’s gonna go the distance, I really don’t.”
In their fourth fight in 2012, Marquez caught Pacquiao with a wicked right to post a devastating sixth-round knockout.
Pacquiao, who still leads the rivalry with a draw, a split decision, and a majority decision in their first three bouts, wants to avenge that blot in his illustrious career and is raring to tangle with Marquez again.
This after Pacquiao posted a clear unanimous decision over Bradley to regain his WBO 147-pound crown and Marquez dominated Mike Alvarado to become the Filipino’s mandatory challenger.
Promoter Bob Arum has booked a Nov. 16 outing for Pacquiao in Macau, with Marquez as the first option to be the Filipino ring icon’s next opponent.
Marquez, however, is having second thoughts about tangling with Pacquiao anew, saying he’s still weighing his options. Already 40 years old, the Mexican legend is on the fringe of retirement and still wallowing in his victory over Alvarado.
The lure of big money may tempt him, however, as Marquez stands to receive about five times the $1.4 million he got for fighting Alvarado if he agrees to clash with Pacquiao.
Apart from being boxing’s first and only eight-division world champion and serving as Sarangani province’s lone representative, Pacquiao is going to assume another novel job soon.
Designated as playing coach of Kia Motors, which has been accepted as a new PBA member, Pacquiao is now conducting tryouts to form a competitive team for the Philippine Cup in October.
Among those vying for slots are PBA veterans Rob Wainwright and Rich Alvarez.
In an interview with “24 Oras” on GMA 7 yesterday, Pacquiao said he’s looking for players who are fast, have good skills and are willing to work hard on defense.