WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley Jr. (C) poses with cutman Malcolm Garrett (L) and trainer Teddy Atlas after defeating Brandon Rios in a title fight at the Thomas & Mack Center on November 7, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP FILE PHOTO
WHO? Definitely not Manny Pacquiao, our fearless, fire-breathing national treasure of a world boxing superhero.
The whole truth about it is that Tim Bradley, whom Pacquiao had handpicked for his next opponent, did not want this third meeting with the eight-division world title winner from General Santos City.
Bradley, since two months back, had been pointing in the direction of Omaha, Nebraska, where the unbeaten world light welterweight champion, deemed to be Pacquiao worthiest next opponent, lives.
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Terence Crawford, 27-0, 19 KOs, was an outstanding choice by veteran promoter Bob Arum for Pacquiao’s next bout, scheduled in Las Vegas on April 9.
The bout had been tagged (by Arum) as Pacquiao’s final fight before he calls it a career.
Pacquiao, tabbed as a shoo-in in the coming senatorial race, cannot box and function as a senator at the same time, according to Arum.
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While it took Pacquiao quite a time—he had to be given an ultimatum by Arum—to name his final foe, there grew what amounted to a unanimous clamor in the world boxing community for Pacquiao to pick the worthiest opponent to cap a fantastic career.
There predictably came an overwhelming clamor for a Pacquiao-Crawford fight.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao announced that he would love to end his career with a significant win.
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Sorry, but there was an obvious jumble in the boxing jargon deep in Pacquiao’s mind that helped make this guy, who still has to score a legit win over him after two encounters (Pacquiao got cheated by the judges in the first fight), to suddenly loom larger than life.
Bradley holds the WBO welterweight belt, which used to belong to Pacquiao until he lost it to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last May.
That crown, up for grabs come April 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, should help sell Pacquiao’s final fight.
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Of course, Pacquiao himself knows the WBO title alone would be a limp lure to attract a big pay-per-view market.
Truth is that there had started a quiet campaign to keep away from Pacquiao-Bradley Part 3.
While many fans had rated a Pacquiao-Crawford alarming (a sure thrill), the April 9 farewell party for Pacquiao got labeled as annoying in advance.
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No, Pacquiao, contrary to mounting taunts, is not deathly afraid to face Crawford.
It just so happens Pacquiao has inexplicably found in a retooled Bradley a bigger, worthier final challenge.
Pacquiao said: “When Bradley took in a new trainer (Teddy Atlas), he became a bit more aggressive. If he maintains that fighting style, the fans will be in for a treat. I like that.”
Pray that the remaining spectators will find it to their liking, too.