FILE—Manny Pacquiao explains his shoulder injury to the media during an interview inside his home in Hollywood, CA on Tuesday, 5 May 2015. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA/INQUIRER/ See more at FRAME
NEW YORK CITY—As expected, Manny Pacquiao got the clearance to push through with his last fight against Timothy Bradley on April 9.
His right shoulder is as good as new.
“Ready to go, ready to fight,” Pacquiao told Filipino sportswriters Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport where they boarded a Virgin America flight bound for New York City.
Noted orthopedic surgeon Neal ElAttrache examined the Fighter of the Decade in Los Angeles late Tuesday afternoon after the press conference for Pacquiao-Bradley III at Beverly Hills Hotel.
ElAttrache performed the arthroscopic surgery on Pacquiao on May 6 last year for a tear on his rotator cuff, days after his megabuck duel with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“All it took was 15 to 20 minutes,” said Pacquiao, adding that he was told to do certain movements and hand exercises.
According to Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, it was a complete check-up and ElAttrache was very surprised and pleased with the results.
“It (tear) has completely healed—100 percent,” said Koncz.
Elated by the result, Pacquiao played basketball—which has been his cross-training sport since September—with Los Angeles-based Filipinos at Franklin High School in Eagle Rock late in the night.
Still in high spirits after four games that lasted up to 2 a.m., Pacquiao and the so-called “LA Boys” proceeded to a Chinese restaurant.
A well-rested Pacquiao, wife Jinkee, and their group from the Philippines boarded the 4 p.m. flight to the Big Apple that took four hours and 50 minutes.
They arrived at JFK International Airport and checked in at Le Parker Meridien in Manhattan past midnight with the temperature at 0 degree Celsius.
Pacquiao and Bradley will hold another press conference Thursday afternoon at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and Koncz will join Pacquiao in the proceedings to be presided over by Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum.
Bradley, on the other hand, will be accompanied by his father Ray and trainer Teddy Atlas.
Also scheduled are television and radio interviews for the two fighters who will dispute the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, also the venue of their first two fights.
Pacquiao has been guaranteed $20 million for his farewell bout while Bradley will get $6 million—the same figures they got for their rematch in 2014 that went Pacquiao’s way by unanimous decision.
Their first bout in 2012 was won by Bradley in a controversial split decision that was later ordered reviewed by an independent panel. Although the result showed Pacquiao was the clear winner, the decision could no longer be changed.
Pacquiao’s group will depart for Manila on Friday.