Manny Pacquiao, left, shakes hands with trainer Teddy Atlas, right, during a news conference to promote an upcoming boxing match Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in New York. Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Timothy Bradley on April 9, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
BEVERLY HILLS, Los Angeles—Fighting Manny Pacquiao is just like getting into the Super Bowl. You’re given the opportunity to be the best.
Trainer Teddy Atlas made this comparison as to the third chance accorded to his ward, Timothy Bradley, by Pacquiao.
“You aspire to be the best try to get to the Super Bowl,” Atlas said in Tuesday’s press conference at Beverly Hills Hotel. “When you get the opportunity to get to the Superbowl, you make the most of it.”
The 59-year-old Atlas, a boxing analyst who guided Michael Moorer and Russian Alexander Povetkin to the world heavyweight titles in 1994 and 2009, respectively, also believes that Pacquiao-Bradley III will still sell well.
Mainly because of Bradley’s bolstered status after having knocked out Brandon Rios for the first time last November and, of course, Pacquiao’s universal acclaim as “one of the best, most dynamic fighters of the last decade” and his being a “tremendous force in the business.”
Atlas, named trainer of the year in 1994, likened Pacquiao’s presence to that of Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers. Though the Lakers are struggling, their games for the season are already sold-out because of Bryant’s announcement that he is retiring.
Pacquiao has also declared that he’s hanging up his gloves after his bout with five-time world champion Bradley, who relishes the thought of sending the Filipino icon into retirement with a red mark.
“They (Pacquiao, Bradley) ha’e been to a lot of Super Bowls getting to the top to show they’re the best,” said Atlas. “(This is an) opportunity to see a great fighter for the last time and Tim Bradley to show against that great fighter.”
Admitting that fighting Pacquiao is a tremendous and difficult challenge, Atlas said that he and Bradley are grateful for the opportunity to be in another Super Bowl.
Especially, since he’ll be up against Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.