Manny Pacquiao gives trainer Freddie Roach a hug after his training inside the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, California, April 4, 2016. “He’s the best thing that ever happened to Wild Card; he’s the best thing that happened in my life,” said trainer Freddie Roach to Manny Pacquiao. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA
LAS VEGAS—If both fighters could have their way, there’s no need for April 9. Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley are ready to strip down to their boxing shorts and get it on right this very moment.
Pacquiao and Bradley are scheduled to mix it up a third time on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at MGM Grand here with both camps saying Saturday might be a little too far away to decide who wins their trilogy.
“What people don’t realize is that the hardest part is the waiting,” said Bradley, who is coming off a sensational knockout of a washed-up Brandon Rios, during a radio interview Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Bradley said he’s working to get his mental game sharp for the bout, saying “I lose my mind sometimes in the ring.”
“I get crazy and wild but that’s just the nature in me,” he added. “But as long as I control that beast, I’ll be good.”
Pacquiao wrapped up another busy training day on Monday in Los Angeles before leading a 30-car convoy to the neon-bathed desert oasis, where he will try to put a flourishing end to his Hall-of-Fame career by way of a sensational victory over Bradley.
“If only it’s possible, we’d hold the fight tomorrow so we can tell who’s the real winner,” said assistant trainer and longtime Pacquiao pal Buboy Fernandez.
Pacquiao had another full day of workouts on Monday, starting with an early-morning run at Griffith Observatory and a training session at Wild Card gym.
If his corner has its way, Pacquiao will get little more workout on fight week as trainer Freddie Roach and strength coach Justin Fortune try to taper his workouts off here.
“I don’t want him to do anything on Wednesday and Thursday,” said Fortune. “Come Saturday, he’ll be jumping out of his skin.”
Roach wants to limit Pacquiao to light workouts and light runs.
“But he’ll negotiate. Let’s see,” said Roach.
Bradley said he has a lot “of new tricks under his sleeve” for the match but was very vocal about getting himself mentally strong for the fight.
Helping him tame his inner beast is Teddy Atlas, who Bradley said will be the key difference between now and the first two times he and Pacquiao fought.
“I think one of the advantages of having [Atlas] is that he can analyze Manny Pacquiao and see where his faults are and see what we can execute,” Bradley explained. “Every fighter has faults and we just look to capitalize on his faults.”
Having Atlas is like “having a cheat sheet for a test.”
Bradley said he doesn’t expect Pacquiao to be less of the fighter he was when he dominated weight classes despite his advancing age and a surgically repaired shoulder.
“We don’t expect anything less from Pacquiao because he’s got a lot riding on this fight,” Bradley said, referring to the fact that Pacquiao would want to cement his legacy with a smashing victory.
Pacquiao and Bradley split their first two bouts. There was a huge controversy in the first bout, which many experts felt Pacquiao really won. But Bradley doesn’t believe the critics.
“Going into this fight, I just feel that I’m clear headed,” Bradley said. “I don’t have all these demons around me. No matter how you look at it, we’re going into this fight 1 and 1. I’m ready for this opportunity.”
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