Pacquiao, Bradley wax emotional at final fight presser

Manny Pacquiao greets Timothy Bradley Jr. upon arrival at the David Copperfield Theater inside MGM Hotel in Las Vegas for the final press conference, April 6, 2016. Pacquiao and Bradley are set to fight on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time.) REM ZAMORA / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

LAS VEGAS—Both Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. turned emotional as they talked about their looming showdown in the final press conference Wednesday at Copperfield Theater of MGM Grand here.

Bradley, who is getting a crack at Pacquiao for the third and what could be the final time on Saturday, took his time at the dais thanking his wife-cum-manager Monica, trainer Teddy Atlas and his family.

He also extended his gratitude to Pacquiao’s camp, whose key individuals were sitting on the other side of the stage, for giving him another shot—which could be Manny’s farewell fight.

“Thank you Team Pacquiao. You could have gone to anybody else but you gave me this opportunity,” Bradley said.

Pacquiao touched on his impending retirement and how he is leaving boxing a superstar after rising from a life of poverty, completing a classic rags-to-riches story.

“You know my life. The boy speaking before you now lived on the street who would get so hungry and have no food and drank water to survive,” Pacquiao said.

“Even if I accomplished a lot in boxing, I want to give inspiration for others to humble themselves before God and before man.”

There were no trading barbs from either side—a welcome departure from one of boxing’s snarky traditions—which has been the general theme of this face off since the start of training camp some eight weeks ago.

“This is good, because [we promoted] the fight without arguments and bad words; we saved that for Saturday,” Pacquiao said with a smile.

Bradley even gave Pacquiao a glowing recommendation for his Senate bid.

“Win or lose, Pacquiao has done his country proud. He’s the only person who did right for the Filipino people,” Bradley said.

The American boxer from Palm Springs, though, made it clear that he intends to make his final chance count.

“If I am going to beat Manny Pacquiao, it’s gotta be now,” Bradley said.

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