By James Slater – Though superstar Manny Pacquiao has signed his name on the contract for his June 9th WBO welterweight title defence against unbeaten 140-pound champ Tim Bradley, Bradley, in an exclusive interview with The Desert Sun said yesterday that he has not yet signed the contract.
Bradley, 28-0(12) said the fight is definitely a go, however. The man known as “Desert Storm” also promised Pacquiao and the fans who opt to tune in on June 9th, a very, very tough, hard-fought fight – for both he and Pac-Man.
“I haven’t signed anything, but we’re negotiating that,” Bradley told The Desert Sun. “They’ll get back to me by the end of the week or Monday or Tuesday next week, and we should finalise things shortly. I’m just happy Manny wants to fight me. I definitely earned this fight in every way and I’m just excited. I’m not only excited, I want to win
“This fight won’t be a walk in the park. It’s going to be a tough, tough, hard-fought fight for myself and Manny Pacquiao. We’ll definitely see what I’m capable of doing and I’ll see what I’m capable of, fighting the best in the world.”
Bradley also told the publication that he has been targeting Pacquiao since as long ago as 2009. Bradley told this writer, shortly after his excellent win over Lamont Peterson, that a fight between he and Pacquiao “will never happen.” But now it will happen. Will Bradley succeed in giving Pac-Man the rough, tough fight he envisages? I for one think he just might.
No big hitter, Bradley is almost freakishly strong, immaculately conditioned and ultra, ultra-determined and hungry. Sure to be motivated like never before (and Bradley has looked hugely motivated in all his big fights thus far – could it be that we have not yet seen the very best of him?), Bradley will be more “up” for this fight than will Pacquiao.
I’m not going to go so far as to say Bradley will win his dream fight, shocking the boxing world in the process; but I do give the 28-year-old a legitimate shot at causing the upset.
Bradley’s 2008 points win over the tricky and avoided Junior Witter gained the Palm Springs man worldwide attention, wins over Kendall Holt (an up-from-the-floor win), Lamont Peterson and Devon Alexander convinced many he is the best in the world at 140 – a win over Pacquiao will convince fans the world over Bradley is THE best fighter on the planet this side of Floyd Mayweather Junior!