LONDON (6 April) – Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach is sceptical about Manny Pacquiao hanging up his gloves following his rubber match with Timothy Bradley this weekend.

The Filipino superstar is tipped to call it a day and bring to an end a glittering fight career after his decisive showdown with American rival Bradley, live and exclusive on Premier Sports.

The eight-division world champion has political ambitions in his home country, as he runs for a seat in the Philippines senate, however, Roach believes his star pupil still has more to give to boxing but expects him to put on a great display if his journey is to end on Saturday night.

“I personally don’t know if this will be Manny’s last fight but he is training like it’s going to be his last fight. Manny has achieved so much in his boxing career and if this is going to be his swan song I know he wants to go out blazing with a spectacular performance,” said Roach.

“If the opportunity for a knockout presents itself during the fight, he’s going to go for it. He knows how to close the show and he wants this show closed with fireworks. He wants to finish the book on his boxing career with a spectacular ending.

“I do think Manny has more quality fights in him. His power, speed, work ethic are still superior to most others,” he said.

56-year-old Roach, who has worked with numerous world champions including the likes of Mike Tyson, Miguel Cotto and Oscar De la Hoya, ranks Pacquiao as the greatest he has trained.

“Manny is the greatest fighter I have ever worked with,” said Roach. “I have never seen another fighter accomplish so much. Forget the raw talent and drive to win, Manny was a great student who never rested on his laurels.

“He was a sponge who was always willing to learn new things. He challenged me to teach him new things. He made me a better trainer.

“For me, it’s been an experience unique to Manny. I wish I had a million fighters with as much drive and a willingness to learn new things,” he said.

Five-time world champion Bradley has been praised for his recent performances since switching trainers to Teddy Atlas and many expect the Californian to give Pacquiao the toughest test of what will be their trilogy this time around.

Roach, though, does not think there has been much change in Bradley’s style and expects him to revert to his old ways once he feels Pacquiao’s power.

“I don’t feel Bradley has changed that much. Sure, we will make some adjustments for the changes his new trainer implemented in the last fight, but as soon as Manny lands some meaningful punches, Bradley will revert back to his old style and that’s what we have to be prepared for. The log in the ocean is going to end up being a log in the buzz saw.”

To watch Pacquiao v Bradley 3 live and exclusive on Premier Sports for only £9.99 visit premiersports.com or call 0871 663 9000.

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 4, 2016) – Fight Week is here!

Boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade, Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO, and five-time world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY return to Las Vegas. Before they collide in their 12-round high-stakes welterweight showdown of pound for pound titans, they will make their Grand Arrivals, Tomorrow! Tuesday, April 5, in the front lobby of the MGM Grand. Bradley will arrive at 12:30 p.m. PT followed by Pacquiao at 1:00 p.m. PT. Fans are invited to give these two gladiators a championship welcome.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley will take place Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. This will also mark the first time former Trainers of the Year Freddie Roach and Teddy Atlas have faced each other from opposite corners. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, the Pacquiao vs. Bradley championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

The NoTrump pay-per-view undercard will feature World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world champion “King” ARTHUR ABRAHAM defending his title against undefeated No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, undefeated No. 1 WBO featherweight contender and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ defending his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight world champion EVGENY GRADOVICH and 2012 U.S. Olympian JOSE RAMÍREZ defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super lightweight title against MANNY PEREZ. The Abraham vs. Ramirez world championship fight is co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions

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Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or www.mgmgrand.com on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at MGM Grand in a fight for the vacant WBO International (better than domestic, less than world) Welterweight belt Filipino Manny Pacquiao will make the first last match of his career against California’s Timothy Bradley. It will be the third time the men meet and Pacquiao’s first fight since disappointing himself, pay-per-viewers and his entire country against Floyd Mayweather in May. Expectations are low.

And so we return to the unpleasantness, the badfaith, the malcontentment. This fight will be preyed upon by what abiding discontent aficionados feel towards Pacquiao, and after his performance in the Fight to Save boxing there’s no chance casual fans want a part of it.

Cynicism all round, then, and what else is new? It’s deeper and uglier this time.

Those casual fans who felt hoodwinked by Pacquiao’s performance 11 months ago and then rightly resented talk of his shoulder afterwards, persons inexperienced in the hucksterism of our beloved sport, persons who didn’t know every loser in every fight has a plethora of excuses – the dishonorable ones reading us their list; the honorable ones having their trainers do it – had no intention of buying the second fight of their lives Saturday, but Pacquiao’s comments against homosexual acts, well, those ignited the same persons to encourage a boycott.

It’s not a legacy or a revenues booster, but bless Pacquiao for holding his line frankly, for resisting the media bullying that now passes for awareness or enlightenment or openmindedness or whatever the next euphemism is for herd animals collectively rising on their hindlegs to whinny disapproval via social media, outstanding birthplace of antisocial behavior. Pacquiao’s comments were not new or in any way different from previous comments he’s made, and they were far more honest than whatever halfassed apologies came later and the corporate distancing his business partners foisted on us, hating the sin and the sinner unless some revenue might yet be milked from the sinner and then hating only the sin.

Once more the foil in all this is Timothy Bradley, decent, gracious, genuine, grateful, and wholly unmarketable. Someone somewhere probably hoped the folks so theatrically offended by Pacquiao’s unwavering commentary would rally behind a friendly black Californian, husband in a mixed marriage, father to biracial children, but no: Those who consider being offended an intellectual feat rally against things, not for them.

Bradley did his part to get the rubber match: he looked vulnerable against secondrate competition till hiring a famous trainer then looked unstoppable against secondrate competition. Teddy Atlas has failed a bit as a ham, though, hasn’t he? There was supposed to be a battle of wits between Teddy and Coach Freddie, an antagonism onto which novelty seekers might latch, but it hasn’t come off. Atlas, finally, takes himself and his profession too seriously to make mirthful with Coach Freddie. There is no American interest in the sport of boxing anymore either, which must be considered a hindrance of sorts.

Pacquiao has chosen for his farewell tilt a far superior opponent to the guy Money May used for his failure of a goodbye in the fall, but it’s hard to imagine that will save this. Bradley, after all, is the unsympathetic guy who robbed Pacman in 2012.

That was an enduring example of the way misanthropes rally against things and not for them. Tired as they were of cheering for Pacquiao a large number of folks decided to project their rage with life on Bradley, just about the least-deserving target of mass hatred prizefighting has produced in a generation. It took Bradley to show some of us what a large number of despicable people populate our ranks, and no we haven’t forgotten.

Coincidentally, this was not Pacquiao’s fault. He thought he won the first match with Bradley, even if he knew he didn’t win its predecessor, his third match with Juan Manuel Marquez, but he wasn’t fractionally animated in the post-Bradley-fight press conference as his promoter Bob Arum – realizing, as Arum did, this decision would cool talk of a Mayweather megamatch for years. We forget that now for a couple reasons, the largest of which being what a dreadful thing the Mayweather match was when it did happen.

The other reason: Marquez knocked Pacquiao stiff six months after Pacquiao was robbed by Bradley. Those of us who watched from ringside as Pacquiao was conclusively outboxed in the second half of his third fight with Marquez and then made to miss continually by Bradley were not surprised Marquez got him – even if every person at ringside was jolted by how decisively Marquez took Pacquiao’s consciousness – and even less surprised how hopelessly Pacquiao fought Mayweather 2 1/2 years later.

Apparently Pacquiao beat Bradley in their rematch – after mis-scoring their first fight I was seated too far from the ring to see the fighters as more than circling electrons in a microscope, and I didn’t care enough to watch the tape – which got Pacquiao a shot at Chris Algieri, which somehow got Pacquiao a shot at Floyd Mayweather, which again went the way every aficionado knew it would even while some boxing writers did their promotional best to envision ways Pacquiao might win.

One hopes Saturday’s match is competitive as it should be, raising Bradley’s next purse while sending Pacquiao into his first retirement with dignity. It can’t possibly be worse than his last fight.

I’ll take Pacquiao, SD-12, in a match Bradley wins by two rounds.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

BOB ARUM: This is a very interesting promotion as far as I’m concerned. A lot of people are concentrating on the new and improved Tim Bradley. Manny Pacquiao with his right arm now totally repaired – he has had that torn rotator cuff since before the De La Hoya fight. A lot of athletes are able to perform well with a torn rotator cuff – a lot of pitchers in the major leagues are able to perform well with it. Obviously now that it’s repaired, it is at full strength. Freddie will tell you that Manny is hitting harder with the right hand – even harder than with the left hand, so he is now going to be a real two-handed fighter which is very interesting. I think Tim Bradley’s big advantage is that he is going in with a game plan. I don’t think he had much of a game plan in the first two fights but certainly Teddy has given him one. I am very excited for my “NoTrump Undercard” with the young Hispanics contenders and I think it is resonating tremendously, particularly with the Hispanic community. I’ve done dozens of radio interviews and television programs with the Hispanic media and there is a lot of excitement.

How are tickets selling?

BOB ARUM: The Ticket situation is good. It is about what it was last time that Manny fought Bradley. There are approximately 2,00 tickets left and a lot of those will go in the last week. They are selling at a very good clip so if we don’t sell out we will have at least 14,000 people in the arena on April 9. I am still optimistic that they will all be gone by fight night.

What is your aiming point for the pay-per-view?

BOB ARUM: I really think that we have a shot to go over 700,000. I really think that Manny and Bradley will do most of the numbers, but let me tell you that my Hispanic army is marching out there and we are going to do a tremendous number from people, aside from the Pacquiao-Bradley numbers, that want to see these Hispanic stars in very, very important fights. I am pretty confident that we will do over 700,000 with a little break here and there. Maybe if Trump opens his mouth a little bit more we can go over 800,000.

Do you think Bradley will be different for this fight? What has Freddie been telling you and what do you think it will it be?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Bradley has a new trainer for this fight and a new game plan and I am very excited for that because we will see more action in the ring in this fight.

In the first two fights he was avoiding your left hook. Will you use it more this fight or less?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Right now I have been working on my right hand and my right hook which is very good. My left hand is still good, but my right shoulder is healed and that is good, because I can use it with real power.

Freddie said it took you longer to get in shape for this fight. Is that because of the layoff or the shoulder?

MANNY PACQUIAO: We had a lot of time to exercise for this fight. We had a lot of time to train and all I can say is training camp was great and I am ready for the fight and everything is great.

Do you feel like the layoff has helped you?

MANNY PACQUIAO: That is one thing, it is good to have a long layoff in boxing – I feel fresh and new and I feel good now when I train every day. I really enjoyed this training camp.

You haven’t had a KO since 2009. Is that something that weighs on your mind or frustrates you? Or do you even think about it?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, I am thinking about that. I have thinking about the last knockout that I had was in the Cotto fight and I believe the Margarito fight should have been stopped. It was a long time ago. I am thinking about it (the knockout) and that’s why I work hard. Right now it is a good thing that I had a layoff – I feel excited and fresh in my body and I will try hard for it in this fight.

Bob mentioned you’ve had a torn rotator cuff since the De La Hoya fight. Had you ever given consideration to having the surgery before since it has lingered for so long?

MANNY PACQUIAO: That fight was in 2008, so it was long ago. I still felt good and every time I rested the pain was gone.

Was it the worst in the Mayweather fight and psot-Mayweather?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, in the fourth round. In the fourth round when I was throwing a lot of combinations. I hurt it coming off of one of the combinations.

It seems like you have been going back and forth regarding retirement. We know you have said you want to pursue your political career full time to assist your countrymen. Where do you stand on that right now?

MANNY PACQUIAO: After this fight I have already said that my mind is to focus on my job. If I win a Senate seat I have a big responsibility and I need to focus on that. I cannot say right now that I am going to retire. I don’t want to say that because I don’t know what the feeling is when you leave boxing. I will give it great thought when I return home.

So, you are going to have this fight, go back home and do your work and see what happens – and leave the door open?

MANNY PACQUIAO: My mind right now says to retire, but we don’t know.

Bob, have you spoken about this with Manny? What is your position?

BOB ARUM: Manny told me that he was going to retire after this fight, but I have been around this business for 50 years and a lot of fighters can’t walk away, so I am not advertising that this is going to be Manny’s last fight. It could be but then it may not be. He said he’s going back to run for Senate and if he becomes a Senator, he’ll have to decide whether to devote full time to the senate or he can work in a continuous boxing career. But again, that is going to have to be something that’s he’s going to have to decide. But one thing, for everyone on this line, I am not selling this fight as Manny’s last fight, so if he does come back after this fight – don’t say I deceived anyone.

Freddie, have you spoken about retirement with Manny following this fight? What is your position?

FREDDIE ROACH: We have talked about it a little bit. He told me he’s going to retire and I told him I think he still has some more fights left in him if he wants and he did ask me about training if he goes into the Olympics, if they let the pros in the Olympics and I said of course I will. That’s as far as we got. We didn’t talk about any fights after this. We are just concentrating on this fight right now.

Freddie, have you given any thought about not having Manny around any longer as a fighter?

FREDDIE ROACH: Of course, I will miss him. We have been together for a long time and I will go to all of his birthday parties in the Philippines and we will be friends for life.

Bob?

BOB ARUM: Well, I look back on it, working with Manny, but I have been at this for a long time. Fighters retire, but the life of boxing continues. If Manny does retire, I’ll concentrate on Terence Crawford, Jessie Vargas and Gilberto Ramirez and Oscar Valdez and Jose Ramirez, Jesse Hart and a whole host of other guys, and Nonito Donaire. So again, I will look back at it like when I promoted Muhammad Ali and George Foreman – that it has been a tremendous experience and I’m grateful for it but life goes on. One thing is for sure – I ain’t retiring. You are going to have me around for another 50 years.

Manny, do you think if you had the surgery earlier you would still be in the middle of this non-KO string?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I am not sure.

Freddie?

FREDDIE ROACH: I am not sure. He was young enough to get through the injury. We didn’t know it was a severe injury and we worked through it. The thing is when he moved to 147 and fighting against guys that when they went into the ring weighed 160, the thing is, it’s tougher against the bigger guys. He had a lot more knockouts at 140 and 135 of course but those guys were much smaller. I think that had more of an effect than the injury.

Do you expect Bradley to bang the shoulder early to see how healthy it really is?

FREDDIE ROACH: No because I think he would be wasting his time. He doesn’t have the injury right now. We were working on it and it has been 100% great for this training camp. The surgery went well and the rehab went well and Manny is 100% at this point.

Manny, you are in the political business, what do you think about the “NoTrump Undercard?”

MANNY PACQUIAO: All I know is that we have a good undercard.

Bob, have you heard from anyone in the Trump organization regarding the undercard?

BOB ARUM: I don’t take their calls.

Manny, in the two fights against Tim, which did you think you did better? The one you lost or the one you won?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I think the same. I believe the same, because I won both.

Which one were you happier with?

MANNY PACQUIAO: The one that I won.

Why that that one different or better?

MANNY PACQUIAO: The difference was throwing a lot more punches. To make sure I won every round to win the fight.

Do you believe it is important for you to win this fight to carry momentum into your election back home?

MANNY PACQUIAO: It is very important to get the win for my country and the people in the Philippines, but the most important thing is a win for my country and a win for my legacy in boxing.

Do you think a win will help you in the election?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes.

What do you think about professionals fighting in the Olympics?

BOB ARUM: The idea that you will allow professional boxers into the Olympics, at this short notice, is absolutely insane. The idea that Manny Pacquiao would face off with some 17 or 18 year old kid, who has no professional experience, is not only stupid, it’s dangerous. These people ought to have their heads examined. People say that professionals play basketball. That’s true, but in basketball you can dunk over somebody, but it’s not a hurt game. In boxing, if you put experienced pros in with rank amateurs there will be serious health consequences. I don’t understand why they are now raising this issue. It makes no sense to me.

On this short notice it seems extremely unlikely it will happen…

BOB ARUM: Absolutely – extremely unlikely. Andre Ward says he wants to go to the Olympics. Many Pacquiao says he wants to got to he Olympics. Are they going to fight 17 year old kids?

Manny, if this happens, would you consider fighting in the Olympics?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, after this fight I am going back to the Philippines to do my job and if they allow me to fight in the Olympics – I am not going to say that I am going to fight or saying that I am not. I am not closing the door and I am not committing to it – I am thinking about it.

With the long layoff, did it make you realize that you don’t need boxing anymore in your life?

MANNY PACQUIAO: With the long layoff in boxing – I feel better right now – I feel fresh. A long layoff is a good thing because I was able to spend more time with my family and concentrate on helping the Philippine people.

Freddie, Teddy Atlas trains fighters to be more aggressive, how does that play to you?

FREDDIE ROACH: Well, if he will be more aggressive I will be happy for that. If his fighter fights a little harder we will fight back. Manny is ready for whatever he brings to the table. We see the adjustments he is trying to make but once Manny hits him, he will revert back to what he does best. I am not worried about Teddy Atlas, believe me.

In Closing…

MANNY PACQUIAO: Thank you everyone and all of the media and make sure you watch on April 9. There is going to be a lot of action in the ring and I am excited for that. Thanks you and God bless all.

BOB ARUM: I would like to make some observations. I really believe that this third fight between Manny and Timothy will be by far the best of the three fights. It will be very exciting and I believe that one way or another it is going to end in a knockout.

Also pay attention to the Arthur Abraham – Ramirez super middleweight world title fight. If Ramirez wins that fight, he will be the first Mexican to win a world title in a weight class as heavy as super middleweight and he will be one of the future stars not only in Mexico, but all over the world in boxing. Keep your eye on this kid, he’s 24, handsome, well spoken and fights well. If he wins this fight and becomes a champion, he will be a big star.

As will Oscar Valdez if he can get by Gradovich. Gradovich is a non-stop fighter and Valdez is a two-time Mexican Olympian and a real up and coming fighter.

Then there is my favorite, the farm worker. His parents came to this country to work in the fields. Jose Ramirez as a kid picked peppers in the fields at thirteen or fourteen years of age – he put himself through college, was a member of the U.S. Olympic boxing team – he fights his first ten round fight against Manny Perez, a very tough fighter from Denver. Jose is a kid to really focus on. He is a social activist. He is a spokesperson for the Latino Water Coalition, for immigration rights – he is a kid that’s going to make a difference.

I am very excited about this entire card on April 9. People are going to be tremendously entertained. I am really putting myself out on the line to say that it will be a complete night of boxing of the best that boxing has to offer.

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Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, the Manny Pacquiao – Tim Bradley high-stakes welterweight championship event will take place on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The NoTrump pay-per-view undercard will feature World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world champion “King” ARTHUR ABRAHAM defending his title against undefeated No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, undefeated No. 1 WBO featherweight contender and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ defending his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight world champion EVGENY GRADOVICH and 2012 U.S. Olympian JOSE RAMÍREZ defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super lightweight title against MANNY PEREZ. The Abraham vs. Ramirez world championship fight is co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or www.mgmgrand.com on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

LONDON (1 April) – Premier Sports will air what is likely to be boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao’s final fight live and exclusive in the UK when he steps in against Timothy Bradley next Saturday night.

The pair clash for the third time on April 9th when they will look to settle an old score with both fighters sharing a win apiece from their previous meetings in 2012 and 2014.

Taking place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Premier Sports will be the only the place for British fight fans to see the Filipino legend in action before he hangs up his gloves.

Premier Sports is available on a number of platforms including Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk and online for just £9.99 a month, with no-connection fee or minimum term.

The channel was launched in August 2010 and has screened a number of top sporting events from football, rugby league, motorsports, ice hockey, boxing and many others.

The live broadcast of Pacquiao’s megafight with American ace Bradley will see the eight-division world champion back in the ring for the first time since his blockbuster showdown with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather last May.

Five-time world champion Bradley is coming off an impressive ninth-round stoppage over the tough and durable Brandon Rios, and will be looking to avenge his only defeat to date when he takes on Pacquiao.

Both men are in good spirits ahead of the bout and will be looking to make sure they put on a great show come fight night.

“I look forward to my battle with Timothy Bradley and giving boxing fans a fight they will always remember,” said Pacquiao. “This fight has a very special meaning to me and I will pour every ounce of my being — physically, emotionally and spiritually — into preparing for Bradley. “He has my full attention. I dedicate this fight to my fans and to my countrymen throughout the world who have kept me in their prayers. And as always, I fight to bring glory to the Philippines,” he said.

“I have always dedicated myself to who I am on fight night. However, on April 9th I will not only have dedicated myself to that but also delivering the performance that everyone has long awaited,” said Bradley.

Richard Sweeney, General Manager of Premier Sports, added: “We are delighted to be showing Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Timothy Bradley live and exclusive in the UK. This is going to be a fantastic fight between two of boxing’s biggest and best names. Premier Sports offers great sporting content to our subscribers and at just £9.99 represents real value-for-money. This is one fight not to be missed.”

To watch Pacquiao v Bradley 3 live and exclusive on Premier Sports for only £9.99 visit premiersports.com or call 0871 663 9000.

HBO Sports, widely acclaimed for its innovative and provocative boxing programming, examines the upcoming HBO Pay-Per-View® showdown between battle-tested rivals Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley when UNDER THE LIGHTS: PACQUIAO-BRADLEY debuts SATURDAY, APRIL 2 (11:05-11:20 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: April 3 (9:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m.), 4 (5:50 a.m.), 5 (1:15 p.m.), 6 (noon, 11:15 p.m.), 7 (3:45 a.m.), 8 (7:45 p.m.) and 9 (5:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: April 2 (1:25 a.m.), 4 (4:45 p.m.), 7 (3:00 p.m., 8:45 p.m.), 8 (12:15 a.m.) and 9 (11:00 a.m.)

The special will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand, and at hbo.com/boxing, as well as other new media platforms.

Hosted by HBO Boxing commentator Max Kellerman, UNDER THE LIGHTS: PACQUIAO-BRADLEY will feature a panel that includes two future Hall of Fame fighters and HBO Boxing analysts who have experience on the sport’s biggest stage: Roy Jones Jr., a four-division world champion, and Bernard Hopkins, who has held titles in two weight classes and became the oldest champion in the sport’s history in 2013. Also participating in the roundtable conversation will be Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame trainer, who will weigh in on how the eight-division champ is preparing for the rubber match in this heated rivalry.

For more information, visit hbo.com/boxing; become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/HBOBoxing; and follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using #PacBradley.

“Pacquiao vs. Bradley” takes place Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/ 6:00 p.m. (PT).

March 25, 2016 – Leading up to the highly anticipated welterweight bout between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. – set for Saturday, April 9 and presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View® – HBO Sports will present the exclusive replay of two intriguing showdowns that highlight the remarkable skill and will of these competitors.

On Friday, April 1 at 12:00 a.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Pacquiao vs. Bradley I 2012 and Bradley vs. Rios 2015 back-to-back. On June 9, 2012 in the bright spotlight of Las Vegas, Timothy Bradley Jr. won a controversial split decision over Manny Pacquiao, igniting a hot debate in the boxing community. Did Bradley do enough to win the fight?

This past November in Las Vegas, Bradley displayed his incredible skill package under new trainer Teddy Atlas unleashing an arsenal not seen before as he dominated slugger Brandon Rios, registering a 9th round stoppage. Can this revamped fighting style trigger a Bradley triumph over the future Hall of Famer in the third installment of their rivalry?

Both fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO NOW, HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, March 28.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley takes place Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

LOS ANGELES (March 22, 2016) – Undefeated contenders GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, ÓSCAR VALDEZ and JOSE RAMÍREZ, former world champion EVGENY GRADOVICH and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum hosted a Los Angeles Media Workout on Tuesday at Fortune Gym. The fighters worked out and discussed their upcoming championship fights on the Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley NoTrump pay-per-view undercard (http://lat.ms/1o41mcT).

GILBERTO RAMIREZ
“This is my time. I have a lot of respect for Arthur Abraham. He’s a great champion. I know he’s working hard in training camp as am I. It’s going to be a great fight. I have to be smart in this fight. We are working on keeping the pressure on Abraham by throwing high volumes of punches and staying on top of him. I’m going to be a second skin on him. I feel a great sense of history fighting to become Mexico’s first super middleweight champion. It is a great honor representing my country in this fight. All I am thinking about is April 9. Looking past this fight is meaningless. The future is now.”

ÓSCAR VALDEZ
“My vast amateur background has prepared me to adapt to many different boxing styles. Gradovich is a breakthrough opportunity for me professionally. A victory over him is a big step that will lead me to a world title shot. I’m not feeling any pressure. I want this fight. I have trained my whole life for this fight. I stand up for The President but Donald Trump doesn’t deserve my respect.”

EVGENY GRADOVICH
“I have I lived and breathed this fight since training camp began. It’s all I have thought of. I’m an old school Mexican-style fighter. I love Julio César Chávez, Juan Manuel Márquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. I know everyone thinks Valdez is the future star of boxing but I love this sport too much to allow him to beat me and move me down. I’m going to start fast and keep my foot on the gas pedal.”

JOSE RAMÍREZ
“It’s a dream come true fighting on a card headlined by a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Tim Bradley. Millions of people around the world will be watching us fight. It’s what I have dreamed of since I first entered a gym as a boy. The fans from the Central Valley have been very loyal to me and I am very loyal to them. I am proud to represent our common causes that mean so much to the farmers, specifically water issues. I used to be a picker. I picked peppers. I want to help bring a tomorrow to the farmers and their families. Everyone counts. I am honored to be a voice for them. They are not alone. I am a first generation American. I was proud to represent the U.S. in the Olympics because of the ideals that are the foundation of this country. Donald Trump lacks the education to understand this and why those ideals make our country is so. I want to show and share the lesson that you can succeed.”

BOB ARUM
“All these fighters here today need to win and win impressively. They do that and the sky is the limit for them. Zurdo’s skill set and size give him an advantage over Abraham who is a strong, tough fighter. I am very proud of this NoTrump undercard and everything it symbolizes.”

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Gilberto Ramirez (33-0, 24 KOs), from Mazatlan, Mexico, co-promoted by Zapari Boxing Promotions, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) No. 1 super middleweight contender and mandatory challenger, will get his first world title shot when he challenges WBO super middleweight champion ARTHUR ABRAHAM (44-4, 29 KOs), of Berlin Germany. Valdez (19-0, 16 KOs), of Nogales, Mexico, the WBO’s No. 1 featherweight contender, will defend his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion Gradovich (21-1-1, 9 KOs), a Russian native who lives in Oxnard, Calif. Jose Ramírez (16-0, 12 KOs), of Avenal, Calif., and a 2012 U.S. Olympian, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental America super lightweight title against MANNY PEREZ (25-11-1, 6 KOs), of Denver, CO.

These six warriors boast a combined record of 158-16-2 (96 KOs) — a winning percentage of 90% — with a victory by knockout ratio of 61%.

HBO Sports presents LEGACY ON THE LINE: FROM BRADLEY TO PACQUIAO. Chronicling the lessons and controversies Bradley has endured in his high-profile rivalry with the boxing legend from the Philippines, the special debuts THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 26 (midnight-12:30 a.m. ET/PT) and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, the Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship event will take place on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The Abraham vs. Ramirez world championship fight will be co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship event are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or www.mgmgrand.com on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

Leading up to the highly anticipated third pay-per-view encounter between elite prizefighters Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. set for Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, HBO Sports presents LEGACY ON THE LINE: FROM BRADLEY TO PACQUIAO. Chronicling the lessons and controversies Bradley has endured in his high-profile rivalry with the boxing legend from the Philippines, the special debuts SATURDAY, MARCH 26 (midnight-12:30 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following a previously announced “HBO World Championship Boxing®” doubleheader, and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Other HBO playdates: March 27 (11:15 a.m.), 28 (11:30 a.m., 5:30 a.m.), 30 (6:00 p.m.) and 31 (1:30 p.m.), and April 4 (3:35 p.m.) 6 (11:00 a.m., 11:30 p.m.), 8 (7:15 p.m., 2:00 a.m.) and 9 (5:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: March 29 (9:45 p.m.) and 31 (2:00 p.m.), and April 1 (5:00 p.m., 1:45 a.m.), 2 (1:45 p.m.), 5 (10:30 a.m.), 8 (11:45 p.m.) and 9 (10:30 a.m.)

The show will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO® and HBO On Demand®.

After two matchups with future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs), welterweight star Timothy Bradley Jr. (33-1-1, 13 KOs) is in pursuit of a legacy. The Palms Springs, Cal., resident experienced frustration and criticism when he scored a controversial split decision win in their first encounter and lost the rematch two years later via unanimous decision, his only loss in 35 professional bouts.
Interviews for LEGACY ON THE LINE: FROM BRADLEY TO PACQUIAO include Timothy Bradley Jr.; Monica Bradley, his wife and business manager; father Ray Bradley; and trainer Teddy Atlas, who has added a new dimension to Bradley’s fighting style.
Widely recognized for its engaging storytelling presentations, HBO Sports has won ten George F. Peabody Awards for production excellence,
For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using the hashtag #PacBradley.
Pacquiao vs. Bradley takes place Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Timothy Bradley, a genuine personality in a business often defined by a feint, has a chance to eliminate any questions about an item on his record. He doesn’t have to correct it. A victory over Manny Pacquiao on June 9, 2012 is there and always will be.

No asterisk included.

No apology either.

But the questions, like echoes, are still there from the crazy controversy that raged for weeks after the scorecards awarded him a split decision over Pacquiao. To this day, there aren’t many people who think Bradley won. There are times when it sounds as though Bradley isn’t convinced either.

In a conference call this week, he dropped another hint that says he still has some doubts. In talking about his third fight with Pacquiao on April 9 at Las Vegas MGM Grand, he talked about the bout almost as though it was a chance to beat Pacquiao for the first time.

“It is an opportunity for my kids to talk about years from now with their classmates – that their father beat Manny Pacquiao,’’ he said.

Actually, his kids can say that to their classmates now, but probably not without most of the school shouting them down with the same heated argument that tormented Bradley and his family for too long.

Perhaps, his comment was just a slip. He was answering a question about whether he was weary of fighting Pacquiao.

No, he said, he welcomed a third chance. Then, he hinted at what virtually everyone has believed since those scorecards were announced nearly four years ago. Bradley has never been able to carry off a feint for too long. His genuine nature won’t let him. But it’s more than even that.

There’s a sense that he wants to eliminate some of the questions still in the public mind and perhaps in his own. A victory on April 9 might do that.

“Everyone has their own opinion regarding the first fight,’’ he said. “How ever way you want to look at it, it was a very close fight. The second fight, Pacquiao definitely won that fight hands down.’’

Bradley goes into the third fight with a different trainer in Teddy Atlas and his wife Monica as his manager. He promises Pacquiao will be encountering a much different fighter than the he saw in 2012 and again in a rematch decision over Bradley on April 12, 2014.

“This time around I have a new guy — Teddy Atlas — a guy who analyzes fighters for a living,’’ Bradley said. “That’s what he does — he’s an analyst and a trainer. The approach this time is going to be a lot different and I will be looking to exploit Pacquiao’s weaknesses.’’

The weaknesses have been there, brought on by erosion in speed and perhaps a more cautious nature that is summed by Pacquiao’s failure to score a knockout since 2009.

Pacquiao isn’t the same guy. Then again, neither is Bradley.

In Bradley, however, the most intriguing change might simply be his health. He got injured in each of the first two bouts. In 2012, he won the fight. But the winner was in a wheelchair at the post-fight conference with a fractured left foot and a sprained right ankle. In 2014, the muscle mass in his right calf sustained tears in two places.

It begs a question: What would have happened in the first two if Bradley’s legs had not betrayed him? Of course, there’s another question: Is he just prone to leg injuries and about to suffer another one or three?

But Bradley is confident his legs will carry him to a victory that this nobody will question this time.

He says he was over-trained and under-fed for the first two fights. Under former trainer Joel Diaz, he say he did too much running when he wasn’t in the gym. He also was a vegan. Beans and no beef are a diet without a combo for a fighter in training.

Between the steaks, Bradley says “we don’t run on off days anymore. We don’t do any of that stuff. Everything now just feels like it’s all down to a science the way Teddy’s got this thing orchestrated.”

Orchestrated, perhaps, in a genuine attempt to remove some lingering doubts that are a matter of record.

LOS ANGELES (March 11, 2016) — Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and his Hall of Fame Trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH will soon break camp in General Santos City in the Philippines and head to the U.S. On Monday, at Roach’s Hollywood-based Wild Card Boxing Club, they will begin phase two of training for their sole mission — demolishing two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY JR. Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) and Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) are 29 days away from their date with destiny — their 12-round welterweight battle for pound for pound supremacy.

Team Pacquiao is scheduled to land at Los Angeles International Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal Tomorrow! Saturday, March 12, at 5:40 p.m. PT via Philippine Airlines Flight 102. This link will give you updated arrival information. http://www.philippineairlines.com/ (click Flight Status – the blue bar located on the right)

“We had a strong camp in the Philippines and Manny, as usual, is way ahead of schedule in his conditioning, and very motivated,” said Roach. “The real business begins for us on Monday at Wild Card. We have great sparring waiting for Manny. I know that ESPN announcer [Teddy Atlas] who is coaching Bradley is a good story teller and likes acting. Let’s see how well they do when we go off script and hit them with a dose of reality TV. Playing ‘fireman’ isn’t going to protect them from the nuclear assault Manny will be launching.”

This fight will also mark the first time Roach and Atlas have ever faced each other from opposite corners — an amazing fact considering they have a combined 70 years of training experience between them and scores of world champions to their credit. Think their isn’t a little competition between them? Take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un4lLzHnLUE&feature=youtu.be

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Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, the Manny Pacquiao – Tim Bradley championship event will take place on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

The NoTrump pay-per-view undercard will feature World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world champion “King” ARTHUR ABRAHAM defending his title against undefeated No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, undefeated No. 1 WBO featherweight contender and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ defending his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight world champion EVGENY GRADOVICH and 2012 U.S. Olympian JOSE RAMÍREZ defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super lightweight title against MANNY PEREZ. The Abraham vs. Ramirez world championship fight is co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to toprank.com, hbo.com/boxing or mgmgrand.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing,, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtags #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

By Bart Barry

Wednesday HBO released a statement about Manny Pacquiao’s weeks-old statement about the prizefighter’s interpretation of the Bible’s anticipation of the current LGBTQ platform. There is rarely a reason to interrogate press releases from cable networks, but this one seemed portentous: One opened the email thinking HBO, in an incredible expression of solidarity with oppressed persons everywhere, had announced its refusal to condone Pacquiao’s hate speech by cancelling its distribution of the Filipino’s match with Timothy Bradley in April.

Well, no, actually – of course not. Instead, in a manifestation of what groupthink imbecility corporations reduce themselves to whenever trying to accomplish anything different from revenue (like moral judgements), the network decided to condemn Pacquiao’s sincerely held, sincerely stated and sincerely reiterated beliefs by implying, in the insincerest way possible, the network’s endorsement of Pacquiao would continue unabated because of its “obligation to both fighters” – only a network far less scrupulous than HBO, in other words, might punish Bradley for Pacquiao’s ignorance.

But why bother? why now? what could this accomplish? Answer: To illustrate tidily how Donald Trump is, in March, nearer to becoming our 45th President in November than any contemplative person in January imagined he would be.

It’s the insincerity of the HBO statement that rankles, and since HBO is a media company, it should be instructive for us, the large percentage of the country that cannot grasp whence Donald Trump’s popularity derives, to contrast the event of HBO’s statement with the event of Trump’s ascent. Trump embellishes most everything, exaggerates his own record, obfuscates, and often says things he knows are not true, but he never appears insincere. His appeal is his sincerity – his zealous belief in his own greatness; anything might be said in service to it – and his supporters are not the idiots we think they are.

For a few presidential cycles now, the dog-whistle metaphor has been fashionable, likening the insincere and euphemistic bits politicians say to a sound humans cannot hear but puppies can. Probably this sort of analogy first achieved acclaim with Ronald Reagan’s laudable/infamous (depending on one’s region and political bent) States’ Rights speech in Mississippi 36 years ago, a speech that winked at Southern segregationists while giving its speaker all sorts of deniability.

If employing rhetorical irony is saying something that means more than merely the denotative sum of its words, being cynical often is saying something that means nearly the opposite of its literal contents – “all natural ingredients” for instance – and cynicism is inferring from another’s rhetoric its opposite. While the crafters of dog-whistle statements would defend them as irony, Shakespeare’s own mechanics, they rely on the cynicism of their audiences, which in its own tawdry way attributes more talent and imagination to these audiences’ members than outsiders generally do.

What Trump practices is not dog-whistle so much as dog-tail; in all of nature, there are few things as decisively honest as a dog’s tail. A dog does not wag its tail ironically, a dog does not eat food it dislikes then whip its tail sarcastically about, a dog may misunderstand, and a dog may stand bemused by human indecision, but a dog’s tail ever tells the truth. What Trump’s supporters watch is his tail; when he is speaking in circles, when he is contradicting himself, when he is insulting his opponents, when he is effusively praising himself, his supporters ask only one question: Does he believe this? Their support for him as a candidate, not his platform or ideas that are alternately threadbare and frightening and frighteningly threadbare, are proportionate to how enthusiastically his supporters see his tail wagging and subsequently how enthusiastically their own tails wag back.

Well what have we here? This column has now done the unthinkable, likening humans to animals, the sort of ruse that got the congressman from Sarangani Province summarily scolded by blogs across the fruited plane, disowned by an apparel manufacturer notorious for its international labor practices, and called “insensitive, offensive and deplorable” by HBO.

Really, you say, your own tail beginning to stir, a broadcaster stated something that honestly about one of its assets?

Well, no, actually – of course not. Manny is none of these things to HBO on the eve of a broadcasting event with revenue expectations in the millions of dollars; his “recent comments”, you see, those are the insensitive and offensive and deplorable things, not the beloved lad nicknamed Pacman who once eradicated world poverty with yellow gloves (to pick the one ludicrous Pacquiao prefight storyline for which HBO is not responsible).

Saturday after results from the Republican primaries came in, Trump opened the floor to media inquiries by saying, “I would love to take a couple questions from these dishonest people.” It’s no wonder his supporters howled and cheered; much as members of the media may hold them in contempt, much as they may coin ironical terms like “low information” and “poorly educated” as descriptors, Trump supporters hate members of the media all the more, and their surging hatred now sloshes over every abstract and arbitrary barrier, from decency to integrity to education to partisanship.

Trump’s contempt is genuine; he considers his opponents beneath him, and he hates the dishonesty of an electoral/press cycle in which the candidates who purchase the most advertising traditionally receive the most coverage from a media that calls itself independent, unbiased, objective, and fair and balanced. The sole way to disabuse Trump’s supporters of their fervor is to prove in some playful and offhanded manner their man is inauthentic.

That feat, though, would require both authentic spokesmen and media outlets capable of recognizing and disseminating authentic commentary.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

“Next month Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. are scheduled to meet in a Pay-Per-View bout. We have an obligation to both fighters and, therefore, will proceed to produce and distribute that event. However, we felt it important to leave no uncertainty about our position on Mr. Pacquiao’s recent comments toward the LGBTQ community. We consider them insensitive, offensive and deplorable. HBO has been a proud home to many LGBTQ stories and couldn’t approach this event without clearly voicing our opinion.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (February 10, 2016) — Cinco de Mayo comes one month early with the Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley welterweight championship pay-per-view undercard, which will feature four Hispanic contenders in three title fights. Co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions, World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight champion “King” ARTHUR ABRAHAM of Berlin, Germany, will defend his world title against undefeated WBO No. 1 super middleweight contender with the matinee idol looks and mandatory challenger GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ of Mazatlan, Mexico, in the co-main event. The undercard will also feature undefeated No. 1 WBO featherweight contender ÓSCAR VALDEZ of Nogales, Mexico, defending his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion EVGENY GRADOVICH. The pay-per-view telecast will open with JOSE RAMÍREZ of Avenal, Calif., risking his undefeated record and World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super lightweight title against seasoned veteran MANNY PEREZ of Denver, CO.

These six warriors boast a combined record of 158-16-2 (96 KOs) — a winning percentage of 90% — with a victory by knockout ratio of 61%.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, the Pacquiao vs. Bradley championship event will take place on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

“Fighting in Las Vegas on the biggest stage of them all is a dream come true for me, and sharing the spotlight with Manny Pacquiao, a true legend of the ring, makes this opportunity even sweeter,” said Abraham. “I have all the motivation I need including the challenge of a young hungry fighter in Gilberto Ramirez. I respect Ramirez and see him as one of the toughest challenges in my career, but I will not be denied a victory in my U.S. breakout fight, and believe my experience will prove too much for him. I promise to deliver a great fight for the American fans, and with another successful defense of my title I will pave the way for a great pay-per-view event and leave the fans screaming for more!”

“I am very happy to finally get my first opportunity to fight for a world title,” said Gilberto Ramirez. “I have worked very hard to get to this point and will work even harder to win the world championship on April 9. I am going up against a great champion and that is why I will prepare myself like I never have before for a fight.”

“I am happy to fight on April 9, I have a difficult opponent on that night but the plan is to get a win and get myself closer to that world title shot that I hunger for,” said Valdez.

“This is going to be an exciting great battle,” said Gradovich. “Óscar Valdez is a very good fighter and I look forward to getting into the ring against him on such a big card with Manny Pacquiao against Tim Bradley in the main event on April 9.”
“I’m excited and honored and feel blessed for this opportunity for myself and my team on one of boxing’s biggest stages,” said Jose Ramírez. “I will be ready for the fans worldwide and I want thank to my manager Rick Mirigian for getting it done.”

“I am very excited for this opportunity from Top Rank. It’s a dream come true to be able to showcase my abilities on such a main stage,” said Perez. “I promise boxing fans I will be 100% ready for the matchup with Jose. I’m ready to show the world who I am.”

“On April 9 we will be presenting three of the top fighters in the world today engaging in significant bouts. All three are of Mexican origin and represent the future of the sport of boxing.

“Jose Ramírez, a star from the Central Valley in California, will box in his first 10-round bout. He is immensely popular in the Central Valley area and is a tremendous attraction at the gate.

“Óscar Valdez, a two-time Mexican Olympian, is considered to be one of the finest fighters in the world. He is in a crossroads fight against former world champion Evgeny Gradovich which will be a true test.

“Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, the No. 1 super middleweight contender in the world, will fight against long-time champion Arthur Abraham. Gilberto is on a quest to become the first Mexican to win a world championship in this weight division.

“These three fights are all action, complementing the Pacquiao vs Bradley main event which should also be a tremendous battle,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank.

Abraham (44-4, 29 KOs), of Berlin, Germany, is a three-time, two-division world champion. He captured the vacant IBF middleweight world title in 2005 knocking out Kingsley Ikeke in the fifth round. He successfully defended the title 11 times during his four-year reign, which included victories over top-rated contenders Shannan Taylor, Kofi Jantuah, Edison Miranda and former world champion Raul Marquez. Abraham vacated the title in 2009 to move up to the super middleweight division. He dethroned Robert Stieglitz in 2012 via a 12-round unanimous decision to claim the WBO super middleweight title and ending Stieglitz’s three-year reign. After losing the title in his second defense, a 2013 rematch to Stieglitz, Abraham reclaimed the title in 2014, again winning a 12-round unanimous decision over Stieglitz. Abraham has successfully defended the title five times, including a sixth-round TKO of Stieglitz last year.

Ramirez (33-0, 24 KOs), a two-fisted super middleweight wrecking machine who hails from Mazatlan, Mexico, is the top world-rated contender in the WBO and the World Boxing Association (WBA) and is world-rated No. 2 by the WBC. A sensational young contender, Ramirez, 24, has won four of his last seven bouts by knockout. 2014 featured career-best performances which included an NABF and NABO title victory over Giovanni Lorenzo via fifth-round stoppage, a WBO International title knockout victory over Junior Talipeau and a successful defense of his NABF and WBO International titles, stopping Fulgencio Zuniga in the eighth round. Last year he successfully defended his titles via unanimous decisions over once-beaten Maxim Vlasov, division gate keeper Derek Edwards, who boasts a KO victory over world champion Badou Jack, and once-beaten Gevorg Khatchikian, who had scored knockouts in five of his last six victories.

Valdez (19-0, 16 KOs), who represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, was the first Mexican fighter to qualify for two Olympic games and is considered one of the bright lights of the featherweight division and a top prospect in boxing. On the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley welterweight world championship rematch in 2014, Valdez captured the NABF super featherweight junior title, knocking out Adrian Perez in the fourth round. Valdez successfully defended that title twice in 2014, knocking out Noel Echevarria and Alberto Gonzalez in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. From Nogales, Sonora, Mexico Valdez, at age 25, Valdez returns to the ring looking to build on the sterling year he had in 2015 where he won all four of his fights — three by knockout. On April 11, he fashioned a third-round blasting of Jose Ramirez in Laredo, Texas. Valdez followed that with his live HBO debut, winning a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over one-time world title challenger Ruben Tamayo on June 27 in Carson, Calif. He ended the year with knockout victories of top-10 contender and one-time world title challenger Chris Avalos and Ernes Sanchez on September 11 and December 12, respectively. The four fighters boasted a combined record of 91-19-5. He is currently the WBO’s No. 1 world-rated featherweight contender.

Gradovich (21-1-1, 9 KOs), a native of Igrim, Russia, fights out of Oxnard, Calif., under the tutelage Robert Garcia, the Boxing Writers Association of America 2012 Trainer of the Year. Known as “El Ruso Mexicano” (The Mexican Russian) for his fan-friendly all-offensive style of fighting, Gradovich captured the IBF featherweight title when he dethroned defending champion Billy Dib in 2013 via a split decision. The exciting fight was televised by ESPN2 which garnered Gradovich legions of new fans. He successfully defended his title four times during his two-year reign, including a ninth-round stoppage of Dib in their rematch, before losing his title last May to Lee Selby via an eighth-round technical decision due to an accidental clash of heads that produced a
deep and bloody gash over Gradovich’s right eye which forced an early stoppage of the fight. The scorecards to that point were in favor of the challenger who became the new world champion. Gradovich has bounced back since that disappointing loss, winning 10-round decisions over Aldimar Santos and Jesus Galicia.

Ramírez (16-0, 12 KOs), from Avenal, Calif. is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach and will prepare for this fight as a sparring partner for Pacquiao. Eight of his last 10 fights have ended with knockout victories. His social activism on behalf of the Central Valley farmers’ water rights has made him an icon in that area where he regularly sells out their largest venues as a fight card headliner. In his last fight, in December, he captured the vacant WBC Continental Americas super lightweight title, winning a unanimous decision over battle-tested Johnny Garcia. A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team and an 11-time National Amateur Champion, Ramírez surpassed multi-division world champions Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Shane Mosley to become USA Boxing’s all-time lightweight record holder.

Perez (25-11-1, 6 KOs), from Denver, CO., is a former NABA super lightweight and WBC Continental Americas featherweight champion. He makes his 2016 debut having won five of his last six fights, including all three of his 2015 fights. Two of his 2015 victories were by knockout, including a sixth-round stoppage of former world champion DeMarcus Corley.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or www.mgmgrand.com on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

LAS VEGAS, NV (February 3, 2016) — Before they enter the ring for their super brawls, World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world champion ARTHUR ABRAHAM, undefeated contenders GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, ÓSCAR VALDEZ and JOSE RAMÍREZ, former world champion EVGENY GRADOVICH, and dangerous veteran MANNY PEREZ took time out to make predictions on Super Bowl 50, which will pit the Denver Broncos against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, February 7. The six fighters will be featured in title fights on the Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley world welterweight championship pay-per-view undercard, Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, the Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. Abraham vs. Gilberto Ramirez will be co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions.

THE PREDICTIONS

ARTHUR ABRAHAM
“I like the Denver Broncos‘ chances to win Super Bowl 50, I like them a lot! Peyton Manning is one of the all-time greats, the oldest quarterback to lead a team to a Super Bowl berth. With his experience in clutch-time situations, he cannot be denied winning his third championship ring. I n addition, the Broncos have had THE best defense all season long, knowing how to penetrate the opposing team for errors. That could be compared to my style of boxing. And nine out of 10 times, a good defense beats a good offense in championships. Watch the Broncos prevail 24 – 17 against Cam Newton’s Panthers.”

GILBERTO RAMIREZ
“The Panthers have an explosive offense and a very strong defense. Carolina 28 to 21.”

ÓSCAR VALDEZ
“Panthers 30-10 because Denver beat my favorite team, the New England Patriots.”

EVGENY GRADOVICH
“It’s all about the defense as Carolina will quickly find out. Denver Broncos 28-21”

JOSE RAMÍREZ
“Panthers because of their momentum. Their confidence as a team and their Quarterback, “Super” Cam Newton, started strong during the season and seem to get stronger. Final score will be Carolina 24-17″.

MANNY PEREZ
“No. 1 Defense vs. No. 1 Offense. Defense wins games. Denver Broncos 24 to 10.”

Gilberto Ramirez (33-0, 24 KOs), from Mazatlan, Mexico, the WBO No. 1 super middleweight contender and mandatory challenger, will get his first world title shot when he challenges two-division world champion Abraham (44-4, 29 KOs), of Berlin Germany. Valdez (19-0, 16 KOs), of Nogales, Mexico, the WBO’s No. 1 featherweight contender, will defend his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion Gradovich (21-1-1, 9 KOs), a Russian native who lives in Oxnard, Calif. Jose Ramírez (16-0, 12 KOs), of Avenal, Calif., and a 2012 U.S. Olympian, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental America super lightweight title against Perez (25-11-1, 6 KOs), of Denver, CO.

These six warriors boast a combined record of 158-16-2 (96 KOs) — a winning percentage of 90% — with a victory by knockout ratio of 61%.

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Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade, collides with five-time world champion Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., in a 12-round world welterweight championship battle.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship event are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to toprank.com, hbo.com/boxing or mgmgrand.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing,, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtags #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

GOBBLER’S KNOB, (Groundhog Day 2016) — At approximately 7:25 A.M. ET today, Punxsutawney Phil — the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators — emerged from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA — wearing a Denver Broncos jersey embroidered with “Manningfest Destiny” — and proclaimed, in his native Groundhogese, that five-time world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY would prevail in the rubber match of the world welterweight championship trilogy with Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas., NV. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, the world welterweight championship three-match between pound-for-pound titans Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, and Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., who has held a world title every year since 2008, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

“I caucused long and hard over this. Because both fighters are equally great, I had to break the deadlock on predicting the winner by flipping a coin,” said the world’s No. 1 pound for pound quadruped as he shadowboxed during his annual news conference.. “Both fighters are going to go at each other with guns blazing. It’s going to be a firefight, and since Bradley and his trainer Teddy Atlas are firemen, you have to give them the nod. I also predict that Bradley will spring into an early lead for 2016 Fighter of the Year.”

When pressed for a definitive answer on whether Pacquiao had a chance to defeat Bradley, Phil astounded the media by answering in Tagalog and in English.

Quoth the groundhog, “Hinding-hindi na. Nevermore.”

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Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship event are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or www.mgmgrand.com on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.