April 2, 2015 –Fight fans captivated by the fast-approaching welterweight unification title fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao can enjoy a revealing look at Pacquiao’s brilliant ring career when HBO Sports presents three of his all-time classic bouts back-to-back.

On Friday, April 17 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, April 18 at 8:15 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Pacquiao vs. Bradley II 2014, Pacquiao vs. Cotto 2009 and Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya 2008 back-to-back.

In the bright spotlight of Las Vegas on April 12, 2014, Manny Pacquiao avenged a controversial loss with a dominating performance over then undefeated Timothy Bradley Jr. in their championship title rematch.

Pacquiao’s reputation as slugger was solidified on November 14, 2009 with a resounding 12th round TKO triumph over Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Rounding out the three-hour Manny fight marathon will be Pacquiao’s signature triumph over Oscar de la Hoya on Dec. 5, 2008 that catapulted the young prizefighter from the Philippines into a superstar personality. The fight was halted in the 8th round as Pacquiao’s unrelenting attack dominated the action.

All three fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, April 20.

The Mayweather vs. Pacquiao mega-fight takes place Saturday, May 2 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 10, 2014) — World championship boxing returns to The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas this Saturday! Former two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY, JR. is back in the ring, facing one-time interim world champion DIEGO “La Joya” CHAVES, in a 12-round welterweight rumble. The co-main events will feature two world championship battles — World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super lightweight champion MAURICIO “El Maestro” HERRERA defends his title against undefeated Top-10 contender JOSE BENAVIDEZ, JR. and top-rated contenders MATT KOROBOV and ANDY LEE go mano a mano for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight crown. All three fights will be televised live, Saturday, December 13, on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

The six main event fighters, plus undefeated welterweight sensation MIKAEL ZEWSKI and undefeated top-rated light heavyweight contender SEANIE MONAGHAN hosted Media Workouts today at the Top Rank Gym. Here are their quotes. Current bout sheet attached.

TIM BRADLEY
“Chaves in the ring changes so much. He has speed, steps in, gets out, can double up with his left hand. He has a complete arsenal.

“Will he get dirty? I think so particularly when we get close to each other. I have no problem with whatever he brings. I like to brawl and actually look forward to doing it.

“He’s a tough guy yes, but not as mean as Ruslan Provodnikov.

“I am only thinking winning. That’s all that is on my mind – use my skills, beat Chaves, anyway I can.”

DIEGO CHAVES
“Bradley is one of the three best fighters in the world – Pacquiao, Mayweather and Bradley. To beat Bradley it will take intelligence, movement and hard punches to the body which really bothers him. This fight will be a boxing match and not so rough as the one with Rios who is very dirty.”
“I was surprised and hurt when my fight with Rios was stopped. I really thought Rios was disappointed in the way he fought that night and that really caused all of that commotion. What happened to me that night was very unfair.”

MAURICIO HERRERA
“My experience will be a big advantage for this fight. He just has not fought at this level

“He is young and there is going to come a point in the fight where he will either step up or fold and that’s when we test his will

“The Danny Garcia fight changed my life. I finally have a promoter that is looking out for me and all I have to do is train and get ready to fight.”

JOSE BENAVIDEZ
“I heard Herrera was real mouthy today saying he would school me on Saturday night. Let’s see what he says when we get into the ring. I trained in Big Bear which is no joke because of the altitude. We train as if we are going into a 15 or 20-round fight, which means I am in top condition.”

ANDY LEE
“Korobov is a good boxer, technically sound, but the major difference is my experience in the ring. For the first time in Korobov’s career he is taking on a fighter he knows can beat him.

“Korobov is a fast starter and I plan to match him with that. My extra expierence and punching power will be the difference. He’s very much untested. I have faced far more adversity inside the ring

“I will win and thank my greatest trainer, Emanuel Steward, who I dearly miss.”

MATT KOROBOV
“I had over 300 amateur fights so I have more experience than Andy Lee has. In camp we brought in an Irish left hander and I had no problems with him. There’s danger in every fight but I don’t expect Andy to come out and rush towards me. He’s smarter than that. This is my time. Andy knows it too.”

SEANIE MONAGHAN
“As soon as the bell rings it will be my time to attack. I am going right over and blast him out. He’s good but I need this win more than he does. Look for a short fight.”

MIKAEL ZEWSKI
“This is a step-up fight for me, my final exam actually. My opponent is a strong solid fighter. I need to win and get right to the bigger fights. That’s the importance of this fight.”

********************************************

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Tecate, remaining tickets to the Bradley-Chaves/Herrera-Benavidez/Korobov-Lee world championship event are priced at $40, $60, $100, $125 and $150, and available for purchase at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/ or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 and www.ticketmaster.com/. Room / ticket packages are also available.

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

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan.

A talented international cast takes the spotlight in Las Vegas when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: TIMOTHY BRADLEY JR. VS. DIEGO CHAVES, MATT KOROBOV VS. ANDY LEE AND MAURICIO HERRERA VS. JOSE BENAVIDEZ is seen SATURDAY, DEC. 13 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will be ringside for the event, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Dec. 14 (8:45 a.m.) and 15 (midnight)

HBO2 playdates: Dec. 14 (6:00 p.m.) and 16 (midnight)

Former junior welterweight and welterweight champ Timothy Bradley Jr. (31-1, 12 KOs) of Palm Springs, Cal. is one of the sport’s most recognizable fighters. Polished and resourceful. Following his first loss as a pro to superstar Manny Pacquiao last April, he’ll look to bounce back in this 12-round welterweight rumble.

Diego Chaves (23-2, 19 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina is a power puncher who seeks to score a knockout in every fight. He was disqualified for excessive fouling in the ninth round of his last outing, a competitive ten-round bout with Brandon Rios in which one judge had him ahead.

Second on the bill, two gritty middleweights square off for a vacant 160-pound title belt, as Matt Korobov (24-0, 13 KOs) meets Andy Lee (33-2, 23 KOs) in a 12-round contest. Both Korobov, a 2008 Russian Olympic team member, and the London-born Lee, a veteran of the 2004 Irish Olympic team, are pursuing their first world championship, which could lead to huge fights in the competitive division.

The opening bout is a super lightweight showdown pitting Mauricio Herrera of Riverside, Cal. (21-4, 7 KOs) against Jose Benavidez (21-0, 15 KOs) of Phoenix in a 12-round tilt. Herrera has fought some of the most dangerous opponents in the division, including titlists Mike Alvarado, Danny Garcia and Ruslan Provodnikov. Benavidez had a sensational amateur career, winning the Golden Gloves national championship at age 16. Since turning pro at 17, he’s undefeated in 21 bouts.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, HBO’s flagship boxing series, launched in Jan. 1973, and is the top-performing boxing series on TV.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

CARL MORETTI: December 13 will be Tim Bradley’s return to the ring against Diego Chaves who we expect to be 100%. No Visa drama for Diego like the last time for the Brandon Rios fight. Diego has been training for three months and arrives in Las Vegas this weekend. I know Tim is extremely focused on this fight – it’s the most important fight of his career because it’s the next fight in his career. This, along with two other fights that are really intriguing – the WBO middleweight championship fight between Matt Korobov and Andy Lee and the WBA interim super lightweight title battle between defending champion Mauricio Herrera and undefeated Jesse Benavidez Jr. – are both 50/50 fights. So without further ado, the great Tim Bradley, who after this call will be watching his favorite team as well as mine, the Dallas Cowboys, who also need a big win tonight.

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Hey everybody, first of all I would like to thank God for letting me get back in the ring once again, as well as Top Rank, HBO and Diego Chaves – respect to him for stepping up to the plate. This is my return after getting beat by Manny Pacquiao. I learned a lot from Manny Pacquiao – I learned not to beat myself in the ring and not to be someone that I am not in there. For this fight I am going back to the drawing board, to what got me to the top. My boxing ability, my speed and using my thinking cap in the ring. Diego Chaves is no slouch – he has fought some good guys – Keith Thurman and the rugged Brandon Rios. Brandon Rios is always tough for everybody. I heard he was tough in that fight. I know Chaves is primed and ready to fight me. I am one of the best and he wants to beat me. So I am focused and training camp went really, really well. I have sparred over 150 rounds and I am in tip-top shape. Everyone is wondering if I am on the vegan diet and no I am not on the vegan diet for this fight. I am actually eating fish and eating meat and I feel fantastic. I think it should be better – I think I’ll be better off. I am excited about this opportunity. I am excited to be on HBO Live on December 13 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and it should be a real exciting fight. It’s the best card going on that night.

Do you feel you have more incentive or a sense of urgency to win coming off a loss?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I don’t think about losing. All I think about is winning. A two-fight losing streak does not even enter my mind. The thing is you learn from losing battles. You learn a lot about yourself. And I learned a lot more while losing than I did by winning. I definitely want to get this win, I am going to get this win against a tough guy like Diego Chaves. He fought Rios then went back to the gym four weeks later so he will be in tip-top shape, and hopefully maybe he over trained a little bit, and if so that would work in my favor. I am expecting a tough, tough night against Diego Chaves. He’s not well known in the general public but in the boxing world he is well known. He’s a tough, tough guy.

What is the mindset coming in after a loss as opposed to a victory?

JOEL DIAZ: After the loss, Tim came back to the gym and his main focus was getting the title back and he told me, he said, ‘Coach I am going to be world champion again.’ You don’t see a lot of fighters like that. A lot of fighters, when they come back after a defeat, you don’t see the spark any more. Tim has not lost the spark. I know Diego Chaves. I was there when he fought Keith Thurman. I met him personally there and I was also there when he fought Brandon Rios. He’s not an easy opponent. He’s a tough opponent. He comes to give Timmy a hard night, but we prepare ourselves for the toughest fight. We prepared for this fight like it was the Pacquiao fight and Tim has no doubt in his mind. He’s got his preparation in. Mentally and physically he is focused and we are not even thinking about a loss. We are thinking about finishing the year with a spectacular win.

Are we going to see you box or go in there and slug it out to win?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: If I tell you what I am going to do it is going to give away my game plan and I want to keep that under the radar. I have to think what is the best way to approach this fight. And really think about it. I can box and I can brawl. Diego Chaves fights in the trenches. So I am ready for anything he brings honestly. Ready for anything he brings to the table.

Are you ready for the rough stuff?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: He is a dirty fighter. In the beginning I did think he was but then I went back and watched some film on him and he is a really dirty fighter. Throwing elbows and trying to scrape the eyes, rake the eyes with his gloves. Pushing down on the head. He has a lot of dirty tactics. But guess what? He hates being hit to the body. So when I get close on him I expect the roughhouse tactics. Hopefully we have a great ref in there that is going to take control, warn both fighters and keep control of the action. I am ready for that dirty stuff and I have some dirty tricks of my own and everybody knows what it is, so bring it.

Where does this fight lead you?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: There are a lot of options out there. Many Pacquiao is talking about going back down to 140, so his welterweight title may be vacant and maybe Marquez would want to fight again to get that fifth title.

CARL MORETTI: I had some conversations with Eddie Hearn and Kel Brook if he can’t get the Amir Khan fight put together. Tim ironically won his first title at 140 against a Brit so maybe he will have to fight another to win the title at 147.

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Maybe even 154!

CARL MORETTI: We will go up but not down.

Regarding the speech you gave at the boxing writers dinner last year regarding the Cold War…

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I think what I said … there was no harm in it. It seemed as though no one else had the balls or decency to say it. Maybe that helped. Maybe everyone thought about it. We were in the same room conversing and buddy, buddy. But behind closed doors we are all slamming everybody and putting everybody down. I thought what I did was great and if it helped in any way that is fantastic. The fact that Top Rank and Golden Boy have put a couple of shows together this year and I’m sure many other shows next year. I think it’s great for the fans and for the sport of boxing. We need to start putting the best fights possible together. The fans are getting tired of it. I don’t know if you see it, but pay-per-view is not what it used to be and the fans are catching on and they are not buying like they used to. Some of the best fighters in the world can’t hit one million buys any more. The best fighters have to fight the best in order to get those numbers. People love boxing and they want to see the best fights. If it helped that’s great and if I pissed anybody off, that’s great too.

CARL MORETTI: I forgot about that speech. He did raise a lot of eyebrows. Ironically he is going to make a good politician when he is done or a good executive because since then a lot of fights have been made and at least there is dialogue, so it’s a good thing.

Do you see a fight against, Khan or Garcia or Maidana in your future?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I really don’t – this is the thing – I take it day-by-day. I live in the present. I don’t live in the future. There are still some bridges that need to be crossed. The Cold War they say is over and we kind of work together, but there are still some bridges that need to be crossed. I would embrace any of those types of fights you just mentioned. Until those things are fixed. I don’t know. I am in a lane and I do what I do and if these guys want to fight I am right here – reach out to my manager, to my wife, to my trainer and to Top Rank. If the fight makes sense then let’s do it.

CARL MORETTI: Not to look ahead, but Tim knows this, we tend to look ahead, but he’s got a fight on his hands on December 13. For Tim and for us that’s all that really matters. December 14 we can start talking about it but up until then it is all about the 13th.

Being there are two events on the 13th, do you feel incentive to be the star of the night?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I fight on the best network there is in boxing, HBO, and I don’t care what those other clowns are doing. I am here and I am going to be faced with a tough opponent and I am sure if all the fans around the world want to see a real fight they are going to tune into Bradley vs. Chaves because they know what they are going to get – they are going to get a fight. They are going to be talking about my fight, of course. I am one of the best fighters in the world so everybody is going to tune in because they want to see what I am going to bring. And they want to see what Chaves is going to bring. Chaves against me is a real fight. Those other fights that are made, they are just fight regular fights. This is a super fight what we are doing at The Cosmopolitan. Our fights are way better.

JOEL DIAZ: Of course. Tim is fighting a very tough opponent, a guy that comes to fight and always puts out the best. The boxing fans know the difference in styles. It is going to be a great night of boxing in Vegas and if they want to come and see Bradley they are going to see a great fight – they are going to see a well-matched fight. Or they can go watch the other fights where they know who is going to win. I think it is going to be a great night where people are talking about Tim Bradley and a great performance.

JOEL DIAZ: Timmy needs to just focus on his job and do his work that we trained for. Stick to his strategy and it shouldn’t be a problem. Get in there, fight smart and win. But knowing Tim, who is stubborn at times, you are going to see a fight. We always prepare for the best but always prepare for the worst. We plan for plan A and plan B. He will box but at some point you are going to see the stubborn Tim Bradley and exchanging and if they spark it up you are going to see a war. That’s the thing about Tim Bradley – he is unpredictable and you don’t know what to expect. The only thing you know is you are going to see a great fight.

How is your mindset coming into the fight after fighting the rematch against Pacquiao?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: The dark cloud has blown over. I am clear-minded and I am happy to be back. I’m happy to be back healthy and happy to be back in front of the fans. I am happy for the opportunity. Opportunities come and you have to be ready for them and this is another opportunity to shine. I am definitely up for it. When I was fighting the Provodnikov fight then the Pacquiao rematch and the fact that we settled it and it’s all over and I am moving on and my goal is to get my title back. Get my title back and win another title in another weight class.

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: My mind is set on Chaves and not thinking about anything else, distractions or negative thoughts that would make me fight a certain way. I like the fact I am clear-headed and going in with a game plan.

Why leave the vegan diet now?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I have a lot of energy on that diet and I am able to lose weight easy on that diet. I enjoy the diet – it is really clean living. I did get injured in numerous fights, especially with Pacquiao, tore my calf muscle. I started doing some research and I thought maybe I didn’t get enough protein because the only protein I consumed was plant-based protein. I needed to find a way to get more protein and the best way is to eat clean meats and fish and my vegetables as well. I am still eating the vegetables but adding a little bit of protein – chicken, fish, and once a week steak to get some B-12 in me so I don’t have to do any injections or anything like that. When I am vegan I have to get injections constantly of B-12 and I was sick of that. I wanted to go more the natural way, the way given to us by God. So I wanted to try it for this fight and see how I feel and I feel fantastic. I have been training three months for this fight and I don’t feel like I have had a low point yet. Sometime when I am vegan I can feel a low point in my training – the energy is always there but I feel like I am tearing down. This camp I enjoyed it and I am going to see how I fight – if it benefits me.

Joel, how will it be working in two venues that night?

JOEL DIAZ: It’s very simple. When you have a stable and a team I believe a person can only handle so much. That’s why you need a strong team and I feel I have a very strong team. When I got the call regarding Victor Ortiz and he is in my camp, we have to make it work one way or another. He knows and is aware that Bradley is my priority. His manager knows I have Bradley that night and he said we can make it work for you – Victor can fight two or three hours earlier than Bradley. I said if that works, I can be there, if not, the other part of my team will be with Victor and I will be with Tim.

How is it training two fighters with different styles at different places in their careers?

JOEL DIAZ: A trainer learns to deal with managing everybody’s situation. I work with different fighters with different strategies in a different way. I know Victor and Tim is like a brother. I know when Tim is not even feeling good. I can tell by the way he is walking in the gym. I am not stressing about it. I am excited to take on the challenge. I am a true believer that everything falls into place. I have my responsibilities but at the same time I always prepare myself. I have my team and Victor has his strength and conditioning coach, who is always there. If I do not make it to Victor’s fight – I put the strategy together, I have been training him and my brother knows exactly what to do, and my brother’s got it. If the timing is not proper for me to be there then I’m not going to be there, I am going to be with Tim.

Have Victor and Time been interacting at camp?

JOEL DIAZ: Well, I know Tim’s schedule and I know that on Thursday he does track and when he does track he does 3½ hours. One day I thought I would bring Victor along and he didn’t know where we were going. Victor needs some mental help. He has a lot of ability in the sport but he needs strengthening in the brain. He didn’t know him so I took him to the track and told him we were going to work today, you’re going to get some real work. And he did. Tim finishes at the track then goes to the gym from there and Victor said he is crazy. That’s why Tim is who he is. So they started to get to know each other and when Victor is slowing down a little, Tim says let’s go.

How is Tim’s calf doing?

JOEL DIAZ: There have been no setbacks. There are experiences in life, both good and bad. In the past we have had a few bad experiences and we learned from the experiences that we had. From that first Pacquiao fight we learned a lot. After the first one I told Tim we have to start going to the gym. He wasn’t walking well and his leg was still hurting and I told him we need to start moving around we have plenty of time to work the leg. And we did. The first week he was hurting and it had been three months that we started training. We started to bring the weight down. We didn’t make the same mistake we made with Provodnikov when he was heavy, even the day of the weigh-in he was having problems making weight for the first time ever in his career so we didn’t want to make that same mistake. So we started really early for two reasons – the weight and his leg. Right now everything is great. He had fun today. He was happy and laughing and having a great time in the gym. Tomorrow we close camp and after tomorrow everything is ready. We rest and take care of the few pounds he has on his back and that’s it. Get ready for the fight. When Tim gets his proper rest, believe me, he’s coming, and someone is going to be in trouble December 13.

How long were you on a vegan diet?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: It’s been since I won the tile in 2009, then I became a vegan and started training vegan. I am not a total vegan. If I wasn’t fighting, I am eating meat. When I am training I switch over to the vegan thing. So I have been doing it for five years. For the Provodnikov fight I was not a vegan and for this fight I am not a vegan. Right now I am not saying I am not going to go back but I am just trying to test the waters.

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I feel like I gain more muscle, but it is a little harder to drop the pounds. I will be weighing about 152 pounds tomorrow. Today I weighed about 153. I am consuming more protein because we care about it more now with strength work and interval training, sparring rounds and getting hit on. My muscles need the protein to be able to repair, along with sleep. You can get the protein while on vegan diet, there are supplements to take.

What is your motivation to fight Chaves?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Just coming back and getting into the winning column. Diego Chaves is the type of fighter that you have to get up for. You can’t sleep on him and those are the type of fighters I like to fight. I have been in the game for over 10 years now and I like to be inspired when I fight. I want to feel nervous. I like that nervousness, that’s why I like to fight the best. I want to feel nervous and Diego Chaves is one of those guys where I feel nervous. It keeps me sharp and keeps me training hard and it keeps me focused.

Are there any visa issues with Chaves for this fight?

CARL MORETTI: His visa is still good from the last time he fought and his travel has been done. He arrives into Las Vegas on Sunday morning. All of his medicals are done. We will not have to go through that again.

What did you learn from the Pacquiao fight?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I went in there with the mindset that I had to knock this guy out in order to win and having that type of mindset threw me off my game. The plan was to outbox Pacquiao and everybody knew it and Pacquiao himself knew it and I didn’t do that. I went straight at him and attacked him. I did have some success attacking him but I think I could have done a lot better if I took my time and tried to outbox him and if it goes to a decision and I lose then that’s fine. If I stayed true to my form and my abilities and did what got me to the top I should have been alright in that ring and been OK. But I didn’t do that and got a little out of my context of what I do. Like in this fight, I’ve just go to do me. Do what got me to the top and continue to do me from here on out. I can’t worry about judges and worry about decisions, just fight the best fight that I possibly can and win the fight and whatever happens after the fight happens, regardless. I have no control over certain things.

Do you think Mayweather-Pacquiao happens and who wins?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Do I think the fight will happen? I think the fight should happen. I don’t know if the fight will happen. Right now is the perfect time because after Pacquiao’s fight with Marquez, the fight with Mayweather kind of went down but now Pacquiao is coming off two great wins, actually three great wins, with myself included. I think he has redeemed himself – he beat two undefeated champions this year, myself and Chris Algieri — and Brandon Rios last year Manny is definitely a big threat in the sport still, still a top dog and I think he will be a threat to Mayweather, I honestly do. I think he can clip Mayweather. I think it’s a 50/50 fight and I think it should happen. We have to wait and see if they can put it together. I think it makes sense. I think the fight does over three million pay-per-view pay-per-view buys and it’s the fight that everybody wants to see and I think its great for boxing.

Do you have a final word on your first Pacquiao fight?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I’m glad it’s over. Manny Pacquiao is one true fighter. He is one of the greats and he will be remembered for a long time. He is a living legend and a fantastic person in and out of the ring. He’s a great fighter and much respect to him and his team.

Joel, do you know the timing schedule for both cards on the 13th?

JOE DIAZ: When I was called they told me they were going to make it possible. They were going to have Victor fighting early, about 5 or 6 o’clock.

If you are in the ring with Victor at 4, the start of that show and Tim is not in the ring till close to 9 PT.

JOEL DIAZ: It shouldn’t be a problem then. If that’s the time and schedule then it shouldn’t be a problem. If that’s the time I will try to be there. I would like to be there with Victor. Since he came here and since I have been working with him, he is showing me what I want. He is showing me my style of fighting and that’s what I want to see. I want to see a new Victor. You are going to see a new Victor inside and outside of the ring.

When do you need to know the timing of the fights?

JOEL DIAZ: By the time we get to Vegas I will know. By Wednesday I will have all of that information.

Tim, how do you feel about Joel being over there for a couple hours?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I am a big boy. I got this, man, no problem. As long as my trainer is back in time to be in my corner and to guide me, I’m good.

Were the two of you in the ring together?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: No, I have my own gym and Victor has his own schedule. We keep out schedules separate but I was able to talk to Victor. He’s a very nice kid, very humble. I learned a lot just from talking to him and he learned a lot from me. We are just trying to help each other. It doesn’t matter that we are in the same weight class, it doesn’t really matter. We are a team now and if he remains part of the team I will never fight Victor Ortiz.

How do you get ready to fight a guy like Chaves who doesn’t even think he is doing anything wrong?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: In training camp we work on things, intangibles that a lot of other fighters don’t even work on. We prepare for every aspect of what the other fighter is bringing. We know he is dirty and we have prepared ourselves for the dirty tactics and the things that he likes to do, we have stuff to alter that. We know what he likes to do – wrap around, scrape the eyes, hit with the elbows – we are ready for all of that. I am ready to alter that and hopefully we have a really good referee in there to take care of the action and to speak to both fighters before we get in there and control the action early on. So then Chaves won’t have the opportunity to get dirty.

Joel will you have to spend a lot of time with the referee to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand?

JOEL DIAZ: We are going to bring it up to the referee. Obviously that is a concern. Chaves has a pattern from the last fight but at the same time, if you look at it, it could work against us or it could work in our favor. This is his third opportunity coming to the United States for a big fight and everybody knows he is a dirty fighter. He might come back with a different mentality, we don’t know but we’ve got to be ready for it. Of course I am going to bring it up to the referee and I’m going to be very aware. In the corner I am going to be very aggressive, not only with the fighters but with the referee. If I see anything that is not right for my fighter, I am always going to be on the ref, every round.

Have you fought a dirty fighter before?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I really haven’t fought guys that were extremely dirty. I have as an amateur. I have been in the ring sparring with guys that are really dirty. I just keep my composure most of the time. Bring it up to the referee and let him know what he’s doing. If I react, the referee is going to see the retaliation and then he is going to warn me. As long as I stay relaxed and bring awareness to the referee that he is doing this and doing that and as long as he doesn’t get too rough in there so that I don’t have to refrain from doing what I do. I am an eye for an eye type of guy man, and if the referee isn’t doing his job the I have to do my thing. Just like I tell all of the athletes that I work with in football – protect yourself – learn to protect yourself. Diego Chaves isn’t going to like it when I come back at him. I am just going to say that right here, right now. The referee better be a good referee and he better be in control of the match.

On Saturday you are being inducted into The Palm Springs Walk of Stars?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: That is crazy. I was born at a hospital, which is not even a mile away from the spot where I am actually going to be inducted into the Walk of Stars of Palm Springs. I am getting a Golden Palm Star in my name as a humanitarian as well as a professional fighter. It’s amazing and it’s unbelievable. I can’t believe it. Palm Springs is an historic city, very historic. We have a big statue of Marylyn Monroe that just came through that brought many tourists from around the world and they come into Palm Springs because of the great weather in the wintertime and I’m going to be a part of that. They are going to be actually walking on Tim Bradley.

Are there other stars there that catch your eye?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Suzanne Summers, Sonny Bono, Marylyn Monroe – those are the names that I can recall, but it’s huge. It’s a huge deal for me. I’ll be the 377th Star on the Walk. Every Thursday I walk down there and look at the stars and think one day I can do good and do good for the community and earn the respect from all of the people and maybe one day. I was born and raised in North Palm Springs and coming from that type of area and that type of environment is unbelievable. I have a brother and a dad and I am down there with all of those super wealthy people. I am like, ‘You sure you want to put me down there with those people?’

Is Joel next?

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Yes, you see Joel has many more years to accomplish that but for me it’s a short time. Boxing is very short, so I am happy that I got in now. Once my boxing career is over Joel will still be relevant and training many fighters and future world champions,

JOEL DIAZ: My star will be right there where they have Marylyn Monroe’s.

In Closing…

CARL MORETTI: We are all good and really looking forward to next Saturday night. Thanks to HBO, Tecate and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. We have three really intriguing fights that are going to lead to bigger fights in 2015, but they’ve got to win them and that we will find out next Saturday.

JOEL DIAZ: Most of all I want to thank Top Rank and all you guys that make it possible for us to a part of this event – HBO and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Tim who gives me headaches at times but make is all possible. It’s great being here and being part of this great moment and having Timothy back in the ring again before the end of the year. So we will be great for the holidays and enjoy our families.

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Joel, you sound like my wife saying I give you headaches, and that’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s part of the business. Thanks to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and thanks to Top Rank and HBO. I want to thank Diego Chaves and his team for taking this fight. I’m looking forward to a great night of boxing on the 13th. I can’t wait to get back in the ring – a lot of people have been waiting on me to get back. I’m excited to get back so tune in to HBO, LIVE, to watch a real fight – Timothy Bradley versus Diego Chaves.

*************************

World championship boxing returns to The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas next week! Former two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY, JR. is back in the ring, facing one-time interim world champion DIEGO “La Joya” CHAVES, in a 12-round welterweight rumble. The co-main events will feature two world championship battles — World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super lightweight champion MAURICIO “El Maestro” HERRERA defends his title against undefeated Top-10 contender JOSE BENAVIDEZ, JR. and top-rated contenders MATT KOROBOV and ANDY LEE go mano a mano for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight crown. All three fights will be televised live, Saturday, December 13, on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Tecate, remaining tickets to the Bradley-Chaves/Herrera-Benavidez/Korobov-Lee world championship event are priced at $40, $60, $100, $125 and $150, and available for purchase at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/ or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 and www.ticketmaster.com/. Room / ticket packages are also available.

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

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan.

PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. — The Palm Springs Walk of Stars will honor former two-division world champion professional boxer, humanitarian and Coachella Valley resident, TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY JR., with the 377th Golden Palm Star on The Palm Springs Walk of Stars during a star dedication ceremony This Saturday! December 6, at Noon PT, at 110 N. Palm Canyon Drive. The public and media are invited to attend the star dedication ceremony.

Bradley (31-1, 12 KOs), a former WBO welterweight champion and two-time WBO/WBC junior welterweight champion, is in training for his ring return, a 12-round welterweight battle against one-time interim welterweight world champion DIEGO “La Joya” CHAVES (23-2, 19 KOs), of Buenos Aires, which will take place on Saturday, December 13 inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Trained by former title contender Joel Díaz, Bradley holds notable victories over Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Márquez, Devon Alexander, Ruslan Provodnikov and Junior Witter. He is currently rated No. 5 on The Ring’s Pound for Pound list.

Born in Palm Springs, Calif., Bradley grew up in nearby Cathedral City, and went to Cathedral City High School. He helped start Cathedral City Junior All American Football and Cheer League for the youth where he was formerly the president as well as a coach. Prior to becoming a professional boxer, Bradley worked as a dishwasher and as a waiter. He married his high school friend, Monica Manzo in 2010. Bradley has spent countless hours volunteering as a youth mentor at the local Coachella Valley Boys & Girls Club and is an assistant coach for the All American Junior Pee-Wee Youth Football Association. The Coachella Valley congratulates Bradley for his accomplishments and his dedication to public service.

“We are very proud to honor Timothy Bradley Jr. with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars” said Bob Alexander, President of the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.

The Palm Springs Walk of Stars, founded in 1992, has honored 376 individuals with a Golden Palm Star placed on the sidewalks of Palm Springs. Show business Honorees must have made an impact worldwide in the area of show business. All other star honorees must have contributed to the charm, worldwide prominence and name recognition of Greater Palm Springs.

More information available at www.palmspringswalkofstars.com.

***********************

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Tecate, remaining tickets to the Bradley-Chaves/Herrera-Benavidez/Korobov-Lee world championship event are priced at $40, $60, $100, $125 and $150, and available for purchase at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/ or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 and www.ticketmaster.com/. Room/ticket packages are also available.

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

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan.

Nov. 7, 2014 – Leading up to the highly anticipated welterweight world title bout between Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri – set for Saturday, November 22 and presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View® – HBO Sports will present the exclusive replay of two compelling showdowns that highlight the remarkable skill and will of these combatants.

On Friday, Nov. 14 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, Nov. 15 at 8:15 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Pacquiao vs. Bradley II 2014 and Algieri vs. Provodnikov 2014 back-to-back. On April 12, 2014 in the bright spotlight of Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao avenged his controversial loss with a dominating performance over then undefeated Timothy Bradley in their championship title rematch. Last June in Brooklyn, NY, Algieri displayed incredible fortitude and ring skills by rebounding from an opening round onslaught to upset 140-pound title-holder Ruslan Provodnikov in one of the year’s most remarkable triumphs.

Both fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, Nov. 10.

Pacquiao vs. Algieri takes place Saturday, November 22 and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

LAS VEGAS, NV. (October 23, 2014) – The exciting world championship boxing event, featuring the Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley vs. Diego “La Joya” Chaves 12-round welterweight rumble and the MAURICIO “El Maestro” HERRERA vs. JOSE BENAVIDEZ, JR. World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim Super Lightweight World Championship, taking place Saturday, December 13, inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (3708 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109), has added another world title fight to its stellar card. Top-rated contenders MATT KOROBOV and ANDY LEE will battle for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Championship. The tripleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. EST/PST.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Tecate, tickets to the Bradley-Chaves/Herrera-Benavidez/Korobov-Lee world championship event go on sale Tomorrow! Friday, October 24, at 10:00 a.m. PDT. Priced at $40, $60, $100, $125 and $150, tickets will be available for purchase at www.cosmopolitan.com or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 and www.tickermaster.com. Room/ticket packages will also be available.

“Matt Korobov and Andy Lee will thrill fans in their battle for World Middleweight Championship at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Adding this bout to the already stacked December 13 show featuring Timothy Bradley vs. Diego Chaves and Jose Benavidez vs. Mauricio Herrera makes this an incredible triple header and a wonderful way to close out the year.” said Todd duBoef, president, Top Rank.

“Andy Lee is legitimately one of the best middleweights in the world and he will prove that when he defeats Matt Korobov,” said Lou DiBella. “Korobov-Lee is an evenly matched fight that is sure to bring fireworks. December 13 will be a great night for boxing fans.”

Korobov (24-0, 13 KOs), a 2008 Russian Olympian and stellar amateur, made his long-awaited HBO debut in his last fight which took place on June 28. In a battle of undefeated contenders, Korobov won a unanimous decision over Jose Uzcategui (22-0, 18 KOs), to capture the WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title. Uzcategui had stopped 10 of his 11 previous opponents before that. Now based in St, Petersburg, Fla., Korobov, a six-year veteran of the pro ranks, enters this fight having won three of his last five fights by knockout, including a sixth-round stoppage of Emil Gonzalez on April 16. Korobov is currently world-rated No. 1 by the WBO.

Lee (33-2, 23 KOs), who at 6’2, is three inches taller than Korobov, was born in London but is Irish of heritage. Ireland’s sole boxing representative in the 2004 Olympics, Lee made his professional debut in 2006, winning a six-round decision over Anthony Cannon. Trained at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit by the late Hall of Fame inductee Emanuel Steward, who referred to Lee as “my left-handed Tommy Hearns,” Lee possesses exceptional skills, speed and movement, complemented by good punching power and experience against good opposition. He enters this fight riding a two-year, five-bout winning streak with three of those victories coming inside the distance since unsuccessfully challenging previously-undefeated defending World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in 2012. In his last fight, on June 7, Lee knocked out once-beaten John Jackson (18-1, 15 KOs) in the fifth round. Lee is world-rated No. 4 by the WBO.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/trboxeo, www.facebook.com/goldenboyboxing, www.facebook.com/dibellaentertainment or facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing,twitter.com/trboxeo, www.twitter.com/goldenboyboxing, www.twitter.com/dibellaent or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #BradleyChaves to join the conversation on Twitter.

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan.

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 20, 2014) — Former two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY JR. returns to the ring where he will battle one-time interim welterweight world champion DIEGO “La Joya” CHAVES in a 12-round welterweight rumble, Saturday, December 13, inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (3708 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109). The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. EST/PST. The telecast will open with World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim Super Lightweight World Champion MAURICIO “El Maestro” HERRERA defending his title against undefeated contender JOSE BENAVIDEZ, JR.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 96-7 (53 KOs) — a winning ratio of 93% with over half of those victories coming by way knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Golden Boy Promotions and Tecate, tickets to the Bradley-Chaves/Herrera-Benavidez world championship event go on sale Friday, October 24 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. Priced at $40, $60, $100, $125 and $150, tickets will be available for purchase at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/ or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 and www.ticketmaster.com/. Room/ticket packages will also be available.

“I’m excited to get back into the ring and showcase myself,” Bradley told ESPN.com. “Chaves is not that well known but the boxing fans know him. The boxing fans know that this guy can fight and that it won’t be a walk in the park for me. I think it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait.”

“I give Timothy Bradley all the credit in the world for coming back after his first loss to face me, especially after seeing how I hurt Brandon Rios in my last fight,” said Chaves. “We both have a lot to prove on December 13. If Bradley thought he had it rough against Ruslan Provodnikov, wait until he collides with me.”

“I’m so happy that this fight was made and I get to showcase my skills once again on a huge stage,” said Herrera. “I’m coming off of one of the most important wins of my career and I plan on using that momentum to defend my title and convincingly defeat Benavidez on December 13.”

I’m obviously excited and grateful for the opportunity to fight for the title. It’s something I’ve worked for since I was a kid,” said Benavidez. “I know I’ll be bringing the title back to Phoenix with me. I have heard Herrera is looking past me and talking about moving up in weight when he wins, and I’m sorry that I’ll be disrupting those plans on December 13th.”

“Tim Bradley’s return to the ring may be taking place at the end of the year but it’s the beginning of a new and exciting phase of the boxing career of one of the sport’s elite fighters, a man who has held a world title every year dating back to 2008,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “Diego Chaves came so close when he faced Brandon Rios in his last fight and I anticipate seeing that same intensity and aggressiveness when he faces Tim. This will be a war. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will once again be hosting boxing at the highest level on December 13 and the world will be able to watch it on HBO.”

“So much hangs in the balance for both of these fighters – Herrera’s WBA Super Lightweight World Title, Benavidez’ undefeated record and much more,” said Golden Boy Founder and President Oscar De La Hoya. “With Herrera’s straight-ahead style against Benavidez’ Olympic pedigree, we have all the makings of a fantastic fight for fans.”

“There is no better way to present boxing fans with a pre-holiday gift than to feature the return of Timothy Bradley Jr. headlining an attractive card on World Championship Boxing, Live on HBO,” said Peter Nelson, Vice President of Programming, HBO Sports. “Bradley squares off against Diego Chaves, whose in-your-face style of fighting will keep Tim on his toes the entire night. And we anticipate fireworks from the rest of the telecast action.”

Bradley (31-1, 12 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., a former two-division world champion who unified the junior welterweight titles twice during his previous four-year reign, returns to the ring after suffering his first professional loss, in his welterweight championship rematch against Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao last April. Before the Pacquiao rematch, Bradley posted three consecutive career-best victories. After moving up in weight and beating Pacquiao in 2012 to capture the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown, Bradley co-starred in the Fight of the Year on March16, 2013, winning a brutal 12-round decision over future world champion Ruslan Provodnikov though Bradley was suffering from a concussion throughout most of the fight. In his most recent fight, on October 12, 2013, Bradley gave a virtuoso performance in defeating three-division world champion and Mexican icon Juan Manuel Márquez proving that Bradley is indeed one of boxing’s elite pound for pound fighters.

Chaves (23-2, 19 KOs), from Buenos Aires, is a power puncher who stalks his opponent with only one goal — THE KNOCKOUT! His victory by knockout ratio of 83% proves it is usually “mission accomplished” for him. Chaves made his Las Vegas debut on August 2 when he fought former world champion Brandon Rios at The Cosmopolitan. The fight was all blood and guts as both warriors tore into each other in a foul-filled bout that ended in the ninth round with Chaves being disqualified by referee Vic Drakulich. At the time of the stoppage, Chaves was ahead by one point on one scorecard and down one point on the other two cards. Chaves captured the WBA interim welterweight title in 2012, knocking out defending champion Ismael El Massoudi in the second round. Chaves’ one-year title reign included a successful title defense against José Miranda, where he scored another second-round stoppage. He lost the title to Keith Thurman July 23, 2013. Chaves began 2014 with a third-round TKO of Juan Godoy on February 15. He is currently world-rated No. 7 by the WBA and No. 10 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

Herrera (21-4, 7 KOs), from Riverside, Calif. and promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, will be making the first defense of his interim world title. He won the championship in his last fight, on July 12, dethroning Johan Perez via a majority decision in a fight that was as close as it was competitive. It was a victory made sweeter by the fact Herrera had lost his previous title shot, against undefeated unified super lightweight world champion Danny Garcia on March 15, via a controversial majority decision that many thought Herrera had won. Herrera’s professional resume includes impressive victories over former WBO Junior Welterweight World Champion Ruslan Provodnikov and former amateur standout Mike Dallas, who had a combined record of 34-1-1 when he faced them.

Benavidez (21-0, 15 KOs), from Phoenix, AZ, was a sensational amateur prospect, winning a Gold Medal at the 2009 National Golden Gloves Championships at the age of 16, the youngest fighter to ever win the National Golden Gloves Championships. He turned professional one year later, at age 17, where he became the youngest professional boxer to be licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He was granted an exception (the minimum age requirement was 18) because of his exceptional talent. After spending most of 2013 sidelined with a broken hand he has come back to win all three of his 2014 fights decisively, including a first-round TKO of Henry Auraad on July 26.

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

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan.

Interim Super Lightweight titlist Mauricio Herrera will defend his belt against undefeated prospect Jose Benavidez on December 13 as part of the Timothy Bradley – Diego Chaves televised undercard in Las Vegas.

“He’s ready to fish or cut bait,” said Benavidez promoter Bob Arum. “You got to take a shot at some point. He wanted this fight. You win, you go on; you lose, you go back to the drawing board. But at a certain point, you have to take that plunge. This is a good fight, and if he wins, he’s ready to fight anybody in the division.”

“Benavidez appears to be physically and mentally ready for this,” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti. “He knows he has a challenge in front of him. I don’t see at this point what two or three more fights would do to get him ready for a fight at this level, so we are taking the shot.”

Arum said he is working with HBO on a deal to turn the Dec. 13 card into a tripleheader by including Matt Korobov against Andy Lee for the middleweight world title Peter Quillin recently vacated.

According to Arum and Lee promoter Lou DiBella, both sides have agreed to take the fight but no deal can be finalized until HBO agrees to put the fight on and comes to an agreement on a license fee.

“Andy wants this opportunity,” DiBella said. “We like the fight. We think it’s a winnable fight and quality matchup. The numbers for the fight aren’t done but we’ve told them we will do the fight.”

Moretti said they were waiting for an answer from HBO, which has been mulling it over for about a week.

Korobov-Lee was initially ticketed to take place Dec. 13 in Ireland on a Frank Warren-promoted card, but Arum said those plans fell through.

“I think it’s a terrific fight and I can’t wait to see it. That’s how I judge a fight,” Arum said. “Who the hell knows who will win the fight? HBO is interested, and I hope we will get it done.”

“Even though it’s two lefties, their styles should make for a very entertaining fight in the ring,” Moretti said. “Andy Lee has a little bit more experience and has shown the ability to come back from adversity like he did with one punch against Jackson. And this is the opportunity that Korobov has been training his whole life for, a shot at a world title.”

Former two-division champion Timotht Bradley will take on Diego Chaves on December 13 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas and will be televised on HBO according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m excited to get back into the ring and showcase myself,” Bradley told ESPN.com on Thursday night. “Chaves is not that well known but the boxing fans know him. The boxing fans know that this guy can fight and that it won’t be a walk in the park for me. I think it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait.”

“My mindset is I can’t sit here and beat myself up over a loss to Manny Pacquiao,” Bradley said. “He’s one of the greatest fighters of this generation. I can look back and see what I did wrong and say, ‘I shoulda done this or I shoulda done that.’ But I know I’m a world-class fighter.

“I went 24 rounds with Manny Pacquiao, and he never really hurt me. I took Ruslan Provodnikov’s best shots [in a decision win], I took Manny Pacquiao’s best shots, and I took [Juan Manuel] Marquez’s best shots and beat him, too. I know I can take Diego Chaves’ best shots. I know I can hang with the best of them.”

“It’s an interesting fight. We know Tim Bradley is a great fighter, and I think with Rios-Chaves, things got out of hand, but Chaves proved what a worthy warrior he was in the fight,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who represents Bradley. “We made a deal with his people in Argentina. We established a good relationship doing the Rios fight and we were able to make this deal.”

“Thankfully, we’ll have no visa drama this time around, which I think will allow Chaves to give a better performance,” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti. “Physically and mentally, we all expect to see a better performance. For Tim, well, he’ll be ready as he always is, but I think there’s some pressure on him to perform like he did against Juan Manuel Marquez, not [like he did against] Pacquiao. Given that, I think he will.”

“Chaves is definitely a world-class fighter,” Bradley said. “He showed it when he stepped up against Keith Thurman, who, in my eyes, is also a world-class fighter. Chaves lost that fight but he lost to a helluva fighter. Diego Chaves is no slouch. He is a real fighter and he can slug it out with anyone. A lot of people thought he was winning the Rios fight before the disqualification.

“I’m going to watch the Rios fight but I have seen the fight with Thurman and he has a lot of skills and is a really good puncher. It’s gonna be another tough fight. I think it could be another Provodnikov fight. This is another tough challenge for myself. But I want challenges and I want to fight top fighters and give fans exciting fights. You know me — I’ll fight anyone. Just pay me. I don’t give a crap. Bring it on. They said, ‘Diego Chaves.’ I was like, I’ll fight him. Don’t care. Let’s go.”

By Bart Barry-

LAS VEGAS – Having scored the first match between American Timothy Bradley and Filipino Manny Pacquiao the wrong way from ringside, I found myself situated in a spot from which scoring was impossible at the rematch. With the back wall as my headrest, peering at the ring from a seat meters above the ceiling camera and a full level above a concourse kiosk advertising binocular rentals, I saw Pacquiao and Bradley approximate the choreography of modern dance, which approximates the behavior of molecules in an excited state: colliding, racing apart, reversing course, colliding again, racing apart.

Pacquiao won a fair and unanimous decision at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Saturday, in a match more competitive than great, a balletic sort of confrontation that required a 12th round headbutt to make either guy’s face look as a prizefighter’s should. Neither guy landed cleanly a fraction his power punches, and the match was marked more by hollowed-out suspense than building drama.

Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley fought like grade-A natural athletes, tested and stamped Certified. For the first time in years, a spectator could watch a championship prizefight and assume from the data his eyes sent him, instead of what haranguing an agency or promoter or reporter did him, the two men making combat were not using performance-enhancing drugs. They appeared slow, inaccurate and generally winded much of the night. Gone was the Filipino wildcat who haunted trainer Nacho Beristain’s preparatory ruminations, and likely still haunts Erik Morales’ conscious thoughts. In his stead was a comparatively docile veteran who didn’t miss openings presented him when he went for them, and generally did not go for them.

Round 2 was the best Pacquiao and Bradley had made in their first 42 minutes of trying and better than anything they made in their next half hour. It was final evidence Pacquiao no longer has a three-minute round in him and evidence, too, that for whatever reason – and overtraining cannot be ruled out – Timothy Bradley cannot go a hard 36 minutes either; Bradley’s strategy was about conditioning, all about making Pacquiao fight more frantically than he wanted to, tossing punches at a pace unfamiliar to any version of Pacquiao over 130 pounds. It was the very thing, too, and Bradley sensed it and went for it, bringing what he once called “the dog” out, snarling and nipping, never imperiling exactly, but leveraging punches with his all body to make the other guy wilt.

If Pacquiao did not wilt, in rounds 3 and 4 he did wonder why the hell he had to keep doing this violent thing, and why he’ll have to do it for the foreseeable future, and where his fortune went. That happened after Pacquiao finally found Bradley in round 2 with his signature jab-feint-jab-cross combination, the one with which he felled everyone from Marco Antonio Barrera to Juan Manuel Marquez, and multiple times each, too, and Bradley did what everyone will now do in retaliation: Set his weight on his back foot and wing his right hand in a baseball pitcher’s homage to Marquez. The punch didn’t land, not till the fourth, but it made Pacquiao stop and ponder things in a way he never did in his prime.

The gambit worked too well for Bradley, and for the next seven or so minutes he threw his right hand with an enthusiasm so reckless it surely was a missed right in round 4, or early in round 5, that caused his calf muscle to sever and lump beneath him. Afterwards Bradley insisted his plunged activity level was not a matter of conditioning, and that is at least partially believable – although one must imagine how it saps a man’s stamina and fighting spirit to have to stop punches that hit only air. Stopping one’s own punches, after all, is a contingency for which no man trains; to replicate its effect, a trainer would have to yank a heavy bag entirely out his charge’s way on the final punch of each combination.

It took Pacquiao about six minutes – or 5:30 longer than it once might have – to realize Bradley was diminished. Pacquiao may not have thrown a punch in the opening minute of round 6. Round 11 brought justifiable boos from a slightly exasperated MGM Grand crowd, an acknowledgement Bradley no longer had the wherewithal to make a fight with Pacquiao, and Pacquiao was evidently scoring rounds in his head, locking in early leads and protecting them from a guy uninterested in taking them away.

The 12th was a competitive stanza between two good guys who like one another and like competing and really like the paychecks pay-per-view matches bring them but do not see any particular reason to endanger others unnecessarily. Each threw hard punches and hoped for a knockout, but finally it was a relenting sort of Timothy Bradley that Devon Alexander would have appreciated greatly, and a kindhearted sort of Manny Pacquiao that Erik Morales would have treated terribly. That brought a postfight scene long on words like “competitive” and short on words like “great” because, frankly, nobody believed Saturday’s match determined the world’s best welterweight.

As everyone at MGM Grand got reminded constantly all week, the world’s best welterweight is Floyd Mayweather, and he has a shrine window in the front entrance of MGM Grand to prove it. Mayweather’s countenance was ubiquitous during Pacquiao fight week – as promoter Bob Arum reminded everyone, in a show of indefatigability his main-event fighters could not emulate – and that is more than partially attributable to the casino’s sorrowful financial state; walking round and looking for postfight dining, one suspected that for a nominal fee the casino would have hung “Steve Wynn Wants You” posters with the hometown entrepreneur, and MGM competitor, pointing his finger in top-hat and tails.

Mayweather’s group took advantage of MGM’s finances in a move that was tacky, sure. But then, what in Vegas isn’t?

*

Editor’s note: The photo above is part of an extraordinary tapestry sewn by the Canadian artist Sola Fiedler and exhibited at Trifecta Gallery in the 18b Las Vegas Arts District.

*

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

It’s a special edition of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® when HBO Sports presents TIMOTHY BRADLEY JR. VS. MANNY PACQUIAO 2, the replay of their high stakes world welterweight title fight, SATURDAY, APRIL 19 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO. The HBO Sports team, which was ringside for the live coverage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, calls all the action. The telecast will be available in HDTV.

The highly anticipated rematch between two of boxing’s most accomplished pros was carried live Saturday, April 12 on HBO Pay-Per-View.®

Immediately following the replay, HBO will present the season premiere of the boxing studio program THE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY at 12:15 a.m. (ET/PT).

Other HBO playdates: Apr. 20(9:00 a.m.) and 22 (1:00 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Apr. 20 (5:45 p.m.) and 21 (11:00 p .m.)

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LAS VEGAS – It wasn’t everything Manny Pacquiao promised. But it was enough, more than enough to put his Filipino presidential ambitions on hold.

Pacquiao’s boxing career and his place in the pound-for-pound debate stayed very much alive with a unanimous decision Saturday night over Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand.

A piece of the welterweight title lost in a controversial split decision in 2012 is back in Pacquiao’s possession with the victory over Bradley.

This time, there was no argument. The judges were unanimous. Glenn Trowbridge scored it, 118-110. Michael Pernick and Craig Metcalf had it 116-112 each, all for Pacquiao. There was unanimity on both sides of the ropes.

There was no argument from Bradley, who congratulated Pacquiao in the center of the ring after the scores were announced.

“No excuses, no excuse at all,’’ Bradley said at the post-fight news conference while reporters waited for Pacquiao to appear after getting stitched up for a cut above an eye.

Pacquiao had promised, or perhaps expected, to win by knockout. His trainer, Freddie Roach, predicted one. The compassionate Pacquaio would not answer the opening bell, Roach said. But the KO prophesy was never fulfilled.

“I tried,’’ Pacquiao (56-6-2, 38 KOs) said in the middle of the ring. “I really wanted that knockout.’’

Against the tough Bradley, a knockout was too much to expect. Bradley (31-1, 12 KOs) lost for the first time. Yet, he still has never been stopped.

For Pacquiao, the victory was a step in growing older. Some of his quickness has vanished like grains of sand in an hourglass. But time has turned him into more of a thinking fighter.

“His punches were harder in the first fight than they were this time,’’ Bradley said. “The difference this time was his experience.’’

Pacquiao adjusted in the face of wild, awkward shots from Bradley

“That’s when I knew I had to go down the middle,’’ said Pacquiao, who will collect a $20-million guarantee for his 12 rounds of work in regaining the World Boxing Organization’s title.

After opening the fight with a lot of side-to-side movement, he walked into a head-rocking punch from Bradley in the fourth. It was a sure sign that it was time for an adjustment.

Even without the key adjustment, Bradley’s chances at a victory that would have validated his split decision nearly two years ago might have been eliminated in the first round. After the first three minutes, Bradley told trainer Joel Diaz that he thought he sustained an injury to his right hamstring. For Bradley, it must have felt like déjà vu all over again. On his June 9, 2012 decision over Pacquiao he suffered injuries to both feet. There was no update about the severity of the injury during the post-fight news conference. Bradley didn’t want to talk about it.

“This sort of thing happens in big fights,’’ Diaz said. “But our plan was to dominate Manny. With something like that happening so early in the fight, we just couldn’t do that.’’

No argument about that either.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Manny Pacquiao 145 – Timothy Bradley 145.5
Ray Beltran 134.5 – Arash Usmanee 135
Bryan Vasquez 130 – Jose Felix 130
Oscar Valdez 129 – Adrian Perez 130

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS – It’s a fight without a villain. Timothy Bradley tried to play the role Friday at the weigh-in for his rematch with Manny Pacquiao. He arrived on stage wearing black and to pounding rap. His eyes were hidden by sunglasses. His headphones were an appropriate red. But only the Devil wears Prada. There’s no costume to hide the good guy in Bradley.

He beckoned the crowd to boo with friendly gestures. The Pacquiao partisans among the estimated 4,500 tried comply, but their booing had a hollow ring. There was none of the genuine passion you heard when Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought Oscar De La Hoya or when fought Mike Tyson fought just about anybody. Take off the sunglasses, remove the headphones, and there’s that Bradley smile. It even made Pacquiao grin when both engaged in the ritual face-off for the cameras.

Bradley promised Pacquao that he would knock him knock out. But Pacquiao said nothing. He just smiled back at his business partner. Their sequel Saturday night at MGM Grand is scripted to include violence, perhaps more controversy and maybe even a knockout. But at this moment they were what they have always been and will be: Friends.

If styles make fights, dignity makes this one.

“He’s ready,” Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) said of the look in Pacquiao’s eyes after he tipped the scales at 145.5 pounds, half-a-pound heavier than the Filipino Congressman. “He’s fierce, he looked ready and determined for the fight.”

In other words, Bradley, who is guaranteed $6 million, liked what he saw. He and his trainer, Joel Diaz, have called themselves Pacquiao fans. In part, that means they hope to encounter the best possible Pacquiao. Friends, after all, don’t disappoint.

Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs), whose guarantee is $20 million, was reminded of Bradley’s promise to score a stoppage that would eliminate any repeat of the controversy that engulfed Bradley after he won by a split-decision in June 2012.

“Well, he’ll have to prove it in the ring,” said Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs), who hasn’t scored a knockout in seven straight fights. “That’s where he’s going to have to try to knock me out. But I’m prepared for that. A lot of people tell me that they’re going to knock me out, but it’s another thing to do it.

“‘He said ‘Let’s do this, let’s do this’ and I said, ‘Okay.’ I have to finish business in the ring this time. I’m happy to be back in Las Vegas again. I have peace of mind. No worries. There will just be rest, prayer and belief.”

And after it’s all over, a likely friend.

That sounds like a pretty good decision no matter what the scorecards say.

LUNCH WITH COTTO: Miguel Cotto, who has been training alongside Manny Pacquiao this week in Las Vegas, met the media Friday at the MGM Grand to talk about his June 7 middleweight clash with Sergio Martinez at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Cotto’s trademark poise and understated confidence was there, as always. Roach, he said, has re-energized him and helped correct some bad habits he picked up over his long career. He also wasn’t worried that Martinez might target some facial scars in an attempt to open up some old wounds.

“I’m a boxer,’’ Cotto said. “I’ve bled before. I’ve found out the way to work with the bleeding on my face in the fight. If that happens on June 7, I’m going to be able to work with it again and beat him.’’

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

It’s another nail-biter with Pacquiao and Bradley waging a fight of the year type bout. I just think Bradley is on the upswing, swelling with confidence after his two recent wins while Pacquiao is on the way down. As a result, I see Bradley controlling the bout with his superior boxing ability and winning a split decision, further nudging Pacquiao off the stage of the world’s top fighters.
– Mitch Abramson, New York Daily News

Pacquiao W 12 Bradley: What’s the saying about awakening a sleeping giant? Bradley has been on the verbal offensive lately, and may be one of the few Pacquiao opponents to have succeeded in crawling under the Filipino Congressman’s skin. If, as Bradley says, the Pacquiao fire has been extinguished lately – “Desert Storm” has rekindled it. Look for a refocused, aggressive “Pac-Man” to force the issue – disregarding Bradley’s average punching power. He’ll hurt Bradley early, put him in a defensive posture for much of the fight, and survive the late-rounds rally to win a split decision.
– Matthew Aguilar, El Paso Times

Pacquiao via decision. I see Bradley trying to prove something after the controversy of their first encounter and being drawn into the trenches by the refocused Filipino. The superior speed and work-rate of Pacquiao earns him the nod. The ‘couch scorecard’ of C.J. Ross does not count.
– Mark Butcher, Boxing Monthly

Although he was clearly handled by Pacquiao in their first meeting — despite the judges’ scores — the ensuing two years have been kinder to Bradley, who has evolved into a versatile and dynamic boxer with the fearlessness of a puncher. Bradley wins close split decision in a true pick ’em fight.
– Brian Campbell, ESPN.com

In picking a fight, we often talk about physical assets and strengths. But I think this fight has a lot to do with each fighter’s mindset. Particularly, Pacquiao’s. Manny Pacquiao has to win this fight, and he knows it. What he also knows, is that he won the first fight. (I also had him winning the fight) That is a huge advantage in a rematch. On the flip side, despite everything he has been saying, I believe that Timothy Bradley is not really sure he won that first fight. This may be Pacquiao’s last great night in the ring. But he will have a great night Saturday, winning a clear unanimous decision over Bradley. ?
-Bobby Cassidy, Newsday

Pacquiao by decision. Manny Pacquiao will prove this time that he is the best between the two, but it won’t be easy because Bradley is also looking for respect among boxing fans. It will be a much closer fight than the first one.
-Eduard Cauich, Hoy!

I expect a closer fight than the first one (scorecards be damned), as Bradley should have two good wheels for this one and is coming off the biggest (legitimate) win of his career. However, the loss to Bradley still stings Pacquiao and I expect to see the killer instinct finally return. Pacquiao should hurt and drop Bradley, but Bradley will have his moments, coming up just short. Pacquiao by Split Decision
– Mike Coppinger, RingTV.com

Tough call. Regardless of how people saw their first meeting, I think Bradley knows how to fight Pacquiao. And he only got better with those fights against Ruslan and Juan Manuel. So unless he gets caught early, I see the fight lasting the distance. Anybody’s game. Pacquiao wins on points and we’re on to a third fight.
– Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star

I like Pacquiao in a split decision close fight. Manny will be aggressive but Bradley will be better than the first time they met. The judges will also be better, and that will give Manny the win.
– Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press

Manny Pacquiao really does lose this time on a split points decision. The styles don’t gel. Pacquiao will want a war, Bradley will pick his shots. This is not the Manny Pacquiao of three years ago, tearing a strip off every opponent. There is a reason why Bradley is unbeaten. He finds a way. If it is God’s will, Pacquiao could earn a decision
victory. I had him winning 117-111 first time around against Bradley.
– Gareth A. Davies, The Daily Telegraph

Hopeless romantics will want Manny Pacquiao to return to his best, as the awesome force that swirled so violently in 2009 and 2010. But since letting Margarito go the distance, his high-five fest with Mosley, the loss to Bradley, the knockout by Marquez and his failure to stop Rios – who took a lot of punishment – then it is hard to see him returning to his best at the age of 35. Bradley, as he has consistently shown, is a hard nut to crack. And while I think Pacquiao won last time, I don’t think he will this time. Bradley on points.
– Tris Dixon, Boxing News

I was one of the few to pick Bradley by split decision the first time they fought – yet feel like I got it wrong, given the controversial nature of the final decision. This time, Tim leaves no doubt, winning an 8-4 type of fight. Bradley by Unanimous Decision.
– Jake Donovan, BoxingScene.com

It will be a great fight. Bradley should not be underrated. Pacquiao will win because he still is fast and he learned from the Marquez knockout
– Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times

Pacquiao might not be all that he was, and Bradley clearly is ascending, although I’m not sure that the intersection of those career paths has been reached. It would be no shocker if Bradley would make it 2-for-2 over “Pac-Man,” this one truly legitimate and beyond dispute. The guess here, though, is that Pacquiao still has enough tread on his tires to win on points, but close — majority or split decision.
– Bernard Fernandez, The Ring / TheSweetScience.com

I think Bradley will clearly outmanuever and outhustle Pacquiao in the majority of rounds, but a more intense and focused Pacman than the version Timmy faced in 2012 will have some strong moments in the fight. I think Pacquiao will rock Bradley at least once; he might score a knockdown. This will make the fight close on the official scorecards. I think most of the media will score the fight for Bradley, but the majority of the public will believe that Pacquiao once again deserved the nod. Bradley by Majority or Split Decision.
– Doug Fischer, RingTV.com

While I agree with the masses that Pacquiao deserved to win the first go-round in 2012, I also think the intervening two years have been kinder to Bradley. Particularly in his Marquez fight, he showed the varied skills he’ll need to handle a Manny who’s either still what he was back then, or a trifle diminished. He’s got speed, he’s got guts and he’s got the patience and the smarts to stick to a game plan that might make for a dull fight… but a successful ending. Give me Tim by a close decision, 115-113 let’s say, and get ready for the third match
– Lyle Fitzsimmons, CBSSports.com

Manny Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision. Pacquiao figures to get the scorecard victory he should have got the first time, but it won’t be as easy as nearly everybody but two judges thought it was. Above all, Timothy Bradley is a survivor. He’s not the best of his generation, but he has unrivaled versatility and smarts. To wit: He knows how to win the close ones. He beat Ruslan Provodnikov with blood-and-guts. Then, he beat Juan Manuel Marquez with tactics and patience. Show him a style and he’ll come up with adjustments for just enough points on the cards. That’s the challenge that awaits Pacquiao.
There’s talk Pacquiao has lost his edge. The theory is he’s grown too compassionate for his craft. Who knows? But he is older. That we do know. At 35, his reflexes aren’t as quick as they were. But they’re still quick enough to confuse, elude and score if he understands the differences and has learned how to make his own adjustments. It’s a process that can transform a young lion into a mature one. Different, yet still a lion. The guess here is that Pacquiao has made the transition and will deliver the proof on April 12.
– Norm Frauenheim, The Ring / 15Rounds,com

Bradley has matured as a fighter and will be much better prepared. Pacquiao seems a little too overconfident. Bradley by Decision.
– Leighton Ginn, The Desert Sun

This definitely won’t be an easy fight for Pacquiao or Bradley. It looks like it will go 12 rounds again and if it does, expect Pacquiao to emerge victorious this time. I’m not ruling out a stoppage win by Pacquiao though,. if indeed he is training like hell, Bradley is going to be in trouble. Pacquiao by KO within ten rounds. If he lands a perfect punch early, the fight will be over in four.
– Nick Giongco, Manila Bulletin

Bradley’s “victory” in the first fight, one of the more dumbfounding decisions in recent memory, informs the rematch with a built-in storyline. Problem is, it doesn’t make it a more competitive fight. I love Bradley. I think he’s a Hall of Famer. But Pacquiao is the worst possible matchup for him: just as fast and better defensively. It says here Pacquiao wins — again — in a fight that plays out much like the first. Pacquiao by unanimous decision.
– Bryan Armen Graham, Guardian U.S.

They say Manny Pacquiao has lost a lot in his advanced age. But why? Because he was too aggressive in a loss to Juan Manuel Marquez? Because judges gave Bradley a split decision that belonged to Pacquiao? That’s not proof of any large lost steps. Bradley is the best athlete Pacquiao has faced. If Pacquiao also winds up out-boxed, then we can say he’s lost a step. But that seems less than likely. Pacquiao by 10th Round TKO.
– Nick Groke, Denver Post

I am one of the few boxing writers who didn’t think Bradley’s decision over Pacquiao was that outrageous. Bradley seems to have improved since their last fight and I expect this long-awaited return will be close.
No doubt Manny will have learned much from his first meeting with Tim and that will probably be enough to get him revenge – but once again I expect it to go to the judges.
– Colin Hart, Hall of Fame Journalist

Manny Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision over Timothy Bradley. A motivated, rejuvenated Pacquiao will beat Bradley again, but this time he’ll get the decision he deserves. It won’t be as easy for Pacquiao as their first fight, though. Bradley’s ankle and foot injuries were big factors for much of that 12-round fight. A healthier Bradley will win rounds in this rematch and already has proven he can take Pacquiao’s power. His willingness to trade, especially at close range, still will cost Bradley valuable points on the scorecards. He’ll have his moments. He just won’t win enough rounds to come out ahead in what should be a highly competitive fight.
-Keith Idec, The Record

Bradley W12 — I believe Bradley’s confidence has soared after his wins over Provodnikov and Marquez. Bradley will avoid the ropes and keep the fight in the center of the ring, where his jab, lateral movement and boxing ability will carry the day.
– Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

I thought Pacman won the first fight, of course, and think he’ll not only win the rematch, he’ll get the decision.
– Michael Katz, Hall of Fame Journalist

Manny by TKO in the 11th round.
– Mark Kriegel, Author of The Good Son: The Life of Ray Mancini

I like Pacquiao by hard-fought decision in what is a very good fight. I think this time around Manny doesn’t let up in the late rounds and continues to punch in volume throughout
– Steve Kim, MaxBoxing.com

Bradley by decision. Will be easier the second time around
-Thom Loverro, The Washington Times

Mark it down, Manny by decision. Almost the KO, but settles for a unanimous decision.
-Chris Maathuis, KLAS-TV

PACQUIAO BY UNANIMOUS DECISION. I had Manny up by 2 rounds in their
first fight. Even though he out-landed Bradley, in the middle rounds his activity level slumped after the 6th stanza. Manny is inspired for this one and I believe he will consistently press the attack this time around. In their first fight, Bradley was often able to slip Pacquiao’s 3rd and 4th punches. The Pacman has to change that on Saturday night and score his signature long combinations. Pacquiao has no respect for Bradley’s power – which is both a plus and a minus. The minus is, of course, that Bradley could surprise him with a potent counter-right. The plus is that the power differential will make
Pacquiao more comfortable staying in the pocket and throwing punches in bunches. Either way, I can’t wait for this one – two amazing fighters and ambassadors for boxing.
– Gordon Marino, The Wall Street Journal

Based on his dynamic boxing ability and his will to do whatever it takes to win, and the age difference, Bradley. Based on his amazing career and his ability to reinvent himself, and the old saying that every great fighter has one great fight left in him, Pacquaio.
– Larry Merchant, Hall of Fame Journalist

My feeling at the moment, before seeing the fighters next week, is a late stoppage by Pacquiao. So much to prove, too much to lose, so much to gain…..and will feel he can’t trust leaving it to the judges this time.
– Jeff Powell, Daily Mail

I think it will be a close fight again, but I will be rooting for my friend Manny Pacquaio. He needs to prove to everybody that he won this fight already the first time around, and I think he will!
– Ruslan Provodnikov, WBO junior welterweight champion

Pacquiao won the first fight easily and got robbed of the decision. In the rematch, he will get the decision. Pacquiao W12.
-Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Tim Bradley by Split Decision : This will happen if Bradley fights the way that he did in his last appearance, which was the split-decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez.
If Bradley does that, then the only reason for him not to get the decision is if the judges get it wrong, like they did in Bradley-Pacquiao I, which I saw as a close fight and had Pacquiao winning, 115-113. I Bradley is all there, mentally, I see a scenario similar to Michael Spinks’ repeat victories over Larry Holmes.
– Lem Satterfield, RingTV.com

Both fighters have something to prove in this one, but I believe Pacquiao has a greater need to win. His career is on the line. Unless Bradley decides to go toe-to-toe with Manny and slug it out, which I don’t think he will – I see him using Marquez’s counterpunching strategy and try to catch him as JMM did — I have no doubt that Manny will outwork him and prevail by unanimous decision.
– Bob Velin, USA Today

I think Tim Bradley will win another split decision, this one not as controversial, because he can box, move and take a punch — all prerequisites for dealing with Pacquiao.
– Mark Whicker, Orange County Register

Despite being viciously concussed during his fight with Ruslan Provodnikov, Timothy Bradley has gotten better, arguably a lot better, since he and Pacman faced off. Bradley in his last bout against Juan Manuel Marquez, proved to be master of his domain. He owns a newfound and potent brand of confidence which will show up on April 12. I see every round being ultra-close, and another judging snafu is entirely possible. For that reason, two of the three will punt, and we will see a draw. Yep, like kissin’ yer cousin…Which sets us up for a third tangle, which will get done after Manny and Marquez meet yet again!
– Michael Woods, TheSweetScience.com / ESPNNewYork.com

T O T A L
Pacquiao 23 / Bradley 13

*********************************

Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (55-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippines, and undefeated two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY (31-0, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., are just days away from their eagerly-anticipated WBO welterweight championship rematch This is Pacquiao’s first fight in the U.S. since 2012 as well as the first time Pacquiao has ever challenged to regain a world title he formerly held.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will take place, Tomorrow! Saturday, April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

When Pacquiao and Bradley rumbled the first time, on June 9, 2012 at MGM Grand, Bradley’s hand was raised via a controversial split decision, ending Pacquiao’s welterweight title reign as well as his seven-year, 15-bout winning streak. Though both fighters claimed victory neither was satisfied. Destiny may have played a hand in their first battle but it will be survival of the fittest that determines the winner of this exciting rematch.

Remaining tickets for Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 are priced at $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges. There will be a total ticket limit of 12 per person with a limit of 10 per person at the $1,000, $800, $600, $400 and $250 price levels and a limit of two (2) per person at the $150 price level. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will also be available via closed circuit in the Marquee Ballroom at MGM Grand. Tickets are priced at $50, not including applicable service charges. All seats will be general admission and will be available at the box office and via all area Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, 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.

April 11, 2014 –- Boxing fans can get a ringside seat for one of the sport’s most dramatic pre-fight activities when HBO telecasts “WEIGH-IN LIVE: PACQUIAO/BRADLEY 2,” the world championship fight weigh-in, featuring welterweight rivals Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. The 30-minute special airs Tonight at 6:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO.

Hosted by Jim Lampley, the fast-moving program will include the moment when both prizefighters tip the scales as well as providing boxing fans with unprecedented access to the festivities in Las Vegas prior to the highly anticipated rematch. Live interviews with special guests will be part of the half-hour presentation. All the action takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Immediately following “WEIGH-IN LIVE” will be an encore replay of the HBO special “Face Off With Max Kellerman: Pacquiao/Bradley 2” at 6:30 p.m. (ET/PT). HBO will then replay all three shows of “24/7 Pacquiao-Bradley 2,” starting at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT). An encore presentation of WEIGH-IN LIVE will air at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

“Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2” will be distributed on HBO Pay-Per-View on Saturday, April 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The official fight headquarters for boxing fans all week long is insidehboboxing.com where fans can log on for exclusives features from fight week in Las Vegas.

Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com/boxing; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hboboxing; and on Twitter @hboboxing.

LONDON (April 11) – Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao believes his role as challenger in his world title bout with Tim Bradley this weekend will inspire him to victory.

The Filipino superstar has cut a calm and relaxed figure throughout fight week as he looks to avenge his controversial 2012 loss to the Californian Bradley, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

It was the 30-year-old Bradley who wrestled the WBO welterweight championship away from the claws of the eight-weight world champion Pacquiao on that fateful night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

But now, ‘Pacman’ is ready to thrive in his position as the challenger, as he looks to show that he can reach the heights of his illustrious past on his way to winning an unprecedented eleventh world title.

“There are a lot of people who doubt I can fight the same way I fought when I knocked out Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera,” said Pacquiao.

“I want to prove to them that I am the best. I am inspired. I am the challenger. I know I will need to outbox and outspeed Bradley. And that is what I will do. This is the first time I have challenged for a world title that I lost. Do I want it back? You bet I do; and I want it back from Tim Bradley,” he said.

Accusations have been levelled at Pacquiao questioning if he still has the hunger and desire for prizefighting.

The man himself admitted he was too cordial in the initial meeting with Bradley, stating he won’t play the nice guy this time around, with the American needing to lay him out to win.

“The only way Bradley can beat me this time is to knock me out. He cannot outbox me. I will be the aggressor. I will throw a lot of punches at him – more than I threw against [Brandon] Rios – and I will land them,” Pacquiao said.

“Last time I was too nice. This time, I will finish what I start. I want to get back that belt he won off of me. Boxing has always been fun for me. This time the fun is secondary. This is a mission to prove I am the best.

“In my fight against Rios I proved I can still fight at the high level everyone expects from me. I showed I can still control a fight as well as I ever have,” he said.

Juggling his role as a boxer and Congressman back home in the Philippines hasn’t been an easy one for the 35-year-old.

He has seen the progress that Bradley has made over the past two years, overcoming WBO light-welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov and Mexican icon Juan Manuel Marquez, to cement his place amongst the elite in the 147 pound division.

Pacquiao is honest enough to declare he overlooked Bradley the first time, but there will be no chance of that this time around.

“I remember last time believing that I won the first fight against Tim Bradley. I thought I was leading after every round. I thought I won the fight easily. I controlled the fight every round. I had a feeling in training camp that he would run from me once he felt my power and he did after the third or fourth round,” said Pacquiao.

“I was very surprised by the decision. But that’s part of the game. He got the decision and my title. But to be honest, I wasn’t as motivated when I was training for our first fight. I guess I didn’t take him seriously enough,” he said.

“I am impressed with what Bradley has done since our fight. He is a different fighter now since we fought. He has more experience at this level and as a welterweight champion. He fought extremely well against Marquez. I knew Tim would beat him utilizing his speed. But in the end I am still faster than Bradley,” Pacquiao said.

The rematch between the pair kicks-off a mega next couple of months on BoxNation with a host of world title fights including Floyd Mayweather’s ring return against Marcos Maidana on May 3rd, with British star Amir Khan also featuring that night against the skilled Luis Collazo.

The final instalment of 24/7: Pacquiao vs. Bradley airs tonight on BoxNation at 7pm, free-to-air to all Sky TV customers.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) this Sunday at 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (April 10, 2014) – Pound for pound titans, Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (55-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani Province in the Philippines, and undefeated two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY (31-0, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., will step on the scale for the Official Weigh-In of their eagerly-anticipated WBO welterweight championship rematch. It takes place Tomorrow! Friday, April 11, inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Open to the public, doors will open at 1:00 P.M. PT with the undercard fighters weighing in first, beginning at 2:30 p.m. PT. Pacquiao and Bradley will step on the scale at approximately 3:15 p.m. PT.

This will be Pacquiao’s first fight in the U.S. since 2012 and the first time he has challenged to regain a world title he has previously held.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will take place Saturday, April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

When Pacquiao and Bradley rumbled the first time, on June 9, 2012 at MGM Grand, Bradley’s hand was raised via a controversial split decision, ending Pacquiao’s welterweight title reign as well as his seven-year, 15-bout winning streak. Though both fighters claimed victory neither was satisfied. Destiny may have played a hand in their first battle but it will be survival of the fittest that determines the winner of this exciting rematch.

Remaining tickets for Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 are priced at $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges. There will be a total ticket limit of 12 per person with a limit of 10 per person at the $1,000, $800, $600, $400 and $250 price levels and a limit of two (2) per person at the $150 price level. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will also be available via closed circuit in the Marquee Ballroom at MGM Grand. Tickets are priced at $50, not including applicable service charges. All seats will be general admission and will be available at the box office and via all area Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Episode No. 3 of 24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley 2 premieres Tonight! Thursday, April 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, two nights before the high stakes welterweight title bout.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, 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 Norm Frauenheim–

LAS VEGAS – A compassionate Manny Pacquiao can’t win. That’s the popular theory, anyway. Pacquiao Freddie Roach introduced it. Media and fans have been repeating it ever since. But compassion is also the reason Pacquiao is still fighting. That’s Timothy Bradley trainer Joel Diaz’s theory.

“A lot of people need him,’’ Diaz said.

Diaz said Thursday that Pacquiao would already be retired if it weren’t for the people who work for him.

“A lot of people would be out of jobs if he left the ring,’’ Diaz said during a roundtable session with reporters before the Bradley-Pacquiao rematch Saturday night at the MGM Grand. “Pacquiao has a corporation behind him. He’s done a lot for boxing. I’m a big Pacquiao fan. He’s a great guy.’’

But he also happens to be a guy Diaz is plotting to eliminate, along with a lot of paychecks.

“Everything has a beginning,’’ Diaz said. “Everything has an ending. Manny is getting old, that’s all.’’

Diaz’ theory is an intriguing one, mostly because of Pacquiao’s political instinct and reputation for generosity. As a politician, the Filipino Congressman is in the business of pleasing all of the people all of the time. It’s no coincidence .perhaps, that as a fighter he often says the same thing. He wants to please the people, he says, with an exciting fight. From Roach’s perspective, that means only one thing: A knockout. Fans want knockouts and that’s the result Roach has been predicting.

“In training, Manny threw a combination and said: ‘That’s what I’m going to finish him with,’ ‘’ said Roach, who hasn’t seen Pacquiao win by stoppage since a 12th-round TKO of Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009. “I was so happy to finally hear it from his mouth and not mine.’’

But a knockout of Bradley is not a simple task. In fact, it would unprecedented. It hasn’t happened in Bradley’s unbeaten career. Sure, maybe the scorecards were wrong in Bradley’s split decision over Pacquiao in 2012. Sure, maybe the decision should have gone to Pacquiao. Even if it had, Pacquiao would not have shown he could knock out Bradley, who was hobbled by injuries to both feet. At closing bell, Bradley was still standing. He was only in a wheelchair at the post-fight news conference.

If Roach is to be believed, the challenge confronting Pacquiao in the sequel is to do what couldn’t be done the first time. Eliminate the compassion. Leave it in the spit bucket. But can he?

If Diaz is to be believed, the Filipino can’t. If he could have, Pacquiao would have eliminated the payroll and quit the game altogether. But he didn’t, or perhaps couldn’t, because compassion is a very stubborn dilemma.

MGM Controversy, Part II: According to ESPN, Richard Sturm, president of entertainment and sports for MGM Resorts International, issued a statement Wednesday night, responding to promoter Bob Arum’s condemnation of the MGM’s signage for the May 3 Marcos Maidana-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight.

“I was truly shocked by Bob’s comments at (Wednesday’s) press conference and honestly disappointed,” Sturm said in the statement reported by ESPN. “MGM Grand hosted a fight March 8 and has three additional fight events scheduled now through Memorial Day weekend. We always do everything possible to properly promote the events throughout our resorts and over the decades have promoted many, many sporting events with enormous success.”

MGM Resorts International Resorts President Bill Hornbuckle said: “Apparently Bob’s definitions of respect and class are different than ours.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Manny Pacquiao is set to earn a guarantee of at least $20 million with a chance for an upside in his Pay Per View fight this Saturday night against Timothy Bradley.

Their official purses for their rematch on Saturday night (HBO PPV) at the MGM Grand are $6 million apiece, according the contracts filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. However, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Wednesday that Pacquiao is guaranteed a minimum of $20 million, much of which will be paid out in the weeks after he collects the $6 million check on fight night.

Both boxers, according to Arum, also will earn upside depending on how well the pay-per-view performs, and Arum said he believes it will exceed 1 million buys. He said he is basing that figure on anecdotal information he has received from HBO PPV executives. The first Pacquiao-Bradley fight in June 2012, which Bradley won by extremely controversial decision to claim a welterweight world title, generated 890,000 pay-per-view buys and more than $50 million in revenue.

The other purses for the bouts that will be televised on the pay-per-view broadcast:

• Lightweight Raymundo Beltran will earn $85,000 and last-minute replacement opponent Arash Usmanee will receive $80,000 in the co-feature.

• Junior welterweight titlist Khabib Allakhverdiev will make $250,000 and challenger Jessie Vargas is getting $90,000.

• Interim junior lightweight titleholder Bryan Vasquez will get $55,000 and challenger Jose Felix Jr. will make $40,000.

By Norm Frauenheim–

LAS VEGAS – A rematch Saturday marked mostly by polite exchanges between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley suddenly got a shot of some old-school trash talk from promoter Bob Arum, who is angry at the MGM Grand for selling Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Marcos Maidana on May 3 with advertising throughout the casino.

A Mayweather mural, estimated to be 20 stories tall, soars up the side of the MGM Grand and overlooks the busy intersection at Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard, The Strip. For nearly every Pacquiao-Bradley poster on the sides of slot machines, there’s one of Mayweather-Maidana staring back at it. Outside the door to the media’s workroom, a Mayweather-Maidana ad hangs from the ceiling, above a Pacquiao-Bradley poster.

By the time the 82-year-old Arum arrived at the formal news conference Wednesday, he had seen enough, especially of Mayweather looking down at him.

Arum began the news conference by introducing Richard Sturm, MGM President of Entertainment & Sports as “the president of hanging posters for the wrong fight.’’

The media asked for a response from Sturm following the news conference. Several hours later, none was forthcoming.

Meanwhile, Arum was just getting warmed up during a one-man stand-up that included a vague reference to Frankie Carbo, a 1950’s gangster who owned a piece of Sonny Liston.

“I know that at the Venetian, they wouldn’t make a mistake like this,’’ said Arum, who is friends with Sheldon Adelson, who owns the Venetian in Vegas and Macao, China’s gambling mecca and fledgling boxing market. “They would know what fight they have scheduled over the next three or four days.

“They wouldn’t have a 12-to-1 fight being advertised all over the building that’s going to take place three weeks from next Saturday. But that’s why one company makes a billion dollars a quarter and the other hustles to pay its debt. So there it is.”

Arum’s bitter feud with Mayweather is hardly a secret. It too was evident in a discussion that Arum had with Bradley while still on stage and not far from the microphone.

“Why don’t you ask the guy whose picture is all over the building? When is he going to fight somebody real?’’ Arum said in a booming voice that really didn’t need any electronic amplification.

Bradley replied: “I’ll let you ask him that.’’

As it turned out, Bradley might have been the only one who had anything nice to say about the MGM.

“I’ve never been in a hotel room with stairs,’’ Bradley said of his suite. “You need an elevator in there.’’

An elevator decorated with a Mayweather-Maidana poster, of course.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

he April 12 edition ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra – which will take place on the eve of the WBO Welterweight title rematch between Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley Jr.– will feature two-time Middleweight world title challenger Giovanni “Chico Malo” Lorenzo (33-6, 25 KOs) and undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez (27-0, 21 KOs) in the 10-round Super Middleweight main event.

Friday’s show, from the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, will air live at 10 p.m. on ESPN2 and 10:30 p.m. on ESPN Deportes. Both shows will also be available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku via WatchESPN. The card is promoted by Top Rank.

Commentators:
Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), filling in for Joe Tessitore, will be ringside with Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2. Delvin Rodríguez and Pablo Viruega will call the fights ringside for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio from Las Vegas. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 coverage:
Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates will preview Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 and will include interviews with both fighters. Read more about ESPN’s multi-platform coverage of Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2.

Main Event:
The Dominican Republic’s Lorenzo is coming off a fourth-round TKO win over Robinson Pena, while Mexico’s Ramírez scored a first-round TKO win over Don Mouton in his last outing.

After Ramírez’s fight with Mouton, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote, “Ramírez might just be the next big fighter out of Mexico. The 22-year-old southpaw has movie star looks and an aggressive fighting style that should make him a fan favorite. The fact that he defeated Mouton was no big surprise as Mouton has now lost four bouts in a row. But it was rather shocking how easily and violently Ramírez dusted him…. This fight was short but a very impressive victory for Ramírez.”

Lorenzo’s co-manager Rich Ryan said of Friday’s fight, “Giovanni (Lorenzo) is different from the guys Ramírez has fought — he goes to the body, he mixes it up, he’s got a lot of experience….I think this fight’s going the distance, or Giovanni knocks him out. If Giovanni hurts him, it’s over. I don’t see it going the other way.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Super Middleweight Jesse “Hard Work” Hart (12-0, 10 KOs), against Samuel “The Main Event” Clarkson (10-2, 6 KOs). Philadelphia’s Hart is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Derrick Findley, while Clarkson of Texas is looking to continue his winning ways following a six- round unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Chad Trahan.

Upcoming ESPN Boxing Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Apr 18

9 p.m.

Boxcino Middleweight
Semifinals: eight rounds each

Brandon Adams (13-0, 9 KOs) vs. Raymond Gatica (14-2, 9 KOs)

Willie Monroe Jr. (16-1, 6 KOs) vs. Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs)

Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Thu, Apr 24

9 p.m.

Josesito López (31-6, 18 KOs) vs. Aron Martínez (19-2-1, 4 KOs)—10 rounds, Jr. Welterweights

Agua Caliente Casino, Palm Springs, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Thu, May 1

9 p.m.

Roberto García (34-3, 22 KOs) vs. Victor Manuel Cayo (32-4, 23 KOs)—10 rounds, Welterweights

Hialeah Park Race Track, Hialeah, Fla.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Sat, May 10

8 p.m.

WBC World Heavyweight Championship: Bermane Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs) vs. Chris Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs)—12 rounds

USC Galen Center,
Los Angeles

ESPN, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

LONDON (April 9) – World champion Tim Bradley has spoke of overcoming death threats following his controversial victory over Manny Pacquiao.

The two pound-for-pound stars will meet again this weekend, live and exclusive on BoxNation, as they look to confine their contentious 2012 battle to the past and prove categorically who the superior fighter is.

Following Bradley’s split decision win, he has spoke on overcoming a very difficult period in his career that eventually saw him bounce back in emphatic style with wins over WBO light-welterweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov and the great Juan Manuel Marquez.

“Beating Pacquiao was supposed to be the turning point in who Timothy Bradley really is but instead it became a very dark point and time in my life,” said Bradley. “The boos turned into hatred and then hatred turned into death threats. I felt I had done enough to beat Pacquiao but everyone was out to prove that I hadn’t.

“This was supposed to be my night but instead it turned into a night where an icon not only lost but was also “robbed” by me. Everyone sat there shocked without realising that I had just done what I set myself to do. No one stopped for a second and acknowledged my accomplishment,” he said.

The unbeaten Bradley, who has 31 wins on his record, is using Saturday night’s clash as a chance to finally silence his critics.

“Although I am certain I won the fight it is now time to once again show the world who Timothy Bradley really is. On April 12 we will settle once and for all the uncertainty of boxing followers and those of the fans,” he said.

“This is my chance at redemption and I promise I will make the most of it,” Bradley stated.

The Californian goes into this weekend’s fight knowing that question marks have arisen over Pacquiao’s desire to keep boxing, particularly given recent performances, one of which saw him sensationally knocked out against Mexican ace Marquez.

The 30-year-old Bradley doesn’t believe he needs the knockout, but should it be there, he will happily oblige.

“I am in a slight different position than Marquez was. I have already beat Pacquiao once and that was on my first try. I don’t think I have to knock him out to get a definite result but if the knockout presents itself I will take advantage of it,” said Bradley.

“The first fight I injured my foot in the second round and by the fourth round my ankle on my other foot was also messed up. The second half of the fight I was coming on strong with two bad feet. I didn’t have the movement that I normally have and I was out-working him,” Bradley explained.

“I was fighting all three minutes of every round and not just the last thirty seconds of every round. This second fight against Manny Pacquiao I will pick up right where I left off the first fight. This will just be rounds thirteen through twenty four,” he said.

The reigning WBO welterweight champion will also take confidence in the fact he managed to beat Pacquiao conqueror Marquez so convincingly, a wider victory than what the scorecards suggested.

“I was able to show my boxing ability against Marquez with two good feet so this will be no different. I will be faster than Pacquiao, I will have better defence than Pacquiao, I will be hungrier than Pacquiao.

“I have been in the ring with Pacquiao so I know exactly what to expect. There are a few adjustments that I will make, and with two good feet under me, and at the end of the night I will be victorious again,” said a confident Bradley.

Earlier in the evening BoxNation viewers will also get the chance to see rising super-middleweight star Frank Buglioni in action as he defends his WBO European title against Sergey Khomitsky, live from the Copper Box Arena.

Also featuring on the bill will be Tony Conquest who puts his Commonwealth cruiserweight title on the line against Ovill McKenzie, with undefeated Bradley Skeete taking on Italian Tobia Giuseppe Loriga.

Further good news for viewers is that BoxNation will be the only place to see heavyweight David Price’s matchup against Ondrej Pala from Denmark this Saturday.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) this Sunday at 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.