Pacquiao feels at home in NY

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao walked along the snow-covered streets of New York and sat at ringside as the Knicks played the Portland Trail Blazers at the famed Madison Square Garden.

No, the Filipino superstar is not on a vacation.

Pacquiao is in the Big Apple to promote his April 12 rematch with American Tim Bradley. It’s the second and last stop of a press tour that kicked off the other day in Los Angeles.

Today, the two fighters will face the media for another round of talks at the New World Stages on West 50th Street between the 8thand 9th Avenues in New York.

Pacquiao has promoted a number of fights in New York, and each time he received a warm welcome. For his third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, he was greeted by fans as he shopped along 5th Avenue.

In 2008, he was there with Oscar dela Hoya to promote their Dream Match, and they went to see the Statue of Liberty

This time, the 34-year-old congressman came to watch a live NBA game. He’s a fan of the Celtics but photos showed he had fun watching the Knicks as well.

Pacquiao said he likes Carmelo Anthony who presented the boxing icon a signed basketball in a visit to the Knicks dressing room.

During the game, Pacquiao sat beside his adviser, Mike Koncz, and between them and a couple of empty seats was the Knicks’ No. 1 fan, film director Spike Lee.

At the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA, Pacquiao and Bradley both talked about redemption.

Bradley, undefeated in 31 fights, said he’s out to prove that he deserved every point that gave him a split decision the first time they fought in June 2012.

Pacquiao, 55-5-2 and loser of two of his last three fights, also wants to show the world he deserved a victory over Bradley, now the WBO welterweight champion.

“I want to get back that belt,” Pacquiao said in LA.

“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,” he added.

Bradley thinks he’s the rightful winner. And an impressive win over Marquez just after the Mexican knocked Pacquiao out only reinforces his belief.

“I scored our fight eight rounds to four in my favor.  No way he won that fight. Manny is great but he is also mortal.  I’m not intimidated by him or his legend,” said Bradley.

“This is all about redemption. I need Manny. He needs me. I’m going to beat him again. I am younger and a better fighter. Manny fights for the money. I have the hunger to win,” Bradley also said.

After losing to Bradley and Marquez, many thought Pacquiao’s days as a boxing superstar were over. But he proved people wrong when he outclassed Brandon Rios in Macau last November.

Pacquiao impressed a lot of people – except Bradley.

“Manny didn’t look the same against Rios. He didn’t have his usual killer instinct. That’s the first thing I noticed. I don’t think he has the hunger anymore and it’s never coming back.  

“He no longer has his killer instinct.  That’s the first thing I noticed in the Rios fight. Every time he backed Rios into a corner, Manny stepped back instead of going for it.  He didn’t even try to put Rios away.  That spoke volumes to me,” Bradley said.

You can almost see Pacquiao smiling upon hearing Bradley. But he vowed to be a different fighter or be the same old fighter in April.

“Last time I was too nice. This time, I will finish what I start,” said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao’s face was flashed on the jumbo screen during the Knicks’ game and was applauded. Later on he said he wants to fight at Madison Square Garden.

Well, he should beat Bradley first before he could even think about that.