Pacquiao says Bradley will get what he wants

MANILA, Philippines - There’s a saying that you should be careful what you ask for. According to Manny Pacquiao’s close-in aide Aplas Fernandez, WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley will regret announcing to media that the Filipino ring icon has lost his killer’s instinct because that’s a challenge to show otherwise.

Fernandez, whose brother Buboy assists Freddie Roach with Pacquiao’s training, said yesterday the only fighter in history to win world titles in eight divisions will give Bradley what he wants. During the recent US press tour arranged by Top Rank for Bradley and Pacquiao to publicize their April 12 bout in Las Vegas, the defending WBO titlist said the man whom he dethroned has lost the drive to pull the trigger. Fernandez said Bradley made a big mistake by taunting Pacquiao.

Fernandez said it’s a challenge for Pacquiao to prove Bradley wrong. “Sabi ni Bradley, ayaw na ni Manny saktan ang mga kalaban niya,” said Fernandez shortly after joining Pacquiao in a morning jog in General Santos City early yesterday morning. Fernandez said if Bradley wants Pacquiao to show he hasn’t lost his killer’s instinct, he’ll gladly oblige.

Fernandez said stamina is no problem with the 35-year-old Pacquiao who’s been staying in shape playing basketball nearly every night. Now that Pacquiao has officially opened training camp in General Santos City, he’ll get even stronger, added Fernandez. What Pacquiao will work on in camp is his aggressiveness. 

“Alam ni Manny kung paano sasagasaan si Bradley,” said Fernandez. “Pressure at aggressiveness ang kailangan. Si Bradley, nawawala ang diskarte pagka nag-pressure ang kalaban. ‘Yan ang gagawin ni Manny.” Fernandez said Pacquiao is challenged by Bradley’s taunts and the Desert Storm will pay for belittling the Filipino challenger who is out to regain the WBO crown.

Fernandez said Pacquiao won’t start sparring until next week. Unbeaten lightwelterweight Lydell Rhodes, 27, arrived in Manila from the US last Sunday and flew to General Santos City the day after. He’s the first sparring partner to check in. Fernandez said another sparring partner will be brought in from the US by Roach. 

While Pacquiao and Rhodes still haven’t sparred, they’ve been training side by side in the gym. Fernandez said he’s impressed with what Rhodes has shown so far in punching mitts. “Ang katawan at kilos niya parang Bradley,” said Fernandez. “Sa tingin ko, mga 155 to 157 pounds siya. Mabilis gumalaw, kahawig ni Bradley. Tamang-tama sa sparring kay Manny.”

Rhodes has a 19-0 record, with nine KOs, and turned pro three years ago. He started his career at 145 pounds, went up to 148 in his fourth bout, dropped to 135 in his ninth then settled in at 141. A busy fighter, Rhodes logged eight bouts last year. Known as the Hackman, Rhodes considers his former trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr. as a father figure and idolizes Mike Tyson. When he was an amateur fighting in the 152-165 pound range, Rhodes was called Little Tyson. He has a mixed martial arts and kickboxing background.

“I think of myself as a complete fighter,” said Rhodes quoted by Marc Anthony in the website Ringside Report. “I believe if I sit down on my punches, my power is just as good as my hand speed. I think I am one of the fastest fighters out there. I think I am all-around because if you get in the ring with me, any of my opponents will tell you that I have power, too. I would have to say that my power and speed are equal.”

A possible sparmate for Pacquiao is former WBO lightwelterweight champion Kendall Holt of New Jersey. Holt, 32, has a 28-6 reocrd, with 16 KOs, six in the first round. He turned pro in 2001 and won his first 15 outings. Holt holds the distinction of having knocked down Bradley twice in their brawl in Montreal in 2009. Bradley, however, survived the trips to the canvas to score a unanimous 12-round decision.

Bradley went down from a left hook by Holt in the first round but recovered quickly. Bradley took the second round on two of the three judges scorecards then swept the third to the eighth frames on all three. Surprisingly, Holt became tentative after scoring the early knockdown. Holt came back to win the ninth round on two scorecards but Bradley regrouped to claim the 10th also on two scorecards and swept the 11th. Needing a knockout to win, Holt went all out in the final canto and referee Michael Griffin gave Bradley another mandatory eight-count after a right uppercut jolted him to touch the canvas with his right glove. Holt ran out of time to put Bradley away and lost on scores of 115-111 twice and 114-112. 

“My game plan was to break him down by going to the body,” said Bradley, referring to Holt. “He keeps his hands high. I wanted to keep the pressure on him and not let him think. If you let him think, he’ll give you trouble. In the first round, he got me with a left hook and stung me. I was a little numb but I just listened to my corner, got up and said, ‘Hey, we got to get it going.’ I got up at the count of eight and I was fine.”

If Bradley goes down at any time on April 12, Pacquiao will make sure he’s not getting up.