Donaire says Pacquiao’s bout to go 12

MANILA, Philippines - Three-time world champion Nonito Donaire, Jr., in town to get ready for his fight against WBA/IBO featherweight titlist Simpiwe Vetyeka in Macau on May 31, said the other day he expects the WBO welterweight championship bout between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley to go the distance.

Pacquiao, 35, and Bradley, 30, face off in their much-awaited 12-round rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 12 (Sunday morning, April 13, Manila time). The Filipino boxing icon will attempt to regain the WBO crown that Bradley wrested via a hotly-disputed split 12-round decision in June 2012.

“Bradley’s a survivor,” said Donaire who flew in from Las Vegas last Monday and will begin training at the Elorde Gym on Sucat next week after finishing TV and commercial commitments. “I don’t expect Bradley to engage Manny because that’s not his style. I think Manny will do what he did the last time and win by a unanimous decision. This will go 12 rounds. But if Bradley won’t run, Manny could knock him out.”

Donaire dismissed the notion that it could be a boring fight since Bradley will avoid engaging. “I think it’ll be an entertaining fight,” he said. “Boring? I don’t think so. Is Manny slowing down? I don’t think so. There are fighters out there who are older like (Floyd) Mayweather. I think Manny’s in top shape and from what I hear, he’s having a great camp. Manny will be in his best condition for Bradley.”

Donaire said Pacquiao was robbed of a victory in his first encounter with Bradley. “If he does the same thing he did in the first fight, that should do it because he clearly won that time,” continued Donaire. “I think Manny will slow down Bradley with body shots and set him up with his jab. Bradley’s got a good chin and he can take a punch. But he’ll probably run so Manny has to be aggressive to keep him from moving away. Manny will know what to do. Manny should just go for it and jump in. I think this time around, Manny will win convincingly. Not that he didn’t win convincingly last time. It’s just that two judges gave it to Bradley.”

There is talk that Bradley isn’t the same Bradley who fought Pacquiao two years ago, that he’s now damaged goods after taking a beating from the Filipino and suffering a concussion in nearly losing to Ruslan Provodnikov by knockout last March. Bradley has come out in public to admit he won’t take risks in the ring from now on to preserve his health. Last October, he transformed himself into a poor man’s version of Mayweather and fought defensively in scoring a split decision over Juan Manuel Marquez. It is highly likely that Bradley will fight Pacquiao the same way so their battle could be a preview of the Filipino’s much-anticipated duel with Mayweather, possibly next year. If Pacquiao beats Bradley, he’ll take on the winner of the May 17 battle between Marquez and Mike Alvarado late this year. And if Pacquiao wins again, he’ll be in line for the battle against Mayweather next year.

Donaire is taking a break to fly to Tokyo where he’s been asked to appear as a commentator on Wowow TV for the Pacquiao-Bradley fight. A Japanese translator will facilitate his commentary.

Meanwhile, a Filipino journeyman who once faced Marquez agreed with Donaire that the Pacquiao-Bradley fight will go the full route. Jimrex Jaca, 30, said because of Bradley’s elusive style, he doesn’t expect a knockout. He predicted a win on points for Pacquiao but it will be close.

Jaca said the probability of Pacquiao winning a decision is 60-40. “Bradley is strong and he’ll be in condition,” said Jaca in Filipino. “Manny has to pressure Bradley. If he catches Bradley, there is a chance of a knockout. But Bradley will stay away. Everything depends on Manny’s conditioning. If he’s in the best shape, there’s no way Bradley can run away from him.”

Jaca lost to Marquez by a ninth round knockout in an interim WBO featherweight title fight in Texas in 2006. “Marquez is one of the best fighters out there,” he continued in Filipino. “I remember I ended our fight with lumps all over my face. I couldn’t even touch my face because I stung. If ever Manny and Marquez fight again, maybe, Manny will win by knockout because Marquez is now 40.”

Jaca started his career in 2000 and raced to 22 straight wins. He lost three in a row in 2010 and took a layoff of over a year before returning to win 11 straight. Last month, Jaca was stopped by Japanese southpaw Shinya Iwabuchi at 0:45 of the seventh round in Tokyo. His record is now 39-7-3, with 22 KOs. Jaca, nicknamed the Executioner, was once Philippine bantamweight, superbantamweight and superfeatherweight champion and has held the WBO Asia-Pacific superfeatherweight and WBO Oriental lightwelterweight belts.