MANILA, Philippines - Regardless of what the record books show, Manny Pacquiao will always be the favorite against Timothy Bradley Jr.
Pacquiao was a -450 favorite against Bradley when they first met in 2012. Bradley won that fight when fight fans thought he lost it.
A rematch took place in 2014, and despite the loss in the first meeting, Pacquiao again was considered the favorite against, that time at -280.
It meant then that you needed to put $280 to win $100 for Pacquiao. For the rematch, Bradley was at +240 ($100 winning $240).
Pacquiao was a clear winner in the rematch. The judges saw it right.
For their third meeting, scheduled April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the 37-year-old Pacquiao is once again listed the favorite.
Lootmeister.com, an online betting station that’s been in the business since 1998, has the Filipino superstar at -320 and Bradley, who’s 32, at +240.
It’s been reported that this could be Pacquiao’s last fight. But depending on what happens in the fight and then the Philippine elections in May, nothing is cast in stone.
Pacquiao is 57-6-2 with 38 knockouts while Bradley, who has a perfect body, is 33-1-1 with only 13 knockouts, his only loss in the hands of Pacquiao.
At 37, the eight-division world champion is fighting Father Time, and while his popularity remains the same, the fact is he’s lost three of his last six fights.
He suffered a horrific knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez, also in 2012, but won three in a row, against Bradon Rios, Bradley and Chris Algieri, before losing to Floyd Mayweather last May.
For the first time in his career, Pacquiao underwent surgery, to repair a torn rotator cuff on his right shoulder, and he hasn’t fought since May.
In its short analysis, Lootmeister.com said Pacquiao “is breaking down physically” but added that Bradley “isn’t fresh as a daisy himself.”
Pacquiao is a clear favorite in this fight.