Press tour to hype up Pacman-Bradley

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will come face to face next week when they hold press conferences in Los Angeles and New York to drum up their April 9 rubber match.

It will be Pacquiao’s last fight and the two-leg press tour will serve as his farewell tour. He’s planning to leave Manila on Monday.

On Jan. 19, the two boxers will be at the Crystal Ballroom of the famous Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Blvd. in California, where mediamen are expected to converge.

The following day, Pacquiao and his entourage will take a commercial flight to New York for the second press conference on Jan. 21 at the historic Madison Square Garden.

Pacquiao will face serious questions regarding his third fight with Bradley and his planned retirement after more than 20 years in the sport.

The name of Floyd Mayweather Jr. will surely crop up when Pacquiao faces the media.

Joining the press tour are Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, and Bradley’s trainer, Teddy Atlas. Promoter Bob Arum will stay in the middle.

By this time, Arum has his sales pitch in mind. He said there’s enough time to generate interest among boxing fans to come and see the third fight between the two.

“We have more than enough time,” said the American promoter.

From the press tour, Pacquiao and Bradley will go their separate ways, and train for the WBO welterweight title fight.

“Manny will begin training in part in the Philippines and then in Los Angeles. That’s what he wants to do and that’s fine with me,” said Arum.