Boxing Sunday PACQUIAO-BRADLEY II SIGNED SEALED AND SET FOR APRIL 12

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The much-awaited opportunity for “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao to avenge his widely criticized split decision loss to undefeated Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley in June 9, 2012 has arrived, as both men signed the contract for an April 12 rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz joined Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and president Todd duBeof in announcing that the undefeated two-division world champion Bradley had agreed to face eight division world champion and Philippine congressman Pacquiao and that Bradley had also signed a contract extension with Top Rank.

Koncz told the Manila Standard he was “happy with the deal although I’m always looking for more (for Manny) but its something that Manny approved and we are okay with it.”

Pacquiao will reportedly receive $20 million while Bradley settled for $6 million with both fighters accepting less than in their first fight.

Koncz confirmed that “there were discussions about an extension of Pacquiao’s contract” which lapses at the end of this year but insisted “we did not sign an extension.”

Koncz told the Standard that Pacquiao will “start his training in GenSan (at the Pacman Wild Card Gym) and after the press tour next week (which will begin in Los Angeles on February 4 and New York on February 6) we will go back and start training.”

Koncz who will arrive in Manila on Tuesday said he hadn’t spoken to Pacquiao about the exact date when he would start training but indicated that as always he was staying in shape by playing basketball.

The longtime adviser of Pacquiao agreed that it won’t be an easy fight and stressed that Pacquiao “has to be smart because he (Bradley) is going to box and move.”

Koncz said “it’s important for us to have good sparring. Freddie (Roach) will be looking for sparring partners and I will also call Bruce Trampler and Sean Gibbons (Top Rank matchmakers) for some advice on sparring partners. We need boxers, movers, who are not going to stand and brawl.”

He said “anybody we used in the past is not going to suit the purpose.”

Koncz told us for Pacquiao to move forward in his career “he’s got to win this one because it’s a very important fight.”

Pacquiao is coming off a spectacular twelve round near shutout against former lightweight champion Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios in Macau last November 24 while Bradley had two solid wins over Juan Manuel Marquez and former Pacquiao sparring partner Ruslan Provodnikov in a ring war that was a candidate for “Fight of the Year.”

Both Pacquiao and Bradley have agreed to random drug testing by the Volunteer Anti Doping Agency.