Weigh-in bares Mr. U muscles

LAS VEGAS – Timothy Bradley got as cocky as he could get during Friday’s official weigh-in.

The challenger from Palm Springs, California was first to tip the scales, flaunting all his muscles before a crowd that mostly came to cheer for Manny Pacquiao.

In his gray boxers, Bradley stepped on the scales and pumped it up, flexing his muscles like he was being judged in a Mr. Universe contest.

He was ripped, and really looked great, like he ate dumbbells for breakfast.

“Look at my physique,” he said over the microphone, in an on-stage interview with Max Kellerman.

“Look at how I look. I trained extremely hard for this fight,” added the WBO junior welterweight champion who’s moving up in weight to face Pacquiao.

Bradley came in at 146 lb while Pacquiao, who tipped the scales next, was at 147 – on the dot, right on the limit.

Pacquiao looked good as well, chiseled, and was at his heaviest ever for an official weigh-in.

Bob Arum told USA Today after the weigh-in, “It means that he ate breakfast and lunch before he weighed in today. That’s it.”

Pacquiao did eat breakfast because there was chicken adobo, nilagang manok, fish and steamed rice on the table. For lunch it was probably a couple of hard-boiled eggs and a glass of milk.

Even for his bigger fights against Antonio Margarito, at super-welterweight, he came in at 144.6 lb, and was heaviest for his 2010 battle against Joshua Clottey, at 145.

In the staredown, the two boxers stood face to face, their noses just an inch apart.

Pacquiao broke into a smile, and Bradley tilted his head slightly to the left, and didn’t blink at all, until a hand kept them apart.

Pacquiao felt his tummy as if he was hungry, and as he turned sideways to join his group, or pick up his clothes, Bradley kept his eyes planted on him.

Bradley wanted to follow Pacquiao everywhere he went up on the stage. He was provoking Pacquiao or was waiting to be provoked.