MANILA, Philippines - It seems that Timothy Bradley has no plans of giving the belt back to Manny Pacquiao, saying he wants a rematch and that it should happen as he had planned, as he had scheduled.
Bradley was also quoted by www.boxingscene.com as saying that if the rematch takes place on Nov. 10, it would be “easier” for him to beat the 33-year-old Pacquiao.
Bradley, who moved up to 29-0 with his controversial split decision over Pacquiao last June 9 at the MGM Grand, said he noticed something in Pacquiao.
“He’s declining, honestly, he’s declining,” he said.
Plain and simple, Bradley thinks that Pacquiao is no longer the old Pacquiao who threw punches from all angles, with blazing speed and great power.
And that Pacquiao is no longer the same boxer who always go for the kill like he did against David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton, or Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto.
“He had me hurt in the fourth round, he didn’t try to come out and finish me. The old Manny would’ve. I just think there’s a lot of wear and tear on him. His mind is in 50,000 different places,” Bradley said.
Pacquiao is deep into Bible studies, and they followed him everywhere he went, in the park as he trained, in the dining room, in his car and even inside his bedroom.
As he trained, Pacquiao also tried to memorize the Bible. Physically, he was preparing for a big fight, and yet mentally it was like he was vying for the Chess Olympiad.
He must be drained.
“He’s got his new-found religion and stuff like that, and I just feel like maybe he’s worn out, honestly. I have a busy schedule, but his schedule is like all day busy, like 24/7, he never stops moving,” Bradley noticed.
“Even when I saw him in the press conference I was like, ‘This guy looks tired.’ I saw his eyes, I saw the bags underneath his eyes. I was like this guy is tired. I don’t even think this guy wants to be here,” said the new WBO welterweight champion.
There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the decision because many people thought Pacquiao won the fight. At the MGM, two judges scored it in favor of Bradley, and the other one for Pacquiao, They all had it 115-113.
The WBO reviewed the fight, and tapped five of its own judges to re-score the fight, individually. They all came up with the same verdict that Pacquiao should have won the fight. They scored it 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, 116-112, 115-113.
Pacquiao has decided to move on, saying he wouldn’t even accept the belt if Bradley decides to give it back to him. He said the WBO can declare the title vacant, and then a rematch takes place.
Pacquiao assured his fans he will “get the title back.”
And prove Bradley wrong.