It's official: Tim Bradley to fight Manny Pacquiao

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CATHEDRAL CITY — In an exclusive interview with The Desert Sun, WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley said while he still hasn't seen a contract for his fight June 9 against Manny Pacquiao, he can confirm it is a sure thing.
“I haven't signed anything, but we're negotiating that,” Bradley said. “They'll get back to me by the end of the week or Monday or Tuesday next week, and we should finalize things shortly. It's just minor details on the contract.”
The fight will have Bradley, a three-time champion in the light welterweight division, moving up a weight class to face Pacquiao, one of boxing's most well-known superstars who has been a champion in eight different divisions. Pacquiao is an icon in his native Philippines, where he is a congressman.
Bradley laughed at the notion of fighting his first politician.
“I always wanted to do something like that,” Bradley said laughing. “Nah, I'm just kidding. I'm just happy Manny wants to fight me. It's an honor. I definitely earned this in every way and I'm just excited. I'm not only excited to fight him, but I want to win. That's the big thing. I want to win.”
Bradley (28-0) will face Pacquiao (54-3-2) on June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The bout will be for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight crown.
For Bradley, it's the fulfillment of a long-standing dream of being the main event fighter in a major Las Vegas event.
“I've been out there for big fights and I see what mostly goes on and how they have fighters painted on the side of the casinos. I'm like, ‘Man, this is a big deal,'” Bradley said. “I said, ‘Man, one day I'm going to have my face on the side of a casino like the MGM, Mandalay Bay or Thomas and Mack.' You know what, hard work has paid off. Now we're on the big stage. I'm definitely looking forward to taking full advantage of this opportunity.”
A fight against Pacquiao also will bring added exposure to Bradley, who is largely unknown despite being ranked a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and has long been recognized as the top fighter in his division.
Opponents of Pacquiao, a boxing star who has captured the imagination of a mainstream audience, typically earn $5 million. Bradley said he would not talk about any specifics of his contract.
Bradley first called out Pacquiao after a July 17, 2010, victory over Carlos Abregu on HBO. Bradley fought at 147 pounds against Abregu to prove he could move up in weight to face Pacquiao.
But Bradley said he had been targeting Pacquiao since 2009, when he beat Kendall Holt to win his second world title.
In September, Bradley switched promoters — joining Top Rank, which represents Pacquiao — to improve his chances of landing the fight against the boxer who is one of two superstars in the sport along with Floyd Mayweather.
On Nov. 12, Bradley fought his debut fight in Las Vegas, defending his WBO belt against Joel Casamayor with a technical knockout in the eighth round. That same night, Pacquiao won a controversial decision over longtime rival Juan Manuel Marquez despite needing 26 stitches over his eye.
While Bradley is an undefeated three-time world champion, he is also largely an unknown. That will change when he faces Pacquiao, whose fight against Marquez in November generated over 1 million buys on pay-per-view. If the fight is on HBO, it's likely that a “24/7” documentary — a popular series in which cameras follow both fighters for weeks before the fight — will be produced.
Bradley said he's looking forward to the exposure if he is on “24/7,” but not to expect anything like “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.”
“People are going to see I'm a normal guy, a family guy with big dreams,” Bradley said. “I'm a disciplined fighter who works hard for everything he has, but I have a low-key, simple life.
“It's weird. They'll see me babysitting and taking my kids to school and picking them up and still training. That's what people will look forward to seeing. It might be boring, but it's my life and I enjoy it.”
At 28, Bradley is one of the younger fighters Pacquiao will face recently. While Bradley knows he will be a heavy underdog for the fight, he said he's going to prove something to people.
“This fight won't be a walk in the park. It's going to be a tough, tough, hard-fought fight for myself and Manny Pacquiao,” Bradley said. “Put it this way, don't count me out baby, don't count me out. We'll definitely see what I'm capable of doing and I'll see what I'm capable of, fighting the best in the world.”