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Manny Pacquiao on Tim Bradley: ‘I want to prove I am the better fighter’

Fighters Network
24
Mar

The following are the second round of training camp notes for Manny Pacquiao in advance of his April 12 rematch with WBO welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley, who dethroned Pacquiao by split decision in June 2012.

The notes were taken from a press release distributed by HBO on behalf of Top Rank Inc. in advance of Bradley-Pacquiao II, which will be shown on HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand.

During two fights over the course of 2012, Pacquiao lost to Bradley before falling by sixth-round knockout in December of that year to Juan Manuel Marquez, against whom Pacquiao is 2-1-1. Pacquiao won his most recent fight in November by unanimous decision over Brandon Rios.

Click here for a video of Pacquiao's greatest hits



In his past two fights, Bradley rose from a 12th-round knockdown to unanimously decision Ruslan Provodnikov in March 2013 and then won a split-decision over Marquez in October.

The WBO has declared that the winner of Bradley-Pacquiao II must face that between Marquez and Mike Alvarado, who will fight on May 17.

Click here for Pacquiao-Bradley II Face Off with Max Kellerman.

Question for Pacquiao: At 35, how has your motivation to compete changed from earlier in your career?

My motivation is the same now as it was when I started my boxing career. I love the competition, and I love to win. When that stops, so does my professional boxing career. But I don't see that happening for a long time.

Because I am facing Tim Bradley again, I am extra-motivated for this fight. I may not have won the decision the first time we fought, but I know I did not lose that fight.  I want the world title he won from me back around my waist.

I want to prove I am the better fighter. Freddie Roach and Justin Fortune are asking more from me in this training camp than I have ever given before, and as hard as that is to do, I am giving them everything they have asked of me.

Too much is at stake for me and for my country. I want to end my career on a winning streak and against the best fighters.

No one has ever defeated Tim Bradley during his professional career. I want to be the first name in his loss column. It will not be easy. Nothing at the world championship level is easy.

I still have the hunger and the desire to win, and I appreciate Tim Bradley giving me this rematch to prove it. Unfortunately for him, on April 12, I will not be able to repay him that favor with kindness.

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