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Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach sends socks to Tim Bradley

Fighters Network
04
Apr

During his split-decision victory that dethroned Manny Pacquiao as WBO welterweight beltholder in June 2012, Tim Bradley was hindered by a lack of mobility due to pulled ligaments in his left foot and strained ligaments in his right in the second and fourth rounds, respectively.

Bradley has said during recent interviews that the injuries resulted from a lack of support because he was not wearing socks.

During Bradley's Thursday workout at the Fortune Gym in Los Angeles in advance of his April 12 rematch with Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Pacquiao's trainer, "Freddie Roach had a box full of dozens of socks delivered" to the titleholder with a note attached, according to publicist Fred Sternburg.

"Dear Tim: Welcome to Los Angeles and Fortune Gym. I hope you have a very enjoyable Media Workout. I have been reading your recent interviews with great interest, especially your explanation on how your feet were injured during your first fight with Manny Pacquiao," read the letter from Roach to Bradley, who attended the post-fight news conference in a wheelchair after beating Pacquiao.



"Is it really your…position that these injuries occurred because you did not wear socks? Though many members of the media think this excuse sounds like a hose job, I, for one, do believe you. To me, you are boxing's number one sox symbol. Please think of me not as your arch-nemesis but as your sole supporter. I hope the enclosed gift helps with the heeling process."

Since beating Pacquiao, Bradley had to rise from a 12th-round knockdown to secure a unanimous decision over Ruslan Provodnikov in March 2013 and earned a split decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez last October.

After facing Bradley, Pacquiao was knocked out in the sixth round — the third stoppage loss of his career — in December 2012 by Marquez, against whom Pacquiao is 2-1-1.

Although Pacquiao rebounded from the two losses with November's unanimous decision over rising 140-pounder Brandon Rios, Bradley believes the eight-division titlewinner looked tentative in doing so.

Pacquiao rode a 15-bout winning streak that included eight knockouts into their fight, a run encompassed of winning three title belts over as many different weight divisions. It also included two knockouts of Erik Morales as well as stoppage wins over Oscar De la Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton and David Diaz.

There were also a pair of decision victories over Marquez and decisions over Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Marco Antonio Barrera and Joshua Clottey.

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