Pacquiao ‘embarrassed’ by Mayweather offer

LOS ANGELES—Manny Pacquiao said the pieces were falling into place for a world title fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. until the American boxer tried to low-ball him on the split of the pay-per-view revenue.

The Filipino boxer said he called Mayweather personally to try to broker a deal for a world championship fight and thought they had an agreement until the latter brought up the pay-per-view.

Mayweather said he would give Pacquiao a $40-million lump sum if Pacquiao agreed to let Mayweather keep the pay-per-view earnings for himself.

“It was embarrassing to me,” Pacquiao said on Tuesday. “He was trying to take advantage of me. It is clear he didn’t want to fight.”

Some experts have estimated that the pay per view could be around $160 million.

Pacquiao and Mayweather have tried several times to get a contract signed but it has been scuttled for a variety of reasons, including disagreements over blood testing and the share of the purse.

“I called Floyd and told him that we need to make this fight happen,” Pacquiao said at The Beverly Hills Hotel.

“I said he could have whatever he wants, blood testing, 50/50 split and he said ‘Oh, well. I will give you what you want.’ Then he mentioned the pay-per-view.”

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Bradley tags Pacquiao ‘old man’

MANILA, Philippines — At 33, Manny Pacquiao is already an “old man,” according to his June 9 adversary Timothy Bradley.

“It’s new blood against old blood,” Bradley told The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay Sunday. “I’m in my prime, man.”

At 28, Bradley is arguably at the top of his game.

The World Boxing Organization light welterweight (140 lb) champion is unbeaten

in 29 fights, proving his mettle against aging warrior Joel Casamayor and erstwhile unbeaten Devon Alexander, Luis Carlos Abregu and Lamont Peterson.

While his power is suspect with only 12 knockouts to show in 28 wins, Bradley promised to stop Pacquiao, the WBO welterweight king, in earlier interviews.

Bradley believes his vegetarian diet during training for the showdown at MGM Grand in Las Vegas will be a key factor in upending Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) and stunning the bookies who have listed him a 1-3 underdog.

A $340 bet on Pacquiao will earn only $100 while a $100 bet on Bradley will pay $280.

Though he’s an acknowledged “meat and potatoes guy”—he easily balloons to 160 to 165 lb—Bradley transforms himself before starting training camp, fasting for five days first to rid his body of impurities before switching to the vegetarian diet.

Meanwhile, opening-day ticket sales of Pacquiao-Bradley reportedly went well Friday, with only 3,000 tickets still up for grabs.

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Mayweather nixes 50-50 for Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has found a sure way out of fighting Manny Pacquiao. The loudmouth WBC welterweight champion said he’ll never agree to an equal sharing of fight revenues with the Filipino Fighter of the Decade.

“Just by speaking to Pacquiao on the phone, I mean, he’s not one of the sharpest knives in the drawer,” Mayweather told the media Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in the New York leg of the promotional tour of his bout against Miguel Cotto on May 5 in Las Vegas. “He faces Floyd Mayweather, he’s not getting 50-50.”

Pacquiao had earlier announced that he’d fight Mayweather and agree to all the American’s terms, including Olympic style drug testing, provided they evenly split all revenues to be generated from the megabuck showdown.

Mayweather also said the only way he’d consider fighting Pacquiao is if the eight-division world champion leaves venerable promoter Bob Arum, head honcho of Top Rank.

Mayweather offered $40 million to Pacquiao last month, with the Filipino not getting any share of the PPV revenue.

Pacquiao nixed the offer, proposing instead a 45-45 sharing with the other 10 percent going to the winner of the bout.

Hall of Famer Arum went further, saying he’s willing to give Mayweather $50 million, provided also that the prison-bound (June 1) fighter doesn’t get any PPV share.

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Manny Pacquiao warns Tim Bradley as fight’s press tour starts

Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao issued a subtle warning to unbeaten American Timothy Bradley on their face off Monday (Tuesday in Manila) in Los Angeles.

“Don’t take this fight easy, just do your best in training,” Pacquiao told Bradley, according to Examiner.com. “Make yourself ready on June 9th.”

On that date, the 33-year-old Pacquiao will stake his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Bradley, his 28-year-old WBO junior welterweight counterpart in a pay-per-view bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pacquiao, the sport’s only eight-division champion, and Bradley will start their coast-to-coast media tour on Tuesday at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The boxers will be accompanied by revered promoter Bob Arum and trainers Freddie Roach (for Pacquiao) and Joel Diaz (for Bradley) in the formal announcement of their showdown.

Tickets for Pacquiao-Bradley will go on sale on Feb. 24 with those priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400 to be limited to 10 per person. The $200 tickets will be limited to two per person. Tickets will also be available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

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Bradley packs wallop at 147; Pacquiao lighter on fight night

MANILA, Philippines—Contrary to perceptions, unbeaten American Tim Bradley is naturally bigger than Manny Pacquiao and will come in heavier than the Filipino ring superstar when they tangle on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Though Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs) is the reigning World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion, the 28-year-old South Californian has also fought as a welterweight and went as high as 152 pounds.

Bradley has been struggling to make 140 lb and believes he’ll be stronger at 147, where Pacquiao holds court as WBO welter king.

“It’s [147] is my natural weight,” Bradley told Ryan Burton of BoxingScene.com. Sunday. “People don’t know but in the amateurs I fought at 152.

“People say I don’t have power, but it is a real struggle to get down to 140. I walk around at 160 or more. I will be a lot more comfortable and have more pop at 147.”

Bradley said he intends to enter the ring at 150 or 151 lb, “give or take a pound or two.”

By way of comparison, Pacquiao walks around at about 154 and has never reached 150 on fight night.

In his last outing as a welterweight in 2010, Bradley handed Luis Carlos Abregu of Argentina his first loss in 30 fights. Abregu now holds a 31-1 record with 25 KOs.

A certified gym rat, Bradley stands to get his biggest paycheck ever of $5 million when he battles Pacquiao (53-3-2 with 38 KOs) in a 12-round bout to be shown on HBO pay-per-view.

Bradley got $1.2 million when he beat Joel Casamayor in the main support to Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez III won by majority decision by the Sarangani representative last November.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, is guaranteed at least $25 million, but is expected to receive much more with his share in PPV buys and gate receipts.

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Bradley agrees to Pacquiao showdown

LOS ANGELES–Manny Pacquiao is poised to fight Timothy Bradley on June 9 in Las Vegas after the unbeaten American agreed in principle to a deal, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

Reports earlier this week said Philippine icon Pacquiao had agreed to put his World Boxing Organization welterweight belt on the line against Bradley, but that terms had not been finalized.

“This is about being the number one fighter in the world, and that’s what my goal has been for as long as I can remember,” Bradley told the Times.

He didn’t reveal the terms of the agreement, but said it could be signed as early as Friday.

Bradley was one of several fighters in the mix as a possible Pacquiao opponent after it became clear that the anticipated but elusive fight between “PacMan” and Floyd Mayweather Jnr wouldn’t come off in June.

Mayweather is scheduled to fight Miguel Cotto on May 5 instead.

Bradley boasts a record of 28-0 with 12 knockouts. Pacquiao, 54-3-2, hasn’t lost since 2005 and is considered the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.

But Pacquiao was less than dominant as he struggled to a majority points decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in November.

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‘Dirty’ Tim Bradley is Manny Pacquiao’s foe

MANILA, Philippines—Tim Bradley is far from the pushover some boxing pundits are painting him to be and poses a legitimate threat to Manny Pacquiao, according to trainer Freddie Roach.

Bradley (28-0 with 12 knockouts) worries the renowned trainer because he is in his prime and brings in dirty tactics to the ring.

The Filipino eight-division world champion battles Bradley on June 9 in Las Vegas.

“He’s a dirty fighter, well, he’s a physical fighter,” Roach told Chris Robinson of examiner.com Saturday. “He uses his head, elbows, so forth.

“Manny does have some trouble with that because Manny can’t retaliate. I tell Manny that if a guy hits you low, hit him back low, but he won’t do that. It could pose a bit of a problem.”

The choice of Bradley was formally announced by Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).

“Bradley is a young, undefeated fighter who deserves a chance,” Koncz told ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael.

Koncz added that the 28-year-old Bradley’s selection over two other contenders—Lamont Peterson and Juan Manuel Marquez—sits well with Pacquiao, who will be staking his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against his light welterweight counterpart.

“Manny is excited,” said Roach. “Until we name an opponent, boxing is out of Manny’s mind. He’s busy working in (the Philippine) congress. But he gets interested in boxing again when he has an opponent and a fight.”

Though Bradley holds court in the 140-pound division, he’s fought at 147 lb and 152 lb.

Bradley’s sterling record includes a 12-round unanimous decision over Lamont Peterson in 2009 and Devon Alexander last year.

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Pacquiao’s next fight most likely vs Bradley

MANILA, Philippines—There’s no official announcement yet, but recent developments point to Manny Pacquiao taking on unbeaten American Timothy Bradley in his next fight.

Bradley, the World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion, further boosted his stock for the megabuck bout with Pacquiao when Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced Wednesday (Thursday) that he’ll be going after Miguel Cotto’s World Boxing Association super welterweight (154 pounds) crown on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

In effect, Mayweather shut the door on a collision with pound-for-pound rival Pacquiao proposed for the same date.

Cotto, on the other hand, dropped his bid to exact revenge on Pacquiao, who stopped him in the 12th round in 2009.

Having an inkling that Mayweather is once again ducking him, Pacquiao announced on a television interview Wednesday night that Bradley is likely to be his next opponent.

Like Pacquiao, Bradley is also being promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank.

Two other candidates in the Pacquiao derby—Juan Manuel Marquez and Lamont Peterson—are being groomed for a July 14 fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

After being granted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission a one-fight license, Mayweather resumed his Twitter campaign against Pacquiao.

“I’m fighting Miguel Cotto on May 5th because Miss Pac Man is ducking me,” wrote Mayweather, who spoke with Pacquiao over the phone last month and offered a guaranteed $40 million to the Sarangani representative, sans a share of the pay-per-view buys.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, wanted a 50-50 split on all revenues.

Arum made a counteroffer of $45 million up front for Mayweather.

Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz, who conferred with Mayweather several times, told the LA Times that Mayweather rejected a 55-45 percent sharing, with the bigger chunk going to the winner.

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Friends say Pacquiao is a changed man

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines—Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is a gambling man no more and has even given up the nightlife, people close to him say.

He now keeps a mobile phone that has no passwords that would prevent other people, such as his wife, from accessing  information stored in the gadget.

Pacquiao was previously perceived as a womanizer, a gambler and a heavy drinker. He reportedly did not have qualms about losing huge amounts of money to gambling and is reported to have lost P100,000 in a single billiards match.

He was also an almost regular fixture of the nightlife here and in other places.

Mayor Reynaldo Constantino of Malungon, Sarangani, a close political ally of the Sarangani representative, said that recently, Pacquiao sold a casino he operated in a five-star hotel  in Manila and divided the proceeds among the affected employees.

He said Pacquiao then disposed of his fighting cocks at his sprawling MP Farm in Malungon.

“He gave all his game fowls to his close friends. The guy is really determined to change for the better,” Constantino said.

He said based on what Pacquiao had told him, the farm will be converted into a wildlife sanctuary.

Pacquiao’s fighting cock farm was a tourist destination in Sarangani simply because of the sheer number of birds he kept there.

Pacquiao, he said, has also decided to shut down his J-Mix restaurant and bar at the MP-2 Building on Aparente St. here. Pacquiao and his friends frequented the establishment for drinks and billiards.

“Congressman Pacquiao is now a changed man. He has given up cockfighting, billiards and all other mundane entertainment,” Constantino said.

Jinkee Pacquiao, the pugilist’s wife, said the southpaw’s change was brought about by his current passion – reading the Bible, which Pacquiao himself recently discussed in a television/radio interview in which he said he had also given up on womanizing.

“The power of the word of God has changed Manny,” Jinkee said in a text message to the Inquirer.

She said the Bible-reading sessions also made Pacquiao spend more time at home.

Another change, Jinkee said, was that her husband now had only one mobile phone. Unlike in the past, the remaining mobile phone has no user password that would prevent her from taking a look at what it contains.

Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez told reporters here that a Protestant pastor was guiding Pacquiao but the pugilist had not changed religion.

“He told me that he is still a Catholic. He admitted that the one conducting daily bible service in his home is a Protestant pastor. So, I gave him a daily scripture guide and I directed a priest from a parish near his house to lead the conduct of a bible study,” Gutierrez said.

He said Pacquiao even offered to host a spiritual retreat of clergymen under the Diocese of Marbel in March.

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