Manny Pacquiao claims he knew a month before he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. last May that he was going to lose and it would come amid controversy.
?In my dream, I saw there was a problem,? Pacquiao said while meeting with reporters at the MGM Grand in advance of Saturday?s third fight with Timothy Bradley Jr. ?In the morning, I told my company, my friends and my pastor. This is one month before the fight.
?In my dream, I had lost the fight and there was a controversy.?
Pacquiao was right. He fought with a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Mayweather. Then made public the injury after the fight along with the fact he was denied a pain-killing shot prior to entering the ring by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
He also dreamed before his fights with Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto that he would win. Pacquiao did indeed come out on top in both fights. And Pacquiao had a dream something bad would happen to him before his fourth meeting with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. Pacquiao was winning the fight when he walked into a right hand by Marquez late in the sixth round and was knocked out.
So, did Pacquiao have a dream about Saturday?
?Yes,? he said. ?I had a dream about this fight. What I dreamed before, I dream now.?
But Pacquiao wouldn?t reveal this dream. Freddie Roach, his longtime trainer, found Pacquiao?s story about dreams somewhat amusing. Roach was asked if he has had any dreams about Saturday?s fight.
He smiled and said, ?I dream (Pacquiao) wins by knockout.?
SELLING THE FIGHT ? Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters, believes the pay per view numbers will exceed 700,000 buys and possibly top 800,000.
That?s less than the 890,000 buys the first fight between Pacquiao and Bradley did in 2012. The rematch in 2014 did just over 750,000 even though it had the built-in controversy of Pacquiao losing a split decision to drive the promotion.
?I really think we have a shot to go over 800,000,? Arum said. ?I think that Manny and Bradley will do most of the numbers. But my Hispanic army is marching out there and we?re going to do a tremendous number from people aside from the Pacquiao-Bradley fight.?
Arum is promoting the undercard as the ?No Trump Undercard? because of the Mexican fighters Gilberto Ramirez, Oscar Valdez and Mexican-American Jose Ramirez competing along with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump?s negative stance on Mexico.
?I think the closer we get to Saturday, the more people will start talking about the fight and then make a decision to buy the pay per view,? he said.
Unlike previous Pacquiao fights, there is no local closed circuit TV viewing for Saturday at the MGM and its sister properties. The suggested retail price for the PPV is $59.99, $40 less than what was charged in Pacquiao?s last ring appearance when he fought Mayweather.
LATEST ODDS ? The money is coming in on Bradley as the latest odds from the MGM Resorts sports books has Pacquiao as a minus-230 favorite with Bradley at plus 180. Pacquiao was minus-250 Tuesday.
PURSES ? The Nevada Athletic Commission Wednesday said Pacquiao?s purse for Saturday?s fight will be $7 million while Bradley will make $4 million.
The main undercard fights have Arthur Abraham scheduled to earn $500,000 while Gilberto Ramirez?s purse will be $140,000. Both Valdez and Evgeny Gradovich will each earn $100,000.
FREE PARKING ? If you have tickets to Saturday?s fight, you won?t be charged to park in the MGM Grand?s garage. Hotel officials said paid parking, which is being implemented at New York-New York and Monte Carlo in conjunction with T-Mobile Arena events, will not not go into effect at the MGM for a few weeks.
