Timothy Bradley graduated summa cum laude and went to the “head” of the class with his aggressive tactics and and some billygoat butting against Devon Alexander.
Now, proving that Mama Bradley raised no fools, the North Palm Springs fighter is talking about one target and one target only and that is Manny Pacquiao.
Bradley as a Pacman foe is a no-brainer because he’s young, undefeated and carries himself in a confident but classy manner.
Fighting him after 39 year old Sugar Shane Mosley would take the sting out of many Pacquiao critics venom, for sure.
When I spoke to Pacman promoter Bob Arum late Friday, he said the businessmen in Singapore who are keen on having Megamanny fight there in November had not turned in a deposit.
But, Arum said, they seem to be real, seem to be qualified investors in such a Pacman in Asia bout.
Bradley is a juicy alternative for Pacquaio and Arum for the second and final bout of 2011 if Super Bout foe Floyd Mayweather remains unavailable or uninterested. It’s hard to read “Money” with his sidelines in selling soda pop and launching a film enterprise with rapper and constant companion 50 Cent.
Why shouldn’t Bradley aim for Pacman and a likely $5 to $8 million or better purse attached to same?
Even a victory over fellow junior welterweight champion Amir Khan would not mean much. If he whips Khan, many will say so what, you beat a guy who got starched by ordinary Breidis Prescott?
There’s no looking back for Bradley now.
Bradley’s got nothing to prove and only small money to make by staying at 140 pounds. He knows Mayweather won’t be keen to fight him, despite the lack of oomph in his punches, so he targets Big Dog Manny for the big moolah.
And who’s to say the price of a Bradley-Pacman bout won’t increase multiple times as HBO, nursing its wounds from Arum taking Sugar Shane Mosley-Pacquiao on May 7 over to Showtime/CBS, ups the ante?
HBO bigwigs will be in Las Vegas to huddle with Arum and TR president Todd duBoef before the Top Rank-promoted Nonito Donaire-Fernando Montiel card.
I’m not saying any such sitdowns are scheduled as HBO is distributing the PPV TV and Ross Greenburg will also be on hand for the prime cable network’s debut of its documentary on colorful former UNLV basketball coach Jerry “Tark The Shark” Tarkanian but it’s certain the topic of bringing Pacman back “home” will come up.
Showtime/CBS, meanwhile, is also continuing to ingratiate itself with Arum and Pacquiao as the media tour for Mosley-Pacquiao gets rolling in LA on Feb. 10 and then rolls on to New York, Washington and San Francisco.
Pacquiao’s departure from HBO, even on a one-off basis, is a nightmare for the Sixth Avenue suits.
When HBO and the Braodway Gang (where Showtime’s offices are located) fight, fighters, promoters and even you, the humble fans, can win.
Having to watch Bradley, who they seem to have tied up contractually for two more bouts, fight on their rivals’ airwaves would add insult to their immediate injury.
I doubt that HBO would impede Bradley’s right to maximize his earnings but who knows?
Maybe Bradley even has a Pacquiao fight clause in his HBO deal, I can’t be sure.
Mayweather said he was shocked and appalled, appalled and shocked, to see Arum/Pacquiao depart from home base HBO. Was that as shocked and appalled, or as appalled and shocked, as Arum was when Mayweather bought his way out of his Top Rank promo deal?
You’d have to ask Floyd about that.
All I know is that young Bradely is displaying a yiddishe kop, meaning a Jewish mind for business.
Willie Sutton said he robbed banks because that’s where the money is.
The First National Bank of Pacquiao is Bradley’s well-chosen target.
Maybe, given how Bradley uses his noggin, Pacquiao can wear protective headgear.
