WASHINGTON, D.C.: Unbeaten world light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley said Sunday he is at his best condition ever with just 12 days before his title challenge against king of the ring Manny ?PacMan? Pacquiao on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
?I am in the best shape of my life. When we are done I will have sparred about 160 rounds. I have been training for almost three months now,? Bradley said in a conference call.
?I am on weight. I left the gym at 147 pounds today so I will probably be coming in kind of light the day of the weigh-in maybe 145 or 144…I am confident and I am ready to deliver.?
Bradley, who is known for his attacking and aggressive style, said he is wary of Pacquiao vaunted power and made it clear he is prepared to box if, necessary.
?Pacquiao hits hard with the right and the left hand so I?ll be able to feel him out in the first round and see what he really has. If he does have some power then I will definitely have to be smarter in there and outbox this guy,? said Bradley, who is five years younger than the 33-year-old Pacquiao.
?But if I don?t feel like he can hurt me then I?m definitely going to step into him to make a fight out of it,? he added.
Bradley promised a great fight with a champion he admires and has been studying ?for the last four years.?
?I?m putting it all on the line. I?m not in there to survive. I?m not in there for a paycheck. I am in there to win,? said Bradley who is guaranteed $5 million for the biggest paycheck in his career.
Pacquiao, the consensus best fighter in the world pound-for-pound, is also getting his biggest payday, $26 million guaranteed, which could go up a few million dollars more, depending on the pay-per-view revenues, according to Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters.
To prepare for Pacquiao, Bradley said his team has brought a quick and strong heavy-punching southpaw like Pacquiao as one of his sparring partners.
He said he usually spars for a few rounds with three different spar-mates before his trainer throws in his explosive sparring partner who, he said, is capable of throwing ?150 punches in one round and he?s a heavy puncher.?
?I am going in there and do whatever it takes to win. If it takes infighting, that?s what I?ll do, because Pacquiao doesn?t fight well inside, Bradley said. ?He throws combinations then steps out and comes in on an angle. He doesn?t like to stay there and bang but maybe that?s what they are working on now and take it to me.?
Bradley said he is prepared to both box and to brawl with probably the best brawler in the welterweight division.
