LAS VEGAS ? Had it been somebody else he?s fighting this Saturday night, Tim Bradley would surely stamp his class, bowl over the poor guy and score a sensational victory.
The thing is, Bradley is not fighting an ordinary champion in Manny Pacquiao.
Bradley is up against a fighter who will be armed to the teeth physically and mentally for the first time in years, somebody who is out to prove to everyone that his fighting days are far from over.
Trainer Freddie Roach said that while Bradley is a young and unbeaten guy with lots of determination, taking on a fellow like Pacquiao ?is a big step in class for him.?
?They have a big opportunity but it?s too soon. I don?t think he is ready for Manny Pacquiao. He doesn?t have the skills, the experience,? said Roach after supervising Pacquiao?s final workout at the Top Rank gym.
?He has never fought at this level before and Manny will expose that.?
Bradley holds a 28-0 win-loss card with 12 knockouts but doesn?t have a marquee name on his credential and is nonetheless upbeat that it is his time to shine when they rumble at the MGM Grand.
Roach is unfazed and looks at Bradley as someone who will bring back the luster in Pacquiao?s name following his lackadaisical showing against Juan Manuel Marquez last year.
?We know how to fight this fight and I have a lot of confidence in Manny,? said the 52-year-old Roach, giddy with excitement because for the first time in this particular training camp, the Filipino spoke about leaving the ring on a blaze of glory.
?He talked about a knockout for the first time ever and he said ?I would like to get a knockout.??
That remark pleased Roach, who is expected to instruct Pacquiao to show who?s the boss the very first opportunity comes.
?I will tell Manny to start quick and jump on this guy right away. I think we can catch him early.?
And once Pacquiao does that, Roach doesn?t expect the fight to last long.
