LOS ANGELES ? Manny Pacquiao believes he has been born again.
Less than 24 hours after getting back at Tim Bradley in Las Vegas, Pacquiao expressed excitement over the turn of events in his otherwise spiraling career on Sunday, telling a handful of scribes that his win proved that he still has it.
?This victory showed that I still have what it takes to win,? said Pacquiao in Pilipino during the 300-mile journey from Sin City to Hollywood.
Pacquiao scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Bradley before a near sellout crowd of 15,601 at the MGM Grand, a win that made him once more a hot commodity.
Before exacting payback, Pacquiao had easily beaten Brandon Rios in Macau last November although many thought that it wasn?t really a real test but plain and simple confidence builder.
After settling the score with Bradley, it seems the boxing cognoscenti is starting to realize that, indeed, Pacquiao is back and that he is staying for a while.
?I feel like I am starting all over again,? said Pacquiao, who was only 22 in June 2001 when he made his sensational US debut underneath an Oscar Dela Hoya-headliner, strangely, also at the MGM Grand.
Still, Pacquiao thinks he will still improve in the coming fights although he admits that he is being extra-careful this time.
Against Bradley, Pacquiao didn?t just swarm all over his cat-quick opponent even when he thought that he was feeling the pain.
?Actually, I wanted to get all over him but I was told by my corner not to be careless,? said Pacquiao, who was felled by a last-second right hand from Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012.
Besides, Pacquiao said Bradley was difficult to batter owing to the US fighter?s severe ducking to avoid being hit flush on the chin.
Told that he seemed like his resurgence is some sort of a second coming, Pacquiao answered in the affirmative, his face lighting up at the prospects of providing more joy to his adoring fans not only in the Philippines but from all corners of the globe.
Pacquiao said earlier that he feels like he is still good for two more years but cautioned that he doesn?t actually know ?as only God knows.?
Top Rank has Pacquiao under contract until the end of the year but Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum said an extension until the end of 2015 is in the pipeline.
