Words clashed as team Pacquiao and Bradley exchanged obnoxious remarks as predictions and judgments cross both camps.
Even before the match, the fire threatens to heat up as boxing analysts and aficionados speculate on where the Pacquiao vs. Bradley bout is heading.
Hall of Famer Freddie Roach dismissed Bradley’s insinuations. Quoting Mayweather’s statement over Cotto, he believes that Bradley is not a real threat to Manny Pacquiao.
“I think that Manny will beat Tim Bradley pretty easily,” expressed Roach in RingTV. He also impressed that Bradley is “no better than Ricky Hatton”.
“I’m really not worried. It doesn’t matter what Bradley does. Whether he’s coming forward or moving backward, he can’t beat Manny Pacquiao,” stated Roach.
Trainer Roach’s comments further revved up the flames in Bradley’s camp. Bradley flashed when told about Roach’s unlikely comparison of him to Ricky Hatton.
“You guys are retarded if you think I fight like Ricky Hatton,” he told Boxing Scene.
He also commented on team Pacquiao’s “useless” sparring partners.
“They bring in this Russian guy (Ruslan Provodnikoy) who comes forward and is a banger, and I’m like ‘wow, these guys really don’t know what I can do’. It’s funny, they think I’m just this face-first brawler and I’m like ‘you guys are going to be in for a rude awakening.”
Whatever both camps say, the real score lies waiting in their June 9 fight at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas Nevada.
On the other hand, former and current world boxing champions also remarked on who’s on the edge and who’s likely to lose.
“Tim Bradley will be a tough fight for Pacquiao,” Juan Marquez, Pacquiao’s most controversial contender commented in Boxing Scene. “It is a tough fight for Pacquiao, because Bradley is quick; he is intelligent,” he added.
Does he expect Bradley to win?
“Manny is the better fighter. Bradley is very physical, but Manny will win,” he said in Boxing Scene.
Along with Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Shane Mosley (former world title holders defeated by Pacquiao) expressed their opinions in favor of Pacquiao.