Boxing News: Timothy Bradley 'in good shape' ahead of showdown with Manny Pacquiao

Timothy Bradley is already in “pretty good shape” ahead of his boxing showdown with a retiring Manny Pacquiao on Apr. 9 in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Arena.

Bradley’s training camp officially starts on Feb. 15, but according to Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels, the American welterweight has already begun preparations in California with trainer Teddy Atlas. “Tim runs early in the morning,” Samuels said, reports the Inquirer Sports. “No cellphones, no music in the gym when Tim and Teddy are working together.”

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Bradley has been insisting that Atlas has made him a better fighter, which was evident after the two-time WBO welterweight champion destroyed Brandon Rios into retirement last year. Bradley said he will use of every advantage he has to take down the Filipino boxing icon’s last hurrah in the boxing world.

However, Hall of Famer trainer Al Beristain is not convinced about Bradley’s talk of conquering Pacquiao in the third installment of their series. Beristain, who trained the likes of four-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez, revealed his prediction for the match, saying Pacquiao’s win is “inevitable.”

“Pacquiao should win because he is the better fighter,” Beristain said, reports Ronnie Nathanielsz of The Standard. “No, I do not think Bradley will have a greater opportunity to get the win because Bradley is the same fighter.”

Bradley won a controversial split decision in his first meeting with the former eight-division titlist in 2012. They clash again two years later for a rematch that Pacquiao convincingly won via unanimous decision. It was then that Bradley started to lose his form despite a draw against Diego Gabriel Chaves in 2014 and a unanimous decision win over Jessie Vargas the following year, which resulted to the hiring of Atlas.

Pacquiao and Bradley’s third and final fight could offer another intriguing result as both fighters are coming off different circumstances in their previous bouts, with the former from a shoulder injury, while the latter from a pivotal victory. But the loss of interests from boxing fans could spoil the two warriors’ return to the boxing ring despite all the hype from both camps.