Pacquiao targets Mayweather fight

Win against Bradley reignites Filipino’s energy.

LAS VEGAS: Manny Pacquiao avenged his loss to Timothy Bradley in convincing style on Saturday, and said he is ready to negotiate the bout with Floyd Mayweather that boxing fans crave.

“The line is open 24 hours, seven days a week,” said the Filipino ring icon after his 12-round unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Bradley.

The win rectified what most saw as a grave miscarriage in their first fight in 2012, when Bradley was awarded a split decision win and the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.

Pacquiao’s energy and precision also backed the 35-year-old’s claim that his boxing journey is far from over — making talk of a mouth-watering Pacquiao-Mayweather match inevitable.

“If he wants to fight, the fight will be on,” said Pacquiao, although history has shown it’s not that easy.

In late 2009 and early 2010, Pacquiao and Mayweather were considered the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters and record profits were expected from a showdown.

But a disagreement over pre-fight blood testing scuttled talks already complicated by the need to satisfy rival pay-per-view outlets HBO and Showtime. AFP

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2014.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.