Pacquiao hints at a rematch with Bradley

It appears that Manny Pacquiao wants a rematch with Tim Bradley,  whose controversial split-decision victory dethroned Pacquiao as WBO welterweight titleholder, ended his 15-bout winning streak that included eight knockouts and added Pacquiao's crown to the WBO junior welterweight belt Bradley already owned.

Bradley defeated Pacquiao on June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"My supporters shouldn't worry," Paquiao told The Associated Press in Manila, Philippines on Thursday. "We're going to get that title."

The Bradley-Pacquiao contract already had contained a clause calling for a rematch on Nov. 10, although Pacquiao was widely reported to be considering a fourth bout with Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 knockouts) in Mexico for that date.

Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) scored a disputed majority decision victory over Marquez in November, this, after having previously battled through a draw and a split-decision win over Marquez.

During an exclusive interview with RingTV.com, Marquez cited Fernando Beltran, president of Zanfer Promotions  as saying that Pacquiao was leaning toward facing him in November. Beltran co-promotes Marquez with Top Rank out of Mexico.

"If Bob Arum says that I'll fight with Manny on Nov. 10, that would be great for me. I don't know what will happen. It's maybe. I'm not sure. Bob Arum said Manny might want to fight me in Mexico. That would be a great thing for me," said Marquez, who holds the WBO's interim junior welterweight belt as well as the WBA's corresponding super title.

"I need to see what Bob Arum says, and what Pacquiao says. If Pacquiao wants to fight with me in Mexico, and Bob Arum has said the same, I don't know. I need to wait. My people want to see me fight Manny again, and I'd feel very happy to do it again."

But Pacquiao's statement on Thursday contradicted the notion of another fight with Marquez, at least not before taking a return bout with Bradley.

On the night of the fight, Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs) edged Pacquiao by scores of 115-113 on the cards of official judges C.J. Ross and Duane Ford, while Jerry Roth had it the same way for Pacquiao. An informal poll of 51 writers favored Pacquiao over Bradley, 48-3.

On Wednesday, however, a five-member panel of judges convened by WBO President Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel unanimously scored in favor of Pacquiao after watching video of the fight with Bradley. Valcarcel informed RingTV.com that his judges all had the matchup for Pacauiao, by scores of 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, 116-112, and115-113.

Valcarcel, who said he thought Pacquiao won eight rounds to four, said that the organization's rules do not allow for the bout being overturned, but that "the only thing that we can do is authorize a rematch."

But under the circumstances, Valcarcel said he would leave the scenario regarding a rematch to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who promotes both Pacquiao and Bradley, Beltran, who often works with Top Rank, and Bradley's manager, Cameron Dunkin.

"My first stop on any quest to determine what to do next is that I have to talk to the guy who is the money generator, and that's Manny Pacquiao," said Arum.

"And I have to then determine after discussions with him what he wants to do next and we'll go from there. Until Manny makes a determination, then I'm like a dog chasing its tail."

Photo by Naoki Fukuda

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com