Poll: Crowd Darlings Level Up

From 30 Philippine Female Big Celebrities we are now down to top six (6), who will be the darling of the crowds level up?

Poll ends on June 30, 2012 at exactly 10:00 PM.

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PHOTOS

Pacquiao vs Bradley

Timothy Bradley says he is not about to let the chance of a lifetime pass him by when he steps into the ring against Filipino fight king Manny Pacquiao on Saturday.

"It's all or nothing," Bradley vowed on Wednesday. "No rounds off. Round by round, I have to win each one."

Bradley, 28, is unbeaten in 28 fights. But he has never fought anyone of Pacquiao's stature and his record includes just 12 knockouts.

He'll be fighting for just the second time at 147 pounds, moving up to challenge for Pacquiao's World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.

Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach says he doesn't believe Bradley has the speed or power to beat his fighter.

Roach questions the wisdom of Bradley's vegan diet -- a rarity in the boxing world -- and says the Californian's muscular physique could be a hindrance rather than an asset.

Bradley acknowledges the highly publicized bout is a step up for him, but says the years of paying his dues fighting in club venues have given him the versatility to adapt to whatever Pacquiao presents.

"I came from the lumberjack yards, fighting in little ballrooms. Now we're in Las Vegas ... and we're going to be fighting in front of thousands of people," said Bradley, who once waited tables to support himself as he tried to establish his ring career.

In 2008, Bradley travelled to Nottingham, England, where he defeated Junior Witter to win the World Boxing Council light welterweight world title.

He said he took home about $40,000 for that bout -- a useful payday for a man who had just a few dollars in the bank at the time.

Less than a year later he survived two knockdowns en route to a victory over Kendall Holt.

Bradley's last bout was an eight-round technical knockout of former world champion Joel Casamayor in November.

That was on the undercard of Pacquiao's controversial majority decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez.

The bout with Casamayor came 10 months after a victory over Devon Alexander, after which Bradley had a potential date with Amir Khan.

That matchup fell through, but Bradley said he believes he has at last landed where he ought to be.

"It's been a long journey, but I knew at some point I would get here," he said.

On Saturday he stands to make a minimum of $5 million, but a victory over Pacquiao -- regarded by many in the sport as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter -- would be a priceless boost to his career. Bradley says he will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

"I don,t look pretty, I don't look spectacular. I don,t have that spark. I don't do that one thing where everyone says 'Wow'," Bradley admitted.

"I know I'm going to have to do it in this fight. You could see some greatness on Saturday."

Calm in Pacquiao camp as Bradley Come out

Filipino fight icon Manny Pacquiao has sorted out tension in his camp and will have strength coach Alex Ariza in his corner with trainer Freddie Roach when he fights Timothy Bradley on Saturday.

"The corner will be me, Miguel Diaz, and Buboy (Fernandez) and Alex Ariza," Roach said Wednesday, shortly before Pacquiao and Bradley took the stage at the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theater for the final press conference to promote their Saturday duel for Pacquaio's World Boxing Organization welterweight title.

Pacquiao's renewed spirituality has been a theme leading up to the bout, with the 33-year-old fighter saying he was happier and calmer as he prepared thanks to Bible study and a renewed relationship with God.
However, tension between Roach and Ariza had arisen and been aired publicly on the HBO reality television series "24/7: Pacquiao vs Bradley", a programme that has followed each boxer in the build-up to the fight.
On Wednesday, however, Roach said he wouldn't characterize the situation as a "rift" between himself and Ariza.
The respected trainer -- who is to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday in Canastota, New York -- said he disapproved of Ariza's decision to leave Pacquaio's camp last month.

"It wasn't a rift. I just said I disagreed with his choice of leaving training camp ... I thought it was bad timing to leave a fighter two weeks without a replacement, like if you have an assistant or somebody like that.
"I thought it was a bad choice."

Pacquiao said last week that he expected the situation to be resolved, and Roach said that he asked the fighter who he wanted in his corner.

"He said let's let Alex work the corner and I'll sit Alex and Miguel down and we'll tell them what their jobs are and everyone's just going to do their job," Roach said, adding that while he'll be the only trainer instructing Pacquiao, he might still call on Ariza to relay his directions because Ariza can be heard better over the noise of the crowd.
"That won't change," Roach said.

Pacquiao, who has won world titles in eight divisions and built a record of 54-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, is favored against Bradley, the WBO light welterweight champ.
But he admits his narrow majority decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in November may have left some with "doubts" that he retains the same devastating speed and power of his prime.
Against the unbeaten Bradley, a 28-year-old who brings a record of 28-0 with 12 knockouts to the fight, Pacquiao said he wants to "get back the trust" of fans.
To do it, he said, he knows he'll have to stop a young and hungry fighter who will be on boxing's biggest stage for the first time.

"I know what Timothy is feeling right now," Pacquiao said of the drive to earn a place among boxing's elite. "That's why I train hard -- because I know what he's feeling."

Pacquiao Promises Great Fight

Manny Pacquiao admitted being under tremendous pressure to put up a good fight against Tim Bradley at the MGM Grand past noon Tuesday.

A horde of fans welcomed the 33-year-old superstar to the main lobby of the hotel where a makeshift ring was put up for the formal and traditional arrival ceremony.

He got up the ring, with his bodyguards, did interviews for the television crews, and faced all four corners to greet his fans that kept chanting his name.

With members of the print media, inside the hotel’s VIP lounge, he talked about Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

He admitted there’s pressure on him for Saturday’s fight against Bradley, the pressure to deliver following a so-so win over Marquez last November.

“There is pressure. But we (already) did our best in training for this fight. I have to give a good show to the people and make people happy.

“This fight will be a great fight and people will be satisfied with the result,” he promised.

Pacquiao had to think hard when asked what the main reason was for the kind of performance he offered the world against Marquez.

He was asked how he could have underestimated the Mexican who had given him a tough time in their two previous matches.

“It just happened that we underestimated Marquez,” he said of the boxer whom he had floored four times in 2004 and 2008 but not once last November.

Once again, Marquez came close to beating Pacquiao, and may have won it in the eyes of many the last time they met.

“I was already fighting bigger guys and then I fight someone my size. So, I underestimated him,” was Pacquiao’s answer.

He must have learned a lesson that there’s no way he’s underestimating Bradley even if he stands a shade taller than the challenger from Indio, California.

When he climbs the ring on Saturday, he said everything else takes a backseat, and that includes his passion for reading the Bible.

All he needs is to switch the button, and he’s ready to fight.

“When I step into the ring, I change the mode. I just switch the button,” he said.

Of course, it wouldn’t end without Pacquiao being asked about Mayweather, and the fight that nearly took place twice, and may never happen at all.

Pacquiao said it’s so simple why it’s not happening.

“He gives me $40 million and nothing in the pay-per-view and if I agree then he will be laughing at my back. That’s not the proper negotiation -- if you are a businessman,” he said.

Then Bob Arum had to cut short the interview.

“This is taking longer than his Bible studies,” the chief promoter said. - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)