Pacquiao tips hat off to Bradley

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao was so magnanimous in victory that he said the Timothy Bradley that he faced Saturday evening was the best Timothy Bradley he’d ever fought.

Pacquiao and Bradley had squared off three times in four years – with 36 rounds between them.

Saturday was the first time that somebody got knocked down. It was the 32-year-old American, who went down once in the seventh and ninth rounds.

Pacquiao went on to score a unanimous decision.

But the Filipino with world titles in eight different weight classes told the packed MGM Media Center after the fight that Bradley came to win.

“This fight is better than the last two,” said Pacquiao.

“Every round I was looking for a knockout. But Bradley is a very good boxer,” he said.

“This is the best of the three fights. Great action and very competitive. This is also the best Timothy Bradley I’ve faced in three fights,” Pacquiao said.

“He (Pacquiao) was very patient. He waited on me to make mistakes. I wasn’t able to get to him,” Bradley said in his moment with the press.

Bradley had left the post-fight press conference when Pacquiao, in a lightcolored suit, arrived to deliver his farewell speech.

He thanked Top Rank Promotions and the MGM Grand, then all the sponsors, and the media. He thanked his own team and then Bradley’s team. “Thank you for a good fight,” he said. “Bradley is not an easy opponent,” added Pacquiao.

No wonder Pacquiao fought him thrice.