The stage is set for the expected rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas -- unless Floyd Mayweather changes his mind and picks the Filipino boxing icon for his next fight on May 3rd.
According to a report from The Manila Bulletin, Pacquiao has already made up his mind and decided to face Bradley as he is aching to avenge his loss during their first showdown.
Sources said that Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz is set to return to the Philippines anytime this week from the United States to finalize the paperworks for the Bradley rematch.
Once Pacquiao affixes his signature on the fight contract, the fight will be officially announced sometime next week, and it will be followed by a series of press tours on February 4 and 5 in Los Angeles and New York, respectively. The source added that the two fighters will also visit Philadelphia to promote the bout.
Pacquiao wanted another shot at Bradley all along since he wants to erase the bitter memory of his controversial defeat to the undefeated American in their first showdown.
The 35-year-old former pound-for-pound king outworked Bradley in their WBO welterweight title showdown in June 2012, but the judges saw it otherwise, awarding a highly-questionable split-decision victory to the 30-year-old American.
Aside from Bradley, Pacquiao also considered facing his good friend and former sparring partner Ruslan Provodnikov and former Mayweather opponent, Robert Guerrero, but he eventually decided to choose Bradley, citing the bad blood between them.
Juan Manuel Marquez was originally the primary target of Pacquiao's camp since the Filipino boxing icon is also looking for revenge after his Mexican nemesis knocked him out cold in their fourth showdown in December 2012.
However, despite being offered decent fight purse, the 40-year-old Mexican repeatedly turned down another fight against Pacquiao, saying that the Pacquiao chapter of his career is over after his decisive win in their previous showdown.
Mayweather was also in the talks about Pacquiao's next fight, but the reigning pound-for-pound king insisted numerous times that he has no interest in facing the former eighth-division champion.
Mayweather said that the potential record-breaking showdown will not happen unless Pacquiao decides to part ways with world-renowned promoter Bob Arum and his Top Rank Promotions.
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