Superstar Manny Pacquiao enlightens his spiritual advisor Pastor Jeric Soriano(L) on the finer points of boxing during training at the Wildcard Boxing Club Monday in preparation for his upcoming World Welterweight title mega-fight against undefeated Jr. Welterweight champion Timothy “The Desert Storm” Bradley Jr.. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs Bradley will take place, Saturday, June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on HBO Pay Per View

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (April 26, 2012) – If the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley, Jr. World Welterweight Championship pay-per-view undercard was a poker hand it would be two pairs of world title fighters, Arce High! Six gladiators will be going mano a mano in two world championship rumbles and a 10-round junior featherweight brawl.

The three-bout pay-per-view undercard will feature undefeated No. 1 welterweight contender MIKE “MJ” JONES battling two-time world champion and current No. 2 contender RANDALL “The Knockout King” BAILEY for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title; undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX defending his title against world-rated TEON “The Technician” KENNEDY; and five-division world champion and Méxican icon JORGE “Travieso” ARCE, in his first fight in a Las Vegas ring in more than one year, taking on Puerto Rican knockout artist JESUS ROJAS in a 10-round junior featherweight fight.

These six warriors boast a combined record of 171-15-5 (128 KOs) – a winning percentage of 90% and a victory by knockout ratio of 75%.

The Pacquiao vs. Bradley World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship collision will take place Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The event will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, remaining tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

“The fight card on June 9 will be a treat for all boxing fans,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “These will be great high-action fights as will be our main event with world champions Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley.”

Jones (26-0, 19 KOs), of Philadelphia, Pa., will be making his first world title challenge in a professional career that began with a second-round TKO of Jason Thompson on December 16, 2005 in Philadelphia. The 5’11 Jones, 29, has collected NABA and NABO welterweight titles en route to his ascent to the top of the welterweight ratings, which has included victories over Henry Bruseles, Jesus Soto- Karass (twice), Irving Garcia and Hector Muñoz. Jones, who is co-promoted by Hall of Fame inductee Russell Peltz, returns to the ring after winning a dominating 12-round unanimous decision over Sebastian Lujan in an IBF title elimination bout, at Madison Square Garden on December 3.

Bailey (41-7, 36 KOs), of Miami, Fla., is no stranger to world championship fights having won world titles twice, so far, in his 16-year professional career. He captured his first world title, the WBO junior welterweight championship, in 1999, via a first-round knockout of defending champion Carlos Gonzalez. Bailey successfully defended the title twice, both by knockout, against Hector Lopez and Ray Martinez before losing it via split decision to Ener Julio in 2000 in a very exciting fight. In 2002 Bailey captured the WBA interim super lightweight belt with a third-round knockout of Demetrio Ceballos. Bailey, now trained by two-division world champion John David Jackson, earned his latest title shot with a first-round knockout of Jackson Osei-Bonsu, in an IBF title elimination bout in 2010.

Rigondeaux (9-0, 7 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time Cuban National Champion, lives in Miami, Fla. The Cuban southpaw, who made his professional debut in 2009, won the WBA interim super bantamweight title the following year, in only his seventh pro outing, on November 13, 2010, winning a split decision over former world champion Ricardo Cordoba. After successfully defending the title with a first-round knockout of undefeated former European super bantamweight champion Willie Casey on March 11, 2011, he dethroned the previously undefeated WBA super bantamweight champion Rico Ramos in the sixth round of their January 20 title fight. This will be Rigondeaux’s first defense of his world title.

Kennedy (17-1-2, 7 KOs), of Philadelphia, Pa., was an amateur standout, winning gold at the 2004 National Golden Gloves Championships and the U.S. National Under 19 Championships and the 2001 Pan American Cadet Championships. His five-year professional boasts a USBA junior featherweight title reign, which he won in 2009 by knocking out Francisco Rodriguez in the 10th round. He successfully defended that title twice with 12-round unanimous decisions over Jose Beranza and previously undefeated Jorge Diaz in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Kennedy also captured the NABA super bantamweight title in 2010, knocking out Alejandro Becerra in the 10th round. In his last fight, Kennedy was awarded a disputed draw with Chris Martin, on January 13, a fight most ringside observers thought was won by Kennedy.

Arce (60-6-2, 46 KOs), from Los Mochis, México, is one of boxing’s most exciting and popular fighters. The all-action warrior has won world championships or interim world titles in all five divisions between 108 and 122 pounds. A future first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, Arce enters this fight riding a two-year, nine bout unbeaten streak which includes victories over Angky Angkota for the WBO junior bantamweight title, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. for the WBO junior featherweight belt and Angkota again, this time for the WBO bantamweight crown, the title Arce currently holds.

Rojas (18-1-1, 13 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, enters this fight riding a two-year, six-bout unbeaten streak. Known for his aggressive style, good punching power in both hands, impressive skills and movement and a strong amateur background with close to 200 amateur fights, Rojas, 25, is ready to take the next step in going toe-to-toe with the great Arce.

The Pacquiao-Bradley world championship telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry.

For Pacquiao-Bradley fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com

Sources have confirmed to 15rounds.com that WBA Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux will defend his crown against once beaten Philadelphian Teon Kennedy as part of the June 9th Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley undercard.
These are the games that make unforgettable this sport and it’s a real shame to miss them. As the boxer Ottavio Barone once put it: ‘This is not merely throwing your fists on a curve, it’s a challenge against yourself.’ Luckily, even if you miss a game, you can still get the latest updates on your phone, maybe whilst you’re playing some mobile casino games.

Rigondeaux, 9-0 with seven knockouts won the full title on January 20 with a sixth round stoppage over Rico Ramos. Kennedy, 17-1-2 with seven knockouts is coming off a draw with Christopher Martin

It could be a big night for the stable of Promoter Russell Peltz/Managers Doc Nowicki and Joe Hand who also have Mike Jones fighting Randall Bailey for the vacant IBF Welterweight title on that same PPV undercard

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

For the congregation that still prays for Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr., pray a little harder that the born-again Pacquiao isn’t struck by a head butt from Tim Bradley that ruptures old wounds above a right eye with scars that might as well look like a target.

A perfect storm of circumstances are aligned for just such a collision in the Bradley-Pacquiao fight on June 9 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. Head butts are already more likely in a bout between a southpaw and an orthodox fighter. Between the left-handed Pacquiao and the orthodox Bradley, one and more are an even better bet than a Pacquiao victory.

Start with each fighter’s past. Start with Bradley’s head. It has become a weapon, notorious and dangerous. Accidental butts led to cuts that resulted in his last victory, a 10th-round technical decision, over a bloodied Devon Alexander last winter in Detroit.

Pacquiao has suffered cuts above the right eye repeatedly, once in a decision last year over orthodox Shane Mosley in May and again in November with a gash deep enough to expose bone in the 10th round of his controversial decision over orthodox Juan Manuel Marquez. It was caused by – you guessed it – a head butt. Twenty-eight stitches were needed to close that one.

The lengthy healing process was mentioned as a reason Pacquiao couldn’t fight Mayweather on May 5. The real truth might be more about money than stitches. The danger now, however, is that there won’t be any argument left about Pacquiao-Mayweather next November if Bradley’s head lands all over again.

Remember this: A cut over that same eye appeared to the biggest factor in Pacquiao’s last loss by unanimous decision to orthodox Erik Morales in 2005. The cut was sustained in the fifth round from a clash of heads. Then, it was called accidental. If it happens again, it won’t be called coincidental. It will be remembered as an avoidable obstacle standing in the way of the one fight the world has wanted to see.

Gonzales wants to fight on
Jesus Gonzales of Phoenix plans to continue fighting despite a loss that, at first glance, appeared to be a career-ender Saturday when Adonis Stevenson dropped him with left hands 99 seconds after the opening bell in Montreal.

The 27-year-old Gonzales (27-2, 14 KOs) wants to move back down in weight, from super-middle (168 pounds) to middle (160), according to his promoter, Canadian Darin Schmick of FanBase.

Stevenson (17-1, 14 KOs) overwhelmed Gonzales, perhaps because he was the bigger, stronger fighter, although Gonzales never even attempted to circle away from the known power in Stevenson’s left . He simply walked right into it, almost as if he were walking into an oncoming locomotive.

Gonzales also has talked about finding a new trainer. He has mentioned Robert Garcia, who is already busy with Brandon Rios, Nonito Donaire and Antonio Margarito. A revolving corner has been a problem for Gonzales, who took the Stevenson fight on late notice.

In Montreal, Gonzales father, Ernie, was back in his corner. His dad, his trainer for the first part of his pro career and throughout his brilliant days as an amateur, had decided to step away. But he worked with him for nearly four weeks of training in Calgary.

Gonzales’ plans, however, hinge on an MRI to determine if he suffered head trauma, Schmick said. Gonzales, who lost by TKO in 2005 to Jose Luis Zertuche in his only other loss, was knocked out for the first time in his career by Stevenson. The KO means he’ll need a clean MRI to get licensed, said Schmick, who was trying to put Gonzales in position for a shot at Andre Ward. Ward’s last loss was to Gonzales when both were amateurs.

NOTES, COUNTERS
Alexander tries to put his career back on track against dangerous Marcos Maidana Saturday in St. Louis, Alexander’s hometown. He said he’d like another shot at Bradley, although he also said something in a conference call that might serve as a warning to Pacquiao. “You can’t train for head butts,’’ Alexander said. “You can’t train to get head-butted and to get your eye all messed up.’’

And there’s no truth to the rumor that the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation – the Lone Star State’s boxing commission — conducted the drug testing for Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun, whose 50-game suspension was overturned Thursday. Apparently, protocol wasn’t followed. In San Antonio, the Texas commissioners forgot to test Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. after he beat Marco Antonio Rubio on Feb. 4. Details, those pesky details.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach talks about the June 9 clash between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley

Pound for Pound king Manny Pacquiao talks to the media about his June 9 battle with Timothy Bradley

Hall of Fame Promoter Bob Arum breaks down the June 9th bout between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley

Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley meet the media in New York to announce thie June 9th title fight

World Jr. Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley discusses his June 9 showdown with Manny Pacquiao

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

As expected, HBO Pay Per View will show the June 9th showdown between Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Jr. Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

The announcement coincided with the day that Pacquiao and Bradley kicked off a two-city media tour in Los Angeles to promote the fight. “Manny Pacquiao’s fights are always special events and we are very excited that his June 9 fight with Timothy Bradley will be presented by HBO Pay-Per-View,” HBO Sports president Ken Hershman said in a statement to ESPN.com. “We look forward to working with Manny, Timothy and Top Rank on this major PPV event.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that 140 lb world champion Timothy Bradley has signed on the dotted line for his June 9 showdown with Manny Pacquaio that will take place in Las Vegas.

“It’s a very tough fight. Stylistically, Timmy poses a real threat,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef said. “I think Timmy is an incredibly skilled fighter. He has quick hands, quick feet, he’s undefeated and he doesn’t know how to lose. Tim Bradley is a winner. Manny will have to be on top of his game against Tim Bradley, who is in his prime. Manny has always taken on those challenges.”

“Manny and his team understand that in order to put on these big events you need the most skilled fighters in the world and competition, and that’s why he respects all of his opponents and what they bring to the table,” duBoef said.

“In Timmy Bradley, you’re dealing with an accomplished fighter,” duBoef said. “He’s a premier fighter in the 140-pound division and he’s on everyone’s pound-for-pound list in the top 5 to 10. He had a destruction of Peterson (in a one-sided decision in December 2009). He played with Peterson, who just beat Khan, and I was on the other end in that fight because I was Peterson’s promoter. Bottom line — Timmy Bradley is a terrific fighter.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, pound for pound king Manny Pacquaio has agreed to defend the WBO Welterweight title against Timothy Bradley on June 9th in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao is just waiting on Bradley to make a deal with promoter Top Rank which is expected shortly.

“From our end, the fight is done,” said Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz. “I just got off the phone with (Top Rank’s) Bob Arum and Manny, so we’re done. I don’t assume there will be a problem from the Bradley side. We came to terms with Top Rank on the fight and Manny has approved everything. This morning I had a number of conversations with Bob negotiating the June 9 fight and I relayed everything to Manny.”

“We are going to be having further conversations with Bradley and his management early this week and hopefully finalize the deal,” said Top Rank President Todd duBoef. “But the truth is my (promotional) agreement with Bradley lays out certain parameters for a Pacquiao fight, so there is a framework already.

“We’ve been talking about this for over a month and we always had a Plan B in case Mayweather didn’t happen,” Koncz said. “Last time I went to the Philippines, I took Manny tapes of all of the opponents we were talking about and he watched them with his wife, Jinkee. Bradley was one of them, as everybody knows

“Bradley is a young, undefeated fighter who deserves a chance,” Koncz said. “Manny is excited. Until we name an opponent, boxing is out of Manny’s mind. He’s busy working in (the Filipino) congress. But he gets interested in boxing again when he has an opponent and a fight. Now we know we have a date (and) an opponent and he’s excited.”

Phpto by Chris Farina / Top Rank