Pacquiao vs. Bradley 3 Undercard: Schedule, Top Storylines Ahead of Main-Event
There is no shortage of storylines when it comes to Manny Pacquiao's bout against Timothy Bradley Jr. on Saturday night, the third meeting between these two world-class boxers.
It could be Pacquiao's last match. Or, maybe it won't be. The man himself doesn't even seem to know.
Saturday's bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is a chance for Pacquiao to wash away some of the stink left from the great disappointment that was his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May 2015. It's an opportunity to prove that at age 37 and coming off a shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, he can pack a punch and still beat a greater fighter.
There's also his waning popularity and controversial remarks.
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For Bradley, it's the chance to beat Pacquiao for a second time, hopefully in a non-controversial fashion. Bradley's also working with a new trainer in Teddy Atlas in an attempt to boost his career prospects.
There are plenty of narratives for the main event in Sin City, but they aren't the only ones. The pay-per-view undercard features three bouts, all of them with titles on the line. There are fights involving contrasts in styles, young versus old and careers at crossroads.
Here's a quick primer on the main storylines driving the Pacquiao-Bradley undercard.
Undercard Storylines
Can Arthur Abraham Win Outside of Germany?
| Manny Pacquiao 57-6-2, 38 KOs) vs. Timothy Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) | 12 | Vacant WBO International welterweight |
| Gilberto Ramirez (33-0, 24 KOs) vs. Arthur Abraham (44-4, 29 KOs) | 12 | WBO World super middleweight |
| Oscar Valdez (18-0, 16 KOs) vs. Evgeny Gradovich (21-1-1, 9 KOs) | 10 | WBO NABO featherweight |
| Jose Ramirez (16-0, 12 KOs) vs. Manuel Perez (25-11-1, 6 KOs) | 10 | WBC Continental Americas super lightweight |
Arthur Abraham has established himself as one of the bigger names in European boxing, and he reigns supreme in the super middleweight ranks. He's defended his WBO World title five times and won 12 of his last 13 bouts. It's an impressive record, but the 36-year-old has accomplished it all fighting in Germany, his adopted home.
The Armenian-born boxer last fought outside of Germany in May 2011, losing to Andre Ward in a Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament bout. Abraham is a calculating fighter who can brawl as well as box defensively, but he's getting up there in years. His opponent Saturday is Gilberto Ramirez, who is 12 years his junior and hungry for a world title.
If Abraham can win this, it will improve his reputation outside of Europe and dispel any lingering doubts about his ability to win fights outside of friendly confines.
Gilberto Ramirez Has a Chance to Make History
Mexico has produced scores of great boxers over the years, some of them counting among the best in the sport's history. While many have picked up titles along the way, the super middleweight division belts have thus far eluded Mexican boxers.
With a win over Abraham on Saturday, Ramirez can change all that and bring back his home country a title at 168 pounds. It has been one of the key things motivating him for this potential star-making turn.
"That's why you work so hard," Ramirez told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael through a translator. "You don't want to just be a guy. You want to be a special fighter. The opportunity to be the first Mexican super middleweight champion is added motivation for me. It really means a lot."
Ramirez is undefeated and boasts knockout power, but he has never faced a boxer of Abraham's caliber. If the southpaw is going to win this bout, it's going to take both brains and youthful brawn.
Evgeny Gradovich Isn't Looking So Great Lately
Evgeny Gradovich hasn't looked the same in his last four bouts. A split-decision draw with Jayson Velez in November 2014 saw him retain his IBF featherweight belt, only for him to lose it six months later to Lee Selby via a technical decision. Selby was in fairly good control of that bout, moving around the ring well and generally getting the better of Gradovich.
The 29-year-old has come back to notch two wins, but they were split and majority decisions over fighters he should've beaten easily. Oscar Valdez should provide a much tougher test, and Gradovich has to improve on his recent performances if he is going to get his career back on track.
According to his manager Egis Klimas, he's been taking his training for this bout very seriously, spending time in a no-frills environment in Arapahoe, North Carolina, per the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Whicker.
“You go in the woods and see this hut,” Klimas said, per Whicker. “They’ve got the biggest bugs there I’ve ever seen. You might go out to get some sun in the summertime, and here comes a snake. Only two guys I ever brought there lasted a year. They were Kovalev and Gradovich."
Another loss would be devastating for Gradovich, who would find it difficult to work his way back up to a championship level.
Oscar Valdez Wants to Take His Career to the Next Level
Valdez has had no problem waxing people up at this point in his career. Undefeated with 16 knockouts in 18 wins, the 25-year-old Mexican has been on a warpath in the featherweight division.
A win over Gradovich would give him the vacant WBO NABO featherweight title, and perhaps open the door to fights against the top boxers in the division, like Vasyl Lomachenko, Jesus Cuellar or Selby.
Valdez hasn't faced anyone with a resume as good as Gradovich's, his recent struggles notwithstanding. A win of any variety on Saturday would be a huge achievement for a young, exciting fighter like Valdez, as he could endear himself to plenty of fans on a major pay-per-view card.
Manny Perez's Big Moment
Manny Perez is not supposed to win on Saturday. He's 25-11-1 with six knockouts, going up against 23-year-old Jose Ramirez, an up-and-coming prospect with a 16-0 record and 12 KOs. Odds Shark has Ramirez as a 1-14 favorite, with Perez holding 15-2 odds.
But just by virtue of being on this pay-per-view undercard, Perez has already won. Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole did an excellent profile of Perez, documenting his grueling daily training routine as a full-time worker and father of three. Iole also noted how Perez's relatively meager fight purse will help his family:
"Perez has had it difficult his whole career and, indeed, his entire life. He dreams of being able to earn enough money to be able to buy his young family a home.
He’ll make $34,000 on Saturday to face Ramirez, not enough to buy a home outright, but certainly a good place to start.
It’s been a long, hard road and the odds have always been against him. His luck may be changing in this gambling town, where so many dreams have been broken with a simple roll of the dice or cut of the cards.
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If you're looking for a sentimental choice on Saturday, you could do a whole lot worse than throwing your support behind Perez. He's probably not going to get the win, but making it this far is an achievement in its own right.
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