Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley: Undercard Schedule, Online Odds and Picks
When Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. step into the ring Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, boxing fans will be filled with anticipation as these two men engage in their third bout.
The record book says they have split their first two decisions, but most boxing observers believe that Pacquiao was victimized by poor judging and scoring in the first fight.
The third fight should be action-packed, as Bradley has become a more aggressive fighter and is capable of performing as a volume puncher.
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Prior to the main event, three quality bouts on the undercards should feature quite a bit of exciting action.
Here's a look at those fights, with odds provided by Odds Shark. (Odds listed next to each fighter's name.)
Jose Ramirez (1-12) vs. Manuel Perez (7-1)
Jose Carlos Ramirez does not have a lot of experience as a professional, but he is off to a sharp start in his career with a 16-0-0 record.
This 23-year-old super lightweight fighter picked up the WBC super lightweight title when he defeated Johnny Garcia in a hard-fought unanimous decision last December. Veteran Manuel Perez (25-11-1) will serve as his opponent in the first defense of his title.
Ramirez has won 12 of his fights by knockout, but most of his opponents have not been able to provide him with much of a test to this point. Perez has been around and has fought some good fighters like Victor Ortiz and Anton Novikov, but he has come up short against quality opponents.
Ramirez is likely to get tested early in the fight, but he is too talented for the 31-year-old Perez. Look for Ramirez to assert himself in the third round and win the fight shortly thereafter.
Prediction: Ramirez stops Perez in the fifth round.
Oscar Valdez (1-10) vs. Evgeny Gradovich (6-1)
Oscar Valdez has a chance to be a star in his sport, as he has reeled off an 18-0-0 record with 16 knockouts to start his career.
Valdez has a chance to use this fight with the very tough Evgeny Gradovich (21-1-1) to take a major step up as a featherweight contender, but this fight will not be easy. In addition to his impressive record, Gradovich has shown he can take a hard punch and keep on going.
Valdez has excellent hand speed and power, but he may find that some of the knockout punches he has thrown in his previous bouts are not going to do much to stop Gradovich. How will Valdez react if he throws a solid combination and does not shake Gradovich?
That scenario is likely in the early rounds. If Valdez is well-prepared, he will understand that Gradovich is not just another opponent and will keep following his game plan. If he is not, panic could start to set in, and he could get hit with some hard combinations.
Look for this fight to be fairly even most of the way, but Valdez's talent will show through in the later rounds.
Prediction: Valdez wins by decision.
Arthur Abraham (9-5) vs. Gilberto Ramirez (10-23)
This is the classic bout between a strong veteran fighter in Arthur Abraham (44-4-0) and the up-and-coming potential superstar in Gilberto Ramirez (33-0-0), who has passed every test to this point but still has more to prove.
Abraham is a 36-year-old veteran who holds the WBO super middleweight championship. Abraham won that title when he registered a TKO over hard-nosed Robert Stieglitz last July and held on to it when he defeated Martin Murray with a split-decision victory last November.
Abraham is not as well-known among fight fans in the United States as he is in Europe. He has fought in the U.S., but he has dropped two of his three fights there.
Nevertheless, he is looking forward to fighting in Las Vegas. "I am very happy that this fight will happen with Ramirez in America," Abraham said through a translator (h/t Dan Rafael of ESPN). "I want to fight in America and get well known here."
Ramirez, 24, is five-plus inches taller than Abraham, and he appears to have the edge in quickness. He will be tested severely by his opponent's edge in experience, and this should be a very close and exciting fight.
Prediction: Abraham earns the decision in a fight that may be the equal of the main event between Pacquiao and Bradley.
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