Manny Pacquiao dismisses Bradley's trash talk about his lethal left hook

HOLLYWOOD – Manny Pacquiao could only smirk when told Tim Bradley was going to use him for target practice with his supposedly lethal left hook. when they meet in the ring again almost a week from now.

The Filipino ring icon let out a short grin upon learning about Bradley’s boast during the media workout of the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion on Thursday.

“Kawawa [naman],” Pacquiao blurted out without further elaborating.

During his media workout at the Fortune gym, Bradley was asked if he had the same powerful right just like Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, who knocked out Pacquiao cold in the sixth round of their fourth meeting in December of 2012.

Bradley, still unbeaten in 31 professional fights, said he doesn’t have the mean right hand of Marquez, but boasted his left hook will take care of Pacquiao in their April 12 (April 13, PHL time) rematch.

But other than the one-liner, Pacquiao refused to comment about the champion’s recent boast.

The 36-year-old Filipino, who will challenge Bradley next Saturday (next Sunday, PHL time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, did six rounds of sparring behind closed doors at the Wild Card gym as he tapers off in the final week of his two-month training for his first fight of the year.

Pacquiao had a full meal shortly after the two-hour workout with trainer Freddie Roach, feasting on chicken, a bowl of soup, tapa, and a platter of fruits in his favorite haunt, the nearby Nat’s Thai restaurant adjacent to the famed sweatshop along Vine St. in Hollywood.

The eight-time world champion said making weight is not a problem at this point.

“Kain lang ng kain,” said Pacquiao after finishing his meal inside the packed eatery.

Pacquiao’s training camp has been observing strict rules of late with only a few people allowed inside the gym to watch the boxing great prepare for his rematch against Bradley, two years since being beaten by the American via a controversial split decision.

Haplas Fernandez, a longtime training assistant of the Pacman, however, described training as very intense, with sparring-mates being hammered one after the other.

“Nagbabagsakan [the spar-mates]. Sabi nga namin yan ang sparring, walang awa-awa,” said the brother of Pacquiao childhood friend and trainer Buboy Fernandez.

Pacquiao said he’ll still spar for four rounds each on Saturday and Monday before finally leaving for Las Vegas five days before his rematch with the 30-year-old Bradley. - Gerry Ramos, SPIN