Bradley, not Floyd Jr, is Pacquiao's likely opponent in 2012

Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley may be emerging as the top candidate to challenge Pacquiao in 2012 according Wakee Salud, a close friend and advisor of the Filipino boxing icon. The 28-year-old Bradley has become a possible contender after Floyd Mayweather Jr. was sentenced to a 90-day jail term on battery and harassment charges on Wednesday in Las Vegas. Although he believes a Pacquiao-Bradley showdown would not really be appealing to fight fans, Salud said he leaves it all up to Top Rank Promotions chairman Bob Arum to hype up the 12-round title bout. Bradley and durable Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez were among the names that Arum had earlier mentioned as Pacquiao's possible opponents early next year if ever a proposed mega-buck fight with Mayweather Jr. doesn't push through. A Pacquiao-Mayweather match is unlikely to take place early 2012 after the 34-year-old fighter was sentenced by Las Vegas Clark County judge Melissa Saragosa to a 90-day jail term. The undefeated American boxer out of Grand Rapids, Michigan pleaded guilty to a reduced battery domestic violence charge and no contest to two harassment charges stemming from a violent confrontation with his ex-girlfriend Joe Harris in September 2010. Mayweather is expected to start serving his three-month sentence on January 6, thereby jeopardizing a supposed May 5 ring return that he suggested to face Pacquiao. Although Marquez, 38, is also a viable opponent owing to the controversial result of his third fight with Pacquiao on November 12, Salud believes the result would still be the same should there be a fourth meeting between the two ring warriors. "A fourth meeting between Pacquiao and Marquez won't benefit both fighters. The result will still be the same,' said Salud. Pacquiao pulled off a highly-debatable majority decision win over Marquez to retain his WBO welterweight title. — JVP/KG, GMA News