By . Jeff Powell . Follow @@jeffpowell_Mail . Manny Pacquiao’s return journey to Las Vegas has taken him via Jimmy Kimmel’s chat show on American television, where he was joined on camera by Bill Clinton. The former US president not only expressed his unbounded admiration of the PacMan as a boxer but endorsed him as a future leader of the Philippines. The man standing in the way of the first of those ambitions sees that celebrity shoulder-rubbing as further reason why he will beat the legendary Pacquiao for a second time in the MGM Grand Garden. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Pacquiao train and arrive in Las Vegas ahead of bout . All smiles: Manny Pacquiao appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, making quite an impression on former president Bill Clinton . Back in the limelight: The old master Clinton shares a gag with chat-show host Kimmel . Tim Bradley, the defending WBO welterweight champion, says: ‘Manny is not as hungry as he used to be. He’s lost the fire.’ Bradley would be unwise to rely too much on his suspicion that Pacquiao has gone into decline since he was awarded a quite scandalous points victory over him in their first fight. Or that the PacMan’s political duties as a senator and champion of the poor in his country are such a distraction that he has lost a vital measure of his interest in proving himself one of the greatest fighters of his generation. Pacquiao, although respectful of Bradley, remains deeply aggravated by the blinkered Nevadan judges who consigned him to the first of two defeats which jeopardised his ring career. Fully focused? Tim Bradley has accused Pacquiao of taking his mind off the game . Defending champion: Bradley can inflict the third defeat of Pacquiao's glittering career on Saturday night . In a way, the spectacular knockout loss which followed was fuelled by the need he felt to look impressive in his fourth battle with Juan Manuel Marquez. Sensing he was about to stop his bitter Mexican rival, Pacquiao stayed in range too long and was caught by desperate punch. Bradley also draws encouragement from Pacquiao, in his comeback fight from that upset, failing to apply the knockout to Brandon Rios despite comprehensively out-classing him over 12 rounds. Pacquiao had shown signs of showing sympathy and easing up against inferior opponents previously, Bradley among them. But now his master-trainer Freddie Roach has spent months instilling in him the need to go for the kill when he has a man in trouble... not least to avoid leaving himself at the mercy of incompetent or prejudiced judges. ‘I want Manny to go for the KO against Bradley,’ says Roach. ‘And I expect him to get it.’ Masters at work: Trainer Freddie Roach says Pacquiao will KO his American opponent in Sin City . Grudge match: Bradley celebrates with the welterweight belt after beating the Filipino almost two years ago . If he’s right, it would make the powerful statement which even Floyd Mayweather would find hard to ignore. Bradley is unbeaten in 33 fights. In the most recent of those, last October, he cleverly and clearly out-pointed Marquez, and he has certainly developed as a boxer since that first meeting with Pacquiao two years ago. However, Pacquiao has much to prove – and even more money than usual to look forward to if he can arouse the public to harass Mayweather into meeting him in what would-be the richest fight in ring history. I have no idea how much Mr Clinton knows about boxing but as a genius at political survival he can certainly recognise the qualities of a committed professional in-fighter when he sees one. Bradley acknowledges that the scoring controversy which blighted their first fight has hurt public perception of him and he, too, is eager reconfirm his reputation as a formidable boxer in his own right. But when he warns ‘this fight will not go the distance’ he may find Pacquiao only too willing to endorse that prediction... albeit not in the way he means it. Carl Frampton fully deserves to be viewed as the heir apparent to his own mentor, the great Barry McGuigan, in the firmament of Northern Irish boxing. The super-bantamweight from the Tiger’s Bay area of Belfast is bringing back to Ulster the roaring atmosphere which pervaded McGuigan’s own ascent to world championship glory. By intimidating Hugo Cazares into defeat at the weekend, Frampton laid mandatory claim to a first world title shot of his own and promoter McGuigan hopes to tempt the WBC champion to Belfast later this year, possibly for a stadium fight. Home comforts: Carl Frampton (right) was in scintillating form, beating Mexican Hugo Cazares inside two rounds in his native Belfast . Mentor: The great Barry McGuigan cheers his protege's victory in front of a partisan crowd . Even as that prospect opened up temptation appeared in the shape of Guillermo Rigondeaux, who promptly volunteered to bring his WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine belts across the Atlantic.Careful, Carl and Barry. Rigondeaux, as a two-time Olympic gold medallist, was one of the greatest amateur boxers of all time. Since defecting from Cuba he has won his first world title on only his ninth professional outing and gone on to totally outclass and bewilder Nonito Donaire, the Filipino touted as the next Manny Pacquiao, in a unification bout. Pacquaio’s own Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach, describes Rigondeaux as ‘probably the greatest talent I’ve ever seen.’ Future opponent: The dangerous Guillermo Rigondeaux awaits somewhere on the horizon for Frampton . In terms of punching accuracy, mastery of the noble art of self-defence and pure skill it is hard to argue, even though American audiences have not yet taken to his elusive style. So Frampton and McGuigan need to stick with Plan A, hopefully overcome Santa Cruz wherever that happens and develop towards a Rigondeaux fight as the Cuban, now 33, ages a little and his phenomenal reflexes slow a fraction. At the moment, Rigondeaux is a man you can’t hit. Santa Cruz is a fight Frampton can win. As Enzo Maccarinelli’s right eye closed – and his vision of becoming a two-weight world champion disappeared from his sight – some of boxing’s old-stagers took to wondering why his corner did not apply a rather gruesome remedy of the past to the swelling. Maccarinelli was wounded by a clash of heads in the first round of his challenge for Juergen Braehmer’s WBA light-heavyweight title in Rostock, Germany. The swelling around the eye ballooned up as he took a couple of left hooks to the damaged area from Braehmer, who himself had suffered a cut eye in the collision. Warrior: Enzo Maccarinelli battled on for four rounds with this nasty eye injury . A sorry sight: Maccarinelli's title dreams were ended as his cornerman threw in the towel . Maccarinelli gamely fought on but as he took increasing punishment from punches he could not see, trainer Gary Lockett pulled him out at the end of the fifth. In years gone by fabled American corner-men – Muhammad Ali’s trainer Angelo Dundee prominent among them – would have bled out the pus by taking a razor-blade to slit the engorged area. Old master: Angelo Dundee (right) attends to Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) during his 1966 victory against Karl Mildenberger . Since the worst of the swelling was below the eye, that primitive option was open to Team Enzo.Maccarinelli is a brave man who no doubt would have agreed had they put it to him. Instead, still only 33 but with several heavy KOs among his seven defeats, he is left to ponder whether this particular retirement should become permanent.
Manny Pacquiao appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Show with Bill Clinton, giving Tim Bradley more belief that the former champ has lost his fire .
Pacquiao remains deeply aggravated by the blinkered Nevadan judges who consigned him to defeat against Bradley in 2012 .
Pacquiao's coach Freddie Roach has said: 'I want Manny to go for the KO against Bradley. And I expect him to get it.'
Unbeaten Bradley acknowledges that the scoring controversy hurt public perception of him and he, too, is eager reconfirm his reputation .
Carl Frampton fully deserves to be viewed as the heir apparent to his own mentor, the great Barry McGuigan, in the firmament of Northern Irish boxing .
After a gruesome eye injury, Enzo Maccarinelli is still only 33 but is left to ponder his future in the hardest game .
By . Jeff Powell . Follow @@jeffpowell_Mail . Manny Pacquiao’s return journey to Las Vegas has taken him via Jimmy Kimmel’s chat show on American television, where he was joined on camera by Bill Clinton. The former US president not only expressed his unbounded admiration of the PacMan as a boxer but endorsed him as a future leader of the Philippines. The man standing in the way of the first of those ambitions sees that celebrity shoulder-rubbing as further reason why he will beat the legendary Pacquiao for a second time in the MGM Grand Garden. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Pacquiao train and arrive in Las Vegas ahead of bout . All smiles: Manny Pacquiao appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, making quite an impression on former president Bill Clinton . Back in the limelight: The old master Clinton shares a gag with chat-show host Kimmel . Tim Bradley, the defending WBO welterweight champion, says: ‘Manny is not as hungry as he used to be. He’s lost the fire.’ Bradley would be unwise to rely too much on his suspicion that Pacquiao has gone into decline since he was awarded a quite scandalous points victory over him in their first fight. Or that the PacMan’s political duties as a senator and champion of the poor in his country are such a distraction that he has lost a vital measure of his interest in proving himself one of the greatest fighters of his generation. Pacquiao, although respectful of Bradley, remains deeply aggravated by the blinkered Nevadan judges who consigned him to the first of two defeats which jeopardised his ring career. Fully focused? Tim Bradley has accused Pacquiao of taking his mind off the game . Defending champion: Bradley can inflict the third defeat of Pacquiao's glittering career on Saturday night . In a way, the spectacular knockout loss which followed was fuelled by the need he felt to look impressive in his fourth battle with Juan Manuel Marquez. Sensing he was about to stop his bitter Mexican rival, Pacquiao stayed in range too long and was caught by desperate punch. Bradley also draws encouragement from Pacquiao, in his comeback fight from that upset, failing to apply the knockout to Brandon Rios despite comprehensively out-classing him over 12 rounds. Pacquiao had shown signs of showing sympathy and easing up against inferior opponents previously, Bradley among them. But now his master-trainer Freddie Roach has spent months instilling in him the need to go for the kill when he has a man in trouble... not least to avoid leaving himself at the mercy of incompetent or prejudiced judges. ‘I want Manny to go for the KO against Bradley,’ says Roach. ‘And I expect him to get it.’ Masters at work: Trainer Freddie Roach says Pacquiao will KO his American opponent in Sin City . Grudge match: Bradley celebrates with the welterweight belt after beating the Filipino almost two years ago . If he’s right, it would make the powerful statement which even Floyd Mayweather would find hard to ignore. Bradley is unbeaten in 33 fights. In the most recent of those, last October, he cleverly and clearly out-pointed Marquez, and he has certainly developed as a boxer since that first meeting with Pacquiao two years ago. However, Pacquiao has much to prove – and even more money than usual to look forward to if he can arouse the public to harass Mayweather into meeting him in what would-be the richest fight in ring history. I have no idea how much Mr Clinton knows about boxing but as a genius at political survival he can certainly recognise the qualities of a committed professional in-fighter when he sees one. Bradley acknowledges that the scoring controversy which blighted their first fight has hurt public perception of him and he, too, is eager reconfirm his reputation as a formidable boxer in his own right. But when he warns ‘this fight will not go the distance’ he may find Pacquiao only too willing to endorse that prediction... albeit not in the way he means it. Carl Frampton fully deserves to be viewed as the heir apparent to his own mentor, the great Barry McGuigan, in the firmament of Northern Irish boxing. The super-bantamweight from the Tiger’s Bay area of Belfast is bringing back to Ulster the roaring atmosphere which pervaded McGuigan’s own ascent to world championship glory. By intimidating Hugo Cazares into defeat at the weekend, Frampton laid mandatory claim to a first world title shot of his own and promoter McGuigan hopes to tempt the WBC champion to Belfast later this year, possibly for a stadium fight. Home comforts: Carl Frampton (right) was in scintillating form, beating Mexican Hugo Cazares inside two rounds in his native Belfast . Mentor: The great Barry McGuigan cheers his protege's victory in front of a partisan crowd . Even as that prospect opened up temptation appeared in the shape of Guillermo Rigondeaux, who promptly volunteered to bring his WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine belts across the Atlantic.Careful, Carl and Barry. Rigondeaux, as a two-time Olympic gold medallist, was one of the greatest amateur boxers of all time. Since defecting from Cuba he has won his first world title on only his ninth professional outing and gone on to totally outclass and bewilder Nonito Donaire, the Filipino touted as the next Manny Pacquiao, in a unification bout. Pacquaio’s own Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach, describes Rigondeaux as ‘probably the greatest talent I’ve ever seen.’ Future opponent: The dangerous Guillermo Rigondeaux awaits somewhere on the horizon for Frampton . In terms of punching accuracy, mastery of the noble art of self-defence and pure skill it is hard to argue, even though American audiences have not yet taken to his elusive style. So Frampton and McGuigan need to stick with Plan A, hopefully overcome Santa Cruz wherever that happens and develop towards a Rigondeaux fight as the Cuban, now 33, ages a little and his phenomenal reflexes slow a fraction. At the moment, Rigondeaux is a man you can’t hit. Santa Cruz is a fight Frampton can win. As Enzo Maccarinelli’s right eye closed – and his vision of becoming a two-weight world champion disappeared from his sight – some of boxing’s old-stagers took to wondering why his corner did not apply a rather gruesome remedy of the past to the swelling. Maccarinelli was wounded by a clash of heads in the first round of his challenge for Juergen Braehmer’s WBA light-heavyweight title in Rostock, Germany. The swelling around the eye ballooned up as he took a couple of left hooks to the damaged area from Braehmer, who himself had suffered a cut eye in the collision. Warrior: Enzo Maccarinelli battled on for four rounds with this nasty eye injury . A sorry sight: Maccarinelli's title dreams were ended as his cornerman threw in the towel . Maccarinelli gamely fought on but as he took increasing punishment from punches he could not see, trainer Gary Lockett pulled him out at the end of the fifth. In years gone by fabled American corner-men – Muhammad Ali’s trainer Angelo Dundee prominent among them – would have bled out the pus by taking a razor-blade to slit the engorged area. Old master: Angelo Dundee (right) attends to Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) during his 1966 victory against Karl Mildenberger . Since the worst of the swelling was below the eye, that primitive option was open to Team Enzo.Maccarinelli is a brave man who no doubt would have agreed had they put it to him. Instead, still only 33 but with several heavy KOs among his seven defeats, he is left to ponder whether this particular retirement should become permanent.
smiles: Manny Pacquiao appeared on Jimmy Kimmel although respectful of Bradley, remains deeply aggravated by the blinkered Nevadan judges who want Manny to go for the KO against Bradley,’ says Roach. ‘And I expect him to get it.’ Masters sees one. Bradley acknowledges that the scoring hurt public perception of him and he, too, is eager reconfirm his reputation as a formidable Carl Frampton fully deserves to be viewed as the heir apparent to his own mentor, the great Barry McGuigan, in the firmament of Northern Irish Instead, still only 33 but with several heavy KOs among his seven defeats, he is left to ponder