By Chris Williams: Juan Manuel Marquez isn’t counting out unbeaten challenger Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12 KO’s) in his fight in June against Manny Pacquiao. Marquez thinks Bradley’s hand speed gives him a really good chance of beating the 33-year-old Pacquiao on June 9th.

Marquez said to Yahoo Sports News “Bradley is a very difficult fight for Manny Pacquiao. Very difficult. Bradley is a very fast fighter. He’s a good boxer who can take a punch. If Pacquiao loses that, and he could, it would take a lot of interest off a bout with me and him.”

You can say that again. Not only would it take off interest in a fourth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez, it would likely delay it into 2013, if the ever does take place. The thing is Pacquiao personally picked out the 28-year-old Bradley over Marquez, because he felt that boxing fans wouldn’t be interested in seeing a fourth fight between them so soon after their last fight. It sounds like a good excuse except that many boxing fans thought Pacquiao should have lost his last fight against Marquez last November, and by Pacquiao saying he doesn’t think fans are interested in the fight, it just comes off like an excuse to save him from facing what would likely be a very, very tough fight that could go the other way around.

Saying boxing fans aren’t interested in the is also a good way of ducking it as well. By making Marquez wait until late 2012, 2013 or 2014, it improves the chances that he’ll age more and thus become beatable. However, it also could work against Pacquiao because he seems to be aging quicker than Marquez judging by his last three fights. Pacquiao seems to be slowing down, and he’s starting to show signs by having leg problems.

If Pacquiao loses to Bradley, they will then fight a rematch in November or December, while Marquez would then have to wait around until hopefully Pacquiao wins.

Bradley will be a very tough fight for Pacquiao because he’s not shot, weight drained of coming off a serious beating like a lot of Pacquiao’s opponents. Bradley is in his prime and won’t be affected by any weight issues because he’ll be fighting closer to his natural weight. Bradley has to drain down to fight at 140, so by fighting at 147, he’s closer to his walking around weight of 160 pounds. Pacquiao’s going to get a lot more of Bradley than Bradley’s usual light welterweight opponents get because he doesn’t melt off as much weight.