According to the latest betting lines, the eight-division world champion from the Philippines is almost a 2-1 favorite to beat Bradley on April 12 at the MGM Grand.
As of yesterday, BetUS.com has Pacquiao at -220 and Bradley at +175.
If you’re going for Pacquiao, you need $220 to win $100, and if you’re for Bradley, a wager of $100 gives you $175 in return – if the latter wins.
As far as the odds are concerned, it’s the closest fight for Pacquiao in years.
“At long last, a competitive super fight. I am sure the sports books in Las Vegas are gearing up for huge two-way action,” chief promoter Bob Arum told SB Nation in a recent interview.
The lines also show that more bettors think or believe that the fight may last long or even go the distance.
Odds are at -350 that the fight will go over nine and a half rounds, and they’re at +250 that it will be over before the 1:30 mark of the ninth round.
Based on the result of the first fight, bettors are assuming that Bradley knows how to fight Pacquiao, knows how to survive and knows how to last.
Pacquiao lost a split decision to Bradley when they first fought in June 2012 when a lot of people thought Pacquiao won the fight.
Many were surprised that Bradley lasted the distance against Pacquiao.
Just five months after that loss, Pacquiao faced Juan Manuel Marquez and got knocked out cold. But he seemed to have recovered from those back-to-back defeats.
Last November, Pacquiao outclassed a younger and bigger Brandon Rios in 12 rounds at the Cotai Arena in Macau.
“We’re back,” said Pacquiao.
In the eyes of the betting public, he remains the favorite.