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Manny Pacquiao Delays Start of Timothy Bradley Fight Until Celtics Game Ends, Doc Rivers Calls Decision ‘Cool’

Saturday will be full of action for sports fans.

There is the Red Sox game, the Belmont Stakes, Stanley Cup Final Game 5, the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley fight and a somewhat big game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

Fans were given at least one less conflict to worry about, though, when Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, announced Friday that the start of the fight would be delayed until Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals ends. Pacquiao, an eight-division champion and congressman in his native Philippines, is a huge Celtics fan.

"I'm not waiting for Manny's request on this one," Arum said, according to FightNews.com. "We will not begin the Pacquiao-Bradley main event fight until the Celtics and Heat finish their playoff game. Now Manny, the Heat, the Celtics and sports fans watching the basketball game won't have to make a choice between events. They will be able to watch both."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he was aware of Pacquiao's decision.

"He's a Celtics fan, what do you expect?" Rivers said Friday in a conference call. "Pretty cool, though."

The undercard will begin as scheduled at 9 p.m. ET, Arum reportedly said. Fans at the MGM Grand and on pay-per-view will presumably be hoping the events at American Airlines Arena do not go into overtime.

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