Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s uncle likes Tim Bradley as next opponent

LAS VEGAS -- Meanwhile, across the freeway . . .

As Manny Pacquiao finalized preparations Thursday for his fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night, happenings at Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s gym were light.

Mayweather was not there, having boarded a plane bound for Florida earlier in the day, according to a gym representative.

But Mayweather’s opinionated uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather was present.

A day after Mayweather’s advisor Leonard Ellerbe reported to ESPN.com that the unbeaten fighter has instructed Ellerbe and his manager, Al Haymon, to proceed with a plan to fight twice in 2013 –- in May and September -– Roger Mayweather weighed in.

Asked whether Mayweather Jr. is enthusiastic to fight Gilroy’s Robert Guerrero, who defeated Andre Berto in a gritty performance last month, Roger Mayweather said, “Who is that?”

He beat Berto, Mayweather was told, two knockdowns, flashed a great chin.

“He beat who?” Mayweather cracked.

“I’d like my nephew to fight Tim Bradley,” Mayweather said of a matchup that would feature two unbeaten boxers. “Bradley got the … win over Pacquiao. I know that’s not a hard fight for my nephew.

“He’s a bigger name than the other guy. He’s undefeated. He’s going to try. If he can give the fans a little bit of a show, hey, it is what it is. If they can make that fight, it will really show what my nephew could do to Pacquiao, too, and stop these people from saying he’ll never fight Pacquiao, or that he’s scared.”

Most at ringside and in the arena in June thought Pacquiao won a lopsided decision against Bradley, but the Palm Springs fighter was awarded a controversial split-decision victory by the judges.

Roger Mayweather said he’s even taken to making a personal visit to the office of Pacquiao’s and Bradley’s promoter, Bob Arum, to suggest the Mayweather-Bradley bout, followed by a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

“Arum liked the idea, making Bradley first,” Mayweather said. “He said, ‘I hope we can make that happen.’ ”

Doing so would be the first time Arum has worked with Floyd Mayweather since they parted in 2006. Harsh feelings remain between the fighter, Haymon and Arum.

Roger Mayweather clearly has little to do beyond training for his nephew, and the more probable scenario at this hour appears for Mayweather Jr. to choose Guerrero and Mexico star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for his 2013 fights, since both are promoted by Richard Schaefer, who has helped promote all of Mayweather’s fights since 2007.

And Roger Mayweather noted the divide that remains between Mayweather and Pacquiao when asked how he viewed Pacquiao’s offer to accept 45% of the purse to Mayweather Jr.’s 55%.

“That ain’t going to happen,” Mayweather said. “My nephew’s undefeated, has eight world titles, is the best in the business. He ain’t going to get 50-anything. He don’t deserve that.”

Roger Mayweather said he expects his nephew back in the gym “in January or February.”

Mayweather Jr. hasn’t fought since beating Miguel Cotto by unanimous decision in May. He then served more than two months in jail on a domestic violence conviction in Las Vegas, and “has been traveling ever since ... Chicago, Michigan, Florida.

“But once he comes in here and starts training, he’ll be in here every day. This is what he loves to do. He knows boxing, how hard it is. You don’t have to make him train. He’s going to do the work.”