Filipino southpaw Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring for a rematch and a chance for revenge against American Timothy Bradley on April 12 in Las Vegas,.

The fight will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum announced on Saturday.

Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) lost a controversial split decision to Bradley when they met in June 2012.

"I've never been as ashamed to be associated with the sport of boxing as I am tonight," promoter Arum said after that fight.

"Respected people scored it 11-1 and 10-2 in rounds for Pacquiao. They said that Bradley was trying hard, but it was a mismatch."

Judge Jerry Roth awarded the fight to Pacquiao by a score of 115-113, while CJ Ross and Duane Ford both scored it 115-113 for Bradley, who entered the ring as a 5-1 underdog.

Pacquiao was gracious in defeat, saying: "I accept what the result is. I respect the judges, I cannot blame them. It is a part of the game. I give thanks to the Lord. I did my best, but my best wasn't good enough."

It was Pacquiao's first defeat since he lost to Erik Morales in March 2005, ending a run of 15 consecutive wins by the Filipino who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.

Pacquiao went on to also lose his next fight, a sixth-round KO at the hands of Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012, which prompted retirement speculation.

However, the 35-year-old Filipino rebounded from that defeat two months ago with a decisive unanimous decision over former IBF lightweight champion Brandon Rios in Macao.

Bradley, 30, won his most recent fight in October, beating three-division world champion Marquez on a split decision at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

(China Daily 01/27/2014 page23)