Stats
Manny Pacquiao
Age: 33
Hometown: General Santos City, Phillipines
Nickname: "Pacman"
Height: 5'6 1/2"
Reach: 67"
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 54-3-2 (38 knockouts)
Ranking: Tied atop the pound-for-pound list with Floyd Mayweather; number 1 ranked welterweight
Titles Held: WBC Flyweight (1998-1999); IBF Junior Featherweight (2001-2003); The Ring Featherweight (2003); WBA Junior Lightweight (2008); WBC Lightweight (2008-2009); The Ring Junior Welterweight (2009); WBO Welterweight (2009-Present); WBC Junior Middleweight (2010)
Timothy Bradley
Age: 28
Hometown: Palm Springs, California
Nickname: "Desert Storm"
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 69"
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 28-0 (12 knockouts)
Ranking: Number 8 pound-for-pound and number 1 ranked junior welterweight
Titles Held: WBC Light Welterweight (2008-Present); WBO Light Welterweight (2009-Present)
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| Can these two pick up where Mayweather and Cotto left off? |
Last month, boxing saw one of it's biggest stars, Floyd Mayweather, engage in a toe-to-war war with future Hall of Famer, Miguel Cotto. On June 9, Manny Pacquiao will try to make his own statement by taking on the undefeated junior welterweight champion, Timothy Bradley. Although some would be right to question the value of Bradley as a pay-per-view draw, none can question the skill set and potential problems he may pose for the Filipino star. Boxing pundits and aficionados alike have been intrigued by this match-up since the bout's announcement. Could Timothy Bradley be the man to end Pacquiao's reign atop many pound-for-pound lists? How will Bradley's body react to fighting in a heaver weight class? Will Pacquiao look like an dominant force, or an aging one? These are some of the questions that have been asked, and rightfully so. There are so many possibilities with this fight that one can't help but be intrigued at the different "what if.." scenarios that could arise. It is this kind of uncertainty which has made the pre-fight build up for this pay-per-view something that couldn't have been said for Pacquiao's previous outings, and that is exciting. On paper, this match-up has the potential to be one of, if not the toughest, outing for both fighters. Come June 9, however, only one will walk away the victor in a fight that has potential to not only launch careers, but bury them as well.
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| Pacquiao will be looking to keep his belt collection at eight following his fight with TimothyBradley. |
When one looks back on Manny Pacquiao's resume, there is absolutely no denying that he has consistently fought some of the best in boxing throughout his career. His in-ring endeavors are what have propelled him to main stream acceptance, and the acknowledgement from fans that he is an all-time great. Regardless of his god-like status in boxing, Pacquiao has quickly learned that there is no defeating Father Time. Pacquiao's last two fights came against aging veterans Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez, and in neither fight was he able to make the resounding statement so many expected. In his bout with Shane Mosley, Pacquiao was criticized for his inability to put away the virtually stagnant boxer within the full twelve rounds. To his benefit however, Pacquiao would go on to put up a much livelier performance against his rival, Juan Manuel Marquez, albeit a controversial one. With these fights now behind him, there is no doubt that Pacquiao is coming into his bout with Bradley with a chip on his shoulder. He and Roach know that in order to silence his critics Pacquiao has to not only defeat Bradley, but look dominant while doing it. To defeat Bradley, Pacquiao is going to have to not only fight smart, but fight aggressive. His (Pacquiao's) heavy pressure style of boxing has been shown to give opponents fits in the past, and it would be no different here. He needs to come at Bradley early, and not give Bradley any room to breathe, let alone recover. Bradley has already shown in the past that he can get hit, so with that in mind, Pacquiao must blitz him early in order to catch him and set a dominant pace should the fight go a full twelve rounds. If Pacquiao applies pressure effectively, while avoiding the counter attack of Bradley, expect him to earn a fairly one-sided and dominant win over the young champion.
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| Bradley wins his first title with a stoppage victory over England's Junior Witter. |
Although you may no have heard of him, Timothy Bradley is one of the most talented and intelligent boxers in the game today. Many might question how deserving he may be of a big money fight like this one, but all one has to do is take an in-depth look at his record. Since making his professional debut in the junior welterweight division, Bradley has looked nothing short of unstoppable, owning wins over Junior Witter, Lamont Peterson, and Kendall Holt. Even more recently he defeated highly-touted prospect Devon Alexander, as well as veteran Joel Casamayor in two dominant showings. However, with every praise one hears for Bradley, a criticism follows. The criticism that has followed Bradley throughout his career is the fact that he often leads with his head. This habit has led to many of his fights ending or at least being affected by an accidental clash of heads. Due to the unintentional nature of the headbutts however, there is nothing an opponent can do but avoid them. Aside from his negative habits, Bradley has shown other traits that give him the potential of turning into something truly special in the welterweight division. Bradley has shown that he can take a hell of a punch, has cardio for days, and that he possesses the type of power that quickly turn the tide of a fight. To defeat a fighter like Pacquiao however, Bradley will have to be at his absolute mental and physical peak. He must use an effective jab to keep Pacquiao at bay, while intelligently moving and using angles to batter the Filipino phenom. Now that Bradley will be fighting as a full-fledged welterweight for the first time in his career, he must also be sure to pace himself throughout the fight. If he can pace himself, while effectively jabbing and countering the aging Filipino, expect Bradley to earn a dominant majority decision win.
Prediction
As both fighters answer the bell for the first round they will both come out tentative, throwing out the occasional pawing jab as they try to time their opponent. Bradley will immediately rush Pacquiao, but it will be the Filipino who is landing more shots. As the second round bell sounds, Bradley will once again come out strong against Pacquiao. He will try to push the Filipino to the ropes while trying to land a counter right hand and clinching. Both fighters will have been busy, but Pacquiao once again seems busier, although Bradley was the more aggressive. In the third and fourth rounds, Pacquiao will begin to hit his stride. He will keep Bradley at bay by throwing combinations to the head and body, all while avoiding a potential clash of heads from the notorious Bradley. Inevitably, Pacquiao will make contact with Bradley's brow and will now have to deal with a cut from this point forward. As the middle rounds approach, Bradley will finally have a feel for his new weight and begin turning up the pressure on Pacquiao. Similar to the early rounds, he will force the Filipino to the ropes while countering and effectively defending from any shots to the body. On the ropes, Bradley will instigate wild exchanges in which he will get the better of Pacquiao, causing the phenom to superstar to clinch and try to survive the round. With the seventh and eighth rounds approaching, Pacquiao will be fairly fatigued while Bradley is still undeterred. Regardless of his current state, Pacquiao will begin finding success as he once again throws combinations to the head and body of Bradley. Eventually, Pacquiao will catch Bradley with a left jab, right hook combo that will wobble Bradley, but before Pacquiao can capitalize, the bell rings, signaling both fighters to return to their corners. As the championship rounds approach, both fighters will be fatigued, with Pacquiao being in far worse shape than Bradley. As he is reminded of his opportunity, Bradley will opt to make the most of it and once again blitz Pacquiao. Bradley will force Pacquiao against the ropes will he will hurt the champion with wild punches in an attempt to steal not only the final rounds, but the fight as well. The final bell rings, signaling the end of a fairly close fight.
This fight is so close on paper that it is almost impossible to pick a winner. You're best option is to flip a coin. It'll be a close one, but I feel an upset coming.
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| Pacquiao (Left) and Bradley (Right) face off after weighing in. |
Pick: Timothy Bradley def. Manny Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision (UD)
