Manny Pacquiao's Next Fight: Pacquiao vs Bradley Inching Closer For June 9
by Scott Christ on Jan 29, 2012 10:30 PM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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Manny Pacquiao's next fight will be decided soon, perhaps in a matter of days, and more and more it looks like Timothy Bradley, the top junior welterweight in the world, will be his next opponent.
From RingTV.com and promoter Bob Arum:
"Does it look closer to being Bradley? It looks closer to being Bradley, obviously, by the process of elimination. Pacquiao's opponent will be decided late this week. We've got plenty of time."
Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO) and Bradley (28-0, 12 KO) were both featured on the November 12 pay-per-view show in Las Vegas. Pacquiao narrowly escaped defeat against rival Juan Manuel Marquez, while Bradley easily defeated washed-up ex-lightweight champ Joel Casamayor.
To say the Casamayor fight wasn't the best audition for a Pacquiao fight would be an understatement, but Top Rank is about out of options. It was always going to be either Cotto, Marquez, or Bradley. Cotto won't fight at 147. Marquez has been too difficult to deal with for a fourth fight. Bradley's ready and willing.
Arum does say that Cotto could re-enter the picture. It's no real secret that he was Pacquiao's choice for June 9, and that Top Rank was good to go with that fight. It not happening is up to Cotto refusing to drain back down to 147, where he hasn't fought since November 2009, when he lost to Pacquiao with a 145-pound catchweight.
Right now, though, all signs are pointing to Tim Bradley. And though the Casamayor fight was underwhelming, and his last fight prior to that was the snoozer against Devon Alexander, and Bradley has no fanbase, the fact is that Timothy Bradley can fight, and there are many in and around boxing who think he could be very dangerous against Manny Pacquiao, that he has the style to give the Filipino serious problems.
Do you think Bradley can do it? Is he the type of fighter who can give the 33-year-old Pacquiao his first loss in six years?
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I’ve said this a few times before, but I’ll say it again: what does Bradley have to threaten Manny? He doesn’t hit hard, so Manny doesn’t have to worry about that. He’s not especially fast. He’s not a Marquez-esque sharpshooting counter-puncher. He’s not that much bigger than Manny.
Bradley is what he is: a technically sound boxer who can fight on the outside or pressure and a guy with excellent cardio. Other than a really excellent headbutt, there’s nothing special about Tim Bradley. He’s a B+ fighter who sometimes fights like an A- fighter.
In other words, unless Manny has really lost something, he goes through Bradley like Tyson went through Spinks.
by Verklemptomaniac on Jan 29, 2012 10:36 PM EST reply actions
he goes through Bradley like Tyson went through Spinks.
Uh, no way. Manny may win, but Bradley is a tough out for anyone…………the dude is young, ambitous, and has the skillset to trouble anyone.
I wasn’t actually suggesting that he KOs Bradley in the first round. That’s just my go-to phrase for ‘is going to walk over the guy.’
by Verklemptomaniac on Jan 30, 2012 10:51 AM EST up reply actions
He doesn’t hit hard
Always get a chuckle when someone posts this.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Jan 30, 2012 11:44 AM EST up reply actions
He has 12 KOs in 28 fights as a pressure fighter. Before stopping Cassamayor, his last stoppage (not for headbutt-related cuts) was in 2007 against a journeyman named Nasser Athumani. Since the beginning of 2007, he’s had 12 fights, and had non-headbutt stoppages in two of them.
He hits harder than I do, sure, but by the standards of professional fighters, he’s not much of a puncher.
by Verklemptomaniac on Jan 30, 2012 11:50 AM EST up reply actions
He's also knocked down several guys with solid chins
He’s a horrible, horrible finisher, and he doesn’t sit down on his punches much, but when he does, he has better power than his KO record indicates.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
he doesn’t hit hard, he is like ward, devon and floyd, they just mark the punches…
by EL CIERTO (VEN) on Jan 30, 2012 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
Floyd punches firmly. Make no mistake.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Jan 30, 2012 12:08 PM EST up reply actions
I’m a fan of Malignaggi, but he abs had NO power whatsever, but a HUGE heart and some boxing skills.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
He has a very heavy jab.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions
mali?
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
Yeah. Very heavy jab. Everyone knows about his very heavy jab.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 6:11 PM EST up reply actions
we’ll know a Bradley fight is imminent once roach starts complaining about headbutts. which is, incidentally, how I think Bradley can make this interesting. but seriously, I’d be interested to see if Bradley would be as aggressive as he likes to be against Pac and how that would play out. could be a short night or a good scrap.
by Sentimental on Jan 29, 2012 10:46 PM EST via Android app reply actions
yesss… good fight… bradley by ud… you heard it here! he’ll box pacs ears off.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
I’m with you. Bradley doesn’t get enough credit for the skillset he possesses, he got to the top of his division by being a very versatile, well-rounded and intelligent fighter. His footwork is phenomenal and he relies on movement for defense, which leaves his hands free to fire back at Manny. I think he’s got a very good chance of winning the fight provided the weight jump to welter doesn’t cause him too many problems.
by theninthlayer on Jan 30, 2012 1:24 AM EST up reply actions
Bradley is
A pressure fighter with no power. He cannot box outside, cannot counter punch and has no defense. Short night for Manny and an unfortunate second fight under the Top Rank banner for Bradley. Roach will nullify the overhand right Bradley looks for and he will be no threat.
by honorablecbm on Jan 30, 2012 1:06 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Bradley can’t fight on the outside? News to me. Maybe you should watch some more of his fights?
by theninthlayer on Jan 30, 2012 1:20 AM EST up reply actions
Yes
An offense that consist of a double jab, bull rush with his head leading and throw the overhand right. Rinse, wash and repeat.
by honorablecbm on Jan 30, 2012 7:34 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Bradley's style of fighting is
applying pressure, Manny is an ambush fighter and Mayweather has the counter attack. Timothy doesn’t pick accurate shots, set up his opponent to make & pay for mistakes. He uses his head in a different way.
by honorablecbm on Jan 30, 2012 7:42 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
he has no power, but he has defense, and he can box outside…
by EL CIERTO (VEN) on Jan 30, 2012 8:39 AM EST up reply actions
Young skilled opponent.
Cant complain. This choice would be a breath of fresh air compared to some of the recent Pac opponents.
Although i am a little worried about PPV buys..
I can see Mayweather/Cotto blowing this fight out the water in terms of PPV… which would undoubtedly make Mayweather further push for a lions shair of the purse in May/Pac “negotioations”
i think bradley can box manny, he is very fast, he has the same american school style, (like floyd, devon, ward), i’m not a big fan of that style but it looks like a really awkward style to fight with, so i think manny could get in trouble in this fight, like he did with juan manuel marquez…
by EL CIERTO (VEN) on Jan 30, 2012 8:23 AM EST reply actions
Il pick Manny
By bullshit decs.
It will be a close fight, but Bradley will have nicked the win on many scorecards. The judges will have it wide Manny
The excitement of the fight will depend on how motivated Manny is for the fight, but ultimately I think he wins by UD.
by RRod806 on Jan 30, 2012 8:37 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
I will be rooting for whoever Floyd and Manny fight next
The only way big time boxing can survive is if a young fighter comes along and beats one, or both of them.
It would also be nice to see the Pac-Mayweather fight disappear after all the BS.
Pac beats Bradley all day long
but I agree it would be nice if he didn’t, and maybe boxing could be boxing again, not a fantasy wannabe match which, while never going to happen, sucks the life out of the air we breathe in the boxing media.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
Not only do I think that Bradley can win, I think that he can win in a style that makes both boxers less marketable than they were before the fight.
The fight intrigues me, but doesn’t excite me. Though Pacquiao fighting anyone other than Mayweather doesn’t really excite me. Maybe Brandon Rios, but that is never going to happen, plus the Rios v Gamboa fight is a cracker if it does happen.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
I understand what you're saying
re: marketability, but both bradley and manny have that thing where when they get buzzed once they like to stand and trade for a bit. i think it should make for some entertaining exchanges. as a bradley fan, i also worry it’s what’s gonna cost him the fight.
by Victor Schultz on Jan 30, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
Yes, maybe I was being a bit harsh, as the awfulness of Bradley v Alexander was not really Bradley’s fault. I do think that Bradley could really win this fight, and I’m sure that he will be prepared to ‘win ugly’ to do it.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
by Eoin_not_ian on Jan 30, 2012 11:40 AM EST up reply actions
yeah i could def see it going that way too.
by Victor Schultz on Jan 30, 2012 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
Anybody who says Bradley can’t box should watch his fight with Peterson. He boxed in tight circles and controlled Peterson with his jab, much more so than Khan did against Peterson, not to mention he also dropped Peterson….
Yes I have seen the fight
It was a war fought inside for 12 rounds. Manny is not an easy target like Peterson. You can’t plant your feet an unload hooks to the body and head on Manny. To beat him you need timing. It’s my opinion, I’m not bad mouthing the guy, he’s a class act. Anyhow, I will watch the match and hope for a dog fight.
by honorablecbm on Jan 30, 2012 11:43 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Maybe you should rewatch it. Bradley stopped fighting on the inside after the fourth round, and went on to display some of the best footwork I have seen in the sport while effectively nullifying Peterson’s offense with good, sharp boxing.
by theninthlayer on Jan 30, 2012 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks, I will watch it again
If you have speed and punch in volumes, you can look good against Peterson. Khan’s issue was he cannot fight inside and didn’t stick to Freddie’s game plan (shoot down the middle and move). No more knocking Bradley, he deserves the best and big payday. I wish him the all the luck in the world, because I do not think Manny has lost a step.
by honorablecbm on Jan 30, 2012 1:24 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Khan lost b/c like you said, he can’t fight on the inside, and he does run instead of box. He is also incapable of making tactical adjustments, and his defense kind of sucks. You make sound like beating Peterson is easy if you have X, Y, and Z, I honestly think we haven’t seen the best of Peterson yet. If you watch his workouts, he does display more skills and complex stuff in the gym, and there was some very nice stuff he also displayed in the Victor Cayo fight. I think as Peterson gets used to the nerves and world level he’ll keep improving.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
This could get ugly
The two times Bradley fought a southpaw, the fights were just terrible to watch.
If Manny’s legs are still there, he takes this one, probably looking like a version of Khan-Maidana if Khan never got hurt.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2012 11:00 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I haven’t watched a ton of Bradley, but from what I’ve seen I tend to agree with the assessment that he’s a B+/A- fighter who looks excellent against inferior competition, but might not quite have enough for the next level. The question is, is Pacquiao still an A+/A fighter, or has he also dropped to the A- level?
I’m still not convinced Manny’s lost a step. Marquez has always been a sylistic nightmare for him, and Mosley, Margarito, and Clottey were just nothings for him to punch at for 12 rounds. This fight will tell us much more about how much he has in the tank than any of the last four have.
Bradley has the higher Ring IQ. Bradley be decision baby! Bradley has made adjustments (downed by Holt, though an ugly fight he did control Alexander, he controlled Peterson). Pple are also underestimating the degree of power. I think it’s being presumptuous to say that because he doesn’t have a high KO rate that he can’t punch. Peterson doesn’t have a high KO rate either, but both Bradley and Peterson have the power to keep opponents honest and hurt them from time to time. I mean there’s a big difference between Malignaggi and Sweet Pea power, and their power. Also, the sweet science says that he or she that dictates the rhythm of the fight and can "hit and not get hit will be the winner of the fight. This is a response to pple who are citing “power” as being the biggest teller of the outcome of the fight. I mean Randall Bailey and Juanma aren’t exactly the best fighters in the sport b/c of their power and Peterson did beat the stronger ortiz aroudn.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
I like what you’re saying about power. A lot of people tend to overrate one-punch power. Plenty of guys have had less-than-devastating one-punch power but still manage to be hugely effective and even drive up decent KO rates. Hell, Mayweather is not a big-time single punch guy, but he’ll absolutely murder you with good, clean, hard punches all night long and a lot of those accumulate and end in KOs.
Plus Bradley is strong
His on punch power is so-so (though a bit underrated), but his upper body strength is great and he’s usually able to manhandle opponents, which wears guys down a well.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
by Brickhaus on Jan 30, 2012 11:44 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Physically the guy’s body is like a small Holyfield. He must be in great shape all the time. I do think Floyd punches harder than Bradley and has better leverage, but I think Bradley’s punches can accumulate and he has high volume.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
Agreed. Just because Floyd and Bradley don’t score a ton of knockouts doesn’t make them weak punchers by any means. They’ve both got more than enough power to keep an opponent honest.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Jan 30, 2012 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
He must be in great shape all the time.
every time Tim Bradley weighs in, I just think to myself, “GOD I’m sick of these out of shape boxers.”
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
Bradley has the higher Ring IQ.
I don’t think so.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
disagree
Bradley has shown he can make adjustments. Manny has failed to do so
by Sweet science on Jan 30, 2012 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
Manny has fought some of the best fighters in the world
Bradley but a few good ones of his time.
You dont have a Pacquiao record without a high IQ. I could argue thayt he is an offensive genius….but some other time
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
If Manny’s IQ is so high, why did he keep on walking into the Straight right of JMM all night? Why didn’t he change tactics at all?
Manny is alot of things. Offensive genius included. His Ring IQ is not great for a boxer of his magnitude though
by Sweet science on Jan 30, 2012 9:11 PM EST up reply actions
Bradley can match Pacquiao’s speed, power, energy.
He’s a better technician.
Bradley wins a close decision.
ufc is dying.
by BoxingOutlivesFads on Jan 30, 2012 11:44 AM EST reply actions
i agree, bradley should win by decision, but maybe arum’s tournament idea won’t let that happen, and the decision goes to pacquiao!!
by EL CIERTO (VEN) on Jan 30, 2012 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
Cotto vs Cinnamon at Azteca stadium.
ufc is my generations pet rock.
by BoxingOutlivesFads on Jan 30, 2012 12:15 PM EST up reply actions
I doubt very much Cotto would go to Mexico. They’re both very popular, but I think Cotto calls the shots in that negotiation. Canelo needs him, not the other way around.
I sort of doubt Cotto and Canelo fight each other. I mean, ONE of them has to fight Floyd, right? Would be a huge payday, and who the hell else would Mayweather fight if not one of them? Lamont Peterson?
I doubt Berto, if he wins, is in any shape to turn around and have another full camp to prepare for Floyd Mayweather in less than three months.
Plus they’re both Haymon fighters and The Big Albowski doesn’t cross streams, you dig?
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 3:02 PM EST up reply actions
My guess at this point is Cotto.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions
Peterson supposedly beat up Floyd in sparring in Vegas before the Marquez fight… of course it’s just sparring, but who knows, maybe he has a troubling style for Floyd?
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
Maybe Floyd should fight Spadafora too.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 4:03 PM EST up reply actions
as i said it was only sparring. its not a big deal. still itd be fun to watch that session. i wonder if it looked like this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnROy5y3jYg
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
It will be cool to see Manny in there with someone fresh for a change.
There are things about Bradley that could really mess things up.
For instance, he’s a much rougher fighter and a better in-fighter.
Yeah, I’m very intrigued by his ability to muscle Manny. I think he can, which makes the fight really interesting. I was late coming around on Pacquiao-Bradley for June, but at the moment I really love the fight. It really intrigues me.
Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James
by Scott Christ on Jan 30, 2012 6:12 PM EST up reply actions
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