It's about that time to get into full swing for the hype period leading up to the June 9 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley on HBO pay-per-view from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, so here's a look back at Manny Pacquiao's greatest hits from HBO Sports.
Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO) will be facing his first opponent under the age of 30 since he beat Miguel Cotto in 2009, which is an interesting sidenote, I think, not that age mattered much for his last opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez. But then Marquez is himself a Hall of Fame-bound champion, and we've also yet to see Bradley (28-0, 12 KO) beat someone on this level. To say that even a declining Pacquiao isn't at least a step above the likes of Devon Alexander, Lamont Peterson, Kendall Holt, and Junior Witter would be foolish.
As much as I think this is a tough test for Manny on paper, I also think it's a big, big step up for Bradley -- maybe too much of a step up. We'll learn how much "special" Tim Bradley has in a month.
Pacquiao Blog: Manny Concerned About Headbutts
Bradley Blog: Best and Worst Memories in Boxing