Unfinished Business: Tim Bradley vs. Manny Pacquiao Part 4 of 4: A Vegas Fire Fight

Unfinished Business: Tim Bradley vs. Manny Pacquiao Part 4 of 4: A Vegas Fire Fight

The concluding result of Saturday’s bout in Las Vegas is not foreign to me or my pre-fight forecast. I do not even have the luxury of ownership of this prediction because many of us considered this outcome with a higher probability relative to some of their other outcomes. However, the manner in which the bout transpired was not anything I could have reasonably predicted.

At times I found myself weaving and throwing double hooks in the air having been drawn into the fire fight which was taking place in front of me yet many miles away. Who would have known that the pursuit of validation would inspire the storm we witnessed. Questions have been asked and on Saturday answers found.

continue

Manny Pacquiao: A man with a satisfied mind?

Manny Pacquiao: A man with a satisfied mind?

This past Saturday night, almost two years since his controversial decision loss to Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao was able to claim a well deserved victory over the previously unbeaten Bradley.

It looked like a tough match for both men, but in the second half of the fight, it was Pacquiao that picked up the pace, while Bradley looked like he was leaking stamina as the rounds went on.

But is Pacquiao truly satisfied with his history with Bradley? Does Manny’s victory over Bradley label Timothy as Pacquiao’s past?

continue

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Pacquiao vs Bradley, Canelo vs Lara, and Bob Arum!!

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Pacquiao vs Bradley, Canelo vs Lara, and Bob Arum!!

Carter C. (Northridge, CA): I think Pacquiao’s performance proves how good he truly is. I would like to know how you assessed his performance and what would you like to see next from him?

Vivek W. (ESB): Going into the bout, my official prediction was a Pacquaio stoppage down the home stretch, possibly as late as the 12th round. What I predicted and what we saw were two vastly different things, but in the end, the results carried the same weight. I just truly felt that his work-rate and the power it embodies alone would be able earn him a victory in this fight. Bradley has shown us great evolution, but there are a few major flaws within his game that I seriously doubt can be corrected at this stage of his career. It’s one thing to work on a particular set during camp; but in the heat of the battle, a veteran will revert to those tendencies that are deeply rooted and engrained in the brain every single time.

continue

What’s obvious in Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2

What's obvious in Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2

The “Pacquiao-Bradley II” yesterday showed me only two things when I watched it on replay this morning. Let me share them with you as I quickly make this piece to briefly dissect what happened in the “show.”

One is Freddie Roach hasn’t solved yet the problem of his pupil with good counter punchers. It only goes to prove that Manny Pacquiao’s power purely lies not on his ability to knockout a fellow boxer, but on his opponent’s inability to effectively counter punch the “one-two” signature combination of Pacman.

Timothy Bradley was a smart tactician in the fight who suddenly veered from his team’s plan to engage Pacquiao only in the early rounds to test the waters, shock Pacquiao and gain some points, deviating from their original “strike then back off” strategy for much of the rounds. Bradley succeeded anyhow on occasions being “aggressive” all throughout the “passive” slugfest.

continue

Fans again asking for Mayweather-Pacquiao – Arum implores fans to “boycott” Mayweather-Maidana fight

YouTube video
Manny Pacquiao looked very good last night in gaining “revenge” over the man who officially defeated him but never really beat him almost two years ago. Still fast of hand and still having real fire in his belly, the Filipino superstar won a wide decision over an aggressive but wild Tim Bradley. But, once again, the talk at the post-fight press conference was of a Floyd Mayweather Junior-Manny Pacquiao showdown: this must-see fight being one that fans have been hoping for, and hoping for, for a number of years now.

Pacquiao told the gathered media that his phone line is “always open,” and that as such a fight with the undefeated Mayweather can be made. Fans, though, gave up holding their breath many moons ago (the fight would have been a true world event, transcending boxing had it taken place in 2009 or 2010) and there really doesn’t seem to be too much hope of the fight being made this year or next – at a time, by the way, when both greats will be aged 38 and 36 respectively; with Floyd being the older man.

continue

A Tale of Two Boxers

YouTube video
There is nothing new on the demand for the fight but a demand again. It had been rightly concluded that a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather will garner the highest revenue in boxing history. It would also be a showdown between the current best offensive fighter and best defensive fighter. That should make the boxers and the promoters concerned to make the fight happen. What keeps them from doing so?

Before each others fighting style, Pacquiao’s rags-to-riches story is not that far different from Mayweather’s. Their fighting style however different, one offensive and the other defensive, are exciting to watch. Their personality which is in contrast with each other just adds up excitement to their possible match.

continue

Pacquiao beats Bradley; Beltran and Vargas win

YouTube video
Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KO’s) pounded out a 12 round unanimous decision win on Saturday night in beating WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (31-1, 12 KO’s) to hand him his first career loss in a closely contested battle at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was scored 116-112, 116-112, and 118-110.

The judge that scored it 118-110 must have been watching another fight because there’s no way Pacquiao won the fight by that score. It was close.

The win wasn’t the huge one-sided victory that Pacquiao needed to prove that he was back. Indeed, he looked slow at times tonight, and clearly not the fighter he was five years ago when he beat Miguel Cotto in his prime. But Pacquiao at least got the victory over Bradley, and he can now go on and fight the winner of the Mike Alvarado vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fight in September. As for Bradley, he’ll very likely get a third fight with Pacquiao in 2015.

continue

Unfinished Business: Tim Bradley vs Manny Pacquiao Part 3 of 4: The Eye of the Tiger

Unfinished Business: Tim Bradley vs Manny Pacquiao Part 3 of 4: The Eye of the Tiger

We have all formed opinions of what we believe is going to transpire in the coming hours and I assume that you have your supporting arguments. What I do implore you to do is to make an honest assessment by introducing an ounce of objectivity into your analysis of these fighters and their abilities.

These gentlemen have a history and a bitter one for both parties. Manny Pacquiao was clearly robbed by some blind decision made by two judges who will not rendering their services tonight. Bradley did himself no favour when in days following the bout claimed to have assessed himself the victor.

continue

Unfinished Business: Tim Bradley vs. Manny Pacquiao – Part 2 of 4: Finding The Congressman

Unfinished Business: Tim Bradley vs. Manny Pacquiao - Part 2 of 4: Finding The Congressman

It is clearly evident to us ways that 2012 was a devastating year for Manny Pacquiao and his team. Disappointment surfaced, some fans rejoiced while others tore their betting slips as the hopes of Pacquiao vs Mayweather were dashed twice in one year, with the last issued in devastating fashion. We all begun to wonder whether the raging Philippines typhoon had finally met its dying days in the boxing ring.

Pacquiao vs Marquez IV

I say this without reservation although Manny went into this fight with a loss to Bradley, it is not a loss of conventional measure but was engineered by some incapable judging. There was no celebration in such but yet another reminder for us all, pertaining to the questionable decisions which tarnish our sport. Manny Pacquiao remained the peoples’ champ, even in the midst of blatant robbery; the congressman was diplomatic and humble.

continue