PACQUIAO vs. BRADLEY 2 ** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **

By: Tony Penecale

Moments after the final bell rang throughout the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, most observers felt that Manny Pacquiao clearly defeated Timothy Bradley in their first fight, eliminating Bradley's unbeaten record in the process.  While it looked to be a one-sided victory, it was not going to be remembered as a highlight performance for the great Filipino warrior.  Bradley had injured one foot in the early going and later twisted his other ankle.  Pacquiao had essentially dominated a hobbled opponent.   

Then, the announcer read the decision.

When first announced it was a split decision, the crowd reacted with shock.  It was unimaginable that one of the judges awarded the bout to Bradley as the consensus among most boxing pundits was that Pacquiao won as many as 11 of the 12 rounds.  The shock was even more evident as the announcement was made awarding Bradley a highly controversial decision, with judges Duane Ford and CJ Ross favoring him by a two-point margin.

Nearly two years have passed since that controversial result.  Pacquiao suffered a major setback when he was brutally knocked out six months later by his long-time rival, Juan Manuel Marquez.  Pacquiao was boxing aggressively but got reckless attacking his seemingly wounded prey and ended up face-first on the canvas, not moving for several minutes.  He has since rebounded with a convincing win over Brandon Rios.

Bradley was out to prove his detractors wrong in his first defense against Ruslan Provodnikov, which nearly became his last.  He went iron-for-iron with the Siberian warrior and paid a heavy price, suffering a severe concussion in a winning effort.  His next effort was much more disciplined, as he did what Pacquaio failed to do, beating Marquez cleanly and winning a decision disputed by only one judge.

It has come full circle now and it comes back to Pacquiao and Bradley in a long-awaited rematch.  Can Pacquiao again turn in a dominant performance and this time earn the win that most felt he deserved in their first encounter?  Or is his time in the spotlight truly over?  Bradley contends he was deserving of that victory and believes he won 8 of the 12 rounds.  Can he improve upon that and prove his doubters wrong?  The answers will come in the center of the ring at the MGM Grand.

AGE, RECORD, AND STATS

Pacquiao:               

Age:  35 years old

                                    Record:  55-5-2 (38 Knockouts)

                                    Height:  5’6”

                                    Weight:  145 ** Weight for last bout (11-24-13)

                                    Reach:  67”

Bradley:                  

Age:  30 years old

                                    Record:  31-0 (12 Knockouts)

                                    Weight:  146   * * Weight for last bout (10-12-13)

                                    Reach:  69”

RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Pacquiao:               

WBC Flyweight Champion (’98-‘99)

                                    IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (’01-’03)

                                    WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’08)

                                    WBC Lightweight Champion (‘08)

IBO Junior Welterweight Champion (’09)

WBO Welterweight Champion (’09-‘12)

                                    Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #1 Boxer (’08-‘12)

                                    Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #7 Boxer (Pres)

                                                                                   

Bradley:                  

WBC Junior Welterweight Champion (’08-‘12)

                                    WBO Junior Welterweight Champion (’09-‘12)

                                    WBO Welterweight Champion (’12-Pres)

                                    Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #3 Boxer (Pres)

                                   

                                                                       

STYLE

Pacquiao:      

Pacquiao boxes from a southpaw stance, moving forward while bobbing and feinting his way in.  Once in close, he uses his right hand to find the range and then unleashes his powerful left, either straight or looping, and will often double and triple it to the body and head.  Uses quick head shifts to slip punches while moving forward.  Has soundly developed under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, developing a decent right hook, either as a lead punch or thrown behind the left.  Uses quick head shifts to slip punches while moving forward. Is no longer the feared finisher he once was earlier in his career.

Bradley:         

Bradley is a quick but physical boxer, who likes to use his footwork to apply steady pressure.  Possesses a good jab that can be used to open up opportunities or disrupt his opponent’s rhythm.  Attacks the body well, but best punch is the overhand right.  Often leads with his head but overall has a solid defense.  Sometimes he will let his pride get in the way and fight toe-to-toe instead of boxing smartly and using his considerable skills.

STRENGTHS

Pacquiao:      

* Unorthodox Style – Pacquiao is very unorthodox, even for a southpaw.  He moves straight in but is hard to time with his bobbing and head feints.  Before most opponents can time his onrushes, he is throwing whirlwind punches from a variety of angles.

                           * Speed – Pacquiao is fleet of foot and the owner of very fast hands, especially for a boxer with such considerable power.  He quickly moves into position and fires rapid one-two combinations and has expanded his arsenal to include blinding combinations of hooks, uppercuts, and double or triple left hands.

                           * Stamina – Pacquiao is always in tremendous shape and fights just as hard in the last round as he does in the beginning.  He applies a lot of pressure and is constantly punching, wearing opponents down in the process.

Bradley:         

* Physicality – Bradley is a supremely conditioned and physical boxer.  He is adept at using his physical nature to force opponents backwards and wear them out with his strength on the inside.

                           * Boxing Ability – Not only is Bradley a very strong fighter, he is also an intelligent and quick-fisted boxer.  He uses exceptional footwork to create angles and openings to land punches.  Also works very effectively as a counter-puncher.

                           * Overhand Right – Despite notching only 12 knockouts in 28 wins, Bradley is a better puncher than his record indicates.  His money punch is a tremendous overhand right.  Following a slight upper-body dip, he launches the punch from a high angle, crashing it down on his opponent’s jaw.

WEAKNESSES

Pacquiao:    

 * Killer Instinct – Pacquiao was once regarded as a ruthless buzzsaw, cutting through opponents until they succumbed.  He has since lost that edge, failing to win a fight by stoppage since 2009.  More of a concern is on several occasions, he eased up on outclassed opponents, allowing them to survive the last few rounds.

                           * Invincibility Gone – The controversial loss to Bradley did not deflate Pacquiao’s aura of invincibility.  However, his crushing knockout loss to rival Marquez was a devastating blow to Pacquiao’s mystique. 

                           * Age – Pacquiao is no longer the phenom he was in his 20s.  He is now in his mid-30s.  As he has physically aged, he has also taken on a super human schedule with political aspirations in his home country, numerous personal appearances, and several difficult bouts. 

Bradley:         

* Pride – While pride is usually a good thing, sometimes it can be a negative.  Bradley can be too proud for his own good.  He was determined to go toe-to-toe with the dangerous but less-talented Ruslan Provodnikov and suffered a lot of punishment in a gallant but damaging winning effort.  He also steadfastly proclaims he rightly won the first fight with Pacquiao, and that belief could leave him with the mindset that improvement is not necessary.

                           * Dirty Fighter Reputation– Bradley often leads with his head, which has caused head clashes in several of his bouts.  Since his opponents have often suffered the worst of these clashes, Bradley is quickly gaining a bad reputation.  The referees are constantly on the lookout for dirty tactics, so warnings and point deductions are always a threat.

                           * Punching Power – Despite being a physically-powerful specimen, Bradley is lacking in pure punching power.  In 31 career victories, Bradley has only notched 12 victories by way of TKO.  He has only stopped 1 out of his last 13 opponents, and that was a well-past-his-prime Joel Casamayor.

PREVIOUS BOUT

Pacquiao:      

(11-24-13) Pacquiao got back in the winners column with a dominant decision victory over the tough-but-limited Brandon Rios.  Pacquiao pounded Rios throughout, turning his face into a lumpy, crimson mask. Still, he failed to finish off his victim late in the fight when the time was ripe.

Bradley:         

(10-12-13) Bradley scored his career-best victory against one of the premier boxers of this generation: Future Hall-of-Famer Juan Manuel Marquez.  Despite only winning by a split decision verdict, it was a clear Bradley victory.

3 BEST PERFORMANCES

Pacquiao:      

* Oscar De la Hoya (12/06/08) – It’s hard to imagine now, but the consensus at the time was that De la Hoya would destroy the smaller Pacquiao in a landslide.  It was a landslide, alright, but it was Pacquiao dishing out the beating, ripping De la Hoya apart with both hands.  After eight one-sided and brutal rounds, a swollen and bloodied De la Hoya was beaten into permanent retirement.

                           * Miguel Cotto (11/14/09) – Pacquiao impressively dismantled the larger and more physically imposing Cotto.  Pacquiao dropped the Puerto Rican superstar twice early and had him in a defensive shell from the 6th round on, battering him until the referee stopped the bout in the 12th round.

                           * Ricky Hatton (05/02/09) – Pacquio ran through Hatton in fast and destructive fashion.  Hatton, while still an underdog, was expected to provide a challenge with his strength and mauling tactics.  Pacquiao unveiled an improved right hook and had Hatton down twice in the 1st round before crushing him with a devastating knockout in the 2nd.

Bradley:         

* Juan  Manuel Marquez (10/12/13) – After two consecutive rocky performances, Bradley clearly outfought Pacquiao-conqueror Marquez, winning a split decision that was not as close as the scores indicated.  Bradley controlled the action, boxing well on the outside, and superb on the inside, en route to the most dominant win of his career.

                           * Ruslan Provodnikov (3/16/13) – The 2013 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year is most remembered for the periods when Bradley was on the receiving end.  He was rocked badly in the 2^nd and 6^th rounds and dropped with seconds remaining in the 12^th.  What is most impressive is how he responded, boxing brilliantly for the majority of the contest and earning a hard-fought unanimous decision.

                           * Junior Witter (5/10/08) – Bradley ventured over to England and shocked the hometown favorite Witter, winning his first world championship in the process.  After a tactical first few rounds, Bradley broke through in the 6th round, landing a sweet overhand right that floored Witter hard.  Bradley was able to ride the momentum on his way to a split decision victory, the scores being much closer than the bout actually was.

QUESTIONS

Pacquiao:      

* Can he regain the killer instinct of his prime?

                           * Will he try too hard to impress?

                           * Has he lost confidence in his chin?

Bradley:         

* Will he abandon a smarter game plan and try to knock Pacquiao out?

                           * What will he do if he falls behind on the cards?

* Does he truly believe he won the first fight?

                          

PENECALE PREDICTION

Bradley will open the bout using plenty of rapid movement. He'll be jabbing from a distance, trying to dictate the pace and tempo, while keeping Pacquiao from setting his feet.  Pacquiao will jab and feint a few times with his left, hoping to get Bradley to react and leave himself open.  The few times Pacquiao gets close, Bradley will tie him up on the inside.

The cautious pace will continue in the 2^nd round with Pacquiao throwing more punches but nothing significantly landing.  Bradley will land a few counter punches.  During the early stages, there will be more feinting and moving than actual punches landed.

Pacquiao will land a few hard single lefts in the 3^rd and 4^th rounds but will be unable to mount a consistent offense.  Bradley will fight a rough style on the inside, holding and using his free hand to bang to Pacquiao’s body, using his superior strength to back Pacquiao up.

The middle rounds will alternate between Pacquiao’s flashier and harder single punches and Bradley’s steady and consistent boxing attack.  Bradley will land more punches and control the action, but Pacquiao will get the crowd’s attention and reaction with a few single left hands that snap Bradley’s head back, causing the sweat to fly.

Pacquaio will have his best round in the 8^th, stunning Bradley with a right hook-straight left combination.  Bradley’s legs will buckle as he is trying to steady himself, and Pacquiao will attack with swarming punches.  Several will land, and in Bradley’s attempt to clinch the combatants will clash heads, halting Pacquiao’s momentum.

After surviving the 8^th round scare, Bradley will keep his distance during the 9^th and 10^th rounds, jabbing, pivoting, and keeping Pacquiao at bay.  Pacquiao will feint and try to throw combinations, but each time Bradley will tie his arms up and force him back.  It will not be pretty, but it will be effective.

Pacquiao will land a left uppercut followed by an arching left in the 11^th, and again it will be Bradley on the defensive.  Try as hard as he might, Pacquaio will press but find it difficult to penetrate Bradley’s defense.

The 12^th round will see the long-awaited fire fight as both fighters know how close it is.  Pacquiao’s sneaky left hand will collide with Bradley’s face and chin several times.  Bradley will respond with two-fisted counter punches as the final bell rings.

Many in attendance will feel that Bradley is deserving of the victory by the narrowest of margins.  But this time it will be Pacquiao winning a majority decision by scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-114, setting up the potential rubber match.