Manny Pacquiao Vs. Timothy Bradley Walkout, Intro, and Decision Videos Live at the MGM Grand

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.

Barthelemy Vows to Destroy Argenis Mendez in the Rematch and Challenges all Fighters at 130 Pounds

Crowned, and then uncrowned, IBF Junior Lightweight champion Rances "Kid Blast" Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs) is having two reactions to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's decision to change his January 3 title-winning and devastating KO over former, and now current, champ Argenis Mendez to a "No Decision." "First off, I could not disagree more," said Barthelemy. "This decision to take away my title is a terrible one. The referee did not call a foul that night, so how can a commissioner over-rule him by watching TV, weeks later? I am better stronger and more talented than him and I knocked him out. Now I have to do it again." But Barthelemy's other reaction is just as significant: "If they put me in the ring with Mendez again, I will hurt him again. They haven't done him any favors by making him fight me again. His legs were going weak with every punch I even touched him with. And now I know exactly how to get to him, so it'll be even worse next time. I was glad he survived to fight another day, but he is making a mistake fighting me again." Barthelemy's co-promoter, Luis DeCubas agrees that the Minnesota Commission's decision was wrong for a number of reasons. "First of all, it's ludicrous that my fighter trains hard, does nothing wrong, and becomes World Champion only to have an inexperienced Commission unilaterally take his win away without a hearing. Rances is the champion of the world everywhere but in the eyes of the revered boxing body called the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. There is a reason there are not more world title fights in that state. There's no instant replay in boxing in Minnesota. If the rules were interpreted improperly, the commission can change the outcome. However, the referee didn't do that. The referee did not rule that a foul was committed that night, so how can a commission in an office play second referee weeks later? That's not fixing a misinterpretation, that's acting as a second referee and it sets a very dangerous precedent in boxing." Margules, who also co-promotes Barthelemy, agrees that a rematch with Mendez is a horrible idea... for Mendez. "Rances couldn't miss this guy. They're leading him to another ugly knockout. In fact, if that fight proved anything, it's that there's not a 130-lb champion or contender in the world that can contend with my guy." said Margules Barthelemy agrees and followed up with: "I DARE any 130-lb fighter in the world to get in the ring with me. I have developed my skills to the point where I am the best boxer in the world at my weight. What happened to Mendez was just the first of many." Margules continued: "I know Commissioner Ken Peterson thinks he's doing the right thing, but he does not understand the rules of boxing that requires only the referee to call a foul. The referee did not do that and the KO Rances earned in the ring should stand. Now Rances will just give Argenis Mendes another ass-whipping. Barthelemy is at a point in his career where he is improving every day and would beat any fighter in the world at his weight. Hopefully the television networks recognize what a great talent he is, and how this horrendous reversal in Minnesota impacted him financially, and as they have done in the past with other fighters, who were wronged, give Rances Barthelemy the chance to prove he is indeed the best in the world at his or any weight."

ABOUT WARRIORS BOXING   Launched in 2003, Warriors Boxing operates under a simple philosophy-bring the best boxers in the world to fight fans, match them in competitive bouts, and in doing so help re-establish the sport of boxing for a new generation. With a series of successful Pay-Per-View shows and packed houses to it's credit, the Warriors business model is working wonders in a sport that was sorely in need of the innovation and energy that the company brings to the table. When it comes down to it though, a promotional company is only as good as the fighters and fights it promotes. Warriors Boxing has delivered on all fronts, with outstanding bouts such as Lara-Molina, Cayo-Peterson, Abraham-Miranda I and II, Miranda-Pavlik, Miranda-Green, Ibragimov-Briggs, Ibragimov-Klitschko, Urango-Hatton, Urango-Bailey, Cayo-Maidana and Ibragimov-Holyfield.   For more information on Warriors Boxing, visit their website at www.WarriorsBoxing.com.

Danny Connor: Don’t Be Surprised If I Stop Evangelou This Time

This coming Saturday Southern Area Light Welterweight Champion Danny
‘Cassius’ Connor defends his coveted crown at the Matchroom Sport promoted
‘Betfair London’s Finest’ event at the Wembley Arena.

Connor is very much the modern ‘Cinderella Man’ on the domestic boxing
scene, having lost four out of his first five fights, drawing the other,
before turning his career around in May 2011, with a close fought victory
over Duane Grimes at York Hall in London. A turnaround the Hackbridge,
Surrey man puts a hundred percent down to his coach, Alec Wilkey, and the
World class sparring at his home gym, the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning
Town.

Since that career changing win, Connor has won six out of seven bouts,
including winning both the British Masters Welterweight title, by a close
96-95 points victory over Tyler Goodjohn. Then four months later causing a
major upset, with the sensational against the odds victory over previously
unbeaten Chris ‘The Flash Evangelou, for the Southern Area strap, by a
resounding 98-94 points margin.

Connor’s opponent on Saturday night will once again be the aforementioned
Chris ‘The Flash’ Evangelou, something that clearly pleases Connor, who
responded to comments from the Evangelou camp saying.

“I’ve not much to say really, I won the first fight, won it by four rounds.

I thought I’d won the fight pretty handily so I don’t see what he has to
complain about.

This time around it’ll be pretty much the same thing, but I’m a lot more
fitter this time, a lot more healthier than I was last time so don’t be
surprised If I don’t go for a stoppage this time, we’ll see what happens.

Been doing a lot of sparring, you get the best sparring here at the TRAD
TKO, been sparring with Darren Hamilton, Billy Morgan, Tommy Martin, done
a few rounds with Anthony Upton and a few of the other new boys up here.

As I said you get the best sparring up here so there’s nothing that he’s
going to have in his locker to have the upper hand on me.

I’m going to retain the Southern Area title on Saturday, after that I have
been told that I might have a spot in Prizefighter.

I’m also considering moving to Lightweight, if I win a title at
Lightweight then I’ll have a title at Lightweight, Light Welterweight and
Welterweight, which would be nice, wouldn’t it.

To my fans, thank you for your awesome support.

To everyone else, if you haven’t got tickets or can’t get there on the
night make sure you watch it on Sky as I’m going to smash him to pieces.”

Tickets, priced £40, £60 and £80, for the Matchroom Sport promoted
‘Betfair London’s Finest at Wembley Arena on Saturday 9th March, are on
sale now at www.tkoboxoffice.com or direct from Danny Connor at the TRAD
TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16
4SA.