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WBN Preview: Pacquiao to make statement to Mayweather

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor
‘Pacman’ set-up for Hatton-like performance

Manny Pacquiao will have calls that his career is on the wane ringing in his ears as he enters the ring at the MGM Grand tonight in Las Vegas and knows nothing less than a spectacular stoppage win over Timothy Bradley will do.

The 33 year-old laboured to a debatable points win over Juan Manuel Marquez last November on the back of years claiming unexpectedly dominant victories over much bigger and stronger opponents and has enormous pressure going into a fight for the first time in a long time.

Opinion seems to be split on the outcome, with plenty plumping for a Bradley win, but I just don’t see it and believe that the need to perform, over the expectancy, will see Pacquiao blow out Bradley in the early-to-mid rounds.

Bradley, 28, has no real experience in fights of this magnitude and just like Victor Ortiz did against Floyd Mayweather last September, ‘Desert Storm’ will find the step up in class all too much against the eight-weight champion.

The American looked nervous and a little overwhelmed at the weigh-in last night, masking it with a serious demeanour that Pacquiao just shrugged off with a ‘seen it all before’ attitude and the charade seemed to backfire on Bradley. 

A stunning knockout or TKO win for Pacquiao will once again have fans debating who the best pound for pound fighter in the world is, rather than most agreeing that Mayweather unequivocally holds the crown and the calls for the two to share a ring next will once again reach fever pitch.

I just don’t see Bradley possessing the tools necessary to give Pacquiao the kind of problems Marquez did and for me, the WBO welterweight title is in no danger of changes hands as the fight fails to go past the sixth.

Pacquiao vs. Bradley will be shown live on Primetime, Channel 480 on Sky and Virgin On Demand, this Saturday night for only £14.95. click on the banner on the WBN website to order the fight.

US viewers visit hbo.com/boxing

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