Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
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