Manny Pacquiao Beats Tim Bradley In Rematch
Photo by Chris Farina for Top Rank
by Gautham Nagesh
If there were any doubts about whether Manny Pacquiao is a superior fighter than Tim Bradley Jr., the Filipino welterweight put them to bed on Saturday night in Las Vegas on HBO Pay Per View.
The Pacman overcame a spirited early effort from Bradley to win a convincing decision at the MGM Grand, avenging his controversial loss in their first bout last year. This time there could be no debate: Bradley threw everything he had against Pacquiao in the early rounds, but Pacman took it all and kept coming.
Bradley landed a number of crashing rights early in the fight, but it was Pacquiao’s dynamite left hand that ruled the evening, as it has so many times before. Pacquiao’s speed and effortless power were the difference in the end. Bradley left his sizable heart into the ring, but he simply did not have the talent to match Pacquiao.
The early rounds saw Bradley stand his ground and advance, swinging for the fences with every roundhouse punch. Pacquiao ate his share of punches, but also responded in kind with his trademark left and right hook. Pacquiao’s hands flow naturally, but Bradley was forced to load up with his shots. That meant Manny was able to land in combination, while Bradley was limited to single blows.
Even when Bradley landed his best shots, they only halted Pacquiao for the briefest of instants. Pacquiao was able to rock Bradley in turn, but to his credit, Bradley simply shook it off and kept trading. This was the same Tim Bradley that fought Ruslan Provodnikov in a near-death experience last year. This version of Bradley was more concerned about silencing his detractors than winning the fight. Sadly, last night he appeared to do neither.
Bradley’s inexhaustible courage and fortitude enabled him to stand toe-to-toe with Pacquiao for the first half the fight, despite being badly out-gunned in terms of speed and power. By the middle rounds, Bradley was no longer returning fire at the same rate, and instead became content to absorb Pacquiao’s blows and beg for more. No one can doubt Bradley’s heart or chin; the man could probably walk through a crowbar to his massive forehead.
But aside from his Homer Simpson-like ability to take a punch, Bradley did not have the tools to beat Pacquiao. His effort this time was better than the first fight, but the fight was still clearly in Pacquiao’s hands going into the championship rounds. Bradley swung desperately with overhand punches, hoping to land a miracle punch like Juan Manuel Marquez had against Pacquiao in 2012. But to no avail. Pacquiao cruised to the finish, confident he had avenged his previous loss.
The final scores were 116-112 (twice), same as my card. A third judge scored it 118-110 Pacquiao; I’m sure it will help him stay employed as a boxing official. Such accommodating judges can usually find work.
Overall this was a terrific Pay Per View main event, a close fight where both men stood and fought with real tenacity. Bradley has nothing to apologize for, which is why it was disappointing to here him once again blame a leg injury at the end of the fight. Whether he wears socks, has two healthy legs, or even is allowed to use his massive head, Bradley can’t beat Manny Pacquiao. That he only has one loss is gift enough, he should take it and be thankful.
As for Pacquiao, the big question is always whether the Filipino phenom is fading or remains a top pugilist. In my view, both are true. The sport’s next generation has yet to come of age, as evidenced by lackluster showings recently from Danny Garcia and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Until they do, Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto remain the biggest names in the Fight Game.
All three could still beat almost anyone else in the sport, but the distance between them has grown of late. Mayweather is widely perceived as the sport’s top fighter, and I believe he would be too good for Pacquiao if the two should ever meet. But Pacquiao’s win places him back atop the imaginary list of people Floyd is “ducking” because their business interests don’t align.
Pacquiao is probably the second or third-best fighter in the sport at present, but he is also not quite the same dynamo that wreaked havoc on the lightweight and welterweight divisions in recent years. Pacquiao can still win, but he doesn’t have that next-level explosion that would have made him a real threat to Mayweather. As such, I expect him to keep plying his trade, and beating those placed in front of him with decreasing ease.
As for the superfight with Mayweather, don’t hold your breath. The only way that happens now is if Pacquiao leaves HBO, and such a thing would probably result in a few heads rolling at the premium cable network. So instead we should appreciate that Pacquiao remains a remarkable fighter at age 35, and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon. For fans of boxing, sometimes it’s best to take what you can get.