By John F. McKenna (McJack): Filipino icon World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquaio (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) needs to bring his “A” game when he engages undefeated WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (28-0-1 NC, 12 KO’s) at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on June 9th.

Manny’s vaunted KO power has been largely missing in his most recent fights leading some boxing observers to speculate that perhaps at 33 he is on the downward side of a brilliant career.

Even the most ardent Pacquiao fans are concerned that he has lost the edge which made him the great fighter that enabled him to win world titles in eight weight divisions. No other fighter in boxing history has been able to win titles in eight divisions.

But in Manny’s most recent fights against Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez he appears to have lost much of the hunger that made him go for the KO win. Pacquiao totally dominated a badly outclassed Margarito in their November 2010 encounter, but when it seemed that he had Antonio on the bring of a KO in the later
Rounds, “Pacman” refused to pull the trigger and backed off. At one point, Pacquiao implored the referee to stop the uneven contest.

Even five time trainer of the year Freddie Roach appeared annoyed at the constant touching of gloves between Pacquiao and Shane Mosley in their less than thrilling fight in May 2011. Granted, after Manny scored a 3rd round knockdown Mosley chose to get on his bicycle and run for the remainder of the fight. Again “Pacman” won a lopsided decision but many boxing fans were disappointed that he did not go after the kill. Indeed it appeared that if Pacquiao had gone all out he would have been the first fighter to score a KO over the badly faded Mosley.

Recently Roach suggested that Manny had carried Margarito and Mosley out of pity. That may well have been the case. But in the Pacquiao – Marquez fight even supporters of Manny feel that he did not deserve the win and received a “gift” decision.

Timothy Bradley is a hungry fighter and against Pacquiao he is sure to be at his very best. That is not to suggest that Pacquiao cannot defeat Bradley, but if he is to do so he needs to bring his “A” game. In addition, somehow as difficult as it may be, Manny needs to regain the killer instinct that was once part of who he was and made him a great fighter.