Pacquiao says he’s going to change his mood against Bradley

By Boxing News - 06/05/2012 - Comments

Image: Pacquiao says he's going to change his mood against BradleyBy Chris Williams: Perhaps because of the prodding from his trainer Freddie Roach about him being too nice to his recent opponents Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao says he’s going to change his temperament for this Saturday’s fight against challenger Tim Bradley. Can Pacquiao do this? I doubt it.

Speaking with RingTV, Pacquiao said “We have a job to do in the ring that we need to do. We have to hurt people. That’s our position and part of that position…After that, nothing personal. When I step into the ring, I change the button. I change the mood. I can do that, yes.”

This is kind of funny actually. It’s almost as if Pacquiao is parroting the thoughts of his trainer Freddie Roach, because that’s him talking right there with those words. Pacquiao might as well be talking to himself rather than the media, because he’s not shown the killer instinct lately, and who’s going to believe him all of a sudden now that he’s saying he’s going to be going for blood? At this point, Pacquiao can say just about anything but what does the past tell you? Future events cast their shadows before.

If Pacquiao is to be anything more than he’s been in the past, I’d be really surprised. If Bradley is smart, he’ll touch gloves with Pacquiao before and after every round to soften Pacquiao’s mood to where he’s fighting without passion.

Seriously, I don’t see Pacquiao’s problems as him not having the killer aggression with his opponents. I just think the guy is getting old and his body isn’t working the way it should. You couple that with the fact that he’s always had huge flaws in his game on offense and defense, and that results in a fighter that is no longer knocking guys out.

Bad ring fundamentals are made worse when a fighter starts to lose their speed, their legs and their power. Then all you’ve got is an aging fighter with bad skills making excuses for what he’s not able to do in the ring. I’m sure Pacquiao wants his body to be able to do the things he used to be able to do in the past, but when the body gets old what can you do?



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