By Marcus Sales: Before I get into this article, I want to make it clear I am neither an anti Floyd Mayweather Jr. or an anti Manny Pacquiao writer. I admire both greatly. For what it’s worth, if they were ever to meet, which I think is very doubtful, I believe Mayweather would comprehensively win on points. The reasons they are yet to meet are well documented and quite frankly now boring.

Pacquiao has been receiving some criticism for his opponents lately. Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley were, for me poor, uncompetitive choices for opponents. A great deal of boxing fans have also been slating Pacquiao’s next opponent Timothy Bradley.I think Bradley is a great choice and I am very much looking forward to this fight.

Bradley is an undefeated World Champion, he has defeated names such as Lamont Peterson, Devon Alexander and Kendell Holt. He is a live, prime challenger to Pacquiao, something we haven’t said in a while. I understand the argument that he is a light welterweight and would have liked for him to be tested at welterweight prior to challenging Pacquiao. In reality however, it is not a great issue, as Victor Ortiz showed when he dethroned Andre Berto in his first fight at welterweight.

For those that say he is not a big enough name to fight Pacquiao I wholeheartedly disagree. I suppose you would rather see Pacquiao fight a faded star with a name simply to generate layman interest? For boxing fans with real knowledge however, this is a real fight and I for one think that it will be very competitive.