By Chris Williams: WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has lost his ability to get around the ring like he used to. He blames it on chronic leg cramps that he’s been experiencing in his last several fights, but it looks more like he’s just plain aged. That’s what happens when an athlete gets old. The legs go first, as they’re unable to move around the ring, court or field like they once did.

Pacquiao’s problem is he’s not facing one of the typical stationary plodders that his promoter Bob Arum has been fixing him up with fight after fight for the past three years. Pacquiao will be facing Tim Bradley, who can really get around the ring with the best of them. Bradley’s constantly shifting movements are going to be a big problem for Pacquiao whether he suffers leg cramps are not.

Pacquiao had had it easy since 2009, beating Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley. Those were opponents that used little movement against Pacquiao and made it easy for him. In his last fight, Pacquiao was matched up with Juan Manuel Marquez, who made Pacquiao use his legs more than the other opposition did. The results were disastrous for Pacquiao, as he quickly tired out and looked wooden. With Pacquiao unable to move around, Marquez was able to dominate the fight and cruise to what should have been a win, but two of the judges gave Pacquiao the win.

Bradley is going to bring the fight to Pacquiao, make him use his legs, and tire him out on June 9th. If Pacquiao’s wooden legs fail to respond, he’s going to end up getting out-boxed worse than he did in his last fight against Marquez. This in turn will put added pressure on the judges to decide whether to give Pacquiao another controversial decision and face the heat from a dissatisfied boxing public with the results.