Pacquiao needs to impress in his next fight

By Boxing News - 09/02/2012 - Comments

Image: Pacquiao needs to impress in his next fightBy John F. McKenna (McJack): Eight division champion Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KO’s) needs to impress in his next fight no matter who his opponent is. “Pacman” clearly dominated new WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (29-0-1, 12 KO’s) last June.

Bradley however picked up Manny’s WBO belt when he was awarded the decision in what was one of the worst decisions in boxing in modern times. Bradley at times appeared bewildered and confused at Manny’s speed and combination punching.

Pacquiao however, appeared to take his foot off the gas in the final two rounds against Bradley and did not seem to be the same fighter who ran over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Some boxing pundits insist that Pacquiao no longer possesses the same killer instinct he exhibited earlier in his career. Even in his victory over Antonio Margarito, Manny took the 11th round off, content with scoring a one sided beat down rather than going for the KO.

Pacquiao’s victory over Shane Mosley was more of the same with both fighters touching gloves after every round. Five time trainer of the year Freddie Roach voiced his displeasure of such antics after the Mosley fight in May of 2011. Still there was not a huge uproar until Manny’s decision loss to Bradley. Everyone seemed to be content as long as “Pacman” was still winning.

That all changed when Manny lost the Bradley fight. In boxing there is no substitute for a KO win. There can be no worry about the scoring or a fight being fixed if you KO your opponent. It just may be that the loss to “Desert Storm” is what Manny needed to get his boxing career back on track. Before the Bradley fight there was some question as to whether Pacquiao could be motivated for such a fight. Clearly that will not be the case in future fights.

The feeling of many boxing pundits is that Manny needs to literally hit a home run in his next fight. Boxing fans want desperately to see the old Pacquiao. The Pacquiao who even Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 2007 you tube video conceded was a hell of a fighter. Boxing fans have not seen that version of Manny Pacquiao lately. There are those who say that Pacquiao is gone forever. Perhaps they are correct. It is more likely however that the flame deep within Manny needed to be reignited. Perhaps his loss to Bradley was just the spark “Pacman” needed to accomplish that.



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