General Admission
Pacquiao, Bradley & Mayweather
By Al S. Mendoza
EVEN as the Pacquiao-Bradley fight has already been clinched, talks still continue to persist on the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout ever happening at all.
In facing Bradley possibly in May, Pacquiao will try to erase the stigma of his controversial loss to the unbeaten American.
In June 2012, Bradley escaped with a split decision victory after it was clear Pacquiao won the bout convincingly.
In a bizarre twist, two judges gave the bout to Bradley in one of the ugliest decisions ever to hit the sweet science.
Besieged with criticisms, the world boxing body formed another three-man jury to review the outcome.
It promptly came out with a decision making Paquiao the winner via unanimous decision.
Comparing my scorecard of the fight to the new board of jury’s scorecards, it appeared the board’s decision was even harsher than mine: The three judges didn’t give even a single round to Bradley. I gave him one. Just one.
But that has been boxing ever since man invented it. It is never lacking in controversies, if not idiosyncrasies.
In their rematch, it is believed this early that Pacquiao would avenge his loss.
And how he is going to do it is simple: Knock Bradley out.
He could have done that in 2012 but for Pacquiao’s penchant to take pity on his foes sometimes.
Pacquiao had staggered Bradley not just once but twice.
Each time, though, for reasons known only to him, he would hold back and abort a killer attack.
Has he learned his lesson and, thus, he will abandon his kindly ways and pummel Bradley until he strikes him down—for good?
If he could come up with the same level of performance that he displayed against Brandon Rios on Nov. 24 in Tokyo last year, Pacquiao could yet win with plenty to spare.
Against Rios, Pacquiao unleashed flashes of his old vicious self.
He had hit Rios virtually at will but, inexplicably, the American survived Pacquiao’s booming bombs.
It turned out Rios was drugged, energized by PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) as proven by drug tests after the fight.
Still and all, Pacquiao’s resounding victory against Rios was a screaming proof he is back in business, that he can still whip anyone worth his salt, including, perhaps, Mayweather.
But at the rate Mayweather is trying his best to avoid Pacquiao, the dream Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will end just as that: a dream fight.
Not only is Mayweather grimly determined to not fight Pacquiao, he also is deathly intent on badmouthing Pacquiao—continuously.
And by saying he will retire in September 2015, Mayweather has all but torpedoed whatever hopes left in the staging of a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.
As Pacquiao put it, “By announcing his retirement in September 2015, that is Mayweather’s final chance to avoid me.”
I can only agree to that.
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