Pacquiao vs Bradley: Desert Storm Will Shock Pac-Man and Boxing World in Upset

The majority of boxing fans were disappointed that a Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather dream fight fell through the cracks once again, and many scoffed at Pac-Man's next opponent in Timothy Bradley. With that said, Bradley will shock Pacquiao on June 9.

Bradley, who goes by the nickname "Desert Storm," may not be well known by casual boxing fans, but they should start taking notice. Bradley is the current WBO light welterweight champion, as well as a former two-time WBC light welterweight champion.

His career record is a perfect one as he is 28-0 with one no contest, and at 28 years of age, it is safe to say that Bradley is firmly in his prime. Pacquiao is only 33, so he isn't done by any stretch of the imagination, but it's fair to say that Bradley has been more impressive in recent fights.

Granted, Pac-Man has faced more high-profile fighters, Bradley has been cutting through the competition. Pacquiao was incredibly lucky to escape his last fight against Juan Manuel Marquez with a majority-decision victory as the general consensus was that Marquez stymied him and was the more impressive boxer.

Bradley fought on the undercard of the Pacquiao vs. Marquez headliner and he easily dispatched of 40-year-old Joel Casamayor via an eighth-round knockout.

Bradley's most impressive victory was unquestionably a unanimous-decision destruction of former light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson. With the win, Bradley handed Peterson his first career loss.

Peterson was on the shortlist of possible opponents for Pacquiao after his fight with Mayweather fell through once again. That likely would have been an easier fight for Pac-Man, but he deserves full marks for going after the undefeated Bradley. Ultimately, though, it will wind up being a dumb decision in the long run.

Pacquiao has more power than Bradley, and that is going to be the case with essentially anybody Pac-Man faces, but Bradley is in elite physical condition, and he can go the distance with Pacquiao provided he doesn't get caught with too many power punches.

Bradley has never been put down during his eight-year career, so there isn't much reason to believe he'll get knocked down by Pacquiao. The main thing Bradley has to be wary of, however, is that Pacquiao doesn't come off looking like the aggressor in the fight.

The biggest reason why Pacquiao was victorious against Marquez was because he was always on the offensive, while Marquez used a defensive posture that frustrated Pac-Man and allowed Marquez to connect with counters. Even so, the judges perceived Pacquiao as being more aggressive, so he was awarded the win.

Provided Bradley can push the pace and avoid getting hit with any of Pacquiao's powerful combinations, he stands a great chance. Although Bradley is undefeated, he doesn't have a lot to lose as there aren't many who expect him to come out on top.

The pressure is firmly on Pacquiao's shoulders since a loss could kill the possibility of a fight with Mayweather down the line. Pacquiao may have bitten off more than he can chew this time, and Bradley will prove that to be the case.