Pacquiao vs. Bradley: Desert Storm Will Destroy Pac-Man vs Mayweather Superfight

Bob Arum has chosen the wrong fight for Manny Pacquiao, and now the dream fight is in serious jeopardy. I am predicting the rough and tumble Tim Bradley will upset Manny Pacquiao, or at least battle him to a rematch worthy result. That is not exactly the proper launch into a fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Bradley is 28-0, with only 12 KOs, so he's not a huge puncher, but he is a very clean, crisp and accurate puncher. Bradley makes his power shots count. In his past five fights, he has landed at least 32 percent of his power shots.

Those are scoring blows, that if landed in the right situation can hurt opponents.

Combine this with the fact that Pacquiao is not known for great defense, and that will at the very least, place Bradley in the fight.

Bradley also has a solid chin. He has been in the ring with big punchers like Luis Carlos Abregu and Nate Campbell, and he has fared well against both.

He dominated Abregu in a lopsided unanimous decision and opened a cut with a headbutt over the eye of Campbell. Still, Bradley had been in control through the first two and a half rounds.

It's true neither of these men are Manny Pacquiao, but lately, Manny hasn't exactly looked like Pac-Man either.

In his last fight, he won a controversial decision over a 38 year old Juan Manuel Marquez. Is it just that Marquez will forever give Pacquiao problems, or is that Pac-Man is slowing down?

This was their third, hotly contested bout, so he may get somewhat of a pass there, but Pacquiao even looked less than dominant in his inability to dispatch an old and tired Shane Mosley in his previous bout.

It was a lopsided victory for sure, but many felt that Pacquiao should have been able to stop a 39 year old Mosley in May of 2011.

Why couldn't he?

Pacquiao is tiring late in fights—he's become even more hittable and that plays into the hands of the tough, accurate and skilled Bradley.

Pacquiao hasn't fought a fighter on the right side of 30 in almost three years when he KO'd a 29 year old Miguel Cotto. Bradley is 28 years old, and has had only 28 fights. The wear and tear isn't there, and it will show in his bout with Manny.

Once Pacquiao loses, or is greatly tested by Bradley, the whispers of Pacquiao's declining skills will turn to outward concerns. That will taint the shine of the potential Pac-Man vs Money Dream Fight.

It will especially look bad for Pacquiao as Mayweather has an easier fight lined up with an aging and war beaten Miguel Cotto. If and when Mayweather defeats Cotto, Mayweather will look better in the eyes of the boxing world, justified or not

Most fans don't take strength of opponent into consideration as much as name recognition. Cotto has a far bigger name than Bradley at this point, though Bradley is probably the superior fighter right now.

Mayweather wins big in this scenario.

Pacquiao seems primed for a fall. There are so many signs pointing to a Bradley win in this one. It's difficult to ignore the age difference (33 to 28), lackluster performances and quality of opponent.

This fight will shape the rest of Pacquiao's career.

When Mayweather and Pacquiao finally hang up the gloves, fight fans may be resigned to asking themselves: "what would have happened" if the two had ever fought.

We have already lost the chance to see them in their primes. After Bradley is done with Pacquiao, we may have lost the opportunity to see them in the ring together at all.