Manny Pacquiao Must Score Impressive Win over Bradley to Stay Relevant

Manny Pacquiao has to score an impressive win over unbeaten Timothy Bradley when they clash on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in order to stay relevant and competitive.

Pacquiao's controversial win over Juan Manuel Marquez last Nov. 12 has somehow tarnished his record as a knockout artist and a known offensive fighter as shown in many of his past championship fights.

Many of the critics who watched the Pacquiao vs. Marquez trilogy fight said Pacquiao's over 50 professional fights could be taking its toll on his body while age is fast catching up on him.

Although he is relatively younger than many of the fighters who are still in their prime at 33, his lifestyle could also be taking its toll on his health. 

As an official of the the Philippine government where he serves as a congressman, Pacquiao has to move around his constituency and grace social and political functions as part of his official duty. He also has to bear the burden of being a celebrity and a popular endorser for local and international clients.

During his preparation and training for his third fight with Marquez, Pacquiao has shown his usual firepower in the early stages of his training but reports have also mentioned that he had issues with his conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, which led to a minor altercation and cellphone-throwing incident in the later part of his training at the Wild Card Gym.

Likewise, a domestic quarrel with his lovely wife Jinkee had also surfaced during his training which was also reported in the media.

All these and similar distractions may have contributed to Pacquiao's "lackluster" performance over Marquez, boxing fans and critics say.

As he prepares for another rigorous training under the able stewardship of Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza, critics are hoping that mistakes or incidents that could lead to distractions during the training could be avoided.

Facing Timothy Bradley who is young and undefeated in his 29 professional fights is no joke, though critics say Pacquiao's firepower and speed will be too much for the Bradley to take.

But Bradley, who is the current WBO light welterweight champion, is known for his head charging resulting in headbutts which had elicited protests from former opponents who suffered bad cuts and facial swelling.

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, has warned about Bradley's dirty tactics. "He's a dirty fighter, well, he's a physical fighter,” Roach said. "He uses his head, elbows, so forth."

Roach has admitted Bradley could give Pacquiao trouble when they clash on June 9.

"Manny does have some trouble with that, because Manny can’t retaliate. I tell Manny that if a guy hits you low, hit him back low, but he won't do that," Roach said. "So, the thing is, it could pose a bit of a problem."

Despite Bradley's reputation as a "dirty fighter," Pacquiao has to score a knockout or finish with an impressive win in order to stay relevant as the eight-division champion and the undisputed pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

A lackluster performance with Bradley will only confirm Pacquiao's fading firepower and speed which could trigger his early retirement from boxing.