Pacquiao vs. Bradley: A Complete Guide to How Pacquiao Can Win

On June 9, Manny Pacquiao will face Timothy Bradley in a fight that will be much tougher than many expect, but I'm going to tell you how Pacquiao can win this fight.

Bradley is a rough inside fighter who has been accused of using head to his advantage, and I don't mean outsmarting his opponents. Bradley's brutal headbutts, intentional or not, have become a weapon.

They are kind of like old Chicago Bulls' center Bill Cartwright's elbows. No one was sure if he was throwing them on purpose, but they sure did hurt when they connected. This is just one of the impediments Pacquiao will be faced with when he battles Bradley.

Bradley is a solid counter-puncher who could have success countering Pacquiao's best punches. Bradley also has a solid chin; he is 28-0, and he hasn't been dinged in any of his professional fights. 

It's not just Bradley who poses an issue for Pacquiao. Manny brings a plethora of distractions into the bout as well, from the potential super-fight, to politics and religion. None of it has to do with Bradley, yet they are all on the tip of Manny's tongue too close to the bout.

All that said, here is what Pac-Man must do to overcome all of those obstacles.

The Headbutts

You can't completely avoid something like this; headbutts are a part of boxing. But if Pacquiao becomes too concerned with them, it can disturb his focus.

This would even be the case after he's caught with one in the fight—especially if it draws blood. 

Manny's best strategy is to keep the fight in the middle of the ring. I believe he is faster than Bradley, but weaker physically. If Bradley can turn this into a brawl, he has a chance with clinching and in-fighting.

This is also where Pacquiao is susceptible to a headbutt.

Pacquiao should be able to use his jab and his left hand power-punches to connect from the outside. Bradley will want to mix it up and wrestle a bit. Manny must resist any temptation to fight this fight and stick to his advantage.

It will decrease the chances of being caught with a headbutt.

Counter-Punching

The way to attack any counter-puncher is by throwing combinations; this situation is no different. If Manny throws one shot at a time, then it'll be much simpler to counter him.

Now, Manny traditionally never does that, and Bradley surely knows this. To combat him, and to entice a wrestling match, Bradley may look to tie-up after the first punch in a Pacquiao attack.

If Manny can keep moving, throwing shots from different angles, Bradley may be discouraged in pursuing this strategy, as it leaves him open in the event he misses the tie-up attempt. This is still a concern, in my opinion, as it takes great stamina to fight this way, and wind is one of the areas I've seen a decline of in Manny's game.

Distractions

This has to start now—and even now is a little late—Manny has to immerse himself in this fight. Bradley is no bum, and Manny is not the same guy he was five years ago. The quickest way to getting upset in this sport is to be hampered by distractions.

Manny should stop speaking about Floyd Mayweather, stop talking about his political aspirations and please—stop talking about gays and religion. All of it is irrelevant to what should be his main focus right now, and that is Timothy Bradley.

If he isn't careful, Bradley will beat him. It's that simple.

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