Pacquiao vs. Bradley: 3 Reasons to Expect Epic Upset

Manny Pacquiao is adopting the right attitude when it comes to his June 9 bout against Timothy Bradley. He's not getting too cocky, he's saying the right respectful things about his opponent and he's refusing to make the mistake of awarding himself the victory before he participates in the fight.

Bradley, however, seems to be taking the opposite approach. He seems to believe that if he hypes himself up enough, he'll have no choice but to win.

Pacquiao may have experience. He may have wins against some of the top boxers today, like Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto. But Bradley is younger, he's undefeated and he doesn't have to deal with any of the pressure that envelops a front-runner leading up to once of the most anticipated matches of the year.

It's not probable, but it is possible for Timothy Bradley to beat Manny Pacquiao on June 9. Here are three reasons the odds could be in Bradley's favor.

1. Youth and Athleticism 

Bradley, 28, is 28-0 with 12 KOs, while 32-year-old Pacquiao has a bit more experience and boasts a 54-3-2 record with 38 KOs. While PacMan may have a few more fights under his belt, though, he also experienced a bit more wear and tear.

Bradley, whose resume includes impressive wins over Joel Casamayor, Devon Alexander and Alfonso Sanchez, is young, quick and possesses the bravado of a champion who's never been beaten.

There's no way to tell whether youth or experience will prove to be the deciding factor in the June 9 bout, but the ultra-aggressive Bradley will do everything in his power to overwork his older opponent. That hasn't been lost on Pacquiao, who recently told Dog House Boxing: 

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Timothy Bradley brings a lot of weapons to a fight. He has youth, an aggressive style and a state of mind that only a world champion possesses. He knows how to impose his will on his opponents. He turns fights into wars. 

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Bradley has the stamina and the strength to impose his will on Pacquiao, and if he manages to turn this into a war of attrition, it is one he will win.

2. Proficiency vs. Southpaws

Bradley certainly doesn't lack experience when it comes to fighting lefties, and he's no slouch at it, either.

His fight against Pacquiao will be his third straight against a southpaw. Bradley's last matchup was an eight-round battle against Casamayor, which was on the undercard of Pacquiao's controversial win over Marquez. Prior to that, Bradley beat Alexander, also a lefty.

Though Bradley admits that facing those opponents won't be quite the same as facing Pacquiao, he is 100-percent certain that nothing could have prepared him more. Training for this fight won't differ too much from training for the previous two.

Bradley told The Ring's Lem Satterfield: 

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I guess that you could say that my past couple of fights have gotten me ready and prepared me for this moment physically and mentally...I'm just getting better at dominating those southpaws. That's what I do. I've had two southpaws in my last two fights, so this is perfect timing for me. Period. 

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Bradley has never been beaten by a lefty before, and he doesn't plan to cede that perfect record anytime soon.

3. Confidence

It might be evident from his comments to Satterfield, but Bradley is a pretty confident guy. Pacquiao may be favored for this fight, but there's no doubt in Bradley's mind who the real winner will be in the end.

Bradley knows he stacks up well against Pacquiao. He's physically stronger in terms of athleticism and stamina, and he's been successful against lefties. What's stopping him from winning? Pacquiao's experience? Pacquiao's hype?

The biggest favor Bradley can do for himself is to believe that nothing at all can stop him, and to be very vocal about it. If Bradley can manage to get in Pacquiao's head, which he might have done already, he gives himself a mental advantage.

Another plus for Bradley: Though this is the biggest fight of his career, he's remaining focused while Pacquiao is constantly dogged by questions about if and when he'll ever face Floyd Mayweather. For Bradley, keeping his head in the game is just as important as training in the gym. 

He recently told Satterfield, "It's my job to go out there and do what I need to do, and what I've set out to do, and that's to dominate. That's what I do every time I get into the ring. It's no different with Pacquiao."

There is no better time for Bradley to fight Pacquiao than right now. He's coming off wins against two southpaws while Pacquiao is coming off a questionable, hard-fought decision against Marquez. Bradley has all the confidence in the world while Pacquiao might be questioning his own.

At this point, there is no one who believes Bradley can win this fight more than Bradley himself, and he needs to use that mindset to stay strong when it comes time to battle.