Pacquiao vs. Bradley: Why Pac-Man Should Fear Tim Bradley

The heavily favored Manny Pacquiao better not take challenger Tim Bradley lightly unless he wants a big serving of humble pie.

Bradley, a.k.a. Desert Storm, is a perfect 28-0 with 12 knockouts for a reason. He has an incredibly aggressive style with a relentless motor that seems to wear out most of his opponents. If you can’t block and counter regularly, Bradley is going to make you pay.

While Pac-Man is surely capable of handling his furious pace, it’s Bradley’s mentality that should really worry arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

This bout means everything for Desert Storm, and he knows it. In a recent interview, he harped on just how important this fight is for the rest of his entire career (via boxnews.com):

"

It means everything. It means that we made the right moves. We set ourselves up right. It means that I get my opportunity, and now I say to myself 'What you gonna do now Bradley?' Here it is. Let's go out here and take care of business, let's shock the world. It's everything to me, the beginning of a new career, a new journey. It's a new beginning for my family, winning this fight would change our lives forever. I'm ready for it.

"

This is the biggest moment the 28-year-old Bradley will ever experience in his professional career…and he knows it.

This is just another fight for Pacquiao. With a sparkling 54-3-2 record with 38 KOs, he’s done it all in the sport. The only boxing match that will really affect his career at this point is with Floyd Mayweather.

If he beats Bradley, it’s nothing more than win No. 55. While he obviously has the heart of a champ, he doesn’t have the incredible motivation that Bradley currently does.

Pacquiao has become a brand, selling cologne and electronics among other products. He is a congressman for his native country the Philippines and is looking to land a spot in the executive office in the 2013 election. He is slowly transitioning to the next chapter of his life and isn’t as focused on boxing as he used to be.

Just watch his last bout against Juan Manuel Marquez to understand the lack of preparation Pacquiao had for the fight.

Sure Pacquiao and his outstanding punch accuracy and quick feet should be the favorite, but this is a fight that is much closer to a coin flip than most think.

Motivation will be the biggest factor for Bradley, and I think it can lead him to the shocking upset. 

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