Manny Pacquiao: Problems Boxing Icon Will Have with Tim Bradley

Manny Pacquiao, the current welterweight champion, is heavily favored against Tim Bradley, but that doesn't mean he'll cruise to victory. 

Bradley is 28-0 with 12 KOs in his career, and at 28 years old, is in the prime of his fighting career and will enter the fight on June 9th with loads of confidence and youthful energy.

He's not as powerful as some of Pac Man's past opponents, but he's the current light welterweight champion, so it's obvious he's an extremely talented and properly trained fighter.

In a recent ESPN.com column, Pacquiao discussed Bradley's strengths and the challenges he'll face during their fight:

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Tim has always found a way to win. He has great determination and can adapt and change his game plan in mid-fight. Bradley seems to be improving with every fight. His victories over Lamont Peterson and Devon Alexander, who were undefeated when he fought them, were very impressive. He knows how to impose his will on his opponents. He turns fights into wars.

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The always confident but respectful Pacquiao went on to say that he has the speed and power to counter Bradley, and that he's gained a wealth of knowledge throughout his career fighting many boxing legends. 

Later in the article, Pacquiao touched on the differing fighting styles that could cause him trouble: 

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Anytime a southpaw fights an orthodox-style boxer head-butts are bound to happen, but with Bradley it's more of a concern because he tends to lead with his head. Hopefully we will have a good referee who will not let him do that. Regardless, it's my job to be prepared for anything he may bring.

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Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto are all orthodox-style fighters, so again, Pacquiao must draw on past experiences to emerge victorious against Bradley. 

The light welterweight champion isn't necessarily strong in any one area, but he's a solid all-around fighter and his ability to adapt will give Pacquiao a surprisingly tough fight on June 9th. 

Follow @ChrisTrapasso.