Pacquiao vs Bradley: Newly Focused Pac-Man Will Dominate Desert Storm

The old Manny Pacquiao probably would have beaten Timothy Bradley. The new Pacquiao will dominate him.

The old Pacquiao probably wouldn't come into his fight quite as energized as he could be, with long nights of drinking and gambling stealing a portion of his focus and affecting his fitness. The new Pacquiao is focused and fresh.

The old Pacquiao would have come into the fight as a boxer, celebrity, politician and a man of vices. The new Pacquiao will shed his other labels and come into his fight solely as a fighter and a man who says he has found God.

If I were Desert Storm, I'd be worried about facing this new version of Pac-Man. Even Freddie Roach and Bob Arum have noticed the difference (via Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated).

Said Roach:

"

His focus is very good. We don't have days where he comes in tired, because he has no nightlife whatsoever, besides the Bible study. He is very focused on the fight. He and God are very close right now and he is just a better athlete, with no distractions.

"

Arum notes:

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From somebody who has visited the training camp a few times, the difference in Manny's face is so apparent. He's not as tired as he was and he's not as worn as he was. There is a glow in his face. I think this religious awakening has been all good on his part. I am a little prejudiced because I am religious myself but I believe when young athletes find religion it will greatly enhance their careers.

"

Sure, Pacquiao isn't in his prime any longer. He's not as fast or powerful as he once was, and as Juan Manuel Marquez has shown, Pac-Man can be beaten (even if Marquez hasn't been the man to do it).

And Bradley is no slouch. It may be suicidal for him to brawl with Pacquiao, but I don't think he is afraid to do so. If he can mix his offensive approach with an ability to go on the defensive when needed and effectively counter-punch, he'll have a fighting chance at least.

But Bradley has to put together a perfect fight to beat Pacquiao without getting caught on the chin too many times, and I simply don't think Pac-Man will allow him to put together a perfect fight.

He's simply too good, and more importantly, he has far more to lose in this fight than Bradley. A loss in this bout would render a dream matchup between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather far less appealing, and while it is still unlikely to happen, it's also possible the potential payout will cause the two camps to play nice.

Add to those factors a newly focused Pac-Man, and you've got yourself a recipe for domination in this fight. Pacquiao may have embraced religion again, but Bradley is the one who should be saying a prayer.

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