Manny Pacquiao: No Need for Retirement After Strong Showing vs. Bradley

Manny Pacquiao's performance against Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley dispelled the notion that his deteriorating skills would soon lead to his retirement.

Fans were questioning if he should retire after his sub-par showing against Juan Manuel Marquez. The media was also speculating, as always.

Those two outlets hold much less merit than the next. Before the fight, Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said this:

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"Bradley's no killer, but he tries hard," Roach said, according to the Associated Press. "Manny should eat him up as he comes forward. I think Manny should look really good in this fight.

"If he looks bad, he retires. At least I'll tell him to. And he may be the first one who will listen to me."

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Manny did look really good in the fight. The sport of boxing is the one that looks bad.

Pacquiao lost the fight, but it wasn't in a fashion that would cause Roach to follow through on his above statements.

Despite the decision, Pacquiao dominated Bradley for the majority of their June 9th fight. He was robbed of a victory by terrible judging in one of the worst decisions that the sport of boxing has ever seen.

But Pac-Man was on his game all throughout the bout. He started off great and was able to connect with his left hand at will. He danced circles around Bradley, and it was painfully obvious to everyone watching—except the ringside judges.

He had a hop in his step that we didn't see in his fight against Marquez. Bradley is five years Pacquiao's younger, but Pac-Man had more energy at the MGM Grand on Saturday.

Bradley had no idea what to do against Pacquiao's lightning fast punches. Pacquiao did well to time "Desert Storm" when he was moving forward, making his punches all the more powerful.

This wasn't Pacquiao beating on Oscar De La Hoya, who was past his prime when the two fought. This was Pacquiao meticulously picking apart an undefeated fighter who should have suffered the first loss of his professional career, and would have if not for a bogus decision.

The look in Pacquiao's eyes after he heard the decision was one of pure dejection. He'll never say it publicly, but you can bet he knows he won that fight. Just the look on his face is enough to indicate that he still has the fire for boxing, and that he won't be going anywhere in the near future.

The fans can stop talking, the media can stop talking, even Freddie Roach can stop talking, because there is no way that Pacquiao is going to hang up his gloves before he avenges his controversial defeat at the hands of Bradley.