LAS VEGAS–Hennessy Cognac’s most famous teetotaler endorser is Manny Pacquiao. Someone mentioned to me the other day that it’s a curious fact that the Pinoy Idol endorses the alcoholic beverage at a period in his life when he is believed to be abstaining from demon drink. I’m not concerned about that and apparently the Hennessy folks, paying big bucks to Pacman, are not either. But I figured out, as per the Hennessy ad pitches, who Pacquiao’s “Wild Rabbit” is. The frisky, somehwat risky hare that Pacquiao has in his scopes for Saturday night is brash, unbeaten in his prime at age 28 Tim Bradley. You don’t need to be a weatherman (apologies to Bob Dylan) to know that there’s more pressure on Pacquiao than on the underhare in this fight. The bottom line here is this: Will “Manila Ice” cut right through the “Desert Storm” and expose Bradley as what I deeply suspect he is, not a chump by any means but a perfect style foe to make Pacquiao shine brightly under the kleig lights and before the cameras beaming the bout worldwide? If Pacman squeaks by, wins a thin decision or there is even the slightest dispute over a decision after 12 rounds, then chalk this up as a Pacman loss and a Bradley victory. Why, pray tell, is Bradley such great cannon fodder for Manny’s powerful guns? Let’s go down the checklist, probably in the same careful manner that Top Rank matchmaker Bruce “Southland” Trampler did before he highly recommended Not So Timid Timothy as first a TR signee and then a natural choice as a dance partner for Pacquiao: 1. BRADLEY WILL BE AGGRESSIVE. He will charge the bull and the bull likes this. That’s why trainer Freddie Roach is frothing at the mouth over the matchup. 2. BRADLEY IS RIGHTHANDED. All the better so that he won’t be stepping on Manny’s oh so tender tootsies, the softest boxing toes this side of David Haye’s precious toes. 3. COSMETICALLY, BRADLEY’S RECORD IS STERLING. Glossed over is that he is a fish, I mean a junior welterweight, out of his more comfortable 140 pound waters where he was able to turn back Devon Alexander, geriatric Joel Casamayor, and rugged but not overly talented guys such as Lamont Peterson and Edner Cherry. 5. BILLY GOAT BRADLEY TACTICS MAY BACKFIRE. Veteran referee Robert Byrd willv warn Bradley one, two and maybe three times but if there is a nasty, bordering on intentional headbutt and Pacman is gouged severely, Byrd won’t hesitate to call it a DQ victory for the Pinoy Idol. 6. PACMAN’S REFLECTED GLORY FROM THE CRUSHING DEFEATS OF OSCAR DE LA HOYA AND RICKY HATTON WILL BE REPRISED BY THE BOSS SCRIBES. Again, Pacman cannot be underwhleming, he must be overwhelming in victory here to take away the lingering odor from his last bout, a hollow “victory” over nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. The hunt is on. Pacquiao’s “Wild Rabbit” is in sight. The prediction here is Pacquiao by TKO in seven. As in lucky seven, roll them bones. I just can’t envision the Hunter getting captured by the Game, can you?
