If you can stop hating on Timothy Bradley long enough, you might want to ponder whether he is absolutely on target in his remarks to hometown newspaper Desert Sun about Manny Pacquiao no longer has fire in his fighting belly. “He’s declining, honestly he is declining. He had me hurt in the fourth round, he didn’t try to come out and finish me, the old Manny would’ve. The old Manny would’ve, I just think there’s a lot of wear and tear on him, his mind is in 50,000 different places. He’s got his newfound religion and stuff like that, and I just feel like maybe he’s worn out, honestly. I have a busy schedule but his schedule is like all day busy, like 24/7, he never stops moving. Even when I saw him in the press conference I was like, ?This guy looks tired.? I saw his eyes, I saw the bags underneath his eyes. I was like this guy is tired. I don’t even think this guy wants to be here,” Bradley told the Coachella Valley newspaper. You diehard Pacman fans may not like this but I made this observation in this space immediately after Megamanny got robbed by the judges. I find it fascinating that Bradley saw the same lack of fistic fire that I did inside that MGM Grand ring on June 9. Pacquiao is an “old” age 33. He may have less ring mileage left than does Floyd Mayweather, who is age 35 and currently cooling his heels in the Vegas hoosegow. Bradley’s point about Pacquiao’s frantic schedule is also on point. Mayweather doesn’t have a demanding political schedule, a churchgoing schedule. I mean, besides going to nightclubs and NBA games (and betting heavily on same) what does “Money” have to do outside of his devotion to boxing? Some of those closest to Pacman, and probably including Manny himself, don’t want to glance into the rear view mirror but I will. On June 9, Pacquiao was supposed to wipe Bradley out, supposed to reigster a KO and show some of the slash and burn attack with which he obliterated Messrs. de la Hoya and Hatton. Long before the bout, Freddie Roach said he expected his prized pupil to KO or TKO tghe seemingly overmatched Amercian. But Bradley lingered for all 36 minutes, long enough to get his hand undeservingly raised in victory. What’s the reason for that. Has Pacman’s get up and go got up and gone? No credible answers have been forthcoming…but I’ll keep waiting. As for the next fight, Pacquiao should be not like a lobster or a crab. They’re shellfish. Pacman needs to be selfish, to do what’s best for his dwindling career. Manny should target “Money” and forget all about problematic Marquez and a boosted in confidence Bradley. Pacquiao has one signatured fight left and it’s with the incarcerated Floyd. Maybe Pacquiao should be at the jailhouse exit door to greet Mayweather. Maybe the two of them can get done what their various reps have been unable to do. The most sensible next fight for Pacquiao is Mayweather, no one else. Maybe the well rested Mayweather won’t notice those battered suitcases under Pacman’s tired eyes.
