With the highly anticipated rematch between Manny Pacquiao & Timothy Bradley now being only a few hours away, it?s time for final predictions. ?On The Ropes? boxing radio has featured some of the biggest names in all of boxing, and in the lead up to Pacquiao vs. Bradley, each was asked to share their views on the fight and give their official predictions.
Here is what Floyd Mayweather, Andre Ward, Naazim Richardson, Brian Vera, Freddie Roach, Mauricio Herrera, Steve Cunningham, Tracy Patterson, Lydell Rhodes, Timothy Bradley and myself, Jenna J, had to say about the upcoming fight.
Freddie Roach: Bradley told Manny that he?s lost his killer instinct and that he doesn?t have it any more. Manny feels like that was a little slap in face and I?m looking forward to Manny knocking this guy out. I think Manny is looking forward to it also ? to show the world that he is a still a great fighter, a great puncher.
Pacquiao is gonna be a little more aggressive than usual and it?s gonna be action packed. Of course, Bradley when he does get hit, he does like to exchange. I think it?s gonna be a great fight and I wouldn?t miss this one. It will be a good fight, action packed and I feel Pacquiao will finally get a knockout win.
Andre Ward: I feel Timothy has a desire that can?t be denied and he has the intangibles that you can?t put your finger on what he has. I think he?s willing to go to whatever place he needs to go to not lose what he?s earned, and that?s his reputation, that?s his undefeated record and the status that he has, so I got to go with Tim on that.
Naazim Richardson: Tim?s now going to beat up Pacquiao in this fight. I would not be surprised if Timmy definitively beats Pacquiao in this fight, I would not be surprised at all. And I thought Pacquiao looked good against Brandon Rios, but I think Brandon Rios was absolute perfect for Manny Pacquiao.
Tracy Patterson: Me personally, I gotta go with Timothy Bradley. I think he has a slight edge because he?s younger and I think he wants to keep his belt. Manny?s been there already and he really doesn?t have a lot to prove. I just think that Timothy Bradley is gonna be hungrier and that makes the difference and I think he?s gonna win the fight.
I think he?s gonna outpoint Manny, I think he?s gonna stay away from Manny?s power shots. He?s just as fast as Manny, so I think he?s just gonna outbox him, who knows maybe he?ll catch him with something and stop him, we?ll see.
Lydell Rhodes: I?d say that Manny has the upper hand but Bradley is just a winner, he has the thing that you can?t teach, just being a natural winner. He?s undefeated but I just think that he has that factor of him being a winner; he digs deep and does whatever he has to do to win. I still give the upper hand to Manny right now.
I believe he?s gonna go out there looking for the knockout because he?s really aggressive right now in sparring and just the vibe of all the people and how everyone continues to love boxing out in The Philippines. It?s almost like if he gets a decision they?ll say, ?Ah you did alright, you did okay.? They?re not really satisfied unless you get the knockout, so I think Manny is gonna go out there looking for the knockout.
Steve Cunningham: I?m gonna go ahead with Desert Storm. Desert Storm, he?s been doing his thing. People really haven?t been giving him credit. This dude beats Marquez, he beats Pacquiao and he beat Provodnikov, I mean, wow look at his resume!
He is a smart boxer/puncher and I think you?re gonna see basically the same Tim Bradley, because Bradley is motivated, he?s always in shape and he?s athletically good. Manny, you know he?s the same way. It?s gonna be a good fight.
Mauricio Herrera: I think Bradley is gonna outbox Pacquiao. He moves around and he?s really hard to hit. I think Pacquiao is gonna have trouble hitting Bradley. I think he?s more confident, more experienced now with the fights he has behind him. I think he knows Pacquiao a little more from the first fight.
That was Bradley?s first big fight and I think he won?t have too many nerves this time, I think he?ll adjust better and earlier. I give an edge to Bradley, but you know Pacquiao has that one punch, but I?ll go a little towards Bradley on that one.
Brian Vera: Bradley looked good against Marquez and if he?s that same guy that fights Pacquiao, it seems like Bradley has gotten better, so I pick Bradley winning by decision and Pacquiao has to wrap it up.
Floyd Mayweather Sr: I think what?s gonna happen here and this is my honest opinion, my honest opinion is they are going to, in my opinion, I?m not saying it?s right, I?m not saying its wrong but then again more than likely it will be right. If they come down to a tight decision, Pacquiao?s gonna get the edge, ain?t no question about it.
I?m just telling you that whether he win or lose ? this guy right now, the only way he can beat Pacquiao is to knock Pacquiao out. If I see Pacquiao and him both standing, you?re gonna see Pacquiao?s arm go up in the air. I?m just telling you what time of day it is, that?s what?s gonna happen right now.
They were talking about that last night, and he was telling Pacquiao, ?As long as you don?t knock me out, I ain?t going nowhere,? but his ass must not know what?s going on. They ain?t there for your ass, they are there for Pacquiao, to help Pacquiao out. The only chance he?s got is to knock Pacquiao out, that?s the only chance he does have and if he don?t realize it, oh well.
Timothy Bradley: It?s gonna be a high intensity fight. I expect it to be interesting, I expect some of the rounds to be close, and I expect it to be a split decision win for me in my favor. At the end of the twelve rounds they will hold up my hands and I?m gonna be victorious once again, undefeated.
Jenna J: Both Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley have traveled different roads since their first encounter, but going into the rematch, the advantages that Manny Pacquiao had the first time around, still remain.
While Bradley is as tough as they come, and more determined than most, Pacquiao is simply the better fighter and with Bradley lacking the big equalizer in terms of power, Pacquiao?s speed and athleticism will be difference in the fight.
I think Manny Pacquiao has room for improvement from the first match and will be able to make more adjustments than Bradley will be able to, and end up getting a clear cut decision win. Official prediction: Manny Pacquiao UD.
