by Gautham Nagesh
I took this picture of Timothy Bradley after his technical decision victory over Devon Alexander in Pontiac, Michigan last January. It’s a reminder of what Bradley looked like after his toughest fight, which was closer than most press accounts would lead you to believe before its premature stoppage. Tim was undoubtedly the better man that night, but he had problems with the southpaw Alexander’s speed. On Saturday night at the MGM Grand, Bradley will fight the fastest left-handed boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao. I expect his face to look a lot worse after Pacquiao knocks him out in the late rounds.
In no way is that intended as a slight to Bradley, the top junior welterweight in the world. Like everyone else, I’ve been watching these past few weeks as HBO has done a masterful job of highlighting his discipline and sacrifice, while shining a spotlight on the apparent discord in the Pacquiao camp. Bradley is a warrior with an iron will and impeccable conditioning. He will come to fight, and likely give Manny all he can handle in the early rounds.
Bradley does have two flaws, neither glaring, but both are fatal at this level: his chin is less than granite, and he can’t punch. Beating Pacquiao requires either one-punch KO power or masterful counter-punching for 12 rounds under heavy duress a la Erik Morales or Juan Manuel Marquez. Bradley will pressure Manny, and could out-box him at times. He won’t be able to stop the Filipino with a single blow. Pacquiao, in turn, is too good for Bradley to avoid having his chin tested for the entire fight. Tim couldn’t take Kendall Holt’s punches, and Pacman hits a lot harder than Holt.
Top Rank boss Bob Arum has always been careful in selecting Pacquiao’s opponents and Bradley is no different. He is credible, but not a serious threat. Even if Bradley summoned the courage and endurance to win a close fight, it’s still unlikely the decision would come out in his favor. That’s not an accusation of corruption, but rather a nod at Arum’s savvy in dictating the terms of the fights. Only a total capitulation by Pacquiao would result in a Bradley win, and that’s extremely unlikely given the Pacman’s past.
Still, I expect an action fight that should justify the cost and keep Manny on track for the long-awaited showdown with Floyd Mayweather. The undercard is mediocre, with Jorge “Travieso” Arce vs Jesus Rojas at 122 lbs. serving as the co-feature. Arce is a fan-favorite and his fights are never boring, so it should be a good lead-in for the ten fans that aren’t watching Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Unbeaten Philly welterweight Mike Jones gets his first “world” title shot against veteran knockout artist Randall Bailey for the IBF strap. Jones fights in the same division as Pacquiao, which tells you the meaning of that distinction. He should win a decision. More intriguing is Cuban junior featherweight Guillermo Rigondeaux’s first defense of his WBA belt against Teon Kennedy, also of Philly. Kennedy is in a rough patch and hasn’t looked great in his last two fights, so he should bring a bit of desperation. Touted super middleweight prospect Jesse Hart, son of 1970s middleweight contender Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, will make his professional debut.
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Former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik tries to mount a comeback on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights tonight against Virginia’s Scott Sigmon at super middleweight. Sigmon is basically a club fighter that has lost every time he steps up in competition. If Pavlik doesn’t crush him, the Youngstown native’s return is probably ill-fated. Top Rank prospects on the undercard include junior featherweight Jesse Magdaleno, the younger brother of junior lightweight contender Diego, heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr., lightweight Terence Crawford, and Notre Dame sideshow Mike Lee.
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Formerly promising Montreal middleweight prospect David Lemieux will try to get back on track against Jaudiel Zepeda on a hometown card tonight headlined by Colombian light heavyweight Eleider Alvarez vs South Dakota’s Shawn Hawk….Telefutura has a Saturday night show headlined by McWilliams Arroyo against Felipe Rivas at flyweight…Baltimore Boxing Promotions will hold an amateur card tonight at Du Burns Arena in Charm City featuring prospects from Philly against their Baltimore counterparts. The headliner is former University of Oklahoma wrestler Jerome Featherstone Jr., a rising amateur star at middleweight. Doors open at 6:30 pm, first bout at 8.
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