Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley Fight: A Ridiculous Match That Shouldn't Be Taking Place
Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will duke it out in the rung for a third time with one another. The fight has already been scheduled for April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand.
Really?
Again?
Do we really have to watch these two go at it for a third time?
Pacquiao is one of the greatest welterweight fighters to ever put the gloves on, but he passed his prime years ago. It's a shame he and Floyd Mayweather didn't face off six years earlier, but that's just the way it turned out. Which begs the question, why on Earth is Bradley choosing to fight an over-aged Pacquiao who is coming off shoulder surgery for a third time at this stage in his career?
This is far more about Bradley than it is about Pacquiao. Pacquiao has already built a Hall of Fame legacy with so many notable wins throughout his career. Bradley is the one who needs to enhance his portfolio with some big time victories against younger opponents. Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Gennady Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez and Kell Brook are all young, worthy opponents who Bradley has never faced. A match against any of them would be 100 times more intriguing than a third fight against Pacquiao.
And that right there is the biggest problem with boxing today. The best of the best don't face each other enough at the right time to make compelling matches.
A Bradley vs. Thurman fight would be a must-watch event of power vs. speed. Bradley against Brook would be very intriguing. Garcia is a perfect 31-0 in his professional career, and he's still just 27 years old. How awesome would it be to see him in the ring against Bradley? Alvarez was arguably the most impressive boxer of 2015, and he is now 46-1-1 in his career. The 25-year-old Mexican boxer has been improving his defense dramatically over the years, and a fight against Bradley would be a huge test for both boxers. Imagine Bradley against Triple G.
pacquiao-bradley for a third time??? what a joke
— Jefe (@ralphjloyola) December 30, 2015
But instead of any of those glamorous options, we get Pacquiao vs. Bradley. For a third time.
Pacquiao really doesn't have much to lose in this fight considering he has accomplished so much and he did already defeat Bradley back in 2014. If Pacquiao loses many will defend his age and the fact that he is coming off surgery, and rightfully so. As for Bradley, he has a lot more at stake. He wants to prove to everyone that the match in 2012 (the first one) was not incorrectly called against Pacquiao in his favor. Except everyone knows it was the wrong decision. This fight isn't going to erase the past.
If Pacquiao can beat Bradley again, it would be a great victory, and probably his last career professional bout. Pacquiao will always generate revenue regardless of who he's fighting because of popularity worldwide, especially in Asia. As for Bradley, this is a must-win fight considering he is so much younger and healthier.
Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!