Pacquiao-Bradley 2 meant nothing and everything to Floyd Mayweather.
First published at Boxingnews24, read on Dear Readers...
In the height of his powers, Michael
Jordan was a force of nature. In his hands, the defeat of opposing teams were a
foregone conclusion – inevitable like death and tax. Prime MJ was the ultimate
basketball player, absolutely devastating in both sides of the court. The same
is true for the 2008-2009 version of Pacquiao which in the rematch with Bradley
was nowhere to be found.
There were flashes of brilliance of
course. Moments in the fight showing us glimpses of the punching dynamo
Pacquiao no longer is. The buzz saw still churns but no more in a sustained
mode.
Had the Pacquiao of old been inside
that ring, Bradley would have fallen like timber. The Desert Storm should have
fallen face down comatose by round seven. Fortunately for Bradley, as in their
first fight, it’s the old Pacquiao across him.
The current Pacquiao is still fast
enough to outgun Bradley. Although lacking the thudding fists the prime version
used to annihilate better fighters like Hatton, Dela Hoya and Cotto. That Agent
of chaos and destruction is a distant memory, replaced by this calculating and
Maywetheresque lesser version. This Pacquiao is still good enough to beat elite
fighters like Bradley but ill-equipped against the uncanny Mayweather.
Thankfully for Pacquiao, that fight is
still not going to happen. Pacquiao, no matter how diminished now, remains the
biggest threat to the risk-averse Mayweather. And Floyd can’t really be
bothered. After all, he still will be the highest paid athlete of 2014 once he
dispatches Maidana in May – a fight akin to the Ultimate Spurs taking on the
helpless Milwaukee Bucks. The con remains at play.
All the better for Pacquiao who sees
himself fighting for two more years. That would be MJ playing for the Wizards
in basketball terms.
...which brings us to Pacquiao-Marquez 5!