Manny Pacquiao

Pacquiao/Bradley

I haven't been doing any blogging on sports recently as I'm consumed with politics. Add to the fact that I have all but written the Lakers off. Not because of their shitty play-off performance but because of the strike in the beginning of the season. Fuck the NBA and its players. If a man can't live off of the millions of dollars the players in the league earn, he can kiss my ass. If it weren't for Basketball most of the players in the league would most likely be in prison or selling Crack on some street corner in "da hood". But, I am still a Boxing fan and Saturday my man Manny Pacquiao is fighting.

On Saturday Manny Pacquiao fights Timothy Bradley. I have been a HUGE fan of Manny for the last ten years or so and he is a pleasure to watch. With each successive fight (under the guidance of Freddy Roach) he's become faster, hits harder, learned defense, and become more dangerous with both hands. Manny is a throwback to old school fighters. He fights anyone with the balls to step into the ring. He has ducked NO ONE! That includes Floyd Mayweather. Floyd just doesn't really seem to want their fight to happen. Whether they will ever go toe-to-toe is a prospect that is fading fast. Both are aging and there are some great young fighters coming up in their weight classes.

But - after Manny's last performance against Juan Manuel Marquez in November (their third fight) I am wondering if he's finally reached the point all fighters sooner or later reach - their slide downhill. Although Manny won, in the third Marquez fight something was different. I'm not sure I can put my finger on it but he seemed a bit slower, didn't throw the combinations he usually does. and seemed to lack power in his punches. Maybe the fight was a fluke. Saturday night will probably answer my question.

Timothy Bradley seems like a good guy and he's a tough fighter. I've seen him fight once or twice and he's sharp. If Manny has suddenly gotten old as a fighter Bradley will expose him. I do hope I am wrong and I am still hoping Floyd Mayweather will have the balls to fight Manny Pacquiao before either one of them retires or I die of old age.