Manny Pacquiao went missing for a few minutes. Seriously.
Moments before Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley were scheduled to enter the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for their WBO welterweight title fight, HBO sports — which is providing tonight’s pay-per-view — reported Pacquiao couldn’t be found. Turns out he was on the treadmill doing some cardio to loosen his leg muscles, which in his last two fights cramped toward the end.
Fans in the near sold-out arena have been entertained with a disc jockey and fan-cam showing images on the big screen, several surely wondering what the delay is.
You have to feel bad for Bradley, whose undefeated record and career hinges on this once-in-a-lifetime fight. Bradley’s been ready to go in his locker room, but has been forced to wait for the superstar Pacquiao. Very strange, folks.
I’ll be back soon — well, whenever Pac-Man is ready.
Title fight to start after NBA playoff gameWhen Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring later tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to defend his WBO welterweight championship against undefeated Timothy Bradley, the Filipino legend and one of boxing’s top performers of this era will be on some unfamiliar ground: having something to prove.
Pacquiao is riding a 15-match winning streak that has elevated him from an up-and-comer to the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, but that certainly wasn’t the case during his last match. That’s when he escaped with a majority decision against Juan Manuel Marquez, struggling with leg cramps late in the fight, and Marquez’s superb counter-punches in showing weaknesses for one of the first times in seven years.
The struggles led many to suspect that Pacquiao was quickly fading out of his prime — after all, the 33-year-old has long maintained a possible retirement in 2013.
In the past few months, Pacquiao has admitted navigating through marital, drinking, gambling and financial problems, and claimed his performance in the ring was a direct result of the distractions.
He’s had a spiritual awakening in the months after the close call against Marquez, turning to the Bible for guidance and stopping his reckless ways. He’s even salvaged his marriage, with his entire family making the trip from the Philippines to Las Vegas for tonight’s fight.
Some argue the lifestyle changes have made Pacquiao a softer fighter, while others claim it’s helped him refocus. We’ll soon learn the answer.
Bradley, who has just 12 career knockouts, seems confident that he’ll be the one to stop Pacquiao’s run. He’s about a 4-to-1 betting underdog and not given a chance by many — including myself. While I agree there is good betting value in Bradley, I just don’t see someone with limited punching power stopping Pacquiao.
I’ll talk to everyone once the fight begins, which won’t happen until after Game 7 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals between Boston and Miami.
source: lasvegassun.com
