Manny Pacquiao’s record is a sparkling 55-5-2, with 38 knock outs, but the number that hangs heaviest on him these days is his age. He’s 35. Having gone 1-2 in his last three fights, Pac Man returns to the ring to fight the man who defeated him in a controversial decision back in 2012. Is the Filipino up to the task, or will the younger Bradley end the discussion of which fighter is (currently) superior once and for all?
Professional linesmakers believe that Pacquiao has what it takes to win back the belt. A quick look at Top Bet’s boxing odds here shows that Pacquiao is favored to win the rematch comfortably. No one follows the intricacies of a sports closer than sportsbooks, so their prediction should count.
One thing that may have been weighing heavy in oddsmakers minds is Pacquiao’s performance in his latest fight, a very strong showing against Brandon Rios. Pacquiao came out mad against Rios, repeatedly catching him in dominant sequences that showcased the hand speed that Pacquiao still seems to have. The judges scored the fight 120-108, 119-109, 118-110, barely a contest.
And while Pacquiao’s latest fight may have highlighted his strengths, his previous showing, a classic match up against his rival Juan Manuel Marquez, did not. Pacquiao came out swinging but was ultimately knocked out by Marquez, his only loss in what has been one of the greatest rivalries in boxing history.
A key factor in this fight will be Pacquiao’s ability to avoid Bradley’s counter punches. The latest Marquez fight demonstrated that a strong counter can catch the often-aggressive Filipino in stride. Pacquiao loves to attack, and will almost certainly do so in this one, so Bradley’s ability to notch key counterstrikes (or Pacquiao’s ability to avoid them) could be the difference in this one.
