What's most alarming is Pacquiao's now nonexistent lateral movement. And he backs up in a straight line now.
I have to disagree. He was flat-footed for much of the beginning of the fight, but his footwork picked up considerable amounts as the fight went on. I was actually surprised he still has his foot speed because I had thought it was all but gone since he hasn't used it in the past three fights. He did in some circumstances backup with high guard up whenever Bradley was pressing, which I feel like was a more conscious/tactical reason because he showed more than not in other times how easy it was for him to step under Bradley's large looping overhands to get back to the center of the ring.
You just stated 2 assumptions that can be proven incorrect by facts. Pac used his right arm exactly the same tonight and vs fmj. Difference is he was fighting fmj who made pac completely ineffective. He had that magical surgery that was non intrusive and left zero evidence of said surgery. And fmj doping is your last silly attempt at discrediting fmj routine one sided win over pac. Saline is now "doping' ??? What next, water is illegal for pac opponents. You can try clinging to the FOTD award defaulted to pac, fmj was the best of 2 straight decades, beating every single relevant fighter in both decades, INVLUDING you pac. Without a single loss , never mind 3 ko losses and 3 clear losses al I by with at least 3 gifts. I guess pac has a case for the 1st TB fight, Bradley never being close to a true top 5 ww and never beating a true top 5 ww. Fmj is quite a few levels above pac and it was proven throughout 2 decades and proven in a ring with BOTH of them. You guys need to let it rest, 2nd best of an Era is great too
Pacquiao said in the post fight presser that he wanted to throw the right hook to prove it was completely healed but didn't because every time he threw it Bradley would back-off.
That's how i saw it too. And it surprised me how far Bradley's punch resistance's gone. Tim's damaged goods. http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?t=563084
there were 4 hole marks. 3 at the back and 1 on top of manny right shoulder, that was inidicative of the arthroscopic surgery performed. the pic was shown in *********** somewhere. dum dum. saline can be used to mask doping or ped use. according to WADA 60ml is enough. the 750ml floyd used is overkill. nvm that he got the iv administered in his own house and not a medical facility. he also had a TUE for it 3 weeks AFTER the fight. meanwhile pac applied for a legal painkiller shot the day before and got denied. lol Floyd is void and a fraud pac is the true great
I agree he looked awful. He was never pretty too watch to begin with but he always had the work rate no matter how ineffective it was. It bailed him out in some fights because whilst the man missed a lot some landed thus keeping him in the fight. But now he can't seem to pull the trigger. He just can't hit the target. More like his brain tells his body to do it, but it can't do it. I dunno maybe it's a mental thing more than physical or maybe it's both. Around rnd 7 i started rooting for Bradley because Pac just didn't punch when he had too let it go. He was waiting a lot. It was frustrating to watch. Boxers that can't pull the trigger.
Pacman is still an elite operator. I miss the pacquiao that went in for the kill and KO'd Hatton though.. He doesn't have the same fire anymore to destroy his opponents. You could say he's more tactical, but his work-rate is no where near the same now.
He's looked the same past prime self he's looked in the past few years. Not really shot since he can still hang with really respectable opponents but the decline is definitely there. His workrate, tenacity and hunger to win are just not the same level. Glad he's retiring, it's time for sure in my eyes.
So what? It doesn't matter how he was because it was his last fight. He quits boxing so no use to argue about his performance last night.
I agree to a degree... That 2009-2010 pacquiao, especially the version that fought cotto. Every time I watch replays of that fight, I think of that Robert Oppenheimer quote, when he witnessed his creation the atomic bomb go off the first time, he pulled from the Gita: behold, I am Shiva... the Destroyer of Worlds. He was a beast. I believe he had a similar ability to set traps, and his overall defense was near or not that far off, from now. However, and I infer you are implying this... He compensated for age, but IMO, in truth, the current 'technical or economical, perhaps' pac, is not as dangerous, or good for that matter as the younger version. I do dig your well thought out posts, and hope u are getting closer to being on a network, covering fights. U got a great eye, and convey it well.
Thank you very much, and your post is spot on. Pacquiao has become a much more well-rounded boxer post-Marquez. Like you alluded to, he compensated his loss of killer instinct, aggressiveness, and some athleticism with better ring IQ and overall generalship. In the context of which style is better, prime Pacquiao was without a doubt superior, but his much more patient, economical approach still beats every single active welterweight (in my opinion), which is why I said it's not necessarily worse. Overall though, I agree: Swarmer Pacquaio > Technician Pacquiao. Pacquiao evolved and adjusted amazingly as years went on and that prime style became a little unsustainable for him (whether it's due to age, the knockout, or a bit of both).
How convenient that throughout the years at 3 different weight classes, Pacquiao is only at his best when not facing Marquez or Mayweather.