Why has Manny experienced such a sharp physical decline, post 2009/10?

Also just to add he unofficially dominated the number 8 p4p fighter in the world in a shut out performance on most people scorecards.

He's not declined drastically. He's not the same as he was but he's had 60 fights and numerous wars so a decline is normal.

But he still dominated a very good fighter in Bradley

 

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I thought he looked awesome for the first 8 rounds against Bradley :conf

 

He hasn't really declined that much, Pacquiao hasn't got the same stamina and relentless approach as he used to. It's just fighters have found a way to fight his style this doesn't necessarily mean he's completely declined.

That's a pretty sik picture you got there btw.

 

I do not think he has sharply declined since the Cotto fight. Both Clottey and Margarito were big and strong at Welter / Light Middleweight, respectively. Clottey has never been stopped and Margarito probably should have been. Either way, Pacquiao’s punch output remained pretty fierce in those two bouts – both nigh on shutout victories.

The appearance of decline comes a year and a half after the Cotto bout, when Pacquiao faces Mosley and later still, against old nemesis Marquez and, as seen recently, against Bradley.

The theory of him being distracted, i.e. by his political career, partying, finding God and a loss of desire for the sport, though holding some merit, is an unknown entity and, thus, carries little real weight. No type of distraction will have helped, mind you – even in small degrees.

His age is a more likely factor. We know that Pacquiao is 34 this year, has had a 60-Bout career, over 17 Years+ and that, during this time, he has been in some wars and traversed many divisions. This seems to be a fair basis for reasons why he has appeared to decline over his last few fights.

It is not out of the ordinary. It’s just the natural order of things.

 

I think people are forgetting what a difficult fight his past two have been. Marquez is undoubtedly his bogey fighter who anticipates every movement from Pacquiao and catches his off guard (make them miss make them pay). Bradley, in contrast, has probably the best fitness in the sport today. Put him against Margarito or Mosley again and you'll be thinking Pacquiaos back on PED's.

 

Not much decline.
Mosley, Marquez, and Bradley, his last 3 opponents were not stationary as all of his previous welter opponents were, thus the illusion of great decline when in fact the style and caliber of opposition skillwise was much greater in Pacquiao recent two fights.

 

Exactly.

 

Yeah, shot Mosley and mediocrity Bradley are "better" than Miguel Cotto. ****ing idiot.

Watch Roy Jones fighting in 2002, then watch him fighting in 2004. Fighters who rely on their physical gifts decline much faster and more sharply than more technique-based fighters, anyone who understands boxing knows this.

Here, see if you can understand it dumbass dick:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkcV76trxRE[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms2Zo86NDaY[/ame]

 

Another factor maybe fight frequency. Up until the 09 he would often fight 3 times a year. Maybe fighting less frequency leads to him taking longer to get sharp, he doesn't have that long for training camps either- wasn't Bradley like a 6 week camp, whereas for Cotto, Hatton and Oscar it was like 8-10 wasn't it?

 

He stopped using steroids.
Steroids make you stronger, gives you better stamina and improves your reflexes.
The ladder of which is the reason why Pacquiao was able to do so good against Cotto.
He saw openings faster than a normal human beings do

 

I think his decline looks so sharp because of his recent competition. bradley elected to box, shane simply ran, and marquez, well, is marquez. he executed his best possible gameplan against pacquiao and chose to play it safe, to his benefit, the entire fight. more than anything, pacquiao has problems with guys who box. I dont think he's declined as much as it seems.

 

It's not been a sharp decline.

It's been a combination of getting older and being matched against awkward, negative opponents; which can often give the impression that a fighter no longer has it.

 

One thing has gone.. His legs

 

Age hit him. Happens to everyone and you can't predict when . For every fighter it's different. Mayweather looked pretty declined in his last fight also.