Mind games. Bradley acting as if the blows had little effect, showboating. Pacquiao answering his opponents no more fire in the belly by jumping out of the corner and waiting for Bradley in the center of the ring several seconds before the start of the round, while Bradley still rests. Pacquiao still being Pacquiao, still fast, still throwing mostly straight punches, still awkward, still slightly off-balance that by the end of his combinations, hes practically falling over forward. The effect of the punches, though, isnt what it used to be. Whether its his age, or the heavier, stouter opponents at the higher weight divisions (people forget that Pacquiao started as a flyweight), or a real decline in power, hes just not putting people to sleep anymore. The last man he really put to sleep was Ricky Hatton. Still, a win is a win is a win. Its good for Pacquiao. But Im still sore at the fact that he got clocked by Marquez while going for the kill (it wasnt a lucky punch, though, for Marquez is a great, great counter-puncher), and that Mayweather is finding more excuses not to fight him. This is good for Pacquiaos legacy, but I feel theres still a big void. But thats me. Im not the one risking my life - literally - in the ring. Pacquiao, of course, will go on. The cruel thing about boxing (among other things) is that, for a fighter, the ability to punch is the last to go, so they stay in the game too long, thinking they can still do it. Joe Louis, Ali, Tyson, you name it. Until its too late. Very few fighters - Gene Tunney, Rocky Marciano - were able to walk away while still fully healthy and absolutely on top of the game. I wish Pacquiao to do well for the rest of his career, but even more than that, I wish him to do well for the rest of his life. And I dont even know him as a person.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 04:01:43 +0000
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