Have to give Pacman credit this time

By Mac Arnold
Black Eye Editor

I know the former site -- "The Fighting Side of Life" --  had been vacant for some time and when it did have new boxing information it was either related to Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. or Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao or both.

Welcome to "The Black Eye Boxing Blog."

This posting will follow along the usual and take a jab at the recent Pacquiao victory over Tim "Desert Storm" Bradley for the latter's WBO welterweight title.

But it will stray from my past disdain in posts for the Pacman and actually praise him and instead chastise the now former undefeated champion Bradley.

I gobbled up all his talk in the "24/7s" and on Max Kellerman's "Face Off" on HBO leading up to the big rematch of their disputed title fight on June 9, 2012.

After Pacquiao's devastating knockout loss two years ago to his arch enemy Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez and then a dull decision win over Brandon Rios in November, I was believing Bradley when he said, "Manny, you don't have it anymore."

Finally I would get vindication for all of the glowing talk about Pacman, someone I think is made up more than what he really is as a fighter -- although admittedly his Marquez KO defeat in December 2012 where he was left stone-cold was rather satisfying.

I can't really say why Pacman disturbs me. Personally, he seems like a good dude, loves Jesus and does great things as a benefactor and legislator for his home country of the Philippines.

What I think is the main reason is his big-mouthed trainer Freddie Roach, who still carries bravado from his days as a ranking junior lightweight and lightweight challenger himself.

The problem I have is Roach tends to do more fighting for his fighters with his mouth than they actually do in the ring. Rubs me the wrong way.

Especially when he rants about how Pacman would easily beat the "Money" man Mayweather Jr.

The biggest difference between what happened to Bradley on Saturday, April 11, and if Mayweather fought him, is where Bradley was awkwardly flailing away and missing Pacquiao, Floyd would not. He would connect, probably frequently.

It would be a fight of the same style: mostly a technical and calculated boxing match with few notable haymakers scoring by either boxer.

What I found remarkable was the irony of how Bradley was challenging Pacquiao's lack of fire to throw him off and yet it was the Indio, Calif., pugilist who was off his game. At 31-0-1 (12 KOs) in both the welterweight and junior welterweight divisions prior to the bout, Bradley was the last fighter that should challenge Pacquiao's lack of power even if he hasn't KO'd anyone since Miguel Cotto in 2009.

Yet on Saturday, the rather light-hitting Bradley was going for the 10-count over Pacquiao, and it cost him. He was off-balance and missing with reckless abandon throughout the fight except for a good shot he tagged Pacquiao in the fifth round and in an inspired 12th round, which I scored for Bradley.

Nope, on that night in Las Vegas, I have to give praise where praise is due: the 35-year-old Filipino brawler reclaimed greatness and easily scored a rout of 118-110 on one judge's scorecard and 116-112 on the other two judges' cards.

Then the 30-year-old Bradley started to go into talking about a calf injury at the post-fight interview ... give me a break already, would you?