There is hope that questions about the first Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley fight, which Bradley won by split decision, will all be answered when the two face off for the second time at noon Sunday.
So far, the boxing experts we’ve talked to have not made a bold, outright prediction on the outcome of today’s fight. Nobody would even guess as to who has the edge.
Both protagonists have trained very hard, making changes and adjustments for this fight.
Pacquiao even took special lessons in muay thai, hoping to minimize cramping in the legs.
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If today’s fight ends in a knockout, boxing expert lawyer Ed Tolentino believes it will come in the very late rounds, probably 11th or 12th, “and it will be Manny who will deliver the knockout punch, because Bradley doesn’t have it in his arsenal.”
“If Pacquiao wants a KO, he will have to get rid of his religious and political baggage, which make him pull his punches.”
When he climbs the ring today, Pacquiao should only think of himself as a boxer, said Ed.
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With no concessions given the three new teams in the PBA, it will take many seasons before any of them can become competitive.
Dioceldo Sy of Blackwater Sports told the Inquirer he doesn’t mind. He is willing to wait until his franchise will be in a position to acquire competitive players and form a competitive team.
“True, basketball is a passion for me, but so is business. Business is my priority and basketball comes second,” he said, as he explained that his products stand to get bigger advertising mileage if he joins the league. “This is the reason we’re in the league.”
Dioceldo has been in organized basketball for almost 20 years. He first joined the PBL in 1997 via Blu Detergent, the first team Asi Taulava and Jimmy Alapag played for.
“Back then Manny Pacquiao, a complete unknown, was the trainer of Asi,” Dioceldo said.
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The case of NLEX, which has won five titles in six PBA D-League conferences, is completely different.
The team thrives on competition and winning and I suspect that had Ramoncito Fernandez known before that no concessions would be given the new PBA teams, they would have pulled out.
The namesake of El Presidente, who is El Presidente of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, said he was surprised to be informed of the zero concession.
Shocked might be the more appropriate word, considering that Ramoncito was aware of the concessions given previous expansion teams.
“And I thought they wanted to make the league more exciting.”
The three new teams—Kia, Blackwater and NLEX—will form their team from free agents and the practice players of other teams.