MORE than a boxing contest, Manny Pacquiao’s April 9 date with Timothy Bradley will serve as a test if the eight-division Filipino boxing superhero has recovered his lost magical punching gifts.
Pacquiao, a fearsome firefighter who went on to be known as the Pacific Storm, scored his last knockout in 2012, a 12th round stoppage of fast-fading Miguel Cotto.
Since then, Pacquiao has been stopped cold by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, before losing miserably to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last May, in a supremely expensive bout that saw Pacquiao claiming he had injured his right shoulder.
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It’s a recycled Pacquiao who will be facing Bradley, using a repaired shoulder whose exact state should be determined only on fight night.
Like it or not, the main concern will not be Pacquiao’s ring prowess.
Pacquiao himself knows what’s up. He will be tested and scrutinized whether or not he’s still a legit member of the world’s Elite KO Club.
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They marketed Pinoy Pride 35 in Cebu Saturday night as Stars of the Future.
There was promise of big bouts, featuring two bright young stars of the ALA Stable.
“Prince” Albert Pagara and Mark Magsayo, both unbeaten, were to face relatively unknown opponents whose main task should be to stay on their feet until the final bell.
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It would be unfair to call the assignments of these two young ALA Stable talents set-up bouts.
But the bet on fight night at the Waterfront Hotel was that Pagara and Magsayo, who have been promised major international assignments, would end up outshining each other with their brand of knockout prowess and power.
Pagara, reigning WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion, is a big puncher possessed of more finesse.
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Magsayo, who was to go for the WBO Youth featherweight crown, is a breathless attacker who hardly cares about rhythm and often throws caution to the wind in going for a kill.
All told, a knockout party was set up for hometown fans at the Waterfront Hotel where there was the prevailing doubt the visiting opponents from Mexico and Nicaragua would be able to provide the so-called stumbling blocks to the pair of ALA Stable gems.
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Of course, what promises to be a truly sensational affair is slated at Madison Square Garden in New York today.
Terence Crawford, the unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion, defends his crown against Hunk Lundy, who continued to brag he would put an end to Crawford’s fearsome reign.
Lundy, a celebrated trash-talker, has been claiming Crawford can’t stand up to real pressure inside the ring.
Crawford, on the other hand, said he would just show Lundy that punches are a lot more damaging than words.
Crawford, 27-0, 19 KOs, is the magnificent no-retreat switch-hitter whom Pacquiao dodged en route to his third meeting with Bradley.