"Charles & Reggie: Toe to Toe with Manny Pacquiao" explodes on TNT tonight

We all know that Manny Pacquiao loves basketball and is a big fan of the NBA. It is well-known that on numerous occassions, he would defy his trainer Freddie Roach's order not to play the game during training just so he can play pick-up basketball with his friends.

But if there is any doubt left about the Filipino boxing superstar's passion for the game, we only need to remember his fight with Timothy Bradley last June wherein Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum decided to delay the start of the main event so that Pacquiao could watch Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

We also know that NBA Legends and Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller are big boxing aficionados. They are also regular fixtures at big time fights in Las Vegas. And NBA fans have seen Charles Barkley figured in a scuffle with fellow TNT analyst Shaquille O'Neal eons ago during one of their games, but if we are talking about Sir Charles' boxing skills, that's another story.

On numerous occasions, both Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller have been very vocal about their love of prizefighting as well as professing their admiration for Manny Pacquiao during their coverage of NBA games on TNT.

And in last week's Thursday night telecast of the Miami-San Antonio game, Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller spoke about their experience working out with Manny Pacquiao.

Charles Barkley: “We spent a day with Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach, and let me tell you something — one of the great days of my life. “

"I don’t wanna brag, but there’s no doubt in my mind I could knock Manny Pacquiao out."

To which, Reggie Miller disagreed, “No, you can’t. Manny (Pacquiao) call me, let’s set this up.”

Now, there is no doubt that Reggie Miller is one of the best shooters to ever play in the NBA. Yes, there is no doubt that Charles Barkley is one of the best talkers, if not the best bruisers to ever play in the NBA. And there is no doubt that Manny Pacquiao is one of the best boxers to ever display his wares in the ring. Aside from their common love for Boxing and Basketball, all three are funny and hilarious in their own special way.
Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller gave us a hint of what we should expect from the 30-minute TNT special wherein they went toe-to-toe with Manny Pacquiao.

 "As a boxing fan, it was one of the coolest things I've ever done," Barkley said.

"As a professional athlete, it's always interesting to hear how other elite athletes prepare themselves for competition. Training with Manny was an experience I'll never forget," added Miller.

It will be interesting to see how Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Manny Pacquiao talk shop, interact, and literally and figuratively throw jabs at each other -- a welcome respite from all the monotony and serious talk about the fourth fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, subjective odds, analysis and all, being peddled to every boxing fan by boxing scribes during fight week.

Let us keep our fingers crossed and hope that the well-advertised TNT special will not only be explosive but a knockout; Laugh-wise, that is.

Tonight, TNT will air  "Charles & Reggie: Toe to Toe with Manny Pacquiao" after the NBA double-header between the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks at 8 p.m. ET, with the Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns following at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

First Take: Larry Merchant sells his take on Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight

photo credit: HBO Boxing

This morning, respected boxing analyst Larry Merchant graced ESPN's First Take in what host Stephen A. Smith called as "ESPN collaborating with HBO on boxing," that was hailed by many boxing observers as a move in the right direction for the networks.

For people who regularly follow the show, the guest appearance of Larry Merchant was like a breath of fresh air after being exposed for far too long to the daily diatribes of the two hysterical, loquacious, and hilarious motormouths in Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith. On a side note, the addition of Cari Champion as the moderator between the two protagonists is a welcome addition, too.

Larry Merchant, a hard-hitting veteran of the boxing circuit, who is not afraid to speak his mind on any topic, knows his boxing really well. He will not hold any punches to dish out verbal jabs, hooks and straights on anyone if he deems it necessary to convey his point. He is a straight-shooter inside and outside the ring and is probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest, TV boxing analysts of all time.

The topic of the discussion was: "Running Scared: Is Floyd Mayweather really afraid of Manny Pacquiao?", showing video snippets of Pacquiao proclaiming on one of his earlier appearances on First Take that he is willing to accept a lower percentage of the fight revenue (45%-to-55%) and that his earlier objection to random drug testing is now a non-issue ("No problem even at the night of the fight, no problem").

But the most telling piece was when Manny Pacquiao was asked whether Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is afraid of him. Manny Pacquiao laughed at the question and seriously stated that he believes that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is really afraid of him -- "I think it's kind of that."

But true to form, Larry Merchant had a different opinion on the matter: "Mayweather is not afraid of fighting Manny Pacquiao. I think, number one, what's held up this fight, and I've been in the 'yes it's going to happen' category when the nos have been carrying the day for a few years, is that there's a disincentive financially."
He further explained that both fighters are "making upwards of 40-50 million a year: Pacquiao by fighting twice, Mayweather by fighting once. There's no urgency. It's a business as well as a sport."

Stephen A. Smith then offered his 'solution' of "stop buying the pay-per-view other than a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather, Jr." fight and went on to say that he believes that Floyd Mayweather will win it because "he is the best boxer on the planet."

Larry Merchant went on length to convey his views on Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. -- "They are the heavyweight champions in America in terms of their popularity, in terms of reaching beyond boxing to the casual fans."

"I think Floyd Mayweather thinks he's going to beat Manny Pacquiao. He will be the favorite. What Mayweather is afraid of more than anything else is an L, a loss. He has marketed himself as this unbeaten and unbeatable fighter, and to a lot of new fans or unsophisticated fans, they think that's a big, big deal, which it never has been, because if you fight enough good, young fighters in their prime, somebody's gonna beat you. It happened to Pacquiao even in a bad decision, but against a tough, good kid."

Skip Bayless pressed Larry Merchant further, "Does Floyd think he'll win or lose to Pacquiao?"

"I think he thinks that Pacquiao is the greatest threat to him. Why take, in the risk-reward equation, if I can make $40 million for fighting some guy (and) I've only got to give him $3 million to take the fight, why am I going to do that (fight Pacquiao)? There have been comparable situations in the past. Lennox Lewis and Tyson didn't fight 'til well into their careers and broke records; they were past their primes. So, it's business. Will the heat still be there? Will they both have maintained their star status? Will they lose it? It's not unprecedented in boxing. Hopefully it'll happen someday. Meanwhile, we've got 3 big pay-per-view events in boxing in a year instead of one big blowout."

And Stephen A. Smith, not to be outdone, posited this silly question to Merchant-

"Who's the best boxer on the planet right now?"

"I think Mayweather is on top and I think Pacquiao is right there." Merchant then confessed though that he "likes Pacquiao's style as a puncher-boxer."

Then Larry Merchant added this nugget of a wisdom on the possible Mayweather-Pacquiao scenario:
"The old expression "good defense beats good offense." It was the pitcher for the Pirates Bob Veale who said, "good pitching beats good hitting" and vice versa. It's the good hitting that sometimes beats good pitching."

The round-table discussion continues with Skip Bayless interjecting that he is on record that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is "ducking Manny Pacquiao because he fears that Manny is equal to him in hand quickness but has more punching power, and for the first time in Floyd's career, not only does he stand to take the L but he stands to get hurt, to get caught."

Larry Merchant, in his own irrepressible way, delivered the counterpunch: 'I'm surprised that Skip has such strong opinions on this thing" that elicited laughter among themselves.

"My attitude about the fight is I wanna see it happen. Mayweather fought Cotto; it was a good fight, a better fight than expected, and the 4th Marquez-Pacquiao fight may be a better one than the first three, all of which were good fights."

Cari Champion then asked that if Mayweather and Pacquiao get together, "Who do you think is gonna win the fight?"

Larry Merchant refused to answer the question directly but has this to say:

"I'm gonna wait 'til it happens. And because things happen between now and then, there's no doubt that Mayweather will be the favorite. And that if you go by the history of these things, the boxer, the guy who comes out of the dressing room with his first and second thoughts are 'I'm not gonna get hit' and is a master at that," and in Merchant's opinion, "it's hard to beat him."

Many fight fans are hoping that Larry Merchant's first appearance on the show will not be his last. And even if we do not agree with some of his views, it is refreshing to listen to somebody as knowledgeable and eloquent as Larry Merchant sharing his thoughts regarding some of the issues plaguing the sport.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. speaks abou his future, jail time and Manny Pacquiao

After his release from jail, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has so far managed to maintain a low profile when it comes to his career and personal life. Except for a few interviews here and there, Mayweather has been quiet on all fronts; no mean feat for a person who historically craves the limelight and a magnet of controversy both in his words and actions.

In one of the interviews he did for FightHype, a sober Floyd Mayweather, Jr. opened up his mind and bared some of his plans. He spoke about his personality ("It's about having personality, you know. You gotta be outspoken and have personality. It's not really the bad guy. I enjoy entertaining. That's what it's about, giving the fans excitement and entertainment. Some pay to see me win, some pay to see me lose, but they all pay."), his relationship with his rapper buddy 50 Cent ("everything that he touch turns to gold"), his promotions company, his time in a Las Vegas prison, and of course, Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. gave us a glimpse of his life in jail which included his distrust of the food that was being served, "I was surviving off commissary. I didn't eat the food at all...I don't like it and I didn't trust it" and the activities that he did to keep himself in good physical shape, like ridiculously pushing himself to do push-ups -- from a few hundreds to a thousand push-ups or more per day -- "I started doing 436 pushups a day. Then I went from 436 to 872. Then I went to 1308, so I was doing like 1300 pushups a day."

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. also divulged that he also found time to read while incarcerated, "I was doing a lot of reading from the fans, and just reading different books, different magazines." It would have been interesting to know what kind of books and magazines Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has found a liking to, except that the interviewer did not pursue the topic.

But the most telling part of the interview was the one regarding his views and positions on fighting Manny Pacquiao. His ambivalence on the topic was palpable as he tried to explain his reasons, as well as reiterating his uncompromising stand on his demands.

"I don't have any hate towards Manny Pacquiao, you know. I respect him, but I'm just saying, it's not a crime. I'm also saying I'ma do random blood and urine testing, you know, just so I can be in a clean sport. That's all I'm asking."

"Actually, we don't do the same type of numbers, so how can we split? We don't draw the same type of money."

"It's kind of hard. I mean, Arum wants money, but the thing is, it's about putting the fighters in a good position. It's about Pacquiao and Mayweather. It's about putting both fighters in a good position, and of course I'm going to put myself in a good position."

"I can't really say why he won't do the random blood and urine tests...at this particular time, I don't know if he wants to do it or not."

These pronouncements are nothing but empty rhetorics though, since we have all heard this before. These pronouncements are nothing but a sad refrain from a fighter who is showing ambivalence in fighting the one person who could test his will and limits as a prizefighter. There is no question that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is one of the greatest fighters of his era and is actually favored to beat Manny Pacquiao if ever they face each other in the ring, but until the day happens we will never really know the answer.

Obviously, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is putting the blame on Bob Arum for the failed negotiations of the megafight. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is still adamant that he will call the shots when it comes to the purse split as well as the percentage of the pay-per-view revenue. And lastly, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. makes it appear that Manny Pacquiao is still against random blood testing. (For the record, Manny Pacquiao has gone on record on numerous occasions that there is no more problem on his part with the blood testing issue -- random, Olympic or otherwise.)

And Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has this to say as a parting shot, "The only thing I can continue to do is, if I do fight again, I'll fight whoever they put in front of me."

It would have been great for boxing if only Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would be true to his pronouncements, but based on his track record, we will all need to take everything that he says with a grain of salt.

Manny Pacquiao at the crossroads

Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao can't seem to find his head these days. Even prior to his controversial loss to Timothy Bradley, Pacquiao's focus regarding his boxing career was already being questioned by many observers. As if his duties and responsibilities as an elected representative in the Philippine Congress were not enough, his newly-found religious fervor now also has to compete with the time that he has to spend in the ring.

As of this writing, Top Rank and Manny Pacquiao cannot seem to agree on the timeframe of his return to the ring as well as on his preferred opponent if ever he decides to fight again this year. This uncertainty coupled with his actions and behaviors in the past is another obvious sign that shows his heart is no longer 100% into his boxing career.

But one thing is certain, whether Manny Pacquiao decides to fight on November 10 or on a later date in December, the list of familiar opponents being touted does not excite even his die-hard fans more so the casual ones.

Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, and Juan Manuel Marquez are all good fighters in their own right, but to many fans they are not the fights that they want to see, especially at this stage of Manny Pacquiao's career. But we also cannot deny the reality that Manny Pacquiao has very little options left except against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

But since Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is enjoying an extended sabbatical from boxing after his stint in prison and trying his darndest best to evade the Pacquiao question, the boxing powers that be have given us just three choices to pick on who will be Manny Pacquiao's next dancing partner if and when he decides to fight.

In this writer's opinion, Miguel Cotto should not even be in the equation, especially after the brutal beating that the Pacman inflicted on him. There is no drama nor the element of surprise here as the fight was conclusive and one-sided. The loss to Floyd Mayweather, Jr., even though the Boricua fighter gave a good account of himself, further disqualifies him in many boxing observers' minds.

Timothy Bradley, despite all his pronouncements lately, just does not cut it out. The boxing world knows who won the fight that night in Las Vegas, except the boxing judges who robbed Manny Pacquiao of his belt and gave it to Bradley, despite Bradley doing almost nothing to improve his stock in the fight. The dole-out was just inconceivable even to the eyes of the casual boxing fans who probably don't know the difference between a right hook and a bare-handed slap. No boxing fan in his right mind would want to undergo the experience of watching a snoozefest the second time around.

That leaves us with Manny Pacquiao's perennial nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. The Mexican is probably the only fighter who was able to solve the Pacquiao puzzle and was not intimidated by the Filipino's mystique in the ring. Their trilogy was very competitive albeit controversial as both camps and their supporters believed in their hearts that their own fighter was the rightful winner regardless of the result of the fight.
Juan Manuel Marquez provides danger and a challenge to Manny Pacquiao. The Mexican fighter is like a bad nightmare that never goes away. Manny Pacquiao needs to put a stop to Juan Manuel Marquez's emphatic claims regarding their past fights.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao should choose Juan Manuel Marquez from the list in order for him to put an end to the lingering doubts of the skeptics regarding his close victories over the Mexican legend. Manny Pacquiao needs to stamp his class and put Marquez away decisively and for good.

But before he puts his name on the dotted line, Manny Pacquiao should try to look inside himself and find out whether he still has the fire and desire to continue fighting. Otherwise, it is time to walk away from the fight game.

The Perfect Storm: Manny Pacquiao or Timothy Bradley?

In just a few hours, the boxing world will know what kind of stuff the muscular and cocky Timothy Bradley is made of -- is he a tough and worthy opponent for Manny Pacquiao, or just a B-plus attraction pushed up there by Top Rank, aided by some paid hacks in the media to make it appear that this fight is a compelling one even if it is not?

Timothy Bradley, on paper, is a quality and dangerous foe. He is fast, slick and undefeated. Aside from having youth on his side, he also wields an extra weapon in the form of his head, a weapon so lethal that his fight history is riddled with fighters that were victimized by his sweet old noggin. By these attributes alone he surely deserves a shot at Manny Pacquiao. Or does he?

In Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley will face the toughest test of his boxing career as well as square off with one of the most devastating punchers in the history of the sport -- a tall order for anybody in the boxing world.

But because of Pacquiao's inability to deliver destruction in his recent fights that was attributed to turmoil in his personal life, Timothy Bradley, according to some 'well-respected' boxing analysts who will not be named, is a 'live dog' and therefore has a fighting chance and will score the biggest prize of his life -- the scalp of the Pacman and every bounty that goes with it.

And tonight, Manny Pacquiao is the one who is under heavier pressure to perform well. In many observers' eyes, Pacquiao needs to reclaim his stature in the eyes of both his fans and critics alike as the best fighter in the world today. He needs to get back to his old devastating self, of being the most fearsome and exciting fighter that he is, the whirlwind from the Pacific who electrifies the crowds everytime he fights.

A lot of people blasted Manny Pacquiao for being 'un-Pacquiao-like' for performing below par in his recent fights, most notably in his 'touched-glove' diplomacy with Shane Mosley that ended in a unanimous decision win, as well as his controversial split-decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez, a fight that many observers still claim he lost (although this writer had it 7-to-5 rounds in favor of Pacquiao).

By virtue of Manny Pacquiao's recent so-so performances, some boxing observers have been emboldened and declared that the Filipino fighter is on the decline as a prizefighter. His age and hectic lifestyle have finally caught up with him and he is now ripe for the picking. The same observers opined that they will not be surprised if a catastrophic upset of the once invincible Pacman is in store tonight.

But let us consider some hard facts: Timothy Bradley may be fast, but Manny Pacquiao is faster. Timothy Bradley may have some pop in his punches, but Manny Pacquiao packs a wallop in his hands. Timothy Bradley takes pride in his durability, but Kendall Holt shows us that his chin is vulnerable from a big punch, while Manny Pacquiao's chin has withstood bombs from the likes of Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, two fighters who possess power in their fists. Timothy Bradley may be a blue collar worker inside the ring, but Manny Pacquiao's stamina and work rate are legendary. Timothy Bradley may be a brave soul, but we all know that Manny Pacquiao is a warrior.

And lastly, Timothy Bradley may have been nicknamed as the "Desert Storm," but lest we forget Manny Pacquiao used to be called the "Pacific Storm" as he dismantled, with stunning ferocity, every fighter that stood in his way.

 *This article was originally published in Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Timothy Bradley has 'no fear' of Manny Pacquiao

“I’m in the best shape that I could possibly be in. There’s nothing that I fear. No one that I fear. I don’t fear Manny Pacquiao... I’m ready for anybody.”

Undefeated WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley has the physique of a fighter: young, ripped and muscular. Timothy Bradley has the proper frame of mind for a fighter going to war. Timothy Bradley has the talent to make it happen and battle plan to emerge victorious against any fighter out there.

But he is not fighting against any ordinary fighter. He is fighting against Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division wold champion, a fearsome fighter that if focused and properly motivated is a human dynamo who can whip a firestorm in the blink of an eye. Manny Pacquiao is the kind of fighter who can blow you out to smithereens if he catches you with his powerful blinding fists.

Yes, Timothy Bradley is aware of his opponent’s formidable weapons in his arsenal that has smoked many great warriors before him on the wayside. But Bradley insists that he is made of a different stuff and that he and his team have devised their own mode of action to counteract whatever weapon Pacquiao can unleash at him: "I know that I've got to stay tight, I've got to stay behind a good jab and I've got to keep moving. I've got to have great defense and I've got to counterpunch the hell out of this guy with combinations.”

Timothy Bradley, being the challenger and a 4:1 betting underdog, is doing everything in his power to believe and motivate himself to counter whatever lingering doubts that are left in his mind on whether he will be able to withstand Manny Pacquiao’s fire power when the time of reckoning comes.

“I don’t even think about that. I never go into a fight thinking of somebody’s power, thinking about being hurt or thinking about ‘What if he touches me.’ I just go in there and live in the moment. If he hits me like they said ‘Casamayor. Oh watch out for his left.’ He hit me with that left and I was like ‘That’s it? ‘That’s it?’ I was like ‘Oh let me just walk this dude down. I’m going to get in there and if (Pacquiao) doesn’t hit like they say, he going to get walked down, too. I’ll be able to make my adjustments. In the first round I’ll know about his power and see if I need to get my hands tighter, keep my chin tucked. And we’ll go from there.”

“Everyone is human. I don’t see him as a god. I don’t feel threatened by his ability. Every fighter is dangerous, but every fighter is human, too. If you cut him, he’ll bleed. If you hit him right, he’ll go down. I know what the fight will come down to. It will come down to what it always comes down to. It comes down to his will vs. my will and his skill vs. my skill.”

For his part, amid all the circus surrounding the fight, Manny Pacquiao ever the gentleman can only offer an enigmatic smile, and like in his previous fights, refused to be drawn into a word war with Timothy Bradley. With a very good training camp behind him, the WBO welterweight champion exudes an aura of peace and quiet confidence. Whether this is the proverbial calm before the storm, we will find out about that tonight.

And when HBO color commentator Max Kellerman asked the Filipino fighter during the weigh-in about his game plan, Pacquiao just offered his usual stock answers and cliches: “We will see tomorrow. I’ll give you an idea tomorrow,” and ended the interview with a laugh while thanking the fans for coming to the event.

As for Timothy Bradley when asked with the same question, he responded with the conviction of a very determined and confident fighter, “I am ready. I am ready to shock the world. I am ready to do anything that takes in there to win this fight. It’s going to be a great fight. I thank Pacquiao and his team for giving me this shot. Let’s get it on baby. It’s going to be war. I am ready. I am ready!”

He better be.

*This article was originally published in Detroit Fight Sports Examiner
*photo credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The gospel according to Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao once shared a story that one night: after his life and death experience inside the ring with his nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez in November 2011, he was awakened from a nightmare in which God had talked to him about him straying away from His teachings. He promised Him that he will do everything in his power to change and lead a better life.

Manny Pacquiao now avers that he is a completely different person from his old self.

"The old has passed, the new has come."

Manny Pacquiao, as a result of that 'conversation' with God, has transformed himself into what he is now: a man who is at peace with himself and with God, which in his opinion is a turn for the better.

"It's better for me. I know if I die today where I'm going. I'm not worried about what fits in this world. I'm worried about what happens to me in my eternal life."

But we may ask ourselves, how can a man who makes a living through violence, by hurting other people inside the ring, at the same time preach about peace among his fellow men without affecting his job and the manner on which he does it?

The contradiction is obviously not lost to his critics who called his sudden transformation from a man who openly wallowed deep in sin into a Bible-quoting preacher just plain hypocrisy. The same people also quickly jumped to the conclusion that Manny Pacquiao's so-called awakening is nothing but for show. Yes, the transformation has elicited both negative and positive responses from every man on the streets, to everyone who wants to have his two cents heard on the matter.

But Manny Pacquiao's transformation will not come as a surprise to many who religiously followed the Filipino fighter's career. Despite his frailties as a human being and the trappings of being a celebrity in his chosen profession, deep inside Manny Pacquiao is a very religious person and has a huge heart for the downtrodden.

Even when it comes to his rival Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s baseless accusations of PEDs use and constant tirades (that on many occassions border to the absurd) against him, Manny Pacquiao elected to be the better man and never uttered a single bad word against the American (although he opted to charge him for defamation but still, Pacquiao is giving Mayweather a legal forum to defend himself and a chance to prove his allegations).

And with Mayweather's latest predicament that landed him in a Las Vegas jail for domestic battery charges against the mother of his children, Pacquiao has only this to say-

"I don't judge people, I don't condemn people. I'm praying for him that everything will be fine and he will realize the truth."

Manny Pacquiao admits to having erred in his life by indulging in many sinful activities in the past, including indulging in alcohol, womanizing (which almost cost him his marriage), cockfighting (search YouTube for videos showing him betting millions of pesos on a single fight) and other forms of gambling. But now Manny Pacquiao proclaims that since following the teachings in the scriptures and giving up all his vices, he is now a happy and contented man.

"I don't like anymore gambling, drinking, girls, stuff like that, because I was reading the word of God. The sins we committed over and over, I stopped doing that. I found it in my manual for life, the Bible"

Because of Manny Pacquiao's recent pronouncements, a lot of people are wondering whether he still has the desire to fight and inflict harm on his opponents. Yes, a lot of people are now questioning whether Manny Pacquiao still has the heart and the fire to demolish his opponents the way that he used to throughout his storied career. The answer to those questions will eventually be answered on fight night, but here was the answer coming from the man himself-

"This fight?" Pacquiao referrring to his advertised battle royale against Timothy Bradley this coming Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, "this is my job. I have a job to make people happy. . . Yes, I'm happy doing this. This is what God made me to do."

So there.

Manny Pacquiao's claims of finding solace in the word of God is nothing to sneer about. The man is serious regarding his newfound calling. We can just view this as another phase, a stage of man's never-ending search for answers to his questions about Life and Faith.

So instead of casting the first stone, we should just respect his beliefs and be happy for the man as long as he does not renege on his promise to deliver his usual mayhem on fight night.

*This article was originally published in Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Photo Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

Timothy Bradley vows to beat Manny Pacquiao and shock the world

Timothy Bradley, the undefeated American WBO light welterweight champion, who will move up in weight to challenge Manny Pacquiao for the latter's welterweight belt, is 'talking the talk.' Timothy Bradley is saying all the 'right' things prior to his championship fight with the Filipino superstar this coming Saturday in Las Vegas.

In Timothy Bradley's mind, he has Manny Pacquiao all figured out. He opined that he has the answers to whatever Manny Pacquiao will bring on the table come fight night.

Oozing with self-confidence, Timothy Bradley has been on the warpath for some time now and has been employing his own blitzkrieg to anybody who cares to listen on why Manny Pacquiao cannot beat him as he proclaimed that "I'm going to wear this dude out."

Although Manny Pacquiao is known for his speed and unconventional fighting style, Bradley's team believes that Pacquiao is just a 'one-dimensional' fighter and that once Bradley is "able to adjust to his speed, and settle down" Bradley will "start picking his a** apart."

Timothy Bradley is of the belief that he can neutralize Manny Pacquiao's vaunted left straight and stated that he has no problems in handling southpaws, having fought and won over Devon Alexander and Joel Casamayor, both southpaws like the Filipino champion.

"I'm more comfortable with southpaws than ever. This is my third one in a row. I'm 10 times better than in the Casamayor fight. I've had eight different sparring partners for this event, because these guys get into the ring, and they can't hang,"

Timothy Bradley does not believe himself to be the underdog in this fight, despite the betting odds not in his favor. He believes that he is ready to 'shock the world' by taking out Manny Pacquiao in their fight. In fact, he is now so sure of victory that he proclaims during the fight's final conference that he is willing to give Manny Pacquiao a rematch and has produced an over-sized ticket with the date November 10, 2012 that he gave to his wife onstage to complete the stunt.

Such confidence in one's own ability and talent is commendable. And by saying the right words in his latest pronouncements, Timothy Bradley is a promoter's dream to stir up interests from the casual boxing fans who have no idea of his existence. By pressing the right buttons, Timothy Bradley has now transformed himself into a media darling by never running out of quotable quotes to spice up every scribe's works.

But words are nothing but empty rhetorics if one cannot back them up when the time of reckoning comes. And if Bradley wants to tame the 'animal' in Manny Pacquiao, he will have to let his hands do the talking come Saturday night. If he can do that, then we will be treated to a good fight.

*This article was originally published in Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Nike's BOOM ad features Manny Pacquiao, Tim Tebow and Ndamukong Suh

Nike has recently released several set of ads called BOOM that feature athletes, celebrities and ordinary people that became part of those 'boom' moments captured on film either as participants or eyewitnesses that left many of them in awe of the spectacle that they had just seen.

The BOOM: Tailor commercial, which was aired on NBC's Sunday Night Football, showed the Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh and Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos being measured by the tailor inside his shop and watching a clip of the Manny Pacquiao- David Diaz fight on an old TV set when suddenly, BOOM!

The new BOOM series are short features which are less than 20 seconds that are fast and catchy that if you happen to blink your eyes you might miss something. Nike explains BOOM as "that game changing moment. It's the play that you want to put on replay."

This writer has found some connection between himself and the personalities featured in the ad; Manny Pacquiao and Tim Tebow were both born in the Philippines and both athletes have also spent their spare time in the war-torn and poverty- stricken island of Mindanao. Manny Pacquiao is now the representative of the province of Sarangani while Tim Tebow helps his missionary father ran an orphanage in Cotabato in the off season.

And of course, Ndamukong Suh, the young defensive tackle of my favorite but hardluck NFL team, the Detroit Lions. This writer is hoping that Suh and the Lions can get out of the funk and finally get that long overdue "W" so that the Lions faithful can finally say BOOM!

*Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner