3 Keys to Victory for Manny Pacquiao

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For some reason it feels as though Manny Pacquiao doesn’t have anything left to prove to us but perhaps, he believes he owes this fight to himself.

After a highly disappointing loss to pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., I’m hoping that this will be Pacquiao’s last professional bout.

Why? For one, this is supposed to be an easy fight for Pacquiao. If it isn’t, well, it’s always good to know when to hang up the gloves. What’s keeping most of us interested is whether we will see the same Pacquiao we saw fight Mayweather (noooooooo), or the Pacquiao we know and love.

The veteran champion should know what to do, but here are three keys to victory for Pacquiao to cement his legacy.

Timing and Accuracy

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Manny Pacquiao’s well-timed, accurate combinations allowed him to completely dominate Tim Bradley in the second fight of the trilogy. He’ll need to keep this up if he wants a second (arguably third) victory over the Palm Springs native.

The key to establishing Pacquiao’s timing and accuracy is him being able to set the pace early on in the fight. He cannot allow Bradley to disrupt the momentum, which could actually throw Pacquiao off base.

The Filipino icon is known for his insane foot and hand speed, and he should definitely use those assets to his advantage. Pacquiao should do more than just be timely and accurate–he needs to establish a pace with which Bradley can’t keep up.

Don’t Go for the Knockout

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Tim Bradley is one of the toughest guys in all of boxing, though he rarely gets the credit he deserves. He’s been in some of the most brutal, action-packed bouts in recent memory, which makes the possibility of Manny Pacquiao getting a knockout very small.

Not to mention Bradley has felt Pacquiao’s power before, and knows from first-hand experience, two-times over, the challenge facing him.

Pacquiao is more so a veteran than Bradley, and at this point in his career, his fighting style should reflect that. A knockout in this fight would be a tremendous farewell feat for Pacquiao, but it is not essential to his legacy.

Pacman needs to know when to step on the gas and when to reserve himself. Bradley is one of the most resilient fighters of our time, and it will be hard to send him to the canvas. Bottom line for Pacquiao: box, box, and then box some more.

Outbox and Outwork Bradley

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Manny Pacquiao is a veteran, so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t put on clinic for a younger, less-experienced fighter. With time on his side and one of boxing’s best trainers in his corner, Pacquiao should be able to figure out quickly what Bradley does really well and take those things away from him.

He should also be able to see Bradley’s mistakes and make him pay.

Outboxing Bradley doesn’t mean that Pacquiao has to put on a relaxed, inactive performance. Outworking Bradley is one of the best ways he can beat him. This is where we will really see if age has yet to catch up with the boxing superstar.

Pacquiao needs to set a pace that is physically and mentally difficult for Bradley to keep up with. And fortunately, outworking Bradley already compliments Pacquiao’s unique style known for high volumes of punches.