Outside of his own camp, expectations are low for undefeated Tim Bradley.
As the dog and pony show began today in Beverly Hills for his June 9 Las Vegas showdown with legendary Manny Pacquiao, Bradley should be at ease.
He should treat the whole trip, from start to finish, like he's riding the most enticing attractions at Dinseyland and getting paid $5 million to do so.
He should be exclaiming, "Me? Whee!"
It's the fading Pacquiao who has all the pressure in this early summer bout. It's superstar Pacman whose glittering credentials are being called into question recently...and with good reason.
Need I point out that the whirlwind Pacman who destroyed Ricky Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya has been AWOL of late?
Need I underline how uninspiring and, at times, ordinary the ertswhile Pinoy Idol has looked in the ring in going 48 straight rounds without scoring a KO (Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Sugarfree Shane Mosley and archrrival Juan Manuel Marquez) and notching only one measly knockdown (round three vs. unwilling to mix Mr. Mosley)?
At age 33, his family material needs set for generations yet unborn, the raging fire inside Pacquiao's belly is flickering.
I'll be glad to give Manny a checkup from the neck up at Thursday's press conference at the Chelsea Piers in Manhattan but lately he seems more interested in religious duties (Bible study) and backing away from patronizing or owning dens of depravity (casinos, cockfighting farms) than he is in delivering electrifying ring performances.
Maybe Manny feels a moral imperative, maybe he's just maturing as a family man and a national political leader, nothing wrong with that but if the flame is getting lower then Bradley becomes a more viable challenger.
I see that Coach Freddie Roach is already wondering if his prized pupil will show the old pizazz he used to show in training camp. I don't think Freddie's concerns are misplaced here.
Not only does Pacquiao need to shine on June 9, he would do much to restore the old luster by winning by KO. But Bradley is young, fast and elusive.
The New Manny (the person) may have replaced the Old Manny (fiercest fighter on the planet).
It may please Jinkee, the priests and others, this transformation. I don't presume to know this.
But I do know one thing.
Old Manny, the Roustabout Manny, was a sinner but a winner.
Old Manny has the puncher's chance to KO even Floyd Mayweather.
New Manny?
His only chance against Mayweather would be in getting paid filthy lucre of unimsaginable propostions.
Modified Manny can even lose his special status to a lowercase fighter such as Bradley.
Hide and watch.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
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