Power Punches Thrown In Previous Fights: Pacquiao, 274; Bradely 346

by ALEX P. VIDAL

Hollywood, California – When Timothy Ray Bradley Jr. declared recently he is “going to be all over” Manny Pacquiao when they clash for the WBO welterweight 12-round championship at the MGM Grand, he must have been reviewing the chart of their previous fights where they both bundled out their respective foes in contrasting fashions.

Both champion Pacquiao, 33, and challenger Bradley, 28, last fought on November 12, 2011 in a pair of world title fights and logged punch statistics that could serve as guide for oddsmakers and experts to assess the outcome of their showdown last June 9.

Pacquiao (54-3, 38 KOs) escaped with a disputed 12-round majority decision win in a trilogy against Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6, 39 KOs) to grab the WBO 147-lb diadem, while Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs) stopped Joel Casamayor (38-6, 22 KOs) in the 8th round to keep his WBO 140-lb belt.

Although Pacquiao outpunched Marquez (14-11 in average per round), Bradley released the most number of power punches (346) against Casamayor (136) and connected 177 against Casamayor’s 136. Pacquiao was able to connect 117 of his total 274 power punches.

BUSY

Floyd Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) was busier than Pacquiao and Bradley. The popular black American ring superstar connected 128 of the 382 power punches thrown en route to trouncing by unanimous decision defending WBA junior middleweight ruler Miguel Angel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs) on May 5, 2012 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bradley cautioned Pacquiao not to underestimate him. “I have been an underdog my whole career. You think Marquez gave him a tough time? I’m going to be all over him,” vowed the unbeaten challenger nicknamed “The Desert Storm.”

FOUR FIGHTS

Bradley said he is unfazed by Pacquiao’s winning streak in world title fights saying the most feared fighter outside the heavyweight division from Saranggani Province in the Philippines has failed to score a knockout against fancied but “old, straight-forward fighters” in his last four performances.

He belittled Pacquiao’s wins against Joshua Clottey (34), Antonio Margarito (34), Shane Mosley (40), and Marquez (38) saying they were “lackadaisical.”

“He’ll have to dig down deep to beat me,” Bradley warned the Filipino congressman.

“I slip, slide, bob and weave,” Bradley added. “I have good footwork. For Manny, he’ll be looking at himself when he sees me. The only advantage he has on me is his power. But I can go to the body if he gets reckless. I’m young, in my prime, and I have a lot of confidence and swagger. I don’t fear this guy. He’s just a guy to me. He hasn’t proved he’s better.”

(At the end of that, Pacquiao – Bradley boxing, ringside observers, millions who watched around the world including boxing promoters, trainers, fighter, showbiz personalities and the regular fight fans were not only shocked by the decision, but visibly outraged because it was not even close. The three judges were split. Two gave it to Bradley and one to Pacquiao). /MP