Junior Welterweight

Timothy Bradley got the thrill of a lifetime when he heard his name called as the new welterweight champion in what was a shocking finale to what appeared to be a one-sided fight.

Manny Pacquiao had control for the majority of the fight and out-punched Bradley by a monumental amount. It was obvious that Pac-Man's power was too much, no matter what Bradley might say, according to ESPN.com.

"I thought I won the fight," Bradley said. "I didn't think he was as good as everyone says he was. I didn't feel his power."

That is hard to believe, coming from the mouth of a fighter who stumbled across the ring as Pac-Man handed out some of his hardest punches of the night. I'm pretty sure Desert Storm felt his power, or maybe we all just imagined it.

Bradley might have the welterweight championship around his waist, but it has absolutely no clout with the sport's fans, diehard or not. In boxing, as is the case in all sports, public perception matters if an athlete wants the respect for his or her accomplishments.

Desert Storm is getting no respect at the moment, and deservedly so. He didn't win this fight.

Granted, the two rogue judges are to blame for this decision and not Bradley, but that still doesn't make it any better. Bradley's legacy and legitimacy as a champion is the collateral damage of what stinks like a corrupt operation.

The only way Bradley could truly capture the acceptance of his achievements would be to beat Pacquiao if a rematch should occur—but not the same way he did in the first match.

Seeing is believing, and it's safe to say we'll have to see Bradley physically beat Pacquiao before we can take that belt around his waist seriously.

Feeling ripped off today? 

Feeling like you might as well have flushed the hard-earned money you paid to watch the repulsive mess that was the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley fight down the toilet?

Well, if you feel this way, you are not alone.

Today, millions of boxing fans cannot help but stew at a split decision made by three judges who should be ashamed of themselves.

Understand I have absolutely no emotional connection to either boxer, and I am sure both men worked like warriors to prepare for this fight.

But what fans watched Saturday was an abysmal steaming pile of corrupt cow dung of epic proportions.

The boxing world—and all the corrupt souls responsible for this mess—should be indicted for stealing from hardworking Americans.

You know that, for all the heat Roger Goodell and the NFL take, the league goes to the ends of the Earth to get most calls right.

For all the grief MLB takes for lagging behind the times with instant replay, they too get it right most of the time. And when the old heads do get it wrong, at least fans do not walk away thinking the league is a hopeless mess.

For all those who argue horse racing is a corrupt sport hobbling on its last legs, at least at the end of a race, spectators know exactly who won.

But for some reason, in boxing, you can knock the snot out of your opponent only to fall prey to three judges who seem to have had their own agendas.

Frankly, this decision spits on American values.

In America, many are taught to roll up the sleeves and work hard (good or bad), and opportunity will knock. Opportunity may not knock immediately, but with dedication and resolve, people can live decent lives.   

Although he's from the Philippines, Pacquiao epitomizes American ideals.

Here is a man who rose from a broken-home and deep poverty to become one of the finest pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

Here is a man who, despite his world falling around him, found courage within his core to complete his education en route to rising from the ashes to become a Philippine Congressman and Lieutenant Colonel in the Philippine Army Reserves.

Here is an honorable, soft-spoken man who has used his fame and fortune to give back to society.  

Yet, when push came to shove, none of this mattered, which perhaps was why Pacquiao appeared so shocked when interviewed by ESPN’s Dan Rafael after the fight.

In the end, integrity, service and selflessness fell victim to corruption, greed and dishonor toward a man who undoubtedly deserved to win this fight.

While corruption in boxing is nothing new, for many Americans who paid their hard-earned money, this outrageous decision may be the last straw for a sport that had already been hobbling around the past two decades.

This is, unless men and women stand up with strength and honor and do what is right for Pacquiao.

But after having watched corruption all but destroy this once-respected sport, I will not be holding my breath.

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Despite the fact these two will go at it again in November, the first meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will always belong to "Desert Storm." With an historic victory and an undefeated streak, boxing has found its new star in the making.

Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have been atop the boxing world for the past several years, and though they're both phenomenal talents, neither is getting any younger. Bradley is now the WBO welterweight and light welterweight champion and his undefeated streak is still intact.

Obviously the worlds of MMA, boxing and WWE are all different in their own right, but they all live or die by how much the public wants to watch their champions and individual talent.

Boxing needs to turn its attention to the November rematch between Pac-Man and Desert Storm.

The sport should also be hoping for another Bradley victory, albeit in more decisive fashion.

For too long, Pacquiao and Mayweather have been the only reasons to tune into a boxing match; it's time for another fighter to join in the limelight.

As talented as guys like Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez are, no casual fan is going to pay the price tag HBO puts on that fight.

Bradley has defeated the likes of Joel Casamayor, Lamont Peterson and now handed Pacquiao his first loss in seven years. He's the first man I'd be looking to build my sport around with Mayweather in jail and Pac-Man now with a loss in his recent history.

Desert Storm has the charismatic personality and the ability, and his stock couldn't be any higher than it is right now.

Bradley guaranteed victory over Pac-Man to anyone who would listen leading up to his fight, and he made true on his words Saturday night. His confidence is consistent if nothing less, as 'Storm told the Associated Press: "I thought I won the fight. I didn't think he was as good as everyone says he was. I didn't feel his power."

It wasn't as dominating a victory as Bradley likes to tell, but everything boxing has to like about Mayweather are traits that the welterweight champion holds as well.

Like "Money," Bradley is regarded as confident or arrogant depending on who you talk to, and his skills are among the best in the sport. Love him or hate him, fans will tune into his fights—especially if he defeats Pac-Man for a second time come November.

Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley scored a controversial split decision victory over Manny Pacquiao to win the WBO Welterweight title by a score of 115-113, 113-115, 115-113.

In a bout that seemed so clearly dominated by Pacquiao, the judges' final decision came as a shock to the crowd, the ringside commentators and the people watching it home. Bradley couldn't get much done throughout the entire fight, and found himself retreating from Pacquiao's thunderous flurries over and over.

Usually the media would start to question who Bradley will fight next, but since such an unsatisfying ending has been met in such a hyped-up fight, that question doesn't need to be asked. It doesn't need to be asked because we already know that Bradley and Pacquiao must schedule a rematch to determine who really is the better fighter.

Nobody else makes sense for Bradley to fight. With this win over Pacquiao, he'll surely take a huge leap in the pound-for-pound rankings, so there's no need to waste his time on a lesser fighter.

He's not going to fight Devon Alexander again. Not after Bradley head butted Alexander in Round 3 of their fight in January 2011, leading to a stoppage in the later rounds. We don't need to witness that same song and dance again.

He's not going to fight Andre Berto, the No. 2 ranked welterweight fighter in the world. Bradley just beat a man who was ranked as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, if not the best. 

Bradley definitely won't be getting a match against Floyd Mayweather, unless Mayweather decides he wants to get under Pacquiao's skin by fighting the man that beat him. It could be one of those "Bradley beat Pacquiao and I destroyed Bradley, so I never have to fight Pacquiao" kind of things.

That leaves Manny Pacquiao as the only logical choice to be Bradley's next opponent. The two fighters were preparing for a rematch before this fight even started. If that doesn't convince you, Bob Arum represents both Pacquiao and Bradley, and you know that Arum always does what's in his best financial interest.

Let's get this straight: Pacquiao was the better fighter on June 9th at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. He came out and hit Bradley in the mouth from the start and didn't relent for the entire fight. Bradley should have been awarded one round, but in no way did he come anywhere near decisively winning this fight.

The world won't question Bradley's ability as a boxer after this fight, but it will question whether he is a better fighter than Pacquiao. As of now, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the general consensus believes he is substantially inferior to Pacquiao.

Bradley's reputation as a boxer is on the line, and judging by his personality, he's going to want to fix that as soon as possible. The only way to change that is to officially schedule a rematch with Pacquiao to alleviate any doubt as to who is the better fighter.

Despite the fact that Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley entered his fight against Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao on Saturday night with an unblemished record, few gave the 28-year-old boxer a chance. Bradley proved the critics wrong, however, as he defeated the heavily-favored Pacquiao in a controversial decision for the ages.

For most of the fight, Pac-Man looked to be the aggressor and more dominant fighter. He landed most of the power punches and came away with the more impressive exchanges. Yet two of the judges sided with Bradley.

Pacquiao had been coming off a difficult fight against Juan Manuel Marquez and was looking for redemption versus Bradley. Pacquiao was given the majority-decision win over Marquez, but Dinamita frustrated him all night long with his defensive posture and counterpunching. Despite a more impressive performance this time around, the judges failed to see it that way.

The Filipino superstar simply couldn't get into a rhythm against Bradley and it led to him relinquishing his WBO Welterweight Championship to the American. The win figures to be huge for Bradley's career as many considered Pacquiao the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. Now Bradley should be in very high demand amongst the top boxers in the sport.

Perhaps the biggest question now, though, is what this result means for Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather. As much as the two fighters have been maligned by boxing fans for not coming to an agreement yet, everyone still wants to see them do battle. With Pacquiao losing, though, you have to wonder whether any chance of a fight between them is now dead.

There is also likely to be some talk about Pacquiao possibly retiring. His trainer Freddie Roach said (via ESPN) before the Bradley fight that if Pacquiao performed badly, he would suggest that he hang up the gloves. Roach is known for running his mouth, however, so you can never take everything he says at face value.

With that said, retirement is certainly a possibility. Pacquiao has been very shaky over his past two fights and if a Mayweather bout isn't going to happen, then Pac-Man has nothing left to prove or accomplish in the ring. Pacquiao has a political career to think about back in the Philippines, so he could easily walk away now.

There is an automatic rematch clause in place for Pacquiao after the loss, however, so he may be inclined to compete in at least one more match. He would be leaving a lot of money on the table if he didn't, so perhaps a rematch with Bradley could be his last fight whether he wins or loses. It's all quite uncertain at this point, but Pacquiao is one of the best of his generation regardless of what happens.

The boxing world has been turned upside down without a doubt, but it may ultimately be a good thing. Boxing fans are always looking for up-and-coming stars to root for, and Bradley may now be that guy. He has a lot of good years left in him, so maybe his win over Pacquiao can be the start of an incredible run atop the sport.

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Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley is not the matchup fans wanted to see, yet there seems to be some backlash against the fight that doesn't make a lot of sense. 

Yes, the allure of a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather dream fight makes anything else they do seem pointless. But to completely dismiss a fight simply on the basis of "It's not what we wanted to see" is foolish. 

In fact, there is a lot to like with Saturday night's Pacquiao-Bradley matchup. Boxing has been in a very precarious position for years, with only a select few fighters being able to generate enough mainstream interest in the sport for it to register on anyone's radar. 

Right now, only Pacquiao and Mayweather are in that marquee spot, where the rest of the world stops to see what they did, how they did it and what it means for the future. 

Because Pacquiao is such a strong presence, it makes sense that someone like Bradley to be put in a fight with him. Bradley is an up-and-coming star in the boxing world, with a 28-0 record under his belt. 

For fans who are underwhelmed by Bradley seemingly being given a spot against Pacquiao, that is missing the point of what Top Rank Promotions is trying to do. Yes, there were bigger names who could have gone up against Pacquiao, but why not focus on trying to build something for the future?

That is what this fight between Pacquiao and Bradley is all about: Present vs. Future. No one is going to deny Pacquiao is the Top Rank's golden child right now. He could probably generate more money in one fight than the rest of the promotion's fighters put together. 

Bradley represents something far more important than just a placeholder for Pacquiao. He could be a future star in the sport of boxing, and having him go up against one of the biggest sports stars in the world would give him the exposure he desperately needs. 

I don't think that Bradley is going to defeat Pacquiao—not that I am alone in that regard—but if he puts forth a valiant effort, even in defeat, boxing will have a new superstar to build around. 

Another reason to tune in to this fight is because we don't know how much longer Pacquiao is going to fight, and do so at a high level. There are not enough adjectives to describe how great he has been, especially during his current five-year undefeated streak. But eventually time takes its toll on your body and skills erode. 

Even more than a great fight, fans love to see a great individual performance. Did people watch the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s to see the team win a championship? No. They watched because Michael Jordan was the best player on the planet. 

Pacquiao is the Jordan of boxing—dominating the sport like very few have in history. Fans need to enjoy the greatness while it lasts, because one day Pacquiao is going to wake up without the same speed and power that he has right now.

Even if you don't think you want to watch Pacquiao vs. Bradley, you need to make a point to get in front of a television on Saturday night to see what these two have in store for the fans. 

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If Timothy Bradley manages to do the unthinkable and beat Manny Pacquiao, he'll be the next superstar of boxing, and his trainer, Joel Diaz, will be lauded for his genius.

One person we probably won't talk about is Monica Bradley, Desert Storm's wife. And that's a shame, because she deserves a lot of credit for the success that her husband has had.

From Leighton Ginn of MyDesert.com:

Mentally, Timothy Bradley wants to keep his mind clear and fully focused on the fight of his life against Manny Pacquiao. This is where his wife Monica comes into play. She has taken on the task of handling Bradley’s media responsibilities.

So she’s been able to free up Bradley’s mind, but she’s also done it with such a grace and fulfilled multiple requests.

Everyone in Bradley's position needs a good media manager. Having it be someone you trust as much as your wife, who will always look out for your best interests, is a plus.

But it's more than just that.

When Bradely was a nobody in boxing, Monica stuck by him. When the couple had only $11 in their bank account because Bradley had quit his job waiting tables to focus solely on boxing in 2008 (via Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports), Monica stuck by him.

And she's stuck by him ever since.

The story of their relationship is a positive, uplifting one, and I highly recommend that you read Iole's article. Were it not for Monica Bradley, we probably wouldn't be talking about Timothy Bradley fighting Manny Pacquiao tonight.

So if he does pull off the upset, I hope everyone remembers that fact.

I know I'll remember and more importantly, that Desert Storm will, too.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets really wanted to have another.

In the midst of all the drama that has lately taken place surrounding Alex Ariza and camp Pacquiao, it seems as though Freddie Roach just took his anger a step further.

Apparently, Ariza will not be in Pacquiao’s corner during his bout against Timothy Bradley this coming Saturday, not because Ariza will be busy elsewhere, but because Freddie Roach will not sign him up:

“I said some things on 24/7 last night that Alex might not like. If he has something to say to me about it, he'll say it. But I won't let it affect my fighter, and I know what's important here, and that's the focus of Manny Pacquiao. … Manny likes him and wants him on board, so that's the way it is. Alex will be there until the fight, and once we get to the fight and I put down my four corner men, he won't be on the list," stated Roach in a recent interview, according to Chris Robinson of Boxing Scene.

It seems as though the war between Ariza and Roach is not only apparent on television, but is actually real and gaining momentum. Not having Ariza in Pacquiao’s corner is not the end of the world, but Ariza has always been a huge part of the team, and not having him there might cause another kind of damage.

Pacquiao does indeed like Ariza and what he has done for Manny in his numerous preparatory camps. While all corner-men have their jobs, none know how to deal with in-fight injuries, major and minor. Strains happen all the time, and neither Roach nor anyone else in that corner will have any clue of what to do in that one minute of available time.

I think that if Roach really cared about Manny’s well-being, as well as his victory, he should let Ariza be a part of the team during the fight, as he has been throughout many of Pacquiao’s tremendous accomplishments. My take on this is, don’t fix that which is not broken.

Unbeaten  Palm Springs boxing sensation Timothy Bradley is confident he will beat eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao when they collide on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

In fact, Bradley presented to the public during his media workout a poster that practically proclaims him the winner in the fight that is yet to be staged.

The poster says "Bradley-Pacquiao 2" with his name first in the top billing, followed by Pacquiao's name.

Some hardcore fans appear to have been angry with the way Bradley and his handlers have portrayed Pacquiao as a lame duck opponent—one who is not capable of tainting Bradley's unbeaten professional record.

Looking at Bradley's background, he seems to be a humble, righteous person who values his own family.

In his media workout statement, Bradley was portrayed as an arrogant, disrespectful person who would do anything to get on top of his opponent.

Bradley says he is oozing with confidence because he has trained hard for the fight. In one of his media workout statements, he said he owed it to his father. He served as his trainer at the beginning of Bradley's career.

“I’m more confident for this fight than I’ve been for any other,” Bradley said. “I’ve always had confidence. I guess I was born with it, but it’s also because of how hard I’ve always trained.

"I chose boxing because I work harder than everyone else. I chose this sport because I didn’t have to depend on anyone else but myself."

There is nothing wrong with having confidence, as everyone is expected to have it in whatever he or she does.

But, overconfidence is something else. It could also spell one's defeat.

In their recent media day, Pacquiao said he will pray for Bradley. This simply means he is praying no one will get hurt really bad.

Instead of complementing Pacquiao's good wishes, Bradley's handlers have showed arrogance and disrespect for the eight-division world champion.

Bradley must have forgotten that he became popular overnight only after he bagged the contract to face Pacquiao. This is courtesy of Bob Arum, who is preparing Bradley to be his next "cash cow" as Pacquiao prepares for retirement.

When told of his name being repeatedly mentioned in the NBA playoff, he was elated and surprised of how he became popular overnight.

"I didn't see it, but I heard about it," Bradley said of his name being mentioned during the NBA playoff telecast.

"That's unreal. I mean, this is the NBA conference finals, and they're talking about me?"

Although he has acknowledged Pacquiao's influence in getting him into the spotlight, Bradley is expected to at least respect Pacquiao's stature as the eight-division world champion—not belittle him with his insulting poster.

News recently broke that should Manny Pacquiao lose to Tim Bradley, the two will have a rematch November 10, but don't go marking your calendars. Pac-Man will do what he's done the last 15 fights he's been in—win.

Here's three reasons why the November 10th rematch won't be necessary.

Experience

Pac-Man may not have an unblemished boxing record like his opponent, but Bradley has never fought someone the caliber of Pacquiao.

The southpaw has been in 30 more bouts than Bradley and he's also faced names like Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley. Bradley doesn't have one opponent that is in the same league as any of those names.

There's reason to believe that Pacquiao has to lose sometime soon considering how close the fight between him and Juan Manuel Marquez was last November, but Bradley won't be the one to hand him the loss.

Fighting Style

Bradley has an interesting style in the ring, and Pac-Man has admitted to ESPN that he's concerned about his opponent's orthodox style compared to his southpaw stance. That being said, Pacquiao has been preparing for this fact for quite some time now.

The Filipino boxer will have trouble if he allows Bradley to turn the bout into a fight more than a boxing match, but Pacquiao is adaptable and seems to be more aware of what his opponent is capable of.

There are few fighters who are better students of the sport than Pac-Man, and he'll be ready for the style Bradley brings to the ring, along with how to adapt to fighting a righty.

Bradley's Overconfidence

Bradley has made it known to any member of the media who will listen that he believes he will defeat his opponent when push comes to shove. In fact, the California native recently told the media during his Tuesday workout to "Tune in on June 9 when I destroy Manny Pacquiao."

Pac-Man's former opponent, Hatton, recently told Boxing Fixtures: "Manny Pacquiao is the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world and he goes into this fight as the favorite..."

While the "The Hitman" did go onto say that he thinks Bradley will give Pac-Man a good fight, Pacquiao is arguably the greatest boxer in the game, and his opponent continues to act like he's facing a no-name fighter.

Pac-Man respects and understands what Bradley brings to the table, and he's said all the right things in the media. His humbleness will bode will for him during the fight.

Bradley will get discouraged if Pacquiao controls the early round due to the confidence he's built for himself, and that will get Pac-Man inside the head of his opponent.