Brokenhearted

How ironic that this blog has reached its 8000th mark, and still I feel ambivalent whether I would be happy or under the blues. I do want to thank my readers and to some internet people who have miraculously stumbled upon my blog. It is a pleasure to be heard and that this blog will continue to serve its purpose to inspire people to achieve great things. Things have come up in my life that I know a lot of us can relate to, such as the feeling of being brokenhearted. You wouldn't know what to expect at the end of the line whether it would be a happily ever after or another vicious cycle of heart aches that only true love can cure. I have never been the type to give up on something, especially when I am inspired with it. Love, like any other complex feelings a man can feel is a beautiful yet painful feeling. Although, when one gives up despite the totality that one gives his entirety to another, it becomes pointless. Like all things great, there is a limit, and it cannot last forever. As boxing can put it, just as a fighter reaches the 30's, retirement is an imminent process that needs to be seriously considered. All these great fighters that we see and be privileged to watch in our time holds the same historic cycle that since the beginning has taught us that human mortality is fact. Even as happily married couples ages off, their love comes to a halt in death. The only thing that goes on in this world is inspiration. It never dies out in existence and it aims to affect people positively into becoming the best they can become, just like the way this blog was intended. Great tales last more than a lifetime. Human mortality might daunt us, but it is in when we cherish life and not take it for granted, that we see, that there is a purpose for all of our struggles. A purpose to make one stronger. No matter how many obstacles one may encounter in his lifetime, one must continue to persevere under God's grace. For it is God who brings about our purpose, and when we miss out on it, then we are taking our lives for granted.

Bradley: Keep the belt and remain hated

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     Not to intentionally pun the new WBO Welterweight champion in Timothy Bradley, but let us just face the facts. I would understand that winning a match against Pacquiao is a great accomplishment for the young champion, and it's hard to admit defeat when you know that you worked so hard for the victory. If I was in the place of Bradley, I would keep the belt. Despite his hard work, dedication, and self-reasoning; people's criticisms have begun to make me believe, that the more Timothy Bradley gets hold of the belt, the more he will be hated by boxing fans around the world.

     Even as I score it a close fight, the fans know who really won that fight. Most of us know it, regardless of whether you are a boxing judge, a commentator, or a mere aficionado like myself. I believe that we should not blame the judges for the decision they made, for I have begun to believe and had scored it a close fight. In fact, I had it 116-112 for Pacquiao after a focused review. The wide margin of rounds for Pacquiao looked to close the fight in his favor. It turns out, Bradley got the decision in the end and this has stirred an uproar among boxing fans. As far as I'm concerned a 116-112 scorecard is a round away to a 115-113 that judge Jerry Roth scored for Pacquiao.

     Even from the beginning, as I watched the fight for the first time, I knew it was a close fight. I hadn't scored it initially because I was content to believe that Manny Pacquiao is winning this fight, but by a slight margin. Never have I thought of Bradley getting the victory. At first, I couldn't believe that Timothy Bradley won the fight, and that is why, I had to review the tape and try to see what the judges were seeing in this fight. My words to Bradley, if he happened to miraculously dropped by into my post is, to be a true champion and return the belt to the World Boxing Organization.

     If he takes my word seriously, it will change suspicion, doubt, hate, and misunderstanding among fans and the sport of boxing with a little bit of respect. A respect that grows through simple, yet difficult acts like this. An action that proclaims true maturity of a champion to accept and become open to possibilities. Let us make the right decisions and actions amidst every negativity of trials that even a corrupted world would offer. I just hope the fans will understand Timothy Bradley a little bit more, and begin to put themselves into his shoes.

     Everyone wants to be successful in life and Bradley has just tasted it, although not convincingly. We must give the man some respect. Forget the bad words and the jeers, for it was never his fault. As for Pacquiao, he should have won that fight. I commend his being a gentleman and his deep religious faith, but religion could be a distraction, especially when it comes to ferocity in the ring. As for Bradley, try again and win the world championship. For it is not in the Title that a champion is acknowledged, but it is through his character. A self-trait which matters most than anything else that is written on paper.

Picture: Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley, in one of his hard and dedicated workouts.

Pacquiao - Bradley Predictions

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Manny Pacquiao against Timothy Bradley. What makes this fight so great? Isn't this just a replacement of the supposed Pacquiao - Mayweather fight? For me, personally, I don't think that this will be Manny's greatest opponent that he will ever face, and Timothy Bradley is not in the level of both Pacquiao and his previous opponents. I believe that Manny Pacquiao is just far more gifted than Timothy Bradley. Timothy Bradley may be worthy of a fight against Pacquiao, considering that he is in fact undefeated, number eight pound for pound, and has beaten a few good fighters, but for the most part.. that's just it. Despite his resumé, he owes nothing, Pacquiao will be the first pound for pound ranked fighter he will be facing. The problem is, Manny Pacquiao is on the pinnacle of these rankings.

Skill-wise:

Pacquiao has speed, agility, aggression, stamina, and power. I can compare Bradley's skills almost identical to Pacquiao's speed, agility, aggression, and stamina. What does Bradley lack? You guessed it, its power. Although Bradley's record shows early knock outs in his earlier fights, it never showed up against top competition. Pacquiao knocked out fighters that are so great that you wouldn't think he could. Pacquiao defeats all odds, and that is why he is so special. Stylistically, Timothy Bradley is quite similar to Pacquiao, in terms of aggression and non-stop action.

Thoughts:

I believe this fight will be entertaining. Both fighters will be coming at it until the final bell. (If it reaches there.) For the most part, this will just be another showcase of Manny's talents. Timothy Bradley will stay competitive as long as this fight lasts.

Prediction:

The action will be non-stop. They will be punching so much in every round that perhaps it will break all compu-box records. Expect lots, and lots of punches coming from both fighters. Watch out for head butts, because it always happens in a Timothy Bradley fight, and this occurrence will be highly likely with the match-up of an Orthodox fighter against a Southpaw. They will be brawling in the center of the ring, and this fight, possibly, could be a Fight of the Year candidate. For this reason that they will be hitting each other a lot, I would have to predict that this match will end quickly. Bradley must hold on to his promise of a second fight, because I don't think this match will go the distance in his favor.

I predict Manny Pacquiao knocking out Timothy Bradley in the first half of the fight. This means, it will never go past round six. There is a good possibility that Manny will knock him out in the early rounds too.

Final Comments:

Boxing mindset teaches us that anyone has a chance. Even in tune-up bouts, upsets happen, because it all depends on a fighter, and how much he wants it more. I can see Timothy Bradley's dedication for this fight, and I commend his training, that he describes was "like hell." I think a lot of us can relate to this. When someone is giving his all into something, I tell you, nothing is impossible. Bradley has a darn good chance to pull an upset if he goes into this fight as the fighter that his hard training represents.

Manny Pacquiao is aging considerably. Showing poor performances in his last fights. My theory on Pacquiao may be correct. He could just be, past his prime. He may be religious as a saint, but no miracle can stop him from aging. It is the weakness of all fighters. It is a testimony to our mortality. No great thing lasts forever. For this prediction I will be heavily favoring Manny to win, but if he will ever fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., it will be a different story.

Picture: Top Rank Poster of Manny Pacquiao against Timothy Bradley for a fight on June 9th on MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Declaration of Gold

Unchanged, Unmoved, and Uninspired. Three words, that speaks of me today. Why? Yes, my profession grants me the advantage to practice it, but in my heart I know there is a loss in this gaping heart that wishes to fill it from its void. As I age, my boxing skills will eventually diminish. In this reason, I am frustrated whether I could get a chance to actually practice it. For I know, my skills are potentially great yet untested. I want to dedicate my abilities to my country. It is the least I can do as a Filipino, who was born and raised in this beautiful country. My skills in the sport of boxing continues to grow, yet my abilities remain to be tested. Oh, What can I do? The Olympic Gold medal seems to be the answer for the struggle that continues to grow with me throughout time. Yes, I may be a nurse, and I am contented knowing I am practicing this skill, but boxing is a sport that I am passionate about, yet my skills are unheard of. My sport is boxing, as some people would play basketball as a hobby. Although boxing was never my profession and I do not wish to be professionally inclined with it. Yet I remain as a prospect for amateur boxing, and I wish to remain like this until I am given the opportunity to prove my words right. The London Olympics looks like the perfect avenue to prove myself worthy of what I have been saying so far. Yet until now, this cursed braces that stabilizes my teeth remains inside me, that even if opportunities would arise, I still have to keep waiting.. waiting for the opportunity when I will be seen under those lights of the squared circle. I hope my youth remains preserved until that day comes when I am ready. I continue to dream despite all odds because I continue to believe in my skills. Skills that I have continued to sharpen throughout time. Whether it be inactivity or in training, my knowledge of the sport continues to swell. My plea is just to realize an opportunity for me to fight for my country when everything in me becomes settled. If my country remains unappreciated with no history of gold medals in the Olympics. Let me be the change that our country so desires. I will dedicate my youth for this cause, for it is in boxing, that my confidence grows. It is in boxing that I know I can do great things. I may be unheard of, but I will be ready by the next Olympics after London. I bet my entire life on it. With a great tear in my eye, I declare my victory as early as now. I'm gonna get that Gold medal! For God, my country, and its people.

Mayweather - Cotto Predictions

     I am quite happy that Floyd is fighting a quality opponent again. I am pretty disappointed that he fought Victor Ortiz in the past. I knew it was a horrible match-up. I could compare it to the upcoming Pacquiao - Bradley fight. I consider Ortiz and Bradley on the same level. It makes me want to just rip both fights and just watch an Ortiz - Bradley match-up, and by there we can create bigger fights, which was not the case. Miguel Cotto is not in the level of Ortiz or even Bradley. Cotto is a well defined boxing legend as his future is already destined for the Hall of Fame. Mayweather is definitely going into a tremendous fight here, from since he fought Mosley. Cotto did beat Mosley in the past. You would wonder how this match-up will turn out eventually.

Advantage Points:

Miguel Cotto - a tremendous puncher. His most lethal weapon is his devastating left hook which have knocked most of his opponents out with this one punch. He could throw that left hook on the body or head. He has good fundamental boxing skills. He is a recognized boxer-puncher and he does not rush things all the time. He is paced and is ready to trade punch if given the opportunity. Cotto has boxing's famous puncher's chance. A solid and stiff left jab that has been known to knock opponents down with it.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. - a masterful tactician. A pure boxer who is very patient and looks attentively for his shots. His tremendous hand speed allows him to do whatever he likes whether landing crisp accurate combo's or to simply pot shot his opponents through boxing. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has the best boxing defense I have ever seen compared to all fighter's whether in the past or present. Right hand is his money punch as well as his blinding fast whipping left jabs.

Weakness Points:

Miguel Cotto - has good hand speed but slower compared to Floyd's hand speed. If they decide to trade shots, its either Cotto will get a good hard one or two, or Mayweather rag dolls Cotto with blinding speed. His chin is a suspect which can be seen in his fights against Pacquiao, Margarito, and even through someone in the past like Demarcus Corley. Does not have a good defense, it may be solid, but openings are all over the Cotto defense which could be easily penetrated. He is known to have only the left hand, his right hand means nothing.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Chin is a bit of a suspect as he once have been knocked down by Zab Judah and hurt badly by Sugar Shane Mosley. Tends to be more defensive at times, which will give opportunities to fighter's to just bomb away regardless of his slick defense. Cannot fight guys on the inside that well, his best bet is to keep leaning back and establish the distance. On the inside he is vulnerable. Throws lesser volume of punches and only make up with accuracy, which loses his punches landed against his opponent.

The Fight:

     Based on the given data above, we can clearly see that Miguel Cotto must jump on Mayweather early when an opportunity arises and pound him on the ropes. He must utilize his strength when Mayweather is trapped. I know Cotto is not much of a volume puncher, but he must punch a lot tonight if he decides to get this victory. When an inside fight is given, Cotto must be cautious but accurately land one or two and not more, or he'll get rag dolled with Floyd's speed. He can volume punch when the Mayweather is on the ropes. Floyd's anatomical positioning in his philly shell defense allows him to block the left punch of Cotto easily, therefore, he must use that right hand of his.

     Preparation for the right hand of Cotto is essential for this fight. Floyd must utilize his brilliant boxing in the center of the ring and not be bullied into the ropes. Special preparation in footwork for Floyd is essential to easily evade a rush-in by Cotto. I predict that a Mayweather jab will work brilliantly in this fight. Cotto has openings despite his defense; a Mayweather jab will easily land through, especially considering the type of speed Floyd possess. Cotto's jab is also lethally effective in this match. It could stun Floyd or even knock him down. It's a battle of the Jab's.


Prediction: Floyd Mayweather Jr. by Unanimous Decision.


     A knock down is possible for both sides. We could see a knock down in any round of the fight. It's just a matter of time. I also predict, that if Cotto will find a way to land a tremendously effective punch that hurts Mayweather and knocks him down, there is a possibility that Cotto will win by Technical Knockout. Still, these are just opinions. In all honesty, I just love doing this sort of things. It amuses me. As a boxing analyst, it brings me great interest to practice my analytical skills in testing my knowledge on things, specifically in boxing. All in all, this is a boxing match, anything can happen. Just like the analogy of Larry Merchant, that boxing is like a box of chocolates when you open them up, you don't know what you're going to get.

A Theory: Mayweather Jr.'s Mind Games on Cotto

     Sometimes, I see things differently when people react to one another. I am not judgmental, but simply more open to the possibilities. What is fishy about Floyd Mayweather Jr. trying to take Miguel Cotto in his comfortable weight class? People would say, it seems that Floyd has stepped up and be the man of his words; proving to the world once and for all that he is the pound for pound king. There is controversy though, that makes me think even deeper, on what the heck is Floyd trying to play here?

     In their face-off with Max Kellerman, Floyd said that he wanted Miguel Cotto to relax and fight in his comfortable weight, almost seemingly trying to provoke Manny Pacquiao, who is known to demand catch weights. I thought, yes, it is a provocation, but there is something even more that meets the eye. Unlike any of his previous match-up's, Floyd Mayweather Jr. does not trash talk as much in this fight, why is that? I am going to explain my theory and its controversy on what could be really happening, and what fight fan's really don't have a clue about.

What is the benefit on Mayweather for Cotto fighting in a comfortable weight class?

     In recent fights, Cotto has been known to show diminished hand speed against Antonio Margarito II and Yuri Foreman. A hand speed quite slower to the Miguel Cotto in lighter weight classes. I'm not saying facts here, but just theories and the controversies that I think will play out in this fight. What am I saying? A slower Miguel Cotto will be advantageous to the slick Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s defense. It makes me picture out the Mayweather - Baldomir Fight. Wherein Baldomir, was hitting air because his punches were slower and telegraphed for Floyd.

Why did Floyd Mayweather Jr. act so nice, friendly, and respectful in this match-up, unlike anything we've ever seen in the past?

     It would be nice if Floyd would be doing this for the sake of change in order for fans to respect him more. Although, something seems not right here, like a jigsaw puzzle that won't fit in. Then I thought, could Mayweather be playing another mind game here, and if he is, what is he trying to pull? Cotto is a tremendous puncher. It would be very dangerous if Floyd would be trapped into the ropes against a hard hitting Miguel Cotto. Putting away the tension and pressure, may somehow diminish Cotto's aggressiveness, which will allow Mayweather to utilize his superb boxing skills in the center of the ring.

Conclusion:

    If my theory is correct, we can already see the fight before it even starts. A heavy hitting yet slow Miguel Cotto will be unable to land or even hurt a Floyd Mayweather Jr., who will display a masterful performance similar to what he has accomplished in the past. For the most part, I hope Miguel Cotto could see through this possibility and maintain his aggression and trap Mayweather on the ropes. In this way the fight will be a lot more interesting to watch, and it would become more of a competition rather than another highlight match-up of how great Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s boxing skills are. Yet, I know Cotto will definitely jump on Mayweather Jr. in this fight. Miguel Cotto is in fact a true champion, and trickery like this, if it exist, means nothing to the caliber of a true champion.

Mayweather - Cotto: The Intro

    A classic match-up between a pure boxer against a puncher. This is what I predict in the upcoming showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Angel Cotto. Although being recognized as a boxer-puncher, I believe Miguel Cotto must become a slugger in this match-up rather than a boxer in order to win this fight. You cannot expect Cotto to be outboxing the slick master boxer in Mayweather. It is important for Miguel Cotto to be pushing Mayweather into the ropes and just bomb away. Mayweather might be the best pure boxer in the history of the sport, but he will be facing a tough and dangerous challenger who is skilled, hungry, and dedicated. Miguel Cotto is not your ordinary walk in the park.

     People will get ready and sit down knowing they will be watching a fight that will be remembered in the great pages of boxing history. It is known that Miguel Cotto, born in Caguas Puerto Rico, is a boxer who does not give in despite any circumstance. He will make all rounds a gunfight and even if he is badly hurt, he will be dedicated to continue on and trying to bring the upset until the final bell. Miguel Cotto is a reminiscent of a true champion who never gives up. His character is what creates this figure of excellence, which is early worthy of being in the hall of fame. Miguel Cotto has a definitive chance in knocking down or even knocking out Floyd Mayweather Jr.

     Although sometimes misunderstood, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a fighter who just transcends the sport of boxing. I believe he is currently the best pure boxer to have ever fought in such level that you could actually rank him as the best pure boxer of all time. I believe, Floyd's skills inside of the ring is definitely something out of this world. Almost as if, he isn't even human. 42 wins and still undefeated, it is clear why he is recognized as the best pound for pound fighter in the world. His, what I call, new image has brought fans like me into respecting him more. The Floyd Mayweather Jr. of today is a man who keeps his word and doesn't talk too much trash.

     The much recent Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn't care of any opposition because he knows he's the best. No more mind tricks necessary, just business. Tell that to Manny Pacquiao. Floyd has been challenging Pacquiao continuously now, and its just a matter of time that we get a date in the world's most awaited match-up. Crushing all blind allegations that Floyd is scared. I commend Floyd's stepping up, it shows the world what a true champion he is made of. I'm filipino and I am not biased, but from the Pacman's recent fights, it indicates that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will eventually break him down. I see this fight as comparative match-up into sealing the deal, that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a class above Manny Pacquiao.

     Miguel Cotto though, is not a fighter to be taken lightly. I have been a tremendous Cotto fan, and have watched his humble beginnings, to the superstar that he is today. He is a ferocious force that could take out anybody in his weight class. He may have had a defeat against Pacquiao and an illegally wrapped Margarito, it is still not clear if Mayweather can actually beat him because, Cotto packs a punch. Even his jab has become a lethal weapon to score quick knock downs. Trade punches with Cotto, and Floyd will be definitely feeling the canvass on his back. Even a defending Mayweather would feel the impact of the punishment Cotto will be dishing out when he traps him into the ropes.

     This is an interesting match-up that I recommend not only to boxing fans but to everyone. This is definitely an entertaining match-up that speaks controversy in itself. The possibility that Floyd could be beaten is right here. The proof of dominance of Mayweather against Pacquiao will be pictured out right here. Any fighter can get the win, they just have to play their cards right. The most anticipated match-up has now finally come through.The Lights are set, the stage is ready, and the fighter's are ready to play. So I just say, stay tune, relax.. it's gonna be one heck of a fight.

Picture: Floyd Mayweather Jr. stares down with Miguel Cotto for their upcoming match-up on May 5th.