Saturday, April 12, 2014
Bradley-Pacquiao II Tonight!
TIM BRADLEY-MANNY PACQUIAO II
Las Vegas, NV– MGM Grand (HBO PPV) WBO welterweight (147 lb) champion Timothy Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) vs Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs). Odds/Prediction: Pacquiao 11-5. Don’t let numbers fool you. Unless Tim Bradley is “damaged” badly by the first Pacquiao encounter and the Ruslan Provodnikov fight, he should win here handily. Tim has the edge in age, size, mileage, speed, but not in power. Is the reported nixing of Random Drug Testing by Team Pac done out of desperation knowing a loss here and it’s over? Lean towards Bradley to upset applecart and retire Pacquiao UNLESS judges Michael Pernick, Glenn Trowbridge and Craig Metcalfe muck up!
CALIFORNIA KID SLIGHT FAVORITE
Jessie Vargas (23-0, 9 KOs) vs Khabib Allakhverdiev (19-0, 9 KOs) (WBA 140 lb. title) Odds/Prediction: Vargas 7-5. Californian native in
2013 Robbery Victim Ray Beltran
“breakout” fight vs. live Russian southpaw. Close fight on paper and Vargas is house fighter. Wise guys all over Vargas.
BELTRAN ROBBED OF WBO BELT LAST YEAR
Raymundo Beltran (28-6, 17 KOs) vs Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) (135 lbs) (WBO title eliminator) Odds/Prediction: Beltran 2 1/2 to 1. Ray Beltran “barbequed” by judges in WBO title scrap with ex-champ Ricky Burns. Decision so bad Burns’ promoter said he lost! Ray is good, not the complete package, but should win here. $500 on Beltran to walk with $700.
TELEVISED UNDERCARD CURTAIN RAISER
Jose Felix Jr. (26-0-1, 21 KOs) vs Bryan Vasquez (32-1, 17 KOs) (Interim WBA 130 lb. title). Odds/Prediction: Felix or Vasquez 6-5 pick ’em. Both guys have lots of stiffs on resumes. Vasquez flopped in lone loss in Japan and Felix in unproven. Lean towards Felix. Pass on bet!