Helps to have some friends around, and was able to find the ability to watch the fight with one of them. So, after seeing the decision, I decided to watch the fight and judge for myself.
Round 1: Pacquiao came on late in the round, but Bradley more active with the jab in an action-packed round 1. 10-9 Bradley, for winning more of the round.
Round 2: Looked like Bradley hit Pacquiao with a number of rabbit and kidney punches in the clinch early on in the round. Pacquiao hit harder, Bradley did more. I'll give that round to Bradley as well. 20-18.
Can't see how Lederman gave Pacquiao both of the first two rounds. Bradley was busier and controlled the pace more. The ESPN card that had it 11-1 gave Bradley only round 1.
Round 3: Bradley continues busier in round 3. Pacquiao unwilling to respond. Couple of hard shots by Pacquiao in the middle minute. It's clear what the judges will say here -- those pawing jabs accomplished more in more rounds than anything Pacquiao did. But STILL... Pacquiao did the same thing to Bradley about 30 seconds to go in Round 3 that Bradley did to him in round 2. Hard shot right at the end of the round. Round to Pacquiao, 29-28 Bradley on my card.
Round 4: It's almost as if Bradley knew what the judges came to see, a bunch of pawing jabs that don't accomplish anything. Several warnings from the ref in the first half for his head and for low blows against Bradley. Nothing much for the first two minutes of the round. Pacquiao finally able to back up Bradley with a sustained flurry in the last 40 seconds of the round. Pacquiao's best part of the fight so far. 10-9 Pacquiao. 38-38 after 4.
It's clear by this point that Bradley wants his jabbing to force Pacquiao to move and test those legs and win the rounds through looking busier, even if he really isn't!
Round 5: Much like most of round 4, much ado about nothing, except that it now appears that Pacquiao can corner Bradley a lot easier than he did in the first four rounds. On "ring generalship", about the same reason I gave Bradley round 2, I give Pacquiao round 5. Bradley's got to accomplish something with those jabs, or he's going to lose favor. 10-9 Pacquiao. 48-47 Pacquiao after 5.
Round 6: Pacquiao is attacking in spurts and counter-attacking. Pacquiao corners Bradley and is able to general him around the ring. Huge uppercut about 15 seconds left in the round. 10-9 Pacquiao. 58-56 Pacquiao after 6.
Round 7: More of the Bradley jabs which really don't appear to be doing that much in actuality, but look good in the eyes of three judges who are obviously thinking he's busier. Bradley able to reassert himself in the first half of this round. A Pacquiao flurry is answered with a Bradley flurry. Big punches near the end by Pacquiao stopped by the ref for a warning to Pacquiao. Bradley reasserted what he did right in rounds 1 and 2, so he gets round 7 here. 10-9 Bradley. 67-66 Pacquiao after 7.
Round 8: HBO announcers, at this point, saying 67-66 either way, depending on how you scored round 6. Pacquiao now actually busier in the first minute of the round, like Bradley was most of the fight. Several decent shots by Pacquiao mid-round. And now Pacquiao general-ing Bradley around the ring a bit. Fight slows a bit here. Most everything by Bradley on the arms, Pacquiao's round. 10-9 Pacquiao. 77-75 after 8.
Round 9: Bradley loses his balance and nearly pays for it 50 seconds in. A great bit of power shots for Pacquiao halted by a warning for both fighters leading with their heads, which the announcers felt Bradley was doing all night. Couple of scoring blows by Bradley later on. It was a good round, and both fighters got good shots in. I'll actually (and a lot of judges don't like to) call that round EVEN. 87-85 Pacquiao after 9.
Round 10: Pacquiao able to stay in there a bit more in the face of what Bradley is able to do. Pacquiao getting roughed up with Bradley leading with his head. Not much ado with this round. Another round that it's hard to tell. Round to Bradley. 96-95.
Round 11: "Good solid work", the announcer says. It's a good even fight at this point. Pacquiao has another "generalship" round, and it really sounds as if HBO is pimping Bradley hardcore. Pacquiao on generalship, but I really wonder if HBO had a part to play in all this. 106-104.
Round 12: The big problem with giving Bradley a number of these rounds is, once he stops throwing that jab with any frequency, Pacquiao is leading him around the ring like a dog on a leash. He knows Bradley can't hurt him, so he's able to be in there and do what he needs to do. Pacquiao is winning several of his rounds by what is called "ring generalship", and this 12th round is a great example of it. Who has the offensive posture? Who looks like they're coming forward and who's going back for the most of the round? To me, Pacquiao is controlling the pace more, and, absent a HUGE shot, he gets the round.
116-113, seven rounds to four with one even.
116-114 for Pacquiao I can see. But still, 116-114 for Bradley probably has him winning round 9 and one of the rounds I gave Pacquiao for ring generalship.
And on what basis? Did Timothy Bradley land ONE SOLID PUNCH that hurt Pacquiao the entire fight???
No.
The four rounds I had for Bradley were the first (on just being busier), the second (ditto), the seventh (for reasserting himself), and the tenth (for Pacquiao giving it away).
The seven rounds I had for Pacquiao were the third (for finally being able to control the ring), the fourth (for some of his best shots of the fight), the fifth, sixth, eighth, eleventh, and twelfth (all on ring generalship).
He certainly didn't win the fight in Pacquiao style, but it still really did appear as if he won the fight.
I do note one thing of very strong concern here: It really does appear as if HBO is playing Bradley up very seriously over the latter portion of the fight. It really does appear as if HBO believes in Bradley and believes that he should win the fight. The announcers spend what I believe is an inordinate amount of time actually playing up to Bradley and supporting him, even though it's clear he's, at best, in a close fight.
So would I go so far as to say HBO is part of this? You bet.
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