By Salvador Rodriguez
Joel Diaz, the trainer of WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, feels Manny Pacquiao, a champion in eight divisions, is nearing the end of his long career. Diaz is not convinced that Pacquiao is back to being the same fight who stopped Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Diaz sees Pacquiao in the same light as Bradley does - a boxer who no longer has that drive and killer instinct. While Bradley views Pacquiao as a fighter who is too compassionate, Diaz views Pacquiao as a fighter who's been affected by a long, tough career.
Bradley, who won a controversial twelve round split decision over Pacquiao in 2012, is readying to face the Filipino star in a rematch on April 12th from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"A lot of people are saying that Pacquiao is still bringing what took him to the top, but for me - Juan Manuel Márquez left his mark on him, with this knockout [in 2012], it affected him," Diaz said.
"In fact everything in the boxing has a beginning and an end. It's happened to every fighter. Julio Caesar Chávez was invincible and then he went down. Manny Pacquiao was indestructible and he already lost that [aura]. I do not have doubt that at the age of 36, already with 60 fights, 60 wars, and 60 preparations, the body is suffering from the work, the punishment, and there has to come the moment where you think about saying goodbye. Sometimes it is necessary to see it like that and it is time for Pacquiao to do it."
