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Tim Bradley: Beating Manny Pacquiao ‘became a very dark point in my life’

Fighters Network
24
Mar

The following are the second round of training camp notes for WBO welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley in advance of his April 12 rematch with Manny Pacquiao, whom Bradley dethroned by split decision in June 2012.

The notes were taken from a press release distributed by HBO on behalf of Top Rank Inc. in advance of Bradley-Pacquiao II, which will be shown on HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand.

During two fights over the course of 2013, Bradley rose from a 12th-round knockdown to unanimously decision Ruslan Provodnikov in March and then won a split-decision over four-division titlewinner Juan Manuel Marquez in October.

Click here for a video of Bradley's greatest hits.



Pacquiao lost his next bout in December 2012 by sixth-round stoppage to Marquez, against whom Pacquiao is 2-1-1, before winning a unanimous decision over Brandon Rios in his last fight in November.

The WBO has declared that the winner of Bradley-Pacquiao II must face that between Marquez and Mike Alvarado, who will fight on May 17.

Click here for Pacquiao-Bradley II Face Off with Max Kellerman.

Question for Bradley: Can you talk about the frustration of winning the biggest fight of your life — first fight against Pacquiao — and not getting the recognition that goes with that?
 

Well, as many know, the first Pacquiao fight I was just supposed to be another opponent for the great Manny Pacquiao. Not many people gave me a chance to come out victorious, especially not after the type of winning streak that he had been on.

His previous seven fights, Pacquiao had beaten and or destroyed Juan Manuel Marquez, Sugar Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya. No one thought I had what it took to beat Manny Pacquiao.

So when I did edge out the decision, I never got the credit I deserved. I busted my butt in training camp as I always do for any fight, but this was the biggest fight in my career, so I pushed that much harder to prove to the world that I could beat Manny Pacquiao.

When the decision was announced that I had done enough to beat Manny, no one could believe what had happened, and hardly anyone knew the physical conditions that I had gone through during the fight.

Beating Pacquiao was supposed to be the turning point in who Timothy Bradley really is, but, instead, it became a very dark point and time in my life. The boos turned into hatred, and then hatred turned into death threats.

I felt I had done enough to beat Paquiao, but everyone was out to prove that I hadn't. This was supposed to be my night, but instead, it turned into a night where an icon not only lost, but was also 'robbed' by me.

Everyone sat there shocked without realizing that I had just done what I set myself to do. No one stopped for a second and acknowledge my accomplishment. Although I am certain I won the fight, it is now time to once again show the world who Timothy Bradley really is.

On April 12, we will settle for once and for all the uncertainty of boxing followers and those of the fans. This is my chance at redemption, and I promise I will make the most of it.

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