New York, N.Y. —   (L-R)  Superstar Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Jr. Welterweight champion Timothy “The Desert Storm” Bradley Jr. pose during a press conference in New York City Thursday during their cross-country media tour for their upcoming World Welterweight title mega-fight. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs Bradley will take place, Saturday, June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on HBO Pay Per View.  — Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank.

 

 

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=49904

 

 

LAS VEGAS, NEV – Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY, JR. will embark on a two-city, coast-to-coast media tour, beginning in Beverly Hills, Calif., Next Tuesday!  February 21, to announce and celebrate the Pacquiao vs. Bradley World Welterweight Championship.  Pacquiao and Bradley, who have won 11 world titles between them, will go toe-to-toe for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship on Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.  The fight will be broadcast Live on Pay-Per-View.  Joining Pacquiao and Bradley on the tour will be their respective trainers, Freddie Roach and Joel Diaz, and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley will go on sale Next Friday!  February 24 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, and will be priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200.  Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000.  Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com .

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23 – Open to the Public!

Chelsea Piers at Pier 60 – THE LIGHTHOUSE

23rd Street and the Hudson River

New York, NY 10011

Noon ET – News Conference

 

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If all goes as expected, Juan Manuel Marquez will return to the ring on April 21 undefeated Argentinean César Cuenca (42-0, 1KO) in Morelia, Chiapas or Cancun. A source indicates the possibility of a vacant WBO junior welterweight title being at stake, although it’s not exactly clear if the belt at stake will be the interim or the full title.

The current WBO champion, Timothy Bradley, will move up to the welterweight division to challenge the WBO champion at 147, Manny Pacquiao, on June 9th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Cuenca is ranked at number 1 by the WBO at 140, and Marquez is the WBO champion at 135.

“All I know is that I’m fighting on April 21, but I don’t know the opponent or the opponent. But if [the opponent] is Cuenca, then I’ll have to look for him on Youtube, because honestly I don’t know him and I’ve never seen him fight,” Marquez said.

“Going by his record, I believe that he’ll be difficult, a good boxer and fast. If he’s ranked in the first position [by the WBO], he must have done something.”

Marquez expects to fight three times in 2012, including a fight in July and then another contest in the fall – which he hopes is a fourth meeting with Pacquiao.

 

By Salvador Rodriguez

Salvador Rodriguez covers boxing in Mexico for The Record.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=49604

 

The next opponent for Manny Pacquiao looks to be set, as WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley finds himself with his biggest opportunity to date as a professional.

The two men actually shared a ring this past November at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas when Pacquiao edged out Juan Manuel Marquez over twelve spirited rounds while Bradley scored a lopsided and uneventful 8th round TKO over faded champion Joel Casamayor in the evening’s chief support bout.

The fight is set to go down June 9th at the same venue but it’s worth noting that while Bradley has signed on for the contest, Pacquiao has yet to his ink his contract to make the fight official.

Giving his take on that little piece of news, Bradley’s trainer Joel Diaz feels the Filipino icon has his reasons for such reluctance, bringing his debatable decision over Marquez three months back into the equation.

“I don’t blame him,” Diaz said during our conversation. “A lot of people underestimate Tim. But Timothy is a lot faster than Marquez. He has faster feet and faster hands. He might not have the punching power, but he has faster movement. To me, Marquez won that fight. If Pacquiao has not signed, it’s because he has a little bit of doubt.”

An essential reason for tracking Diaz down was to get his take not just on Pacquiao, but also of some noise coming from his corner, specifically his trainer Freddie Roach and his strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, as it appears the pre-fight gauntlet is already thrown around.

I crossed paths with Roach earlier this month in San Antonio, Texas at the final press conference for the February 4th HBO twin bill headlined by his fighter Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. successfully defending his belt against Marco Antonio Rubio.

Roach was asked about a possible Bradley fight at the time and offered up the following on the Palm Springs, California charge.

“He’s a dirty fighter, well, he’s a physical fighter,” Roach would say. “He uses his head, elbows, so forth. Manny does have some trouble with that because Manny can’t retaliate. I tell Manny that if a guy hits you low, hit him back low, but he won’t do that. So, the thing is, it could pose a bit of a problem.”

Asked whether he took offense to Roach’s remarks, Diaz admitted that it dug him a little deep.

“Oh, definitely,” said Diaz. “I think that’s very offensive, because I was a fighter myself [and] when I train a fighter, I train him to fight clean. Never, from day one, has our intention been to be dirty, because that’s just not me. That’s not my nature. That’s very offensive for me. If I ever see my fighter or my fighter ever has any intentions of using dirty tactics, believe me, I’ll bring it up to his attention because that’s not me.

“I don’t like to have that reputation as a trainer, to have a fighter who uses intentional head butts,” Diaz continued. “It’s just bad luck. It’s just [Bradley’s] style, maybe the way he steps in. But never in my years that I have trained Timothy, has he ever mentioned using his head intentionally. Unfortunately Timothy had a few incidents that ended up a head-butt but it’s not because he does it on purpose. That’s just his style.”

Ariza took things further yesterday during a conversation with Ben Thompson of FightHype.com, showing disinterest in the Bradley fight, claiming that Pacquiao’s sparring partners at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles were even better than him.

Yet again, Diaz would stand up for his fighter.

“Alex Ariza can say whatever he wants,” Diaz said firmly. “He doesn’t even know Tim Bradley. He’s never been in camp with Tim Bradley. He hasn’t even stepped in the gym to see Tim Bradley train. I mean, I can say the same thing. I can open my mouth to the world and say ‘In my gym I have better fighters than Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I have better fighters than Manny Pacquiao’. But who’s going to believe me?”

Diaz then asked a few simple questions of his own.

“I give every fighter his respect,” Diaz explained. “I cannot compare any fighter to Tim Bradley. Let me just tell you, if he has better fighters in his gym, better fighters than Tim Bradley, how comes nobody knows them? How come they’re not world champions?”

Last topic to touch on with Diaz was of the recent ‘early’ retirement talk coming from Pacquiao, as he recently mentioned that he could be walking away from boxing as early as next year. A congressman in the province of Sarangani in the Philippines, Pacquiao has been spreading himself a bit thin with his obligations in recent years and some question whether his heart is still in the sport.

Hearing such talk coming from one of the world’s finest athletes causes definite suspicion for Diaz.

“When your mind and your plans are in retirement mode, it’s because somewhere inside your heart, you don’t feel the hunger anymore,” Diaz claimed. “Let me tell you something, Manny Pacquiao’s been in this business plenty of time already. He’s been at the top of his game for many years. After a while, his mind and his body gets tired.

“If he’s thinking about retiring after this fight or the next, it’s because somewhere in his mind, he just doesn’t feel that passion for the sport anymore.” Diaz added. “Because if he really felt the passion for the sport, he’d look ahead.”

 

By Chris Robinson

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=49598

 

WBO junior welterweight Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12KOs) is very, very determined to become the first boxer to defeat Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38KOs) since 2005. Last week, Bradley signed a contract to challenge Pacquiao for the WBO’s welterweight title on June 9th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Bradley sat down with BoxingScene.com to discuss the biggest fight of his career.

BoxingScene.com: You’ve noticed Pacquiao having some issues in his last couple of fights. Do you believe that he’s finally slowing down?

Bradley: I don’t know if he’s slowing down, but he’s had a lot of complications and excuses the last couple of times. Everybody is pointing fingers and saying ‘Pacquiao didn’t do this’ or ‘Pacquiao didn’t listen to this.’ I’m really curious though. I’m real curious [to see] if that’s true or not.

I think right now is the best time to face Pacquiao, [who is] coming off a kind of controversial win with [Juan Manuel] Marquez. Marquez is a great fighter, a great counter-puncher and just a great fighter – but he’s 38-years-old. He’s not like he used to be 38. He’s not fresh like he used to be, when he was in his 20’s.

BoxingScene.com: The qualities that you bring to the fight.

Bradley: I’m very young, determined. I’m the young lion. I can box, as well as brawl, and I can counter-punch as well. I love to counter-punch. I’m quick; I can get in and out from danger. I have great defense. I feel like I’m a major step for Pacquiao. I think it’s a winnable fight for me.

BoxingScene.com: Last year, everybody gave you a lot of heat for taking a pass on the Amir Khan fight. And now you’ve landed one of the two biggest names in the sport, for considerably more money than what you would have made for Khan.

Bradley: I’m excited that he’s decided to challenge me. I’m excited that my manager Cameron Dunkin, the best manager in the game hands down – he definitely delivered. And of course I thank my wife and Team Bradley for always believing in me and always pushing me hard in training camp. We knew what we were trying to do. We always had a goal and that’s to face the best in our minds. And I stuck to it and now look at this. Everyone was giving me [hell] about the Amir Khan thing. You know what, this is the real deal right now and we’re fighting the best fighter in the world, Manny Pacquiao.

BoxingScene.com: Pacquiao seems to struggle with pure counter-punchers. That’s not really your style of fighting. Do you believe that you might have to counter-punch more often in this fight?

Bradley: I really don’t know. I haven’t been in the ring with him yet. I really don’t know exactly on how it’s going to go. It all depends on how Pacquiao comes out and then I’ll make my adjustments in there. I already have a couple of game plans in my mind. When I get into the fight, I should prevail, I should definitely prevail…land shots on Pacquiao that other fighters didn’t land and get out of trouble….counter-punch when I need to. I know Pacquiao likes to come forward and likes to bang as well.

BoxingScene.com: Thoughts on Pacquiao’s power.

Bradley: If he catches me on the chin flush and I don’t go anywhere – it’s going to be a long night baby. I have a really good chin. I have a solid chin. I’ve been down officially one time. I don’t count that second knockdown with Kendall Holt. I don’t count that bro. I didn’t even go down. The first knockdown of course, a punch that I didn’t see. He has power. I know he has 13 knockouts or so, but he has power. I don’t know if Manny can hit harder than that. Honestly, I don’t know. Kendall is a big guy, naturally bigger than Manny and he’s very strong. When I fought him he was primetime. We’ll have to see. After the first round…I’ll know what I can do after the first round.

Boxingscene.com: When you previously made a move to welterweight in 2010, against Carlos Abregu, most people felt that you didn’t look the same as you usually do at 140-pounds. Was there anything that you did wrong, maybe with bulking up, that you plan to change for this fight?

Bradley: At that time, I worked on one game plan for Abregue and he came in with a whole different strategy. I thought he was going to be aggressive and that he was going to come forward and bang me out, but then he came with a whole different strategy. He was the bigger guy, but he laid back and was trying to lure me in. I was like ‘man, we didn’t train for this.’

Abregua was trying to box a little bit. He was using his jab and trying to set me up for counters and jabs. I was amazed. It kind of threw me off. When I watched tapes, he came in like a wildman with other guys. I think by that, coming in and having to make the adjustments in the ring – it kind of threw me off. He was also a little awkward to hit, to catch his timing.

 

By Rick Reeno

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=49560

 

WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12KOs) doesn’t consider himself as “the smaller man” in the upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38KOs), the WBO’s champion at 147-pounds. During his amateur career, Bradley was fighting at 147, and then moved up to 152 when he tried to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. Bradley previously fought at 147 in 2010 and won a twelve round decision over Carlos Abregu on HBO.

Bradley says that he walks around at 160, 165-pounds, while Pacquiao walks around at a lower weight. He says Pacquiao’s strong legs, where some believe his power comes from, is the only size difference.

“A lot of people think I’m the smaller guy, that I’m the little guy,” Bradley told hometown paper The Desert Sun. “This is what the public doesn’t realize, when I was 16, I didn’t fight at 118. I fought at 152 pounds when I was 16. I naturally walk around at 160, 165 pounds. Manny probably gets no higher than 155, maybe 150 walking around. I’m a naturally bigger guy even though I fought at 140 and he fought at 147.

“If you look at my muscle mass, his muscle mass, I’m the bigger guy. What Manny does have is bigger legs. His legs are ridiculous. Where he makes up for it is his leg, I make up for it with the top half of my body. I’m used to fighting guys 6-0, 5-10. So the whole power thing of me being the little guy, you can throw that out the window. That won’t be the case during the fight.”

 

By Edward Chaykovsky

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=49406

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and president Todd DuBeof are scheduled to meet with Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz and Cameron Dunkin, manager of undefeated WBA Junior Welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley here in San Antonio, Thursday to hopefully finalize details of a June 9 title fight between WBO welterweight champion and pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao and Bradley.

In an interview with BoxingScene.com, Manila Standard and Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN, Arum said “we will sit down and try to thresh everything out and then Manny will be contacted in the Philippines and hopefully we will be able to make an announcement on Tuesday which is two days after the Super Bowl.”

The 28 year old Bradley has a record of 28-0 with 12 knockouts and will be coming off an 8th round TKO over former world champion Joel Casamayor last November 12, 2011.

Bradley won the WBC title with a 12 round split decision over Junior Witter on May 10, 2008 and added the WBO title with a 12 round decision over Kendall Holt on April 4, 2009. One of his more impressive wins was against newly crowned WBA/IBF champion Lamont Peterson on December 12, 2009 before Peterson won a controversial decision over Amir Khan. Bradley dropped Peterson in the third round en route to a comfortable decision.

Bradley’s manager Dunkin who also handles Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire told us he expects the Pacquiao-Bradley fight to push through even as Floyd Mayweather Jr announced he would fight 154 pound champ Miguel Cotto on May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Mayweather made the announcement after the Nevada State Athletic Commission issued the fighter a conditional, one-fight license warning him he had to go to prison to begin serving a 90 day sentence on June 1 and had to stay out of trouble.

Arum said the Mayweather situation “is really bizarre, its really sad because its making a circus of boxing. Its obvious to anybody who has looked at this, that the fight isn’t happening because of Mayweather. For two years one thing was in stone — that was a 50-50 deal and now Mayweather has departed from it and thats ridiculous. Hopefully when our fight is set in June, his fight is now set for May, we will sit down sensibly without a lot of pressure and plan a fight if both (Pacquiao and Mayweather) are successful for November, hopefully.”

However, Arum cautioned “with these birds there is  no rational kind of thing. I know what Mayweather is up to. He’s trying to get some investor to put up a tremendous amount of money, pay Manny a fraction of that and keep the rest to himself. But I’ve been in this game too long to let that happen.”

Responding to Mayweather’s offer of $40 million to Pacquiao while he retains all the ay-per-view and other ancillary income Arum made a counter-offer of a guaranteed $50 million and said “its a no brainer. I’d give him $50 million in two seconds because each of these guys (Pacquiao and Mayweather) is going to make a lot more than $50 million once we get the fight on. I believe the fight will do about 3 million pay-per-view homes in the United States and Canada and the gate is going to be tremendous.”

The Top Rank promoter also revealed that he and DuBeof had spoken to the MGM people who told him that they want to do an outdoor stadium where the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is. Arum noted “there is plenty of room to put the outdoor stadium up and you use that tremendously large convention center for a boxing experience so that people can come and see the old boxing memorabilia, films and everything. Its great for boxing and the press will have great accommodations and its all working but nobody is going to spend the money to put up an outdoor stadium unless they know there is going to be a fight.”

 

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=49178

NABO junior welterweight champion Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (15-0-1, 9 KOs) of San Francisco is tentatively scheduled to defend his belt for the first time on March 29 against Aris Ambriz (16-2-1, 8 KOs) at the Landers Arena in Southaven, Mississippi.

Also on the card is a middleweight matchup between former 154-pound champ Kassim Ouma and Ishe Smith, as first reported by BoxingScene.com’s Ryan Burton.

Ambriz, a native of Azusa, Calif., has a résumé that includes a draw and a loss with Jose Reynoso as well as a fourth-round stoppage to Pier-Olivier Coté on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley undercard last May.  He has not seen action since last June, when he scraped by Juan Santiago via six-round majority decision.

“Ambriz is a quality opponent with some pretty good power,” Mayfield said. “Unfortunately for my Bay ‘Areans’ it won’t be back home this time, but I’m ready to go and fight anywhere.”

In his last bout three months ago, Mayfield incurred a deep gash over his right eyebrow in a dominant unanimous decision victory over veteran Patrick Lopez for the vacant belt.  Just two weeks ago, his physician cleared him to spar.

“It happens when you fight a southpaw like Lopez, but it’s good to go,” Mayfield said.

This fight will mark only the second bout for “Hard Hitta” at 140 pounds after a career spanning 147 to 154.  Working with Victor Conte on his nutrition and fitness, Mayfield vows he will not labor to make the limit.

“I’m walking around at [1]56,” he said.  A few weeks I get to 145 and I have to back off because you don’t want to cut [pounds] too early.  I just have to watch my diet and I’ll be good.”

Currently ranked No. 9 in the WBO, Mayfield would love to ascend the rankings and get an opportunity to fight for Timothy Bradley’s title as soon as possible, whether against “Desert Storm” or someone else should Bradley move up to 147 pounds to pursue a Pacquiao fight.

“That would be great,” said Mayfield, who was one of Pacquiao’s main sparring partners for the Mosley fight.  “I would love to do that, whether the belt is vacant or if I got a shot to fight the champ in Bradley.  I only have 15 pro fights under my belt, but I definitely could have gave him a better fight than [Joel] Casamayor did.  If I’m not ready right now at 30, I’ll never be ready.”

 

By Ryan Maquiñana

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48938

 

WBO junior welterweight champion Tim Bradley has received heavy criticism from Amir Khan since their July 2011 fight fell through.  After Bradley defeated Devon Alexander and Khan beat Marcos Maidana the two fighters where supposed to face each other in a fight for junior welterweight supremacy.  The fight never materialized as Bradley opted to sit out his promotional contract so that he could sign with Top Rank.

Last month Khan was upset by heavy underdog Lamont Peterson in Washington, DC. While on The Boxing Lab, BoxingScene.com’s official audio show, Bradley said that despite Khan’s loss, he still wanted to meet the British star in the center of the squared circle.

“I still want Khan. Don’t get it twisted,” stated Bradley.  “Like I said before payback is a bitch. I still want to bust that dude up and hit him in the mouth. He talked sh*t and he is definitely a guy that I want to leave cuts on his face.”

Bradley said that he feels that 2012 will be his best year yet.  He thinks that the new year will bring a changing of the guard and boxing’s young guns will take over.

“When I had my toast on New Year’s eve I said that 2012 is the year of Bradley. Its time for the new faces of boxing to take over. Guys like me, Andre Ward and other young guys will be taking over.  If you bet on Bradley you always get paid,”  Bradley said in closing.

 

By Ryan Burton

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48121

WBO/WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39KOs) has once again discussed his interest in facing WBO 140-pound champion Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12KOs). Marquez, who turns 39-years-old in August, is looking to retire by the end of 2012 and wants the best fights possible. The top priority is a fourth fight with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, who won a twelve round majority decision over Marquez on November 16th.

If Pacquiao is unavailable, Marquez wants Bradley. He considers Bradley’s style as being more diffcult to overcome in comparison to Pacquiao, who the Mexican champion faced for 36 rounds.

“If it won’t be Pacquiao, then I want it to be Bradley. Erik Morales is a good fighter [at 140] but we want the best possible options there are.Bradley is the better option. He holds the best ranking [at 140] and he has a style that is more difficult than Pacquiao,” Marquez said.

 

By Miguel Rivera

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48084

MGM Grand, Las Vegas – WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12KOs) stopped former titleholder Joel Casamayor (38-6-1, 22KOs) in the eight round, after the Cuban boxer’s corner stopped the fight.

The fight wasn’t easy on the eyes. Casamayor would grab and hold every single time he got tagged. Bradley, inactive since January’s decision win over Devon Alexander, looked sharp but the Cuban veteran wasn’t an easy target. Casamayor was moving, grabbing on the inside, and using the ropes to slide away from combinations.

Bradley was starting to land his punches in the fourth, with Casamayor staying away once hit. In the fifth, Bradley dropped Casamayor with a hard hook to the body. Casamayor made it up, with Bradley continuing to work the body and following up with combinations to the head. At the start of the sixth, Casamayor went down again but the knockdown wasn’t clean and looked more like a slight shove. Bradley closed the round by ripping combinations to Casamayor’s body.

During the eight, Bradley was ripping Casamayor to the head and punishing the Cuban to the body. In the final ten seconds, another shot to the body forced Casamayor to take a knee. At that point, Casamayor’s trainer, Miguel Diaz, entered the ring to wave it off.

 

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=45971

Timothy Bradley isn’t concerned about Joel Casamayor getting dirty during their fight Saturday night.

The crafty Cuban southpaw is a notorious rule-bender, but Bradley believes he is more than ready to respond appropriately if Casamayor does anything questionable in their 12-round fight for Bradley’s WBO junior welterweight title.

“I am rough in there, too,” Bradley said. “He is in there with a young lion, hungry for greatness. He can get rough all he wants because I have my tricks of the trade, also. We will talk to the referee [Vic Drakulich] in the pre-fight interview and let him know about his dirty tactics. We prepare for that in training. I know things he likes to do and we are prepared for it. He’s not going to sneak anything by me.”

Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs, 1 NC), of Palm Springs, Calif., and Miami’s Casamayor (38-5-1, 22 KOs) will square off in the co-featured fight of an HBO Pay-Per-View broadcast that’ll match Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs) against Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) in the 12-round main event at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

 

By: Keith Idec

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=45849

When boxing champion Timothy Bradley makes his Las Vegas debut Saturday, fans from the desert will be rooting for the Cathedral City product — both for who he is and what he represents.

Those who knew Bradley as a youth through his days at Cathedral City High School remember a dedicated athlete who talked about his dreams of fighting in Las Vegas.

Then there are those who discovered Bradley after he became a world champion, and see a role model and example of what can happen through hard work.

One local youth, 13-year-old Dominic Serna, trains at the Indio Boys and Girls Club, sparring in the same ring and hitting the same heavy bags as Bradley.

“It makes me feel like I’m training with the top fighters,” said Serna, one of the top young fighters in the area and in the country. “To be here in the same gym is a privilege. I don’t know him on a personal level, but I know him as a hard worker and very supportive.

“He’s humble. He treats everyone like he would treat anyone else.”

For nearly two years, Bradley has been recognized as one of the 10 best fighters in the world regardless of weight class. On Saturday, Bradley will defend his WBO title against 1992 Olympian Joel Casamayor at the MGM Grand.

A victory by Bradley could mean a chance at a big-time fight against Manny Pacquiao, regarded as one of the top two stars in the sport. Pacquiao is fighting the main event Saturday against Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez.

“Timothy proves that anything is possible,” said Marcos Caballero a boxing trainer with Coachella Valley Boxing Club whose son Randy is a promising prospect. “We all come from the same neighborhoods and for the kids, it’s a motivation to make it as far as he did.

“It will open the door for the amateur fighters we have.”

While Bradley mostly works out in the east valley, he has deep roots in the west side. He was born and raised in Palm Springs and went to school at Cathedral City High School, where his father, Tim Sr., is a security guard.

Bradley still lives in Cathedral City and is president of the Cathedral City Lions Junior All American Football program. His wife, Monica, serves as commissioner and his stepson, Robert, plays.

For many of the teachers and coaches who remembered Bradley at Cathedral City High School, they have a rooting interest. They have organized viewing of Saturday’s fight at Buffalo Wild Wings at the Westfield Mall in Palm Desert. Proceeds from the food sales will go to the Cathedral City High School athletic program.

“It’s been very exciting. Everyone is on the edge of their seat,” said Lisa Johnson, a physical education teacher at Cathedral City High who taught Bradley and his wife. “We know how important these next fights are.

“He’s on the brink of being a household name.”

Many of the Cathedral City coaches had planned to attend the fight in Las Vegas until they saw the $500 price tag. A lot of the coaches had gone to Bradley’s fights when they were at The Show inside the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa.

“We were all spoiled. His wife Monica could get us tickets,” Johnson said. “Now we’re just trying to find that good spot to watch it together.”

Rob Hanmer, the former basketball coach at Cathedral City, said he still remembers teaching sixth-period PE, and Bradley was one of 10 athletes in the class who had the ability to earn a college scholarship.

But Bradley didn’t compete in the main sports of football or basketball despite the urging of the coaches. Because Bradley was working toward a shot on the Olympic boxing team, his father did not allow his son to play any sport where he could suffer an injury.

Hanmer, however, told Bradley he would make a spot for him on the basketball team if he could convince his father.

“He was excited about the opportunity,” Hanmer said. “He was in the gym, and then his dad came in and snatched him and put him back in the weight room. That ended his basketball career.”

Although Bradley stands at 5-foot-6, Hanmer said he had no doubt he could be successful on the basketball court.

“He has an unbelievable work ethic and really, really positive attitude,” Hanmer said. ”He was one of those kids trying to do the right things and work hard. Those are the kind of people you want to coach if you get the opportunity.”

But Hanmer and all the coaches knew Bradley was fully dedicated to becoming a boxer. It’s what they admired about him.

“Even when he was in high school, he had that drive and dedication,” said Johnson, a physical education teacher and former softball coach at Cathedral City High School. “You see something in a person, even at a young age. He had that drive. We see so many young people who have physical tools, but don’t have the heart. He had both at a very young age, that drive and heart.”

Cathedral City resident Brandon Revis, 29, went to school and church with Bradley and his family. Today, Revis’ 9-year-old son Adam plays in Bradley’s football program. But Revis said he can remember in high school how Bradley always talked about being a world champion and fighting in Las Vegas.

“This is great because he will do something he’s wanted to do his whole life,” said Revis. “I’m excited for him. He’s a disciplined, loyal and great guy.”

Bradley had to miss his 10-year high school reunion last weekend, but he is still visible at Cathedral City, training at the school and showing up at football games.

“He’s very humble, but he has a great personality,” Hanmer said. “He stops by school and says hello. He’s a part of our community. Even though he’s rich and famous, he’s still a person who comes to a football game and says hello to everyone. He’s a really good person.”

Bradley is also touching a younger generation of boxers, much like what his trainer Joel Diaz and his two brothers did before.

Bradley grew up idolizing the Diaz brothers, who were top prospects and all three fought for world titles, with youngest Julio becoming a two-time IBF lightweight champion.

Today, Bradley is setting an example like the Diaz brothers before him.

“I take my hat off to him; he’s proven a lot in the sport,” said Randy Caballero, a professional fighter with Golden Boy Promotions and top attraction at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. “What he’s doing is good for the sport and he sets a good example. If you stick to it, you can do what you love.

“The impact to the valley, he sets the tone. Some people don’t know him and I wish his name was bigger. With what he’s accomplished, his name should be out there because what he’s done is not easy.”

Written by: Leighton Ginn (The Desert Sun)

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20111108/SPORTS03/111080313/Determined-Timothy-Bradley-defend-title-Saturday-Vegas

Danny Garcia won the vacant NABO Jr. Welterweight belt on Saturday night in Los Angeles, on a split decision over Kendall Holt. Fighting on the HBO PPV undercard supporting Hopkins vs. Dawson, it was finally put-up or shut up time.

The pre-fight talk was nasty, but most of it was between Holt (27-5 15 KOs) and Garcia’s father Angel. The Paterson, N.J. native was sick and tired of the senior Garcia saying that Holt was talking “monkey s–t” when he dismissed his son’s record.

Danny Garcia remains undefeated with a record of 22-0 14 KOs) but prior to the bout, Kendall Holt ridiculed his knockouts, asking, “Who has he knocked out.?”

“Really, who are they? Will we remember anyone them in years to come?”

The final press conference during fight week saw Angel Garcia spewing expletives at the microphone in support of his son. He heckled Holt when it was his time to speak but refused to come forward and face him when challenged.

Holt noted that he wasn’t boxing his opponent’s father and then went on to take issue with Danny’s resume.

Fast forward to fight night and Danny Garcia clearly backed up his Pop’s boasts and predictions. He kept up steady pressure, timing his punches on the counter.

They added up to the point where Garcia’s prolific right hand had almost closed Kendall Holt’s left eye. At one point in the eighth round, after a break to deal with a complaint of a hit to the back of the head, Garcia caught Holt unaware after time was back in, despite Kendall Holt trying to touch gloves.

A mini Mayweather vs. Ortiz moment.

Holt’s head snapped back and it was then you knew that Garcia didn’t talk much but he had a plan and went about executing it efficiently and relentlessly.

By the twelfth and final round Holt was gassed, trying to keep hope alive as Garcia kept up the pressure when necessary. The judges scored it 117-111, 117-111 for Danny Garcia and 115-113 in favor of Kendall Holt.

Holt was humble in defeat telling media, “He outhustled me all night. I was looking for the knockout too much. I’ve got to go back to the drawing board.” It’s clear he’s right.

http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-national/danny-garcia-silences-kendall-holt-for-nabo-belt