Timothy Bradley will finally be back in the ring on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III PPV on November 12th. He recently held a conference call to discuss his training and his upcoming bout, and he also talks at length about his new promotional situation, the criticism he has faced in recent months, the negotiations and failed fight with Amir Khan, and much more, including moving up in weight to take on big name opponents like Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. Have a look right here.
BOB ARUM: I would like to welcome everyone to the conference call and I would like to particularly welcome Timothy Bradley to the promotional ranks of Top Rank. We also have Timothy’s manager. who has more world class fighters under his management than anyone else in the world, Cameron Dunkin. This starts what I’m sure will be a memorable association between Top Rank, Tim and Cameron. We look forward to November 12th – I’m sure it will be a mega audience – we’ve been sold out for about six weeks. A complete sellout and we’ve taken in over $12 million at the box office. Ticket sales are huge in Las Vegas on closed circuit – we are selling hundreds of tickets a day at MGM, Mandalay Bay and other Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts properties. We are looking forward to a tremendous week and a great weekend in Las Vegas and a tremendous event. Tim Bradley will be in the fight leading into the main event, defending his world title against Joel Casamayor, which really enhances this card. I believe that people not only in the United States but the hundreds of millions watching around the world will have an opportunity, perhaps for the first time, to see Tim and to see how good he is, which is why we put him on this card.
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I want to thank Team Bradley of course for standing by me the past couple of months, my manager Cameron Dunkin for standing by me, and Top Rank for allowing me to be a part of their team. I am excited and honored to fight on a Manny Pacquiao card and I’ve never fought on a card with an attraction like this. I’m ready to shine, hungry to show the world who Tim Bradley is. I’ve been in camp for seven weeks and I’m ready to go. I could fight tomorrow if I needed to so I’m excited and fully amped up and I’m going to put on a good show on the 12th.
What concerns you about Casamayor’s style?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Nothing. Nothing concerns me about his style. It doesn’t matter what Casamayor is doing, whether he is climbing Mt. Everest, what he is taking – it doesn’t matter. I stay in shape year ‘round. I am prepared, mentally, spiritually, physically and there is no way this guy is going to beat me. No way.
Cameron, you took a lot of criticism the past few months…
CAMERON DUNKIN: You can see what this is – it is a great opportunity, a wonderful opportunity and I’m so thankful for Bob Arum to give Tim this opportunity. I’ve been doing this for a long time – 25 years – I knew we did the best thing and Top Rank is the best promoter in the world and I knew what they could do for Tim and his family. I took a lot of bashing but it all worked out.
You may be in the running for manager of the year?
CAMERON DUNKIN: Yes, I have had a great year. I have great fighters and they are promoted properly, brought along properly and it’s all coming together. I was Manager of the Year in 2007 and it was a great honor then and if it happens again it will be another great honor. There are a lot of people involved in this – great trainers, great promoters – it takes a lot of people for this to happen.
How did you discover the Valley where Tim is from?
CAMERON DUNKIN: It started a long time ago when I saw Antonio Diaz in the amateurs and I approached Lee Espinoza in an amateur show in Mesa, AZ and asked about him and he said he was going to do it himself then he came back to me later when Antonio was 16-2 and asked if I could work with him and I got him with Top Rank and he had an outstanding career and then I worked with his brother for a while. That is such a great area. You’ve got Caballero and Timothy Bradley. You’ve got a great amateur program coming out of there and great trainers. They’re developing kids every day and you can see it from 10 or 11 years old. I’ve said it to Bob before and I know Bob is going to develop that area. You need a real promoter to go in and develop that terrific area.
Can you talk about how Cameron got you through this time?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Cameron, myself and my wife – we all sit down and talk together a lot and talk about what direction we want to take our career in. The previous direction we were going in was not the right direction so we had to make some changes and some adjustments. Cameron’s been in the game 25 years and the last time we checked we have to pay the bills. So everyone can criticize but Cameron believes I am a great champion and that I can compete with the best fighters in the world and I believe in him and that’s how we got through this the last few months. I had to believe in Cameron and my abilities and it all fell into place and it’s great.
Do you respect Casamayor as a puncher?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Absolutely – I respect everybody I get in the ring with. Casamayor is a dangerous puncher and he’s a lefty and he likes to sneak that left over the top. I pretty much know this guy inside and out. I just have to get in the ring with him and figure him out during the first couple of rounds. He has great boxing ability and because he is 40-years-old that doesn’t mean anything. I will be in there with a real live lion. I’m a young lion and I feel I have what it takes to go in there and take him out.
JOEL DIAZ: We respect every fighter we get in the ring with. Casamayor is one of the greatest southpaws in the business. Just because of his age takes no credit away from him. We are 100% ready for whatever Casamayor brings to the ring that night. We always have our concerns but we always work on those concerns in the gym.
Can you tell us about Tim’s marketability?
BOB ARUM: I didn’t know much about Tim until the fight in Palm Springs against Lamont Peterson. I was captivated by Tim’s ability because Lamont Peterson is one hell-of-a-fighter and he’ll demonstrate that when he fights Amir Khan in December. The way he outclassed and beat a fighter like Peterson really caught my attention and then how he conducted himself in the press conferences I realized that he had a very pleasing personality and something that would sell very well once the public became aware of this fighter and what kind of person he was. He really was somebody that was in our wheelhouse, but he was under contract with another promoter and we don’t interfere with fighters that are under promotional contract. Finally that contract expired we contacted Cameron and we started talking and eventually singed Tim. We believe that because Tim is who he is – a great boxer and has a pleasing personality that we can make him a big star in the sport.
First as everybody understands, people don’t believe me but I have been saying it for years, Pacquiao’s next opponent it up to him. Do I make recommendations? Yes, that is my job as a promoter. I have never discussed with Manny an opponent after Márquez. Márquez is a very difficult opponent as we saw in their first two fights and Manny has his hands full with what I think is a new and improved Márquez who physically looks like a much bigger guy. When Manny fought him the first two times, Manny wasn’t knocking anybody out and now he has a whole string of knockouts. Obviously he is sitting down on his punches and is a very dangerous opponent. So until November 12th, I have no idea who Manny is going to fight and made that plain to Tim and Cameron that we have not discussed this with Manny and we’ll see. As far as Manny is concerned after this fight maybe four more fights, if he is successful, before he becomes the Governor of Sarangani Province and retires from boxing. There will be room, as long as Manny keeps winning, for these young fighters to test their skills against Manny Pacquiao.
Tim, what fighters do you want that will take you to the next level?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: My daughter being born was a huge step up for my life. It made me a better person and made me train harder, waking up every morning and seeing her and that smiling face every morning is a happy feeling. I know I’ve heard that once you have a child you will change and now I have a daughter and now I understand why. I am here to protect her and protect my home and that is a motivating factor. When I go to the gym every morning I know I have a reason – I’ve got another mouth to feed.
I am willing to fight the best fighters out there in the world. I don’t have a whole list of opponents just the pound-for-pound best — either Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. They are the cream of the crop and the guys I want to be in the ring with. Will I get my chance? Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t have any particular names or a list of who I want to fight but I am with a true promotional team now that’s going to take me to the next level. I will listen to my manager to see what is next after Casamayor. I have to destroy this guy and get him out of there before I can think of any other opponents.
Can you replicate the performance you had against Peterson?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Styles make fights and Lamont came to fight. I have the ability to adjust in the ring and not a lot of fighters have the ability that I have. I can box and I can brawl. If you want to get rough I can go to the inside. If you don’t want to come forward I can box. I can mix it up, that’s what makes me who I am. I may not look spectacular all the time. I may not look flashy and have tremendous knockouts but the thing is I always come ready and I always win. I don’t lose a lot of rounds. The majority of my fights have been unanimous decisions. I have always won by 3 or 4 points in every fight. I try to win every single round that I can. I’m not going to go out there and become something that I’m not. I’m not going to buy into the hype – the guy that everybody wants me to be – the huge knockout puncher. I am going to go out there and do what I always do and that’s win and win in good fashion. There is nothing that I’m doing to try to mimic that performance against Lamont. Lamont had the perfect style for me to outbox him. He came forward and he was reckless and I made him pay for shots. Casamayor is a more seasoned fighter than Lamont – craftier – he likes to use his legs and use his rhythm. He likes to shoot from a far distance then he likes to counter them. He likes to come forward to fight as well. We prepare for both styles of Casamayor. I know he can get aggressive or lay back and try to catch you with traps. We are ready for anything that he brings to the table.
How important to you is to put on an exciting fight?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: It is very important for me to put on a great show. It’s an honor to be on this show. I’ve been training since February training my butt off. I wasn’t happy with the performance against Devon Alexander. I couldn’t make that guy fight and sometimes that happens – you saw that with Nonito Donaire. Nonito tried to do everything he could to make a great fight but the guy wouldn’t fight. There’s nothing you can do about it. You saw it against Manny Pacquiao with Shane Mosley – Mosley didn’t want to fight. He didn’t want to exchange with him. It just depends on how Casamayor comes out and if he wants to fight. We are definitely going to fight.
We’ve been working on a lot of things. Try to stay behind the knee and not lunge in there. We’ve been trying to get more technical and less reckless. We’ve been sitting down on our shots trying to get more power. We’ve been doing great things in camp and we see the results in the sparring sessions. My whole team sees the difference from all the hard work I have done over the last couple of months. You are going to see a different Tim Bradley in there on the 12th I am going to be fast, explosive and punching hard.
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: That thought is always on my mind. I have to put on a great performance. But I can’t let myself buy into the hype. I have to fight my fight and that’s what it boils down to. I am going to look good in there. I am going to look great in there but I’m not going to try to look great. I am going to put on a show but I’m not going to try. I can’t go out there and try to be something that I’m not – to go for the knockout and get myself knocked out. I am going to follow the game plan and look spectacular and that’s what it’s going to boil down to. It is in the back of my head that I have to put on a great show because this is a great opportunity and I know that I will because I have prepared myself very well for this fight. It will show in the fight.
Have you seen boxing grow in the Palm Springs area?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: We have some of the best boxers in the world developed here in the desert. We have great trainers and we have a history of boxing here in Coachella Valley. It has history. Great fighters have trained here – Michael Moorer, Evander Holyfield, a lot of top guys have come here and that motivates the kids in the Valley to get into boxing. I got into boxing by meeting Holyfield and these guys. I love the competitiveness of boxing, the mano a mano – I love that. They have great trainers and great programs out here for kids and it keeps them active. They come in here and work hard and stick with it. The parents spend time with the kids and take the kids to shows and that’s what makes boxing great in the Coachella Valley. When I was an amateur I fought every Saturday and sometimes twice a week and that is still going on today and why it has been a huge success.
What were your feelings with the Khan negotiations?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: A part of me wanted to get in the ring and do what I had to do but I had a plan. If I had fought Amir Khan and beat him I don’t think it would have done anything for my career. A lot of people thought it would have been great but I didn’t think I was with the right promotional company. I felt like they didn’t push me to make me into a superstar, to promote me to not only the boxing fans but the crossover to the housewives that don’t work but love boxing. I never got that type of exposure. Top Rank brings that. If I fought Amir Khan with Top Rank I think it would be huge. You’d have the top promotional company advertising the fight, doing what they are supposed to do – spend the money to advertise the fight to make money and to make their fighter a superstar. Sitting back and thinking about it, my team and I made the right choice. I have never had the opportunity to fight on a huge mega-card like this. A month or two ago I just signed this contract with Top Rank and now I’ve got this opportunity to fight on Manny Pacquiao’s undercard as a co-main event. I am like “wow.” This is a completely different level. There a going to be millions of people around the world, not just boxing fans, watching this fight because of all the promotion going on. With Márquez, you have two great fighters that have met before and it’s the third meeting – they want to see who’s going to win this fight. And these fans are going to get a chance to see Timothy Bradley and they don’t know who Timothy Bradley is and have never seen me before but will now get a chance to see me fight. They will then say this guy is good and he should fight the top guys in the world.
How do you feel about the criticism?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: It doesn’t bother me at all. Criticism doesn’t pay the bills. One day Amir Khan and I will get in the ring and settle it. I was actually supposed to fight Amir Khan after I fought Lamont Peterson then he went on to sign with Golden Boy and Golden Boy didn’t want any part of it. We tried to call Golden Boy but they didn’t pick up the phone. We kept calling and they didn’t pick up. He ducked me first if people want to say that I ducked him. They can say whatever they want but I have a plan and a new team that is behind me and going to make Bradley a brand. Eventually, Amir and I will get it on.
Right now, at 140, Amir Khan can’t move without me. He needs me. I don’t need him. I am going to get in there and fight my fights and that’s it.
Will fighting in front of this large audience affect you?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I was born for this. I have been on big cards. I went over to England and fought against Junior Witter in front of 10,000 fans of his – I don’t think it can get any scarier than that. I was over there on his soil and I had never fought outside of California. If I can handle that kind of pressure, going over there where everybody expected me to lose the fight and I win…I can do anything. There is no added pressure. I’m going to go out there and do what I do and that’s fight and win.
What about moving up in weight?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: For greater opportunites, I would move up to 147. 140 is getting kind of tight for me to make the weight. But if there’s a great fight at 140, why not? But I would be very comfortable fighting at 147 fight now. I am 28 right now and I have to train a lot and run a lot to get this weigh off. I probably walk around right now at 5% body fat. I am getting older now and would love to move up. If I have something at 140 that I need to take care of – because I am the champ at 140 – then I’ll do it. No problem.
Are you in favor of performance bonuses as is the case with Nonito Donaire?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Heck yea. It is beneficial. The fans want to see a good fight and a good show. I am definitely on board with that.
Do you believe Casamayor is a dirty fighter?
TIMOTHY BRADLEY: I am rough in there too. 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 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.
Bob, would you like to comment on the $100,000 bonus?
BOB ARUM: Sometimes we see some fighters too anxious to quit in the fight. We saw that with Mosley with Manny and we saw it with an undefeated champion, Narvaez, with Donaire. This is PRIZE FIGHTING, that’s what it’s called. To induce fighters, when the cause doesn’t look so promising to get in there and try to pull it out when it doesn’t look so promising, we felt that if we gave them an incentive to do that, we thought we would get better fights. Todd (duBoef) announced this to Kevin Iole and I agree with it and we’ll see how it’s going to work.
JOEL DIAZ: I want to thank Top Rank. I have worked with them before when they had my brothers Antonio and Julio. On November 12, you are going to see Tim Bradley shine and open doors to the future. We know Casamayor. We study him every day. Hopefully sometime next year, we will get to see what Tim Bradley is capable of. I believe he is the next superstar in boxing and needs to get that opportunity because he is the real deal.
BOB ARUM: November 12th is certainly going to be a memorable night for boxing. It will be a card that people associated with boxing will be proud of.
