It all started on Tuesday afternoon when Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley Jr (31-1-1, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., arrived at his fight week hotel and was asked about his upcoming welterweight title fight against undefeated Jessie Vargas (26-0, 9 KOs), of Las Vegas, NV. The war of words quickly escalated between Bradley, Vargas, and Erik Morales, the new trainer for Vargas.
Bradley said:
“Jessie Vargas? I’m going to whup his ass on Saturday! And if [trainer Erik] Morales got a problem and he wants some he can get some at the end of the year too. I’m going to beat his boy.
“Then I can come back and I’ll beat his [Morales] behind. He can come out of retirement. We can fight at a catchweight – 154 pounds…200 pounds — and I’m going to whup your ass next!
I’m fired up for this! Thank you for firing me up. That Saturday night is going to be a good night. It’s going to be a good night for Team Bradley. I’m going to walk out that ring with another belt strapped around me.”
When Vargas and Morales were confronted with Bradley’s statements at their media workout today here is what they had to say:
“I’m not surprised. He is cracking up from the pressure of fight week,” said Vargas.
“He’s obviously very intimated by what he is about to face on Saturday night. This fight will be his downfall. I have had the greatest training camp. I have never felt stronger or hit harder. Erik has been an incredible trainer and who better to learn from then one of the greatest pound for pound champions of his era?
“We know everything about Bradley. This was a Jessie Vargas training camp in an Erik Morales style.”
“Bradley wants to fight me? Insane,” responded Morales, a former four-division world champion and future Hall of Famer.
“He should be worrying about Jessie giving him a rematch. Bradley needs to get by Jessie and he won’t. I assure you Jessie will win on Saturday and from the way Bradley is acting out, it sounds like he knows it.”
