Timothy Bradley

Timothy Bradley
Born	Timothy Ray Bradley, Jr. (1983-08-29) August 29, 1983 Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	Desert Storm
Statistics
Weight(s)	Light welterweight Welterweight
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Reach	69 in (175 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	36
Wins	33
Wins by KO	13
Losses	1
Draws	1
No contests	1

Timothy Ray "Tim" Bradley, Jr. (born August 29, 1983) is an American professional boxer. He is a two-time former WBO welterweight champion, a two-time former WBC light welterweight champion, and a former WBO light welterweight champion. Bradley has defeated twelve world champions over his career, including Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Márquez and Devon Alexander, and has ended four undefeated streaks. As of December 2015, The Ring magazine currently ranks Bradley as the world's #4 welterweight and #10 pound for pound.

Professional career

Light-welterweight

Bradley had his first professional bout on August 20, 2004, knocking out Francisco Martinez in the second round. In his rise through the ranks, he won the WBC youth world welterweight and super lightweight crowns. He also beat future IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez by a unanimous ten round decision.

Bradley vs. Witter

Bradley finally got his chance for a full world title when José Luis Castillo failed to make weight in a title eliminator for the WBC super lightweight belt. He then won the WBC super lightweight title by defeating British fighter Junior Witter in England. Bradley's bank account was down to $11 when he made the decision to go to England to fight Junior Witter. Bradley came into the fight a 6–1 underdog against Witter. During the fight, Bradley controlled most of the action, and dropped Witter in his corner during the 6th round. Though the fight was scored a close split decision for Bradley, most observers and analysts thought Bradley should have comfortably been given a unanimous decision verdict.

Bradley vs. Holt

On April 4, 2009, Bradley fought Kendall Holt to unify his WBC and Holt's WBO titles. Bradley was dropped in the first round by a huge left hook and was badly hurt but regrouped and outboxed Holt for most of the fight, before being sent to the canvas again in the 12th round. Nonetheless, Bradley got up and finished the fight. He won the fight by unanimous decision and became the new WBO champion.

Several days after his unification bout with Holt, Bradley was stripped of his WBC junior welterweight title, because of failure to fight Devon Alexander, his mandatory challenger. As a result, the title became vacant and Alexander stopped Witter at the end of eight rounds to win the belt.

The Alexander-Witter fight was on the undercard of Bradley's August 1 fight with Nate Campbell in Bradley's hometown of Palm Springs. Campbell, a former lightweight champion, was coming up in weight after he failed to make the lightweight limit in his last fight. Bradley's fight with Campbell only lasted three rounds after Campbell chose not to continue when a cut formed over and behind his left eye. Bradley was awarded the TKO victory, but the verdict was later changed. A replay showed that the cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads. The rules state that if a fight is stopped by a cut caused by an accidental headbutt before the end of round four, it should be called a no contest. The California State Athletic Commission therefore changed the result.

Bradley vs. Peterson

On December 12, Bradley took on mandatory challenger and future light-welterweight champion, Lamont Peterson. Bradley dominated the fight, knocking Peterson down in the third round and went on to win a lopsided unanimous decision.

Welterweight

In his HBO Debut, Bradley was scheduled to face Luis Abregu in a nontitle bout at welterweight. However, Bradley's promoter told ESPN.com that he had made a deal with Golden Boy Promotions to fight Interim title holder and knockout artist: Marcos "El Chino" Maidana, at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California, only a few miles from Bradley's hometown of Palm Springs. The fight was scheduled to take place on June 19, 2010, but was postponed after Maidana had suffered a back injury during training for the fight. As a result, the initial plan to move up in weight was made and the fight with Abregu was back on, scheduled for the Agua Caliente Casino, along with a set fight date of July 17, 2010. Although clearly out-sized, Bradley proved too quick and too skilled for the hard-hitting Abregu winning by unanimous decision, with the judges' scorecards reading 119–111, 118–112 and 117–113. At the end of the fight, Bradley openly made a challenge to pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, calling for him to "Come break down this wall." Bradley also called out Devon Alexander, Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana.

Return to Light-welterweight

Bradley vs. Alexander

Main article: Timothy Bradley vs. Devon Alexander

On January 29, 2011, Timothy Bradley defended his WBO junior welterweight title in a unification fight against fellow light welterweight title holder, WBC champion Devon Alexander, at the Silverdome Arena in Pontiac, MI. Bradley won via 10th round technical decision.

As stipulated in the contract of the fight against Devon Alexander, Bradley would be given a $1.3 million payday regardless of whomever he selected as his opponent for his next fight. While the public wanted Bradley to fight the then WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan and unify the division, Bradley opted to not take the fight.

Stripped of WBC Title

Timothy Bradley was stripped of his title as he refused to fight then World Boxing Association light-welterweight champion Amir Khan. Many have speculated that Bradley was not satisfied with the $1.3 million to fight a boxer of Amir Khan's caliber, although this was Bradley highest pay day in his entire career so far. Also, he had admitted that it was too risky to fight Amir Khan, asking rhetorically on the American radio show Leave It In The Ring, "What if I lose then I am out the sweepstake to fight pound-for-pound-king Manny Pacquiao for 7.5 million dollars?" Bradley's refusal to take the fight led to a falling out between him and his promoter Gary Shaw. Subsequently he was stripped of the WBC title due to inactivity.

Joins Top Rank

Timothy Bradley joined Top Rank and made his debut for them on November 12, 2011, defending his WBO junior welterweight title against former lightweight titlist Joel Casamayor, 40, on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III. Bradley won by TKO in the eighth round in making his case for a shot at Pacquiao.

Return to Welterweight

Bradley vs. Pacquiao

See also: Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley

Bradley fought Manny Pacquiao on June 9, 2012 for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title. Bradley won a controversial victory over Pacquiao by way of split decision, with two of the judges scoring it 115–113 to Bradley and the other 115–113 to Pacquiao. The decision ended Pacquiao's 7-year undefeated streak and gave Bradley the title. According to Compubox, Pacquiao was ahead in punches landed, power punches landed, percentage of punches landed, and percentage of power punches landed. As a result of the controversial scoring, a special five-judge panel was created by World Boxing WBO President Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel to review the fight. All five judges of the panel reviewed a video of the bout and all 5 judges scored it in favor of Manny Pacquiao. Despite the panel's findings, WBO rules do not allow the decision to be overturned. The most the boxing body can do, according to Valcarcel, is to order a rematch.

Bradley vs. Provodnikov

Bradley won a close unanimous decision against Ruslan Provodnikov on March 16, 2013 for the WBO Welterweight Championship. Provodnikov was given the fight to serve as an easy target for Bradley, who was looking for a confidence booster after a controversial fight with Manny Pacquiao. Bradley came out on the attack mode early, fighting in an uncharacteristically aggressive fashion. Provodnikov made him pay, tagging him with hard shots in the first round, and staggering him in the second. Bradley said after the fight he was concussed by a shot Provodnikov hit him with in the first round. Bradley boxed more conservatively as the fight wore on, winning most of the middle rounds. In the last round, Provodnikov had Bradley hurt badly again but Bradley took a knee with just seconds remaining, and was able to beat the count, hanging on to win the fight on points. Bradley was impressed by Provodnikov's power and said "he's going to be a world champion someday."

Bradley vs. Marquez

Main article: Timothy Bradley vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

Bradley's bout with Ring #3 ranked pound for pound, Ring #5 ranked junior lightweight and WBO junior welterweight champion Juan Manuel Márquez was October 12, 2013 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bradley was awarded a split decision win, in a fight where he wobbled Márquez in the final round with a left uppercut en route to winning via split decision with scorecards of 116–112, 115–113 and 113–115.

Bradley vs. Pacquiao II

Main article: Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley II

Bradley gave Manny Pacquiao a rematch on April 12, 2014. Ironically, the second fight was closer than the first contest according to many pundits. Pacquiao pulled away on the scorecards in the second half of the fight winning with a unanimous decision (118–110, 116–112, 116–112), ending Bradley's undefeated streak.

Bradley vs. Chaves

On December 13, 2014, following his first career loss to Manny Pacquiao, Bradley fought former WBA welterweight interim champion Diego Chaves of Argentina, in Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada. The official scorecards led to a controversial split-draw (Julie Lederman 112–116 for Chaves, Burt A. Clements 115–113 for Bradley, while Craig Metcalfe 114–114 for an even). Harold Lederman, HBO's unofficial judge, had it 116–112 for Bradley and the Compubox statistics heavily favored a Bradley win as they stated he had connected with 225 of 572 punches punches versus the 152 of 570 blows Chaves connected with.

Bradley vs. Vargas

Bradley fought and beat the undefeated boxer Jessie Vargas on June 27, 2015 at Stubhub Center, CA, USA on HBO World Championship Boxing to capture the WBO Welterweight Interim title. He won the fight by unanimous decision. On July 6, the WBO welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather was stripped of his title for failing to pay a $200,000 sanctioning fee for his bout with Manny Pacquiao and for not relinquishing his world titles in the Junior Middleweight division, as the WBO rules mandate that a champion of theirs can only hold titles in one division at a time. Therefore, Bradley was promoted to the full-time WBO welterweight champion.

Bradley vs. Ríos

Bradley fought and beat former Lightweight champion Brandon Ríos on November 7, 2015 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas to retain the WBO Welterweight title. He won the fight by technical knockout in Round 9 at 2:48, after he put Ríos down with a body shot and followed it up with a barrage of punches, dropping Ríos again and prompting referee Tony Weeks to wave the fight off.

Personal life

Timothy Bradley, Jr. was born in Palm Springs, California on August 29, 1983, and grew up in Cathedral City, California. He went to Cathedral City High School, along with future mixed martial artist and current UFC contender Cub Swanson. Prior to becoming a professional boxer, Bradley worked as a dishwasher and as a waiter. He married his high school friend, Monica Manzo, in 2010 and became an adoptive father to Manzo's two children, all together the couple have five children. In 2015, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.

Vegan diet

Bradley has been on a vegan diet for his fights since 2008. He said that he first tried the vegan diet when he was preparing for his fight with the World Boxing Council super lightweight champion Junior Witter. In this fight Witter was knocked down in 6th from overhand right. Bradley won the fight by split decision. After the fight he was proud of the results and maintain his diet. He also said when he is on the vegan diet he feels superior over any athlete who gets into the ring with him because it gives him energy, and helps with his reflexes and balance.

See also

• List of male boxers
• List of current world boxing champions

External links

• Boxing record for Timothy Bradley from BoxRec (registration required)