LOS ANGELES – The media came to see Timothy Bradley as he trained at the brick-walled Fortune Gym along the famous Sunset Boulevard.
The undefeated American was a gracious host, fielding every question thrown at him. Later on, he got up the ring, took off his shirt and flaunted his great physique. (Related story on A-20)
Then he worked out with his trainer, Joel Garcia.
Bradley also vowed to knock Manny Pacquiao out and here’s how he intends to do it.
“I’m going to knock him out with the left hook,†he said.
“Not the right (hand) but the left hook. That’s what I’m going to knock him out with,†added the native of Indio, California with a ring record of 31 wins and 12 knockouts.
Bradley won a hotly-contested decision over Pacquiao in June 2012 and while he believes he deserved the win he feels he needs to prove it here.
The current holder of the WBO welterweight title said he trained hard for the fight that takes place on April 12 at the MGM Grand.
To him, it’s the only fight that matters.
“This is everything to me. Everything I’ve worked hard for in boxing. This is everything to me,†he said.
Bradley is on the eighth and last week of his training, and during his media day workout he declared himself fit and ready to face the heavy-handed Filipino.
Bradley said he can go 12 rounds “easy†in the coming fight because in training he did more than what’s needed to get him in top shape.
“I did 10-minute rounds with three different guys straight,†he said of his unusual training regimen that calls for just a 15-second break before a new sparring partner comes in.
“I get 15 seconds to drink water and boom right back on it and 15 seconds rest and boom another fresh guy comes in. It was so intense -- extremely new,†he told mediamen inside the dressing room.
Someone asked if it was possible that he over-trained for the fight,
“No,†was the quick reply.
“I had proper rest but it was a solid eight weeks. I’m ready to fight,†went on.
Bradley said this fight is all about redemption because people thought he lost the first fight even if he insists that he won eight of the 12 rounds.
The WBO called for a review of the fight with no intention of reversing the result, and the set of judges felt Pacquiao won.
“This is about me redeeming what I didn’t get in the first fight. I’m going to do whatever it takes,†he said.
“I was victorious but I felt like a loser. It’s because of what the people, the media, what you guys said,†Bradley added.
He wants the monkey off his back.