Bradley takes loss in stride

LAS VEGAS – Timothy Bradley offered no excuses once he got out of the ring Saturday evening after giving the WBO welterweight title back to its rightful owner Manny Pacquiao.

“No excuses. I don’t want to take anything away from Pacquiao,” Bradley told the packed media center of the MGM Grand less than an hour after the fight.

Bradley said he lost to the better fighter and thanked God that he got out of the ring safe.

Pacquiao dominated Bradley from the sixth round and pulled off a unanimous victory that proved that at 35 he’s still a force to reckon with inside the ring.

During the post-fight interview on top of the ring, Bradley said he thought he tore his right calf muscle during the first round.

His statement was met by jeers from Pacquiao fans.

When Bradley fought Pacquiao in 2012 and got away with a controversial decision, he said he could have done better if not for injuries on both feet – a torn ligament and a sprained ankle.

After that win, he was wheel-chaired in and out of the press conference.

And again this time, it appeared that he was thinking of another excuse. But he quickly dropped the “calf” thing inside the main press center.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m good,” he said.

Then he said all the nice things about Pacquiao.

“Pacquiao was the better man. He showed what he’s made of. He never ducks an opponent. And he faced one of the best tonight. He’s a true champion. An unbelievable fighter,” he said.

Bradley, who earned $6 million for the fight, took his first loss in 32 fights. But he vowed to work harder and get better with the loss.

“I lost tonight but the war is not over. I will be champion again. I did my very best,” he added.

Bradley went for the kill against Pacquiao and must have spent most if not all his energy trying. He came close in the fourth and fifth rounds when he rocked Pacquiao a couple of times.

But the eight-division world champion was not ready to go down this time and the way he did when he fought Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 and ended face-down on the canvas after taking a big right.

Bradley didn’t have enough power to put Pacquiao down.

Pacquiao failed to score a knockdown as well but Bradley admitted that there’s still something behind the Pacquiao punch.

“He does but in the first fight his punching power was way harder. But I was able to stay up on my feet. I wasn’t winded at all,” said Bradley who wasn’t cut in the fight but had swelling on the right side of the face.

He tried to recall the 36 minutes inside the ring with Pacquiao.

“I was counterpunching effectively. I gave it everything I had in the end and put myself in harm’s way. Like I said I was gonna go for the knockout. I went for the knockout and everybody saw that,” he said.

Bradley didn’t even mind that one of the judges had it 118-110 for Pacquiao and the two others 116-112.

“I won’t pay attention to that. The judge scored the fight the way he saw it,” said Bradley.

He took the loss in stride.