The boxer who was awarded one of the most infamous decisions in the sport?s history three years ago against Manny Pacquiao has used the bad decision that went against him in his last fight as motivation.
Six months after settling for a dubious draw with Argentina?s Diego Chaves, Timothy Bradley will return to the ring Saturday night seeking to reestablish himself as one of the world?s best boxers. The former two-division champion will attempt to regain his WBO welterweight title when he faces undefeated Jessie Vargas in a 12-round fight.
HBO will air Bradley-Vargas from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
After what occurred against Chaves (23-2-1, 19 KOs), Bradley, 31, is determined to leave no doubt among the three judges Saturday night. Bradley (31-1-1, 12 KOs, 1 NC) has scored just one knockout in his past 15 fights, but the Palm Springs, Calif., native doesn?t believe Vargas (26-0, 9 KOs) is on his level.
“I have more big-fight experience than Vargas,” Bradley said. “I have more speed, more power, and I am a better athlete. Vargas knows in his heart that I?m going to bring it.”
Las Vegas? Vargas, 26, has beaten several solid fighters the past two years. Bradley is his most accomplished opponent, but Vargas thinks his recent work with new trainer Erik Morales will enable him to beat Bradley.
“I?ve worked so hard for it,” Vargas said. “I?ve been waiting for this opportunity for years. Having Erik, it reminds me, ?Hey, we need to work harder. We need to take you up to the mountains, to high elevations, and work up there.? And he did. It worked out well. It?s given us great results. And I plan to give you a great fight, a 12-round fight of non-stop punches. That?s how ready I am. I will assure you that, from this side, we won?t stop throwing punches.”
GARCIA-MALIGNAGGI: Danny Garcia dismissed the contention that he?s fighting Paulie Malignaggi in his welterweight debut because Malignaggi doesn?t possess power and hasn?t fought since Shawn Porter knocked him out 14 months ago.
The Brooklyn-bred Malignaggi knows, though, that their Aug. 1 fight at Barclays Center is perceived as a way to ease Philadelphia?s Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs) into the welterweight division without taking a significant risk.
“If that?s the reason I got offered the fight, it?s the same reason I got offered the Juan Diaz fight in Houston in ?09,” Malignaggi said on a conference call Tuesday. “It?s the same reason I got the Vyacheslav Senchenko fight in Ukraine in 2012. And my confidence comes from me knowing I have the mental capacity to not let that kind of pressure bother me, and I have the mental capacity to just go into my zone and eliminate all the negativity from my mind.”
Diaz defeated Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs) by unanimous decision in August 2009, but Malignaggi avenged that controversial loss 3 1/2 months later by winning a unanimous decision in Chicago. Malignaggi, a big underdog, also upset the then-unbeaten Senchenko to win the WBA welterweight title in August 2012 in Senchenko?s native Ukraine.
The Garcia-Malignaggi match will headline an ESPN doubleheader. The broadcast will begin with a middleweight bout that?ll pit WBA titleholder Danny Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs), another Brooklyn boxer, against Los Angeles? Sergio Mora (28-3, 9 KOs).
