Besides Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley has probably fought better competition over last twenty four months than any other fighter in the sport. And in winning two major worlds titles and defeating a slew of top contenders he has finally started to attain a rare level of notoriety that is usually reserved for the sport’s super-stars. In fact, ESPN commentator Teddy Atlas recently stated in January that he thinks Bradley is one of the best three pound for pound fighters in the world and for the first time in his career Bradley is the center piece of this month’s Ring Magazine cover. And as the 26 year old from Palm Springs, California continues to develop into a marquee attraction and actively seek challenges, his name will be mentioned more frequently in conversations pertaining to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
And this past Tuesday on FightFanNation Radio, Anaheim Boxing Examiner Brent Alderson asked Bradley about the controversy surrounding the breaking down in negotiations due to Mayweather’s demands for rigid drug testing and Bradley was extremely candid and practically chastised Pacquiao for not conceding to the tests which would have guaranteed a level playing field for both fighters and commented, ”I look back at that and I say to myself in boxing you don’t have all these anti-doping companies or the U.S. whatever, the big company that drug tests and looks at athletes randomly. Boxing doesn’t have that, they only do a urine test. There are steroids, drugs out there you can take that can only be traced in your blood and not through your urine. Everybody, if you ask any top professional athlete, if he could take supplements out there and he won’t get caught and be strong and dominate the sport for ten years, a decade, more than 95% of the athletes will say ‘heck ya’ because everybody wants to be on top. Everybody wants to remain on the top. Anybody is willing to take that risk so they can be on top, you got a family to support so you want to be at your absolute best, at your absolute best. Is asking for a drug test wrong? I Honestly don’t think that’s wrong. He’s [Floyd] taking one too. He’s taking one too. He has a point, he does have a point. How are you going to go from 106 pounds all the way up to 147 pounds and keep your power, and keep your power now. I understand his work ethic but that’s unheard of. I ain’t ever seen anything like that. Do I think Manny is taking steroids? No, I don’t think Manny is taking steroids. I think his work ethic, you see how hard this guy trains, he trains like no other. If he ain’t doing anything why not do the drug test?”
