As Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs) prepares for, literally, the fight of his life this Saturday against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, many casual fans may not be aware of his resume.
Bradley, from Palm Springs, California, is already regarded by most as the best junior welterweight in the world and, despite a lack of crossover charisma, is a fighter who has truly earned his spot across the ring from the Filipino icon.
Here’s a look at the four fights that made Timothy Bradley the fighter he is today:
Timothy Bradley SD 12 Junior Witter
May 10, 2008 (Nottingham Arena, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom)
The awkward Brit, Junior Witter, was the defending WBC junior welterweight champ and a favorite to beat unknown number one contender, Bradley. In a close encounter that was hardly a Fight of the Year candidate, Bradley would prevail and bring home the world title. Although lacking in technique, Bradley proved his toughness by walking into the champion’s home country and consistently beating the more experienced defending champ to the punch.
Timothy Bradley UD 12 Kendall Holt
April 4, 2009 (Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
WBC champ, Bradley, proved early on in his reign that he would be a fighting champ and one willing to take the risks that many other champs wouldn’t. This title unification bout against defending WBO junior welterweight titlist, Holt, was considered a dangerous bout and nearly proved to be a disastrous move for Bradley after the Palm Springs native was rocked and sent to the canvas in the first round. But Bradley would recover and outwork the talented, but inconsistent Holt to take the decision as well as the WBO belt.
Timothy Bradley UD 12 Lamont Peterson
December 12, 2009 (Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, California)
This one looks much better in retrospect, especially when considering Peterson’s fine performance against Amir Khan last December. At the time, though, Peterson was a well-regarded prospect and considered a legitimately tough title challenger. Bradley would take control of the bout with Peterson and take a solid, fairly dominant decision.
Timothy Bradley TD 10 Devon Alexander
January 29, 2011 (Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan)
Yet another unification bout for Bradley. Alexander held the WBC title that had been stripped from Bradley following Bradley’s unification bout with Kendall Holt. Alexander was considered a star-in-the making and a real threat to finally end Bradley’s undefeated streak. However, Bradley would completely outclass Alexander, winning almost every round until the bout was stopped in the tenth round due to a cut over Alexander’s right eye, caused by an accidental clash of heads. Bradley would take the technical decision and once again become a two-belt champ.
