WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley Jr. is in a no-win situation. He took the WBO title away from Manny Pacquiao on a highly disputed split decision in Las Vegas last June 9 and to this day, the ?Desert Storm? continues to make excuses for a poor performance as if to confirm the win was undeserved.
It?s strange for a ?winner? to make excuses but here is Bradley?s trainer Joel Diaz, a former lightweight contender, explaining that ?we had the perfect fight plan but we could not execute it after he hurt his foot.? Diaz claimed Bradley fractured his left foot in the second round and also sprained his right foot during the bout.
Usually, losers make excuses. But in Bradley?s case, he?s explaining why he performed poorly in spite of winning. Before the verdict was announced in the ring, Bradley reportedly told Top Rank chairman Bob Arum he tried his best but didn?t do enough to beat Pacquiao. But after he was declared the new champion, Bradley changed his tune and justified his victory ? even if he admitted performing below par because of his injuries.
If Bradley had a conscience, he would?ve given up the throne voluntarily. But that?s too much to expect from an unwitting beneficiary of a scandalous scam. After all, it?s not his fault that two judges turned a blind eye to Pacquiao?s dominance in 10 of the 12 rounds, in terms of punches landed, or so the stats indicated. Bradley isn?t cut out to be the bastion of integrity in the fight game.
Diaz said Bradley?s victory is bittersweet because the consensus is Pacquiao should?ve won. The WBO organized a review of the fight involving five independent judges and their verdict was a unanimous decision for Pacquiao. While it appeared that Pacquiao was not his usual self that night, he still did enough to beat Bradley ? a clear indication of a disparity in the skill levels of both fighters. That?s the reason why Bradley can?t walk proudly in the streets displaying his championship belt. He knows he should?ve lost.
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Trainer Buddy McGirt told Boxing News (June 14, 2012), ?I watched the fight and thought Pacquiao was a clear winner ? I have no clue why he didn?t get the decision, it was a real surprise when they announced the verdict.? Former world champion Barry McGuigan chimed in, ?8-4 for Pacquiao, I don?t know how the judges made a case for Bradley winning ? I think there was a ripple effect from the Marquez fight when Pacquiao was fortunate.? Promoter Lou DiBella added, ?I scored it eight rounds to four in favor of Pacquiao, you could have shown that fight to a room full of fifth graders and the entire room would have said Pacquiao won.? Promoter Dave Coldwell said, ?From rounds two to eight, I think Manny smashed him to bits?after that, Bradley sneaked himself back into it, I had Pacquiao up by about two rounds at the end.?
DiBella said ?nobody wants to see Pacquiao-Bradley again.? That stain in Pacquiao?s record is a forgettable, if not regrettable, blemish. McGirt said the ?loss? might even speed up negotiations to finalize Pacquiao?s much-awaited duel with Floyd Mayweather Jr. ?With Pacquiao losing to Bradley, I think it makes the possible Mayweather-Pacquiao fight even more interesting for the fans,? said McGirt. Coldwell noted, ?Strangely, I think we?re closer than ever to it happening ? Mayweather will really fancy his chances against Pacquiao now, drug test or no drug test.?
Diaz said it sucks that Bradley is considered a fake champion. ?Timothy fought his heart out and walked away with the victory and it wasn?t our decision,? said Diaz, a Mexican who lost a decision to Philip Holiday in a bid for the IBF lightweight title in South Africa in 1996. ?People are taking it out on us but all we did was fight. The judges made their decision and that?s not our fault and people don?t realize that. On the night of the fight, Timothy was in the hospital until five in the morning. He just couldn?t compete at his best with a broken foot. I could see he was in a lot of pain. After the fight, he collapsed, he couldn?t even stand up in the dressing room and people don?t give him the credit and it?s sad that a fighter like Timothy ? with so much heart and who?s so courageous ? fought with a broken foot and still managed to move and ignore the pain. And your feet are very important against Pacquiao. If he hadn?t hurt his foot, he would have won the fight more decisively because it?s hard when you have a game plan in mind and you can?t use it because of an injury.?
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Diaz said Bradley won?t turn away from a rematch. Actually, he has no choice. The option is Pacquiao?s, not his. ?If they want a rematch, we will do one,? said Diaz in a column he wrote for Boxing News. ?All we want is to prove people wrong but at the end of the day even if he beats Pacquiao again, he?s never going to get the credit and that sucks.? Diaz said Bradley showed that Pacquiao has no chance against Mayweather and will lose by knockout.
Pacquiao hasn?t made up his mind on whether or not to take the option of a rematch. Mayweather may not be available in November as he?ll just be over a month out of prison and a fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez doesn?t seem too palatable. Pacquiao has suggested to match Bradley against Filipino contender Dennis Laurente because truthfully, he has nothing to prove against the new ?champion.? But under the circumstances, my view is Pacquiao should win his belt back from Bradley and put a closure to their rivalry. Bradley doesn?t deserve to sit on Pacquiao?s throne and should be deposed by the man who is the people?s king.
