LOS ANGELES ? WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley Jr. was relaxed and his typically charming self answering just about every question at his media workout in Los Angeles? Fortune Gym.
Then someone asked Bradley about his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao?s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in December.
?You don?t want to ask me that,? Bradley said playfully.
Pressed on, Bradley said, ?That?s a bad question.?
Finally, Bradley said, ?My thoughts? He should have fought me.?
In June, Bradley defeated Pacquiao by split decision to hand the Filipino superstar his first loss in seven years.
Bradley was in line for a rematch, but Pacquiao did not exercise his rematch clause, electing to fight Marquez instead.
So Bradley has to settle for fighting Ruslan Provodnikov, a rugged Russian fighter who was Pacquiao?s sparring partner in preparation for the June fight against Bradley. The fight is March 16 at the Home Depot Center in Carson. The fight will be televised on HBO.
It will be Bradley?s first fight in nine months, but the Cathedral City resident said he isn?t worried about the long layoff.
?I don?t believe in ring rust,? Bradley said. ?I believe in preparation and getting ready for events. That?s what I do. Whoever I fight, I train like there?s no tomorrow.
?No ring rust will affect my flow in there. You can ask my sparring partners. I?ve been working really well in sparring, I feel great and I feel smarter. I feel more intelligent and I?m becoming a better fighter coming out of the Pacquiao fight.?
Tuesday?s workout at the Fortune Gym was to help promote the fight, and Bradley was happy how it turned out.
?It was a good media day, a lot of media turned out,? Bradley said. ?I didn?t want to show too much.
?A lot of people said they?re coming out, man. A lot of them are saying they?re buying them in bunches. Hopefully that?s true,? Bradley said. ?I know the hometown will definitely be out there. I?m not worried about it at all. Tickets will sell.?
Top Rank president Todd duBoef said with about 18 days to go before the fight, he likes how tickets have been moving.
