As pleasing as it was to violence-loving viewers, Timothy Bradley?s behavior in his last fight was out of character. The unbeaten Bradley became one of the best boxers in the world because of his underrated skill, incredible conditioning and dogged determination. With just one knockout in 12 fights since April 2007, he?s not exactly considered a puncher. But misplaced backlash from his controversial victory over Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao bothered Bradley so much, the native of Palm Springs, Calif., tried to knock out rugged Russian Ruslan Provodnikov. Bradley?s reckless strategy cost him almost immediately, as Provodnikov nearly knocked him out in the first round March 16 in Carson, Calif. The remarkably resilient Bradley (30-0, 12 KOs, 1 NC) somehow survived serious trouble in the first, second, sixth, and 11th rounds, as well as a knockdown late in the 12th, and won his epic war with Provodnikov (22-2, 15 KOs) by unanimous decision. Their brutal brawl left Bradley with a severe concussion and impaired speech that forced him to visit several concussion specialists before resuming training during the summer. Skeptics suspect Bradley?s dramatic clash with Provodnikov took too much out of him to think that Bradley can beat Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night in Las Vegas (9 p.m., HBO pay-per-view, $64.95 in HD). Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KOs) is more confident than ever, despite that he?s 40, because he knocked Pacquiao unconscious with one punch in the sixth round of his last fight, Dec. 8 in Las Vegas. “A lot of people, they still remember what he did when he knocked out Pacquiao,” Bradley, 30, said recently on a conference call. “With me, everybody remembers that war with Ruslan Provodnikov. And a lot of people don?t think I?m going to be the same after that fight. “A lot of people think I?m going to get touched on the chin, I?m going to wobble and I?m going to go down. Whatever. So a lot of people, they?ve just got to see if I have it or not.” After slowly working himself back into championship shape, Bradley convinced his trainer, Joel Diaz, that he remains capable of beating a fighter as great as Marquez, a former champion in four weight classes. Diaz chastised Bradley during and after the Provodnikov bout for fighting irresponsibly, but he is certain Bradley will follow their game plan to overcome Marquez throughout their 12-round fight for Bradley?s WBO welterweight title. “I think Marquez is going to come and try to put Tim to sleep, like he did to Pacquiao, and it?s not going to happen,” Diaz said. “Tim Bradley is a smarter fighter. He is going to be defensive and offensive. He?s going to move and he?s going to complicate Marquez?s day. “And in the later rounds, I think after the fifth, sixth round, Tim?s going to take Marquez into the deep waters and that?s when Tim?s going to do the best. ? Tim?s going to be victorious that night.”
Marquez is a slight favorite, but that has provided only more motivation for Bradley. “I like being the underdog,” Bradley said. “I like to take people?s money. That?s what inspires me. ? People can doubt me and doubt me and doubt me and doubt me. And that?s OK, but when are they going to get sick and tired of losing their money?”
