With a few days to go from the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley showdown for the former?s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown, there are many questions being asked about Bradley, especially by those who, unlike serious boxing fans and sports media, do not closely watch the boxing scene. Some say that Bradley?s emergence into the scene was a product of Bob Arum?s marketing genius after the eight-division champion had run out of opponents and there was no chance of a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.
Arum had Bradley in mind long before Pacquiao met Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Center on November 12, 2011 for the third time since May 8, 2004. The Top Rank boss had accurately foreseen that there would not be a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather classic encounter so he had to lay the groundwork for Pacquiao?s next bout after the Filipino boxing icon pummeled Sugar Shane Mosley in 12 rounds on May 7, 2011.
If Pacquiao wins over Marquez (as he eventually did, that time by a close majority draw as against two split decisions in 2004 and 2008), there would be a chance of a Pacquiao-Mayweather encounter that the world has been waiting for. If Pacquiao wins and there would still be no possibility of a fight with Mayweather, a ?rising star? like Timothy Bradley would be it.
But first he had to introduce Bradley by getting him into the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez III. And for Bradley to be considered a legitimate opponent of Pacquiao, the American had to look good in his first ever fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Enter former world champion Joel Casamayor of Guantanamo, Cuba who came to challenge Bradley for the latter?s WBO light welterweight title and also to get his ?retirement paycheck?.
At 40, Casamayor had seen better days when he lost by TKO in the eighth round against the brash Bradley. The Cuban had just come off a loss by unanimous decision to unheralded Mexican-American Robert Guerrero despite having inflicted on Guerrero his first ever trip to the canvas in the last round of their 10-round fight.
Casamayor had a colorful record as an amateur boxer having won the bantamweight gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 after winning the silver medal in the 1993 world amateur championships and the bronze medal in the Central American and Caribbean Games. In 1996, a day before the Atlanta Olympics, Casamayor defected to the United States and started to make a living in professional boxing which is banned in Cuba.
At 25, by an ordinary standard, Casamayor came into the professional boxing scene a bit late. However, at the age of 28, he captured the World Boxing Association super featherweight crown over Korea?s Jong Kwon Baek. At 32, Casamayor won the International Boxing Association super featherweight title. Casamayor?s last taste of a regular world title was in 2006 when he defeated the skilful Diego Corrales to win the World Boxing Council lightweight title. By the time Casamayor therefore faced Bradley in November 2011, he was way past his prime and was not to be taken seriously by discerning fight fans, despite his comical efforts to create controversy by taunting and insulting Bradley during the weigh in.
We take great pains to provide some background on Casamayor, Bradley?s last opponent prior to Pacquiao, if only to give fans an idea of the quality of the opposition Pacquiao will face in a few days. However, lest one think that Bradley has not really been tested by high quality opponents, one has to bear in mind that he beat Lamont Peterson (conqueror of Pacquiao sparring mate, Amir Khan) by unanimous decision to successfully defend his WBO light welterweight title.
To be sure, Bradley?s chin is suspect. He has been decked twice by Kendall Holt on the way to retaining his WBC title and winning Holt?s WBO crown. While there are doubts about his ability to take a punch, there should be none about his recuperative powers: he recovered from both knockdowns to beat Holt. One is reminded of Marquez?s ability to recover from being knocked down.
Bradley had challenged Pacquiao (and Khan, among others) as early as July 2010 after the former handily beat the bigger and hard-hitting Luis Abregu over 12 rounds. Ironically, when the opportunity came, Bradley refused to fight Khan for the latter?s WBA light welterweight belt, fearing that a loss to the dangerous Khan could endanger a possible fight with Pacquiao that he had been yearning for.
Bradley will now have his chance. He seems to be in tip-top shape with his physique looking primed for a bodybuilding competition. Let?s see what?s behind those muscles and enviable abs so he can put his money where his mouth is.
