“All of the sports have a safety net but boxing is the only sport that has none. So when the fighter is through, he is through. While he was fighting his management was very excited for him, but now that he is done, that management team is moving on.” – Gerry Cooney
Timothy
Bradley trainer Joel Diaz was recently quoted in a post-fight
interview as saying, “All everybody ever does, meaning the media
and the fans, you know, is demoralize Timothy Bradley and the team.
Because obviously people’s comments demoralize a fighter and his
trainer.” When questioned on the prospect of a rematch November
10th,
Diaz offered, “Let’s make it again. You know, Manny Pacquiao like
a great warrior, he deserves a rematch. We’ll give it to him, no
doubt. You know what? We’ll give it to him just to prove to all the
people who think he lost, we’ll prove them wrong.” Belief in your
fighter is one thing, as having a strong corner is essential to ring
success obviously. Yet when even a fighter’s corner turns a blind
eye to the facts there’s a serious problem and the underlying tone
comes down to lined pockets and given opportunity. Team Bradley got
such an opportunity on Saturday night and whether all parties
involved were in on the charade or not one thing is clear, and that’s
how Pacquiao will more than likely stick to the given script in
Pacquiao vs. Bradley II if it happens and he obtains his “rightful”
revenge. Bradley may have won the bout on the judge’s scorecards
but the fans and those in the know realize who truly won the title
fight. Facts are facts and numbers don’t lie even if mouths do.
The
only demoralizing factor surrounding Pacquiao vs. Bradley was “Pac
Man” being handed a ridiculous loss. Seeing as this loss was
undoubtedly part of the grand drama that was written behind the
scenes by only the most greediest of greedy (you can determine who,
what, when and where that happened), it seems only fair that instead
of allowing Pacquiao his false revenge (more drama), the more logical
fight to make happen would be Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Timothy Bradley
at this point. Let Marquez battle Bradley and take his title. Then
once Floyd Mayweather Jr. gets out of jail and returns into the mix
he can school Timothy Bradley as a tune-up fight after his
incarceration, and finally face off against Pacquiao and ride off
into the sunset, that much richer and unscathed by a sport that he
has been dominant in for so many years. No one wants to see Pacquiao
vs. Bradley II and in light of the fact that Pacquiao appeared
unmoved by his recent preposterous decision loss, a future fight with
Mayweather is even that much more appealing to fans at this time.
It’s
high time for Joel Diaz and Timothy Bradley to be honest with
themselves and the boxing public. Bradley lost that fight regardless
of what the scorecards said. Bradley’s face was an all too telling
indicator of how he truly felt, carrying the expression of a fighter
who was guaranteed victory but not sure of a win in his heart. And a
win is what matters in boxing. Not a “give me” or a “freebee,”
but a legitimate win. Key word- legitimate. A challenger who wants a
Champion’s crown has to earn it and take that crown from the Champ.
Their triumph must be decisive and leave no question in anyone’s
minds (not just the judges) that they defeated the Champion. Bradley
didn’t do that Saturday night. The public knows what’s right and
you could smell that decision across the nation, a detail that the
judges failed to recognize as their eyes failed them along with their
sense of smell. Boxing is far from dead, but the aftermath of
Pacquiao vs. Bradley definitely reeks of road kill.
Trainer
Joel Diaz is also delusional in his outlook on a possible rematch
with Pacquiao when he told the press, “Now it’s going to be
worse. Now that Timothy felt his power, it’s going to worse.”
Good point, it will be worse. For the viewers. The only reason that
Bradley survived in there is because Pacquiao coasted throughout the
bout and didn’t finish Bradley when he had him on his heels, even
when he was unmistakably hurt on more than one occasion during the
fight. Manny toyed with Timothy early in the fight, smiling and
gesturing, and really seemed more disinterested in the fight if
anything else, possibly because maybe he knew how it would already
play out in the end. The Pacquiao of old who used to demolish his
opponents just wasn’t in the ring on June 9th and maybe he never will be again. With a newfound re-dedication to
religion and a secondary career as a politician, “Pac Man’s”
focus isn’t aimed at the fight game anymore. Bradley is even
further removed from the truth than his trainer Diaz, quite possibly
still on a cloud from his recent upset win while riding the high that
often comes with the limelight and smoke and mirrors of being a new
Champion. Jason can be reached with your questions, concerns, gripes, moans, complaints, insults or kudos at BoxingWarrior@hotmail.com. Your feedback is appreciated as always. Stay honest and keep punching.
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