Marquez Says Advanced Age Doesn't Help or Hurt Him

Marquez Final weekly Write-up/Blog

Monday, October 7

QUESTION to Juan Manuel Marquez – You are 10 years older and have 32 more professional fights than Bradley. Do you feel your experience is a big advantage and why?

A) I don’t feel that my age will play any role in this fight or has played any role in my career. I don’t think my age helps me or hurts me in my fights. I have always taken good care of myself and I have moved up in weight at the right time and in the right way so that it will not affect me in any way, shape or form. I feel good when I train and I feel good when I go into the ring against younger foes. Facing younger boxers makes me work harder and it motivates me to train at my best and I love the challenge that it represents. Do I have to work harder and longer than before?  Sure.  But it doesn't take anything away from what I need to do to into the ring and win. The thing that may help me most is the experience I have in the ring in big fights and just the fact that I have gone through adversity so many times and come out a winner.

Experience gives you knowledge about yourself, it gives you confidence and it gives you the maturity to solve many problems in the ring. At this stage of my career I have faced some strong, tough and very determined opponents and they have made me a better fighter. I never underestimate anyone and that is also the byproduct of experience, because just when you think you have seen it all, something different will pop up and you have able to face it and deal with it. Bradley is not any different than other guys that I faced before. He wants to beat me and will do everything he can to do it and it will up to me to figure out what I need to do beat him in the ring. One thing I have learned in my career is that if you put in the work in the gym the fight will easier to win and the opponent easier to deal with; and as long as I prepare the best I can, I will come out victorious.

Professional athletes that take care of themselves will last a very long time in any sport and in boxing a big part of my success has been about maintaining my weight and keeping fit the best I can in between fights. And I have done that throughout my career. My age will not be a factor one way or the other, but my experience might be the difference between winning and losing in this fight.

Bradley Final Weekly Write-up/Blog

Monday, October 7

Question to Tim Bradley – What can we expect on Oct. 12? Why do you feel you will beat Marquez?

A) Juan Manuel Márquez took this fight because I have something he wants. My world championship title belt. I am all that stands between him and history. He wants to become México's first champion to win world titles in five different weight division.

He wants that and I want something else. I want to beat Márquez to heighten my legacy in boxing. This fight is my date with destiny.

I will win and do it so well on October 12 that Márquez's fans will become my fans.

Everyone in the world thinks of Márquez and what he did to Manny Pacquiao in their last fight.

But it was the fourth time they fought. Márquez figured him out. He finally got the big win. Perhaps even his career-defining win.

I am a different kind of fighter. I come to win. I never think of losing, it never crosses my mind. Márquez doesn't know what to expect from me inside the ring. Like, for example, my quick in-ring adjustments while fighting my opponents. Like a quarterback, I am capable of calling and executing audibles when I need to adapt to what I am seeing.

Age will indeed be a factor. This is a young man's game. Speed kills. So does quick footwork. I am faster and quicker and he won't be sure what direction I'll be coming from or what I'm going to be doing. And as I showed with Ruslan Provodnikov, I have the will to win. I cannot lose. I will not lose. I will never give up my belt.

I always wanted to fight Márquez. He is a great champion, a good family man and a credit to boxing and to México. I have nothing bad to say about him.

But October 12, at Thomas & Mack, will be my night. The end of an era for Márquez.

This is my time.

Weigh-In Live: Bradley/Marquez debuts Friday, Oct. 11 at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

Bradley vs. Marquez takes place Sat., Oct. 12 live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT

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