Tim Bradley's Long Mechanical Journey

Published

9 years ago

April 1, 2016

By David A. Avila

While Tim “Desert Storm” Bradley sat comfortably chatting about his changes in fighting style it reminded me of the journey he began many years ago at an outdoor venue in Corona.

It was August 2004 when Bradley first stepped into a prize ring in the city of Corona, a town that boxing historians know brought the world Manuel Ortiz, perhaps the greatest bantamweight in the history of the sport.

During Bradley’s pro debut, under the hot summer sky, it was obvious that he possessed speed and athleticism above the norm. But his style was amateurish, featuring plenty of running, flashy combinations and a Sugar Ray Leonard type of showmanship. Fans were not pleased.

“When we first saw him we realized he was a diamond in the rough,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions.

But each fight Bradley adapted more pro elements to his game under the tutelage of trainer Joel Diaz, a former prizefighter who fought for a world title. The Diaz style of boxing focused on the boxer/puncher style that he and his brothers Antonio and Julio Diaz used in their careers. It was an effective method of attack for the pros.

“He was improving in every single fight,” said Thompson who promoted Bradley’s first 27 pro bouts.

Fight by fight the Palm Springs prizefighter began absorbing the pro boxing style and fans began to appreciate it at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. They began to talk about the kid from the desert who was simply too fast and strong for most youngsters he faced in 2004.

Bradley’s first venture outside of the comforts of home came when the next year he was matched against an unknown Brazilian at the downtown Los Angeles Athletic Club. It was to be Bradley’s showcase for L.A. fans.

When the intro music for Bradley’s opponent played, a tall slender Brazilian walked up to the ring. He looked to be six or seven inches taller than Bradley and his record was advertised as no wins and one loss; in fact he had seven wins and one loss. It was hidden from the matchmaker.

Up to that moment Bradley had breezed through six opponents. But on that evening on July 2005, the Palm Springs fighter would be tested to the fullest.

Brazilian lesson

The historic L.A. Athletic Club dates back to 1880 and its members included legendary power brokers like Henry Huntington, Edward L. Doheny, Charlie Chaplin and Colonel Harrison Otis whose family then owned the L.A. Times.

Bradley quickly found himself in a firefight that night for the first time in his professional career. Before that his natural athleticism put him miles ahead of previous opponents that were helpless to deal with his speed and agility.

Marcos Andre Rocha Costa towered over Bradley when they were introduced in the boxing ring and stood facing each other. It was almost comical the size disparity between the two boxers as part of the crowd seemed amazed that a young professional fighter would be matched against someone much taller. The more amazing issues would soon follow.

Once the first bell rang and fighting commenced, it was clear that Costa could fight. And one more thing, he was a southpaw with speed and power. Bradley had problems like never before trying to get within the Brazilian’s long reach. Time and time again he tried finding the right timing until he decided to take his chances and withstand fire to give fire.

It worked.

Bradley began catching Costa with punches as he dived in through a windmill of blows. Things were beginning to turn around until suddenly Bradley dove right into a left cross and was slightly staggered. The Brazilian immediately unloaded some more blows and kept on until the bell ended the round. It seemed Bradley was in serious trouble.

Entering the fifth round it was make or break for Bradley who had been hurt. Could he recover from the jolt or would he climb into a shell and try to survive? The answer came quick as the Palm Springs boxer charged the tall Brazilian and unloaded a furious barrage. Immediately he hurt the surprised Costa and followed it up with a vicious assault that finally forced referee Pat Russell to end the fight at 2:15 of the fifth round. Bradley won by knockout against a very good opponent.

“He put his heart and soul into it,” Thompson remembers. “We did not bring him up on ham and eggers.”

It would be the start of Bradley’s journey and the beginning of a string of fights that would lead him into the upper tier of prizefighting.

In most of his fights the Palm Springs boxer was almost always the shorter man in the boxing ring. The year 2007 was the beginning of his televised bouts and ended with Bradley facing then unknown Miguel “El Titere” Vazquez of Mexico, who would later reign as a lightweight world champion. Vazquez would be the first of a dozen world champions that Bradley would face and defeat inside the prize ring.

Championship fights

After signing a co-promotional agreement with Gary Shaw Productions, the first world title shot would force Bradley to travel to England to face WBC titlist Junior Witter. Few knew who Bradley was. It’s probable that trainer Joel Diaz was more well-known than Bradley at that time in 2008.

“He had Joel Diaz as trainer from day one. He’s one of the top five trainers in the world,” Thompson says. “He did a remarkable job.”

Witter’s style was perplexing to most that faced the quickster from Nottingham known as “the Hitter.” Bradley blitzed through him with surprising speed. Before the fight most experts felt Witter was too fast, but it was the contrary.

Speed was always Bradley’s primary weapon, yet every time he faced a top tier opponent or a world champion experts felt he was the slower man. It happened quite often and especially against Devon Alexander when they met. Experts claimed Alexander had the speed advantage despite Bradley’s dispatching of Witter, Kendall Holt, Edner Cherry, Nate Campbell, and Luis Abregu.

“We knew he could beat anybody,” Thompson said.

After defeating Alexander, it was a parting of ways between Bradley and Thompson Boxing Promotions. At the time a contract had been signed that would have paired Bradley with Amir Khan and set up a possible showdown with Floyd Mayweather. Bradley chose another path and signed with Top Rank.

“That was the direction — we were going after Mayweather,” said Thompson, adding that Bradley still succeeded under Top Rank. “But Bob Arum is a great promoter.”

Top Ranks road

The chase was on for Bradley to meet Manny Pacquiao. When the Palm Springs prizefighter was introduced to the media at the Beverly Hills Hotel in a small gathering of media, it was voiced by both the promoter and fighter that Pacquiao was the desired target.

Pacquiao was running out of opponents and had just defeated Juan Manuel Marquez in their third encounter. Though it was razor close, another fight with Marquez was not desired. Bradley was chosen and it’s what he wanted.

“First fight was very close. It could have gone either way,” says Bradley. “The first fight I was able to beat Manny and honestly 2012 was one of his best years. He was still top dog.”

But Pacquiao’s fans were incensed and believed the Filipino superstar was robbed. Instead of a rematch Bradley was paired against Russian slugger Ruslan Provodnikov. Bradley was out to prove himself against the fearsome Provodnikov. He won the rousing skirmish by a unanimous decision, but nearly paid with his life. Then despite using his boxing skills to defeat the always dangerous Marquez, a return match with Pacquiao found Bradley trying to go toe-to-toe with Pacman.

“Going back to the Ruslan fight, that fight was brutal and took a lot out of me. That punch that I got from Jessie Vargas really opened my eyes,” Bradley said, and he called Teddy Atlas for a neutral observer’s opinion.

Decision time saw Bradley decide he must change his fighting style again.

“After that conversation I had with Teddy nobody had ever had the knowledge to tell me how to avoid that punch. I said I want Teddy Atlas to train me. My wife was kind of shocked because she knows how loyal I am to the people, to trainers, and to people that have always had my back. I was willing to make that change because it was the right time to make that decision for my sake,” said Bradley at his personal gym last week. “It’s not that I didn’t get the job done with Joel Diaz, he’s a great trainer too. I guess I stopped listening to him and stopped believing in him. We were just going through the motions in the gym.”

When Top Rank announced that Brandon Rios would face Bradley after destroying Mike Alvarado nearly a year earlier, fans were jubilant. It was also announced that Bradley had a new trainer and few could foresee the change in style that would ensue.

“I know I was a five time world champion but I was taking a lot of punishment. To be able to remain in the business and fight a longer fight and to be able to hold my children some day and have all my faculties, that was very important to me,” Bradley said. “My wife said ‘Tim you can’t keep taking these punches, you can’t keep fighting this way.’ And I was, you’re right.”

Mechanical adjustments

Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios has that flair for prizefighting both in and out of the prize ring. He’s a throwback to the 1940s when guys like Rocky Graziano, Tony Zale and Sugar Ray Robinson ruled the boxing world and talked out of the side of their mouth.

When it was first announced more than half believed Rios could wreck Bradley’s change in direction like salt in a gas tank. On more than one occasion Rios bludgeoned his way to victory. Whether it was by a clean knockout or a dirty blood spit affair with elbows, eye gouging and low blows, he always found a way to the victory stand. Could Bradley contend with Rios?

It was a big question when they entered the boxing ring at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas last November.

Bradley was like a spinning top zipping from point to point with effortless motion until body shots dropped Rios twice in the ninth round and Rios signaled it was over.

“Want to know why he quit? Because he was getting beat every round. I was doing everything I needed to do to make him say I’m done,” said Bradley of Rios. “Rios was saying to himself ‘He’s not letting me land that big shot I was looking for.’ That’s all he was looking for…one shot.”

Bradley was within striking distance for himself, but never to allow Rios to strike back. It was a matter of angles and positioning.

Pacquiao is now in the picture again for a third time and Bradley is ready to put his new mechanics to the test.

“I think mechanically I’m a more disciplined fighter now and I’ll have a better chance of beating Manny Pacquiao; just being solid on fundamentals. Most of the guys that faced him that were fundamentally solid gave him problems. Marquez put him on the ground. He’s always set and gave him problems. Floyd, the same thing: Always there, always solid and ready to punch. Erik Morales, same thing. Always solid. Not spooked by what they see. Not spooked by his movement. They know exactly what they’re looking at,” said Bradley of opponents that gave Pacquiao problems and losses. “This time I know exactly what I’m looking at. I know what type of animal he is, what type of fighter he is.”

Bradley feels the adjustments in his fighting style and the insights into Pacquiao’s style pointed out to him by Atlas will change the outcome.

“A lot of that has changed now. I don’t get on both toes as much anymore. I’m a little bit more solid with my stance now. I approach a little bit more flat footed in the ring; I kind of slide around the ring now. There are more little subtle changes than ever before,” said Bradley. “Breaking him down on film, there are four things he does very well. And he does it over and over and over and over. He does them very well.”

It’s a matter of mechanics for Bradley this time.

“This time around I’m clear headed and I know what I got to do,” Bradley said.

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David A. Avila

Bivol Evens the Score with Beterbiev; Parker and Stevenson Win Handily

Published

2 hours ago

February 22, 2025

David A. Avila

Bivol-Evens-the-Score-with-Beterbiev-Parker-and-Stevenson-Win-Handily

It was labeled the best boxing card in history.

That’s up for debate.

And there was some debate as Dmitry Bivol avenged his loss to Artur Beterbiev to become the new undisputed light heavyweight world champion on Saturday by majority decision in a tactical battle.

“He gave me this chance and I appreciate it,” said Bivol of Beterbiev.

Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) rallied from behind to give Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) his first pro loss in their rematch at a sold out crowd in the Venue Riyadh Season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Like their first encounter the rematch was also very close.

Four months ago, these two faced each other as undefeated light heavyweights. Now, after two furious engagements, both have losses.

Beterbiev was making his first defense as undisputed light heavyweight champion and made adjustments from their first match. This time the Russian fighter who trains in Canada concentrated on a body attack and immediately saw dividends.

For most of the first six rounds it seemed Beterbiev would slowly grind down Bivol until he reached an unsurmountable lead. But despite the momentum he never could truly hurt Bivol or gain separation.

Things turned around in the seventh round as Bivol opened up with combinations to the head and body while slipping Beterbiev’s blows. It was a sudden swing of momentum. But how long could it last?

“It was hard to keep him at the distance. I had to be smarter and punch more clean punches,” said Bivol.

Beterbiev attempted to regain the momentum but Bivol was not allowing it to happen. In the final 10 seconds he opened up with a machine gun combination. Though few of the punches connected it became clear he was not going to allow unclarity.

Using strategic movement Bivol laced quick combinations and immediately departed. Betebiev seemed determined to counter the fleet fighter but was unsuccessful for much of the second half of the fight.

Around the 10^th round Beterbiev stepped on the gas with the same formula of working the body and head. It gave Bivol pause but he still unleashed quick combos to keep from being overrun.

Bivol connected with combinations and Beterbiev connected with single body and head shots. It was going to be tough for the referees to decide which attack they preferred. After 12 rounds with no knockdowns one judge saw it a draw at 114-114. But two others saw Bivol the winner 116-112, 115-113.

“I was better. I was pushing myself more, I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today,” said Bivol.

Beterbiev was gracious in defeat.

“Congratulations to Bivol’s team” said Beterbiev. “I think this fight was better than the first fight.”

After the match it was discussed that an effort to make a third fight is a strong possibility.

Heavyweight KO by Parker

Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) once again proved he could be the best heavyweight without a world title in knocking out the feared Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) to retain his WBO interim title. It was quick and decisive.

“Catch him when he is coming in,” said Parker, 33, about his plan.

After original foe IBF heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw due to illness, Bakole willingly accepted the match with only two days’ notice. Many experts and fans around the world were surprised and excited Parker accepted the match.

Ever since Parker lost to Joe Joyce in 2022, the New Zealander has proven to be vastly improved with wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Now you can add Bakole to the list of conquests.

Bakole, 33, was coming off an impressive knockout win last July and posed a serious threat if he connected with a punch. The quick-handed Bakole at 310 pounds and a two-inch height advantage is always dangerous.

In the first round Parker was wary of the fighter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He kept his range and moved around the ring looking to poke a jab and move. Bakole caught him twice with blows and Parker retaliated.

It proved to be a very important test.

Parker refrained from moving and instead moved inside range of the big African fighter. Both exchanged liberally with Bakole connecting with an uppercut and Parker an overhand right.

Bakole shook his head at the blow he absorbed.

Both re-engaged and fired simultaneously. Parker’s right connected to the top of the head of Bakole who shuddered and stumbled and down he went and could not beat the count. The referee stopped the heavyweight fight at 2:17 of the second round. Parker retains his interim title by knockout.

“I’m strong, I’m healthy, I’m sharp,” said Parker. “I had to be patient.”

Shakur Wins

Despite an injured left hand southpaw WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) won by stoppage over late replacement Josh Padley (15-1, 6 KOs). It was an impressive accomplishment.

Often criticized for his lack of action and safety-first style, Stevenson was supposed to fight undefeated Floyd Schofield who pulled out due to illness. In stepped British lightweight Padley who had nothing to lose.

Padley was never hesitant to engage with the super-quick Stevenson and despite the lightning-quick combos by the champion, the British challenger exchanged liberally. It just wasn’t enough.

Even when Stevenson injured his left hand during an exchange in the sixth round, Padley just couldn’t take advantage. The speedy southpaw kept shooting the right jabs and ripping off right hooks. At the end of the sixth Stevenson briefly switched to a right-handed fighting style.

Stevenson used his right jabs and hooks to perfection. Double right hooks to the head and body seemed to affect the British challenger. A clean left to the body of Padley sent him to the floor for the count in the ninth round. It was a surprising knockdown due to his injured left. Padley got up and the fight resumed. Stevenson unloaded with right hooks to the body and down went the British fighter once again. He got up and tried to fight his way out but was met with another left to the body and down he went a third time. Padley’s corner tossed in a white towel to signify surrender. The referee stopped the fight at the end of the round. Stevenson scored his 11^th knockout win.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Early Results from Riyadh where Hamzah Sheeraz was Awarded a Gift Draw

Published

5 hours ago

February 22, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Early-Results-from-Riyadh-where-Hamza-Sheeraz-was-Awarded-a-Gift-Draw

After two 6-round appetizers, British light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith got the show rolling with a lusty 12-round skirmish. Things went south in the middle of the seven-fight main card when WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames locked horns with challenger Hamzah Sheeraz. This was a drab fight owing to a milquetoast performance by the favored Sheeraz.

Heading in, the lanky six-foot-three Sheeraz, whose physique is mindful of a young Thomas Hearns, was undefeated in 21 fights. Having stopped five of his last six opponents in two rounds or less, the 25-year-old Englishman was touted as the next big thing in the middleweight division. However, he fought off his back foot the entire contest, reluctant to let his hands go, and Adames kept his title when the bout was scored a draw.

Sheeraz had the crowd in his corner and two of the judges scored the match with their ears. Their tallies were 115-114 for Sheeraz and 114-114. The third judge had it 118-110 for Adames, the 30-year old Dominican, now 24-1-1, who had Ismael Salas in his corner.

Ortiz-Madrimov

Super welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr, knocked out his first 21 opponents, begging the question of how he would react when he finally faced adversity. He showed his mettle in August of last year when he went a sizzling 12 rounds with fellow knockout artist Serhii Bohachuk, winning a hard-fought decision. Tonight he added another feather in his cap with a 12-round unanimous decision over Ismail Madrimov, prevailing on scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice.

Ortiz won by adhering tight to Robert Garcia’s game plan. The elusive Madrimov, who bounces around the ring like the energizer bunny, won the early rounds. But eventually Ortiz was able to cut the ring off and turned the tide in his favor by landing the harder punches. It was the second straight loss for Madrimov (10-2-1), a decorated amateur who had lost a close but unanimous decision to Terence Crawford in his previous bout.

Kabayel-Zhang

No heavyweight has made greater gains in the last 15 months than Agit Kabayel. The German of Kurdish descent, whose specialty is body punching, made his third straight appearance in Riyadh tonight and, like in the previous two, fashioned a knockout. Today, although out-weighed by more than 40 pounds, he did away with Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang in the sixth round.

It didn’t start out well for Kabayel. The New Jersey-based, six-foot-six Zhang, a two-time Olympian for China, started fast and plainly won the opening round. Kabayel beat him to the punch from that point on, save for one moment when Zhang put him on the canvas with a straight left hand.

That happened in the fifth round, but by the end of the frame, the 41-year-old Zhang was conspicuously gassed. The end for the big fellow came at the 2:29 mark of round six when he couldn’t beat the count after crumbling to the canvas in a delayed reaction after taking a hard punch to his flabby midsection.

Kabayel remains undefeated at 26-0 (18 KOs). Zhang (27-3-1) hadn’t previously been stopped.

Smith-Buatsi

The all-British showdown between light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith was a grueling, fan-friendly affair. A former 168-pound world title-holder, Smith, 34, won hard-earned unanimous decision, prevailing on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and a ludicrous 119-110.

There were no knockdowns, but Liverpool’s Smith, who advanced to 31-2 (22) finished the contest with a bad gash in the corner of his right eye. It was the first pro loss for Buatsi (19-1), an Olympic bronze medalist who entered the contest a small favorite and was the defending “interim” title-holder.

This contest was also a battle of wits between two of America’s most prominent trainers, Buddy McGirt (Smith) and Virgil Hunter (Buatsi).

Check back shortly for David Avila’s wrap-up of the last three fights.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Cain Sandoval KOs Mark Bernaldez in the Featured Bout at Santa Ynez

Published

21 hours ago

February 21, 2025

David A. Avila

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Northern California’s Cain Sandoval remained undefeated with a knockout win over Mark Bernaldez in a super lightweight battle on Friday on a 360 Promotions card.

Sandoval (15-0, 13 KOs) of Sacramento needed four rounds to figure out tough Filipino fighter Bernaldez (25-7, 14 KOs) in front of a packed crowd at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez.

Bernaldez had gone eight rounds against Mexico’s very tough Oscar Duarte. He showed no fear for Sandoval’s reputed power and both fired bombs at each other from the second round on.

Things turned in favor of Sandoval when he targeted the body and soon had Bernaldez in retreat. It was apparent Sandoval had discovered a weakness.

In the beginning of the fourth Sandoval fired a stiff jab to the body that buckled Bernaldez but he did not go down. And when both resumed in firing position Sandoval connected with an overhand right and down went the Filipino fighter. He was counted out by referee Rudy Barragan at 34 seconds of the round.

“I’m surprised he took my jab to the body. I respect that. I have a knockout and I’m happy about that,” Sandoval said.

Other Bouts

Popular female fighter Lupe Medina (9-0) remained undefeated with a solid victory over the determined Agustina Vazquez (4-3-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds in a minimumweight fight between Southern Californians.

Early on Vazquez gave Medina trouble disrupting her patter with solid jabs. And when Medina overloaded with combination punches, she was laced with counters from Vazquez during the first four rounds.

Things turned around in the fifth round as Medina used a jab to keep Vazquez at a preferred distance. And when she attacked it was no more than two-punch combination and maintaining a distance.

Vazquez proved determined but discovered clinching was not a good idea as Medina took advantage and overran her with blows. Still, Vazquez looked solid. All three judges saw it 79-73 for Medina.

A battle between Southern Californian’s saw Compton’s Christopher Rios (11-2) put on the pressure all eight rounds against Eastvale’s Daniel Barrera (8-1-1) and emerged the winner by majority decision in a flyweight battle.

It was Barrera’s first loss as a pro. He never could discover how to stay off the ropes and that proved his downfall. Neither fighter was knocked down but one judge saw it 76-76, and two others 79-73 for Rios.

In a welterweight fight Gor Yeritsyan (20-1,16 KOs) scorched Luis Ramos (23-7) with a 12-punch combination the sent him to the mat in the second round. After Ramos beat the count he was met with an eight punch volley and the fight was stopped at 2:11 of the second round by knockout.

Super feather prospect Abel Mejia (7-0, 5 KOs) floored Alfredo Diaz (9-12) in the fifth round but found the Mexican fighter to be very durable in their six-round fight. Mejia caught Diaz with a left hook in the fifth round for a knockdown. But the fight resumed with all three judges scoring it 60-53 for Mejia who fights out of El Modena, Calif.

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