“He don’t play. That’s what I need right now”. Keeping my hands up.
BoxNation has already confirmed a host of live fights including Miguel Cotto’s superfight with Canelo Alvarez, Lucas Matthysse against Viktor Postol, the meeting between knockout kings Gennady Golovkin and David Lemieux and next Saturday Frank Buglioni’s world title shot against champion Fedor Chudinov. “I think he’s very underrated”.
WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley has revealed Brandon Rios is his next challenger, as he looks to string together back-to-back wins.
The main event is another chance for Bradley to show off his combination of technical skill and scrapping instincts against Rios (33-2-1, 24 KOs), who has never shied away from a good brawl.
Rios isn’t buying Bradley’s interest in reverting to pure boxing.
“I think it’s a wise choice, man. I’m bringing Albert Einstein out of the grave”, Bradley said of Atlas, who has not trained any fighters since 2011.
Whenever an elite (or once elite), veteran fighter makes a trainer change, it’s always either peculiar or done with the aim of reinvigorating a fledgling career.
“Me and Teddy talked about that, and Teddy said, ‘Tim, you can’t use your balls in this fight, you have to use your brain.’ He told me I have to choose my poison the right way. Do what I do”.
The card will also include two-time Ukrainian gold medaliast Vasyl Lomachenko defending his WBO featherweight belt against Mexico’s Romulo Koasicha.
It’ll be interesting to see what changes Atlas tries to implement in Bradley, as Atlas is fully aware that Bradley is in for a dog fight against Brandon Rios. “We’re preparing to see Bradley at his best, and I’m focusing on what I do to make sure I’m 100 percent ready”.
Bradley said Atlas can help him clean up some elements of his craft that have slipped in recent months.
Timothy Bradley received an inordinate amount of flack after winning a controversial decision over Manny Pacquiao.
“I don’t like to say that I feel like I’m the best welterweight in the world”, Bradley said Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles while announcing his next bout.
He praised Atlas’ personal kindness, honesty and interest in refining the former junior-welterweight champion in a one-fight arrangement that could be extended based on the experience. “I know that Rios is dedicated to giving the fans what they pay for and so am I”.
Bradley implied that hiring Atlas, which he called “a new adventure”, was less about any sort of falling out with Diaz and more about training to stay on top during the later part of his career. Rios hasn’t fought since January, a result of failed efforts to arrange a fight against England’s Kell Brook and difficulties in finalizing the Bradley bout. “There are two major points I need to mention – motivation and No. 1 and most important, health”. But, dude, this gentleman walked into my house and said hi to my dogs, went to my son, picked him up. I was getting frustrated. I fought (Juan Manuel) Marquez. “I’d like to beat all the top guys out there and say I’m the best one out there”.
“Bradley’s a very smart fighter, and whatever he did, he did it for a reason”, said Rios, 29. We’ll be ready. Robert will have a great fight plan. “But so far, knock on wood, I feel as healthy and motivated as I used to be”.