HOW TOUGH A RIDDLE CAN A BIGGER TIM BRADLEY BE?
By Recah Trinidad
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 05 Apr 2016
FREDDIE Roach loved to bark about the impossibility of a reshaped, reinvented Timothy Bradley ever showing up in Las Vegas on April 9. Roach was trying to make it clear Bradley would revert to his old shy, stammering self once Manny Pacquiao unloads and lands his bombs.
Log under the buzzsaw, Roach readily sliced back after the Bradley camp bragged about a secret weapon tightly labeled ?Log in the Ocean? by trainer Teddy Atlas.
Roach would never hesitate to play up Bradley?s supposed built-in inferiority.
**
Now, it has also become unclear how and why Roach has suddenly changed his tune.
Remember how Roach would insist Bradley could never hope to change or improve under the tutorship of the respected and credentialed Teddy Atlas?
?We?ve got to prepare for the best of Tim Bradley,? Roach announced in a surprising turn-around.
**
Puzzling as Roach has turned, Bradley has proven to be a big puzzle himself.
A big, powerful riddle, if you please.
Claiming he had to cut down on road work, having had hit peak form more than a week ahead, Bradley showed up for his weekend media workout terribly overweight.
**
Bradley tipped the scales in his Palm Springs camp at 153 lbs., six over the 147 welterweight limit.
On the other hand, Pacquiao weighed a famished 141 pounds the same day at the Wild Card Gym around Hollywood.
It was unclear if Bradley had allowed himself to be this big in past welterweight encounters, a full week before the big battle.
**
You see, Bradley has supposedly retooled, but he definitely would be needing extra lightness to keep up and avoid the blazing assaults of his mythical foe, an 8-division world title winner.
By the way, while Bradley, together with trainer Atlas, had made it known they would not be pushing for a knockout, latest feed from the Bradley camp has changed perception.
Bradley did not announce outright they would also go for a knockout.
**
However, Atlas said they would be silly not to try the weapon Juan Marquez had thrown in stopping Pacquiao cold in 2012.
?We would be fools not to get that info and see how it?s done,? Atlas admitted.
Bradley, who was made to try the trick inside one round before mediamen, himself kept mum.
**
He would not say it but, deep in his heart, Bradley knows that, if it had been quite hard to outpoint Pacquiao, trying to stop his fabled foe would definitely amount to going through hell.
Bradley must make no mistakes, behave like a perfect robot--even as he also tries to be unpredictable at the same time.
Or is poor Mr. Bradley himself being puzzled at the phantom tricks he?s being made to perform?
Photo: Timothy Bradley takes a rest during his media day workout at the Tim Bradley Gym in Palm Springs, California on April 1, 2016. Photo by Jhay Otamias.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin: Zuffa Heavyweights Square Off on Sunday
By Chris Carlson, Sun, 15 Feb 2026“The Nightmare” Back in Action: Oguni vs Tapales April 3 in Japan
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 15 Feb 2026Cold Comfort: Tapales and Vitor Frozen Out in Moscow Heartbreaker
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 14 Feb 2026WBC Celebrates 63 years of dedication to the sports and fighters
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 14 Feb 2026BOXING STARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD LINING UP FOR 2026 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND IN "BOXING’S HOMETOWN"
Sat, 14 Feb 2026Filipino Boxers Make Weight in Brico Santig's Valentine's Show in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 14 Feb 2026Filipinos Vitor and Tapales Take on Russians for IBF Asia Titles in Moscow Today
By Dong Secuya, Fri, 13 Feb 2026Manny Pacquiao Promotions Returns to Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. with a Pair of World Championship Bouts
Fri, 13 Feb 2026IOAN CROFT AND GARAN CROFT SIGN FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AS EDDIE HEARN LOOKS AHEAD TO BRIGHT FUTURE FOR EXCITING WELSH TWINS
Fri, 13 Feb 20263 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera Confirmed for Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Saturday May 2, in Las Vegas
Fri, 13 Feb 2026Day One Concludes at 2026 USA Boxing International Open
Thu, 12 Feb 2026Female Boxing GOAT Katie Taylor to be Special guest at All-N.E. Golden Gloves Thursday, Feb. 12, in Lowell, MA
Thu, 12 Feb 2026Brandon McCarthy Signs with Wise Owl Boxing, Set to Make Noise at 135 lbs
Thu, 12 Feb 2026Filipino Boxers Set for Action on Valentine's Day in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Wed, 11 Feb 2026Oklahoma Outplays LA Lakers, 119-110; Arrests Skid to Hold on to League Lead
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Wed, 11 Feb 2026