HBO's award-winning franchise "24/7" returned with the premiere of "24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley 2", the all-access reality series following multi-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and undefeated WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley as they prepare for their April 12 showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. "I don't want a gift; I want a win. When I walk down the street, I want people to say, 'Dang, that's the guy that beat Pacquiao.' I want a win and I want the credit for it," Bradley would comment, making it clear that he's on a mission to prove once and for all that his firt victory was no fluke. Check out what else Timothy Bradley had to say in episode 1 of 24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley 2.
TIM BRADLEY
On the first fight...
Nerve-racking. Enormous. This is huge. This was my first pay-per-view, this way my first huge mega-fight, and I was fighting against one of the best fighters in the world.
After the first round, I was like, "Ha, I belong here. You know, it's not that bad." Second round, I step back, weird angle; I felt a pop in my foot, then I felt like blood or something rushing to it.
The injuries, it was my fault. I didn't wear any socks that night, so when I stepped back, I didn't really have no support. You know, my feet were moving around inside the shoe. I had to start talking to myself, "Suck it up!"
He kind of laid back, man, and just let me work. He probably landed the more effective blows during the fight, but I was landing great shots, man, and I didn't hear anybody say anything about them.
To say it was the worst decision in boxing history, dude, that's crazy. That fight was close and the judges saw that. People weren't willing to accept that. He's Pacquiao. He's invincible. He's God.
On the fallout following the decision in the first fight...
It was a hard time for me and my family. We were in a very dark, dark spot. People can say some nasty things, man. People can be very mean.
It's like I stole something from everybody. It's like, man, nobody likes hate mail, dude. Did I personally affect you in any way? It don't make any sense.
On his reaction when Pacquiao was knocked out by Marquez...
Oooooooooooooh! I was like, DAMN!
I ain't never seen nobody get knocked out like that. I was blown away, just like everybody else.
That can happen to anybody. It's boxing. But at that time, I was happy as hell. I was happy as hell because now, the pressure's off my back. Now the pressure's on his back.
On his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez...
I got a lot off my chest that night [vs. Ruslan Provodnikov]. That's the reason why I came back in the Marquez fight calm, poised; didn't have nothing to prove really.
It was sweet. It was easy, truly easy. I had fun that night, and I haven't had fun in the ring in awhile, and that night, I had a lot of fun.
The Provodnikov fight definitely brought some light to my career. Marquez fight brought even more light to my career. Something about this Bradley kid. I don't know what it is, but dang it, this dude just keeps winning.
On Pacquiao's fight with Brandon Rios...
Man, Rios laughed at him. And you know when Rios laughs, you know what he says. You hit like a bitch. He couldn't knock a guy out that was coming straight forward at him.
On the upcoming rematch...
Hard work. That's all it is. I don't do this just to be average. I do this to be great. I want to be one of the best fighters in the world.
Truly I have arrived, but what is it that just keeps bothering me, man? It's the whole Pacquiao situation, everything that went on with that, and if I don't go back and revisit that chapter in my life, I'm never going to be able to get over it.
I don't want a gift; I want a win. When I walk down the street, I want people to say, "Dang, that's the guy that beat Pacquiao." I want a win and I want the credit for it.
He hasn't lost any of his ability. I feel he lost his power. He don't have it anymore. He's so compassionate, man, and so caring and so loving, dude, the man can't even say he's gonna knock me out. That type of guy don't belong in the ring.
When was the last time Pacquiao knocked somebody out?
You gotta be hungry. You gotta seek and destroy, and that's what we set out to do. I'ma be there every minute of every dang round. It's either him or me.
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