"I was able to hurt Manny Pacquiao several times in that fight. I do feel like I definitely am more powerful; I'm shifting more into my shots...I can brawl, I can fight, in or outside, I can box, so I'll figure it out in there, man, and put on a good showing for the boxing fans that's gonna be watching. I aint' gotta outdo those guys, man. Ain't no competition between me and them. I'm just in competition with myself. I just gotta be the best that I can be, man. I'm one of the top fighters in the world," stated two-division former world champion Timothy Bradley, who spoke more about his upcoming December 13 clash with Diego Chaves, his future plans, and much more. Check it out!
BT: I know you made a change in your nutrition and ditched the Vegan diet for this fight. Was there a reason why you decided to do that?
TB: It was something that I just wanted to try. I've been getting a lot of injuries lately. I've been suffering from leg injuries. I tore my calf in the second Pacquiao fight, I blew my foot in the first fight; shoulder injuries. It could be from age, but I was thinking maybe I'm not getting enough protein; maybe because I train so hard, maybe I'm not getting enough protein to be able to build and repair my muscles like they're supposed to be. So what I started doing was I started eating fish. I was sticking to the greens and all that and then I started eating fish and stuff and started feeling really good. In training, I was just like, well, it's not too bad, so I just went from there and then I started consuming some turkey and then chicken, and then once a week, I consume a piece of steak because of the B12, so I'm back doing my carnivorous ways, but I probably will be back on that vegan, man. It just depends on how I feel in this fight. I do miss the energy level being a Vegan. I do miss that, man. I have so much energy, I just train non-stop and just keep going, but I feel like I'm better right now because I'm healing up a lot quicker being a non-vegan right now. Just experimenting, man; just testing the waters, seeing if I'm missing out on anything. I know the vegan thing worked before. The Ruslan Provodnikov fight, I was a vegan and I was able to throw close to one thousand punches. I got hurt a couple times in that fight, but the output was still there. The last Manny fight, I felt a little fatigued after the 6th and I was wondering why. I was like, man, why do I feel so fatigued? I know why, because I was putting a lot of energy out, but I was thinking, man, I should've been able to sustain that pace. So just experimenting, man, trying different things, but I might get back on that vegan tip after this fight.
BT: I saw some recent footage of you working out and it seemed like you had a little more pop in your punches on the heavy bag. Do you feel any stronger now that you've changed the diet up?
TB: Um, I felt pretty strong before. You know, in the Pacquiao fight, I was throwing some heavy shots in that fight. I felt like I picked up some power in that fight just by working my core more, man. I started working my core more and doing a lot of twisting to strengthen the core and I felt like my power had definitely risen in that fight. I was able to hurt Manny Pacquiao several times in that fight. I do feel like I definitely am more powerful; I'm shifting more into my shots. I don't think it has anything to do with the food or anything like that. I just think that I'm just working on technique and trying to perfect it and trying to get better at throwing my punches, man, and putting some heat on it.
BT: Knowing that Chaves has been in with Thurman and Rios and knowing how those guys performed against him, are you putting any pressure on yourself to maybe outdo them and look better than they did?
TB: Nah, I never look to the other guy and try to outdo somebody. I tend to my game and what makes me and I just do me in the ring, man. That's the bottom line. I'm just going to do me that night. I got a game plan for the fight and we'll make adjustments as the fight goes on because things happen in the ring, but we're able to make adjustment in the ring. I can brawl, I can fight, in or outside, I can box, so I'll figure it out in there, man, and put on a good showing for the boxing fans that's gonna be watching. I aint' gotta outdo those guys, man. Ain't no competition between me and them. I'm just in competition with myself. I just gotta be the best that I can be, man. I'm one of the top fighters in the world.
BT: I know that that you're putting the Pacquiao chapter behind you, but looking back, is there anything you regret or wish you did differently?
TB: The game plan was to out-box him, but I definitely got away with that, especially during the week of the fight. I really thought about it and thought about it. I was just like, man, there's no way I'm gonna be able to out-box this guy for a second time and get the decision, so I might as well just try and go for the freakin' knockout. That was the thing and that's exactly what happened. I just went in there and I did what I said I was gonna do. I was just going for the knockout, man. For whatever reason, my coach and I, we changed the game plan at the last minute. He was like, "Attack him!" And I was just like, "Alright. I'll go get him." And that's how it goes. But looking back at it, I wish I would've stayed in my element, just actually fought my fight, out-boxed him. I probably would not have injured myself. I probably could've maybe won the fight. Even if they maybe took the fight from me, I probably would've won the fight by outboxing him. I look back at that, but things happen for a reason, man. You know, the fans loved the fight. Fan enjoyed me going after him and trying to get to Pacquiao. I thought it was a good fight, man. I thought it was a good showing.
BT: I know that first Pacquiao fight was weighing on you. Do you feel like that weight's been lifted off of you now and you can get back to fighting the way you want to fight?
TB: Oh yeah. I mean, I don't really think about Pacquiao or anything like that anymore. That's no longer a cloud looming over my head. I'm definitely moving on to bigger and better things and just moving on with my career one step at a time and one fight at a time.
BT: With you moving on now, considering that a lot of guys at 147 are with Al Haymon, which means you might not get a chance to fight them, do you think there's anything left for you to do in the welterweight division?
TB: I mean, um, I mean there's not a whole lot left for me at 147, honestly. I'm thinking about moving up and testing the waters at 54. I honestly am, dude. There's some smaller 154-pounders out there. You got Bundrage out there, you got Miguel Cotto, you got Canelo. These are big fights that's out there and guys that are not necessarily enormous; they're not big, you know what I mean. They got big names, but they're not like big guys, so my next assignment might be something like that in the near future.
BT: It looks like Manny's going back to 140. If that's the case, his WBO title will likely be up for grabs. Obviously Marquez is still looking to pick up another strap in a fifth weight class. If that fight presented itself, would you be up for a rematch with him or are you kind of set on making that move 154?
TB: You know, boxing, there's always the business too, man. It's not only a sport, you know, it's a business at the same time, so I definitely will weigh my options. If something materializes at 147, then why not? Why wouldn't I do that? If Marquez wanna get it on again, we can get it on again, no problem. If Manny Pacquiao vacates the 147-pound championship and Marquez wants to get it on with somebody, then let's do it. He's gonna get that boxing lesson (laughing). He's gonna get that boxing lesson even worse this time because I know him pretty good now (laughing).
BT: Well Tim, I've held you up long enough. Is there anything else you want to say before I let you go?
TB: Like I continue to say over and over again, I will fight anybody, man. If it makes sense, let's do it, man. I'll fight anybody. It don't matter. It don't matter, man. I've accomplished a lot in my career. I'm not gonna sit back and try to hide behind picking this guy and this guy. Nah, man. Fight the best, man. Let's fight the best out there and let's give the fans what they want to see.
CLICK HERE FOR PART 1 OF THIS IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH FORMER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION TIMOTHY BRADLEY
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