"I belong at the top and that's why I'm so confident, man. Don't nobody know what I have been doing, man. They don't know if I've been training or what, because I can say anything, but I'm a fighter, man, and Pacquiao knows that I'm a threat. That's why he's starting camp so early. Pacquiao has been in my shoes before and that's what it boils down to. He knows exactly what he's up against...He knows exactly what I'm going to bring, so I think he is going to prepare himself very well and be the best that he can be to try and take me out," stated undefeated jr. welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, who sounds extremely confident while talking about his upcoming June 9th showdown with welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Check out what else he had to say!
PC: Have you started camp yet or is it still too far out for you?
TB: I'm gonna start camp like mid-April, but I stay moving, man. I stay active. I stay up in the gym.
PC: This is the type of fight you have been wanting for a long time. Now that it's actually signed, sealed, and will be delivered on June 9th, how do you feel mentally?
TB: I feel ready. I feel like this is something that I've waited my whole life for. I can't wait to get in the ring. I think I have the goods, man. I definitely feel I have the goods to compete with Manny and June 9th, I'm gonna prove it to the world, man.
PC: I spoke to a couple of trainers, like Floyd Mayweather Sr., Eddie Mustafa, and even Teddy Atlas, and they all feel that you are the hungrier fighter. Do you agree with that assessment, and how will that play a part in the fight?
TB: Absolutely I agree with that. I belong at the top and that's why I'm so confident, man. Don't nobody know what I have been doing, man. They don't know if I've been training or what, because I can say anything, but I'm a fighter, man, and Pacquiao knows that I'm a threat. That's why he's starting camp so early. Pacquiao has been in my shoes before and that's what it boils down to. He knows exactly what he's up against because he's been in these shoes before, 7 or 8 years ago when he got his shot at the title. But he was hungry, man. He was hungry and he fought like a hungry challenger and he took the title, so he knows exactly what kind of tenacity I'm going to bring in that fight. He knows exactly what I'm going to bring, so I think he is going to prepare himself very well and be the best that he can be to try and take me out.
PC: We talked about it before the Casamayor fight. You are not a fighter that avoids southpaws and you've had a great deal of success against them. What makes Pacquiao a different type of southpaw as opposed to some of the ones you have previously faced?
TB: His footwork is very good, and to keep his power as he goes up is unbelievable. But you know, I feel that I am well-schooled and well-trained for angles. There are not too many fighters that can move on angles on me. I cut 'em off and I'm a student of the game and I think I have the ability to nullify a lot of the things he likes to do. I think that I can deal with his speed as well. I was able to deal with Devon, who was extremely fast, and I was able to deal with his speed. I think I will be able to deal with Manny Pacquiao's speed as well.
PC: There is no secret to the strict diet that you keep yourself on while in camp, training for fights. How will you implement getting the proper protein and things that you will need to be a strong welterweight?
TB: There is no weight issues here, man. I'm actually coming down right now from 160-something pounds. My natural body structure, man, I'm massive. If you see my daddy, he is 250 pounds and 5'8". I'm massive like that. My bone density, I'm thick and I bulk up really quickly in between fights; all I gotta do is eat. I can put on pounds. I'm not as little as everybody thinks I am. I'm a pretty solid welterweight; I'm just short. That's it, I'm just short (laughing). But Manny is not tall. He is a little guy too and I think that's going to be a fight in itself because Manny's never faced a guy his size in a long time, and I haven't faced a guy Manny's size in a long time. It's kind of like looking yourself in the mirror because we are eye to eye.
CHECK BACK SOON PART 2 OF THIS INTERVIEW WITH TIMOTHY BRADLEY
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