Timothy Bradley’s life changed on June 9, 2012, when he shocked the masses by defeating Manny Pacquiao, then the top pound-for-pound boxer in the world.
Pacquiao, a 4 1/2-to-1 favorite to win, had previously emerged victorious in 15 consecutive bouts. That unbeaten streak that is still often talked about had lasted seven years and included wins over Hall of Fame caliber fighters such as Juan Manuel Marquez (twice), Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosely and Erik Morales.
Pacquiao, a 4 1/2-to-1 favorite to win, had previously emerged victorious in 15 consecutive bouts. That unbeaten streak that is still often talked about had lasted seven years and included wins over Hall of Fame caliber fighters such as Juan Manuel Marquez (twice), Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosely and Erik Morales.
That Bradley, in just his second Las Vegas fight, was the one who ended Pacquiao’s run, sent the boxing world into a tailspin and dramatically upgraded Bradley’s standing in the sport, not to mention his earning power moving forward as a professional fighter.
It was the biggest moment in Bradley’s career. But then it all turned dark.
“The people, the media, everyone humiliated me,” Bradley, who will fight Pacquiao for a third time April 9 in Las Vegas, told The Desert Sun in 2014. “I was ridiculed, demonized, you name it. It was like I took something from the world. Everybody hated me for it.”
Two judges scored the bout, 115-113, in favor of Bradley. The third scored it, 115-113, for Pacquiao.
Bradley’s win had upset the masses. The split decision that favored Bradley has since been called one of the most controversial in a sport that breeds controversy. Even promoter Bob Arum, who represents both Bradley and Pacquiao, called the outcome “crazy,” “ridiculous” and “nuts,” and said that he believed Pacquiao won, and that “it wasn’t a close fight.”
Others reached out to Bradley and suggested he give the WBO welterweight title belt back to Pacquiao.
In the aftermath, when the backlash reached its peak, Bradley fell into a deep depression, with death threats coming through social media and even thoughts of suicide entering his mind.
“When you go through that and you see that, you’re like, ‘Damn.’ You don’t feel like you want to live anymore. People can be so mean and so brash and not understanding. You don’t want to fight anymore; you don’t want to live anymore. Why do I do this? It was just a hard point for me, and at that time I didn’t want to fight anymore. There was no point in fighting anymore.”
One of the death threats came in the form of a letter, Bradley later told reporters. It was hand written with no return address. Other letters came from boxing fans, and would tell Bradley he didn’t beat Pacquiao and he wasn’t a true champion.
Bradley’s depression worried those around him.
“Winning the fight that night the way he won it, was like losing by a knockout,” Bradley’s former trainer Joel Diaz told The Desert Sun this week. “It was worse than losing by a knockout because everybody criticized him, everybody attacked him.
“We all felt like we pulled something from somebody important in the world. Fighting Manny Pacquiao in (Las Vegas), we stole something big — a big gem from King Arthur. That’s how we felt.
“He was depressed. He wanted to commit suicide; he would cry at home. I had a knock on my door every day. I hated when people approached me and asked about the fight because it was always a negative approach. It was hard.
“I feel bad for him. I feel bad for Bradley because it was supposed to be a happy moment of his life, and it was the worst moment of his life. You know, fighting the best fighter, pound-for-pound, and coming out with a win, and it was like the whole world came down on us.”
Bradley (31-1-1, 13 knockouts) has found the public opinion slowly shifting over the last four years, after winning in the 2013 Fight of the Year against Ruslan Provodnikov, and beating Juan Manuel Marquez and sending Brandon Rios into retirement with an eight-round knockout last November.
Time has healed some of Bradley’s emotional wounds, he’s said, but he has not yet quelled the controversy from the first fight. A rematch with Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 knockouts) in 2014, didn’t help. Pacquiao’s unanimous decision for Pacquiao remains the lone blemish on Bradley’s professional record heading into Saturday’s rubber match.
“No one thought I had what it took to beat out Manny Pacquiao,” Bradley said. “So, when I did edge out the decision, I never got the credit I deserved.”
Beating Pacquiao again, in the third meeting between the two, may provide the credibility and vindication that eluded Bradley in 2012. He missed the opportunity in the rematch in 2014, and with Pacquiao saying he will retire after this fight, this will be Bradley’s last shot.
“That’s what this fight is for,” Bradley said Friday. “When I’m done boxing, my kids will be talking about it, their kids will be talking about it.”
It was the biggest moment in Bradley’s career. But then it all turned dark.
“The people, the media, everyone humiliated me,” Bradley, who will fight Pacquiao for a third time April 9 in Las Vegas, told The Desert Sun in 2014. “I was ridiculed, demonized, you name it. It was like I took something from the world. Everybody hated me for it.”
Two judges scored the bout, 115-113, in favor of Bradley. The third scored it, 115-113, for Pacquiao.
Bradley’s win had upset the masses. The split decision that favored Bradley has since been called one of the most controversial in a sport that breeds controversy. Even promoter Bob Arum, who represents both Bradley and Pacquiao, called the outcome “crazy,” “ridiculous” and “nuts,” and said that he believed Pacquiao won, and that “it wasn’t a close fight.”
Others reached out to Bradley and suggested he give the WBO welterweight title belt back to Pacquiao.
In the aftermath, when the backlash reached its peak, Bradley fell into a deep depression, with death threats coming through social media and even thoughts of suicide entering his mind.
“When you go through that and you see that, you’re like, ‘Damn.’ You don’t feel like you want to live anymore. People can be so mean and so brash and not understanding. You don’t want to fight anymore; you don’t want to live anymore. Why do I do this? It was just a hard point for me, and at that time I didn’t want to fight anymore. There was no point in fighting anymore.”
One of the death threats came in the form of a letter, Bradley later told reporters. It was hand written with no return address. Other letters came from boxing fans, and would tell Bradley he didn’t beat Pacquiao and he wasn’t a true champion.
Bradley’s depression worried those around him.
“Winning the fight that night the way he won it, was like losing by a knockout,” Bradley’s former trainer Joel Diaz told The Desert Sun this week. “It was worse than losing by a knockout because everybody criticized him, everybody attacked him.
“We all felt like we pulled something from somebody important in the world. Fighting Manny Pacquiao in (Las Vegas), we stole something big — a big gem from King Arthur. That’s how we felt.
“He was depressed. He wanted to commit suicide; he would cry at home. I had a knock on my door every day. I hated when people approached me and asked about the fight because it was always a negative approach. It was hard.
“I feel bad for him. I feel bad for Bradley because it was supposed to be a happy moment of his life, and it was the worst moment of his life. You know, fighting the best fighter, pound-for-pound, and coming out with a win, and it was like the whole world came down on us.”
Bradley (31-1-1, 13 knockouts) has found the public opinion slowly shifting over the last four years, after winning in the 2013 Fight of the Year against Ruslan Provodnikov, and beating Juan Manuel Marquez and sending Brandon Rios into retirement with an eight-round knockout last November.
Time has healed some of Bradley’s emotional wounds, he’s said, but he has not yet quelled the controversy from the first fight. A rematch with Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 knockouts) in 2014, didn’t help. Pacquiao’s unanimous decision for Pacquiao remains the lone blemish on Bradley’s professional record heading into Saturday’s rubber match.
“No one thought I had what it took to beat out Manny Pacquiao,” Bradley said. “So, when I did edge out the decision, I never got the credit I deserved.”
Beating Pacquiao again, in the third meeting between the two, may provide the credibility and vindication that eluded Bradley in 2012. He missed the opportunity in the rematch in 2014, and with Pacquiao saying he will retire after this fight, this will be Bradley’s last shot.
“That’s what this fight is for,” Bradley said Friday. “When I’m done boxing, my kids will be talking about it, their kids will be talking about it.”
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