Timothy Bradley: “I don’t have any problem going up in weight to face Cotto or Canelo!”

During the 223th edition of “On The Ropes” boxing radio I had a chance to speak with former 2 division world champion Timothy Bradley to discuss his recently announced bout with Diego Chaves. Bradley spoke in detail about the upcoming fight and what he thinks of his opponent. Bradley also talked about what he learned from his Manny Pacquiao defeat, and how that loss changed his approach as a fighter. Additionally Tim talked about possibility of facing either Miguel Cotto or Canelo Alvarez in the future. Here is what Timothy Bradley had to say in part 1 of his interview.

Jenna J: Tim, you have an upcoming fight on HBO against Diego Chaves on December 13th. How do you feel about this match up?

Timothy Bradley: I think it’s a really good match up, honestly. Diego Chaves, a lot of people don’t really know him, a lot of people got to know him against Rios just a bit and how he’s a dirty fighter. They haven’t seen that much of him but he’s actually a pretty good fighter.

I’ve been studying video and film and watching what he does. He’s very crafty in the ring, really good counter puncher. He’s got some speed on him and he’s got some power and he’s a big guy too. He’s a tough guy, he gave (Keith) Thurman a run for his money until Thurman pieced together that body shot and ended the night.

He’s a really, really tough opponent, especially coming back off a loss to Manny Pacquiao. Most guys saying, “Oh you should do a tune up fight.” I just want to fight the best, just bring it on. It’s another one of those types of fights where it could end up like Provodnikov and myself or it could end up being like a Juan Manuel Marquez-Tim Bradley fight all over again. It just depends on how I feel that night.

Jenna J: How hard was the process of trying to find an opponent?

Timothy Bradley: It wasn’t really hard. I pretty much sit back and relax, that’s my job. That’s up to my wife, my manager, Top Rank, HBO. They come up with a list and then they can go from there and go right down the list. It wasn’t that hard to get a fight with Diego at all.

Jenna J: I’m sure you had your eyes on bigger named opponents, I heard names like Miguel Cotto being tossed around. Were you disappointed you weren’t able to get a bigger name?

Timothy Bradley: I’m not really disappointed. It’s boxing, guys have plans and if our plans don’t meet up right away it doesn’t mean that fight won’t ever happen later on. The fight didn’t materialize like I wanted to but there’s always somebody else out there that’s looking to challenge me and Diego Chaves is that guy. Miguel Cotto and all the other big names, they’ll always be there and when they need a dancing partner they can come my way because I’m willing to fight anybody.

Jenna J: The last time I spoke to you, you told me you were kind of content after the loss to Manny Pacquiao because you finally put it past you. What do you think you learned most from that loss?

Timothy Bradley: I learned to never get out of my element. I’ve learned that what’s gonna happen is gonna happen but the fact that I really had in my head that I really wanted to knock this guy out, it really threw me off my game and what Tim Bradley does. I learned that I just gotta stay within myself and stay content with what I do and act how I win.

Before Manny Pacquiao I was undefeated and still going into the fight I was undefeated and I got there not by knocking guys out, but just out thinking guys, outworking guys and doing what I do best which is figuring these guys out. Going in there with that type of mindset as far as trying to knock a guy out, I think that hindered me in doing what I had to do. I felt that I could have done a lot better but at the end of the day Pacquiao was the man that night, so he won the decision.

Jenna J: Goldenboy and Top Rank are now willing to work with each other. Now there’s a potential fight down the line for you, that being Canelo Alvarez, he signed with HBO. Do you have that fight in you sights if you get past this fight?

Timothy Bradley: Like I told you, it’s never up to me, it’s always up to them. If it makes sense, let’s do it. That’s the way I approach it now and I think any of those fights can materialize sooner or later, with Canelo, Cotto and all these big names in boxing. I embrace any top guy out there, bring it on, let’s do it.

154lbs, a lot of people think I’m crazy that I’m going to 154 because I’m a small guy, but let me tell you, I fought many years as an amateur at 152lb against guys that were 6′, 6’2, 5’11. Big guys, like the Dirrell brothers, just to give you an example of how big those guys are and I fought them in the amateurs. I don’t have any problem going up in weight to face them. They’re about my size, I don’t even think they’re that big, they’re just stocky.

Jenna J: There is one interesting guy, Miguel Cotto, how seriously were you considering fighting Miguel Cotto if he didn’t get injured?

Timothy Bradley: I’m always serious. That would be a big challenge for me. That would be something I would definitely have to think about. Going up to 160lbs, why not? I walk around at 170lbs, sometimes I get even above 170lbs. When I’m not training, when I’m not doing anything, I eat and my body naturally goes up to a higher weight. 160 is not bad for me, it’s not bad at all.