ESPN TV commentator, former world champion in two categories, American Timothy Bradley gave
interview for local media.
In a conversation, the boxing expert shared his impressions of long-standing sparring with the current WBO welterweight champion (up to 66.7 kg) American Terence Crawford (38-0, 22 KOs) at a time when Terence was not yet a champion. Bradley also commented on the upcoming fight for the undisputed welterweight title between Crawford and unified US champion Errol Spence (28-0, 22 KOs).
I was talking to Joel Diaz today and he was talking about your sparring with Terence Crawford. What was the most difficult thing to adapt to him in sparring?
— It was a long time ago. He is a much better fighter now than he was when I sparred with him. But at the time, that was his timing, that was the fact that he could adapt. I think the thing that surprised me the most was that I was a world champion, and when I pumped up in sparring, most of the guys in the gym shushed. They understood that you were a champion and they backed off a bit and gave you the opportunity to beat them. Terence is not. When my boxing activated, his boxing also activated. I’m like, “Okay, I’ll add a little more.” I go out to the peak, and like this: “You need to turn on the whole.” And he met me, he just kept meeting me. I’m like, “Mother of God, this guy is different.” And skills, on top of everything else… I realized that he was right-handed and boxed left-handed, but he was so comfortable in this stance. Those were the things that surprised me. And just his tenacity, and his ability to adapt as he goes. I could see how smart he is.
I sparred with him one day – he was like that. And then I sparred with him the next day and he was a completely different fighter. I’m like, “Wait, he doesn’t make the same mistakes he did yesterday.” I worked, tried to get even with this dude for yesterday, and now I have to go back to studying him. And this guy did it all on his own. He didn’t have a coach there. All by myself. That’s what made it special.
You will not believe! Spence and Crawford are one step away from a megafight: there is a date and a place
Do you think there will be more than one fight between Spence and Crawford?
– Yes. That is how it should be.
“I hear from a lot of people that Crawford could be stopped in this fight.
I don’t care what people think there. We do not know. That’s why we want to see this fight. We don’t know what’s going to happen and that’s the reason why we have to watch this fight. I think there will be a condition for revenge. I don’t think these guys are stupid. The condition for a rematch is another chance, and you will also earn more money from it. It would be wise to do so. I see two fights. And you never know – maybe a third.
