Bradley ends training camp in high spirits
By Roy LuarcaPhilippine Daily Inquirer
HOLLYWOOD—The muffled sounds of bags being banged, mitts being pounded, and punches being traded have died down in Indio, California.
Unbeaten American Timothy Bradley officially closed training camp and got nothing but rave reviews from trainer Joel Diaz.
“I feel very positive, especially after closing camp [on Saturday],” Diaz told Chris Robinson of Examiner.com. “With his performance, I have no doubt and my confidence is really, really high. He closed camp really strong overall.”
Diaz’s faith soared after Bradley opted to go all-out in his last sparring session with notable opponents— Luis Ramos Jr., Marvin Quintero and Julio Diaz.
Ramos boasts 20 wins with nine knockouts and has beaten both Raymund Beltran and David Rodela, both former perennial Pacquiao sparmates.
The hard-hitting Quintero, on the other hand, totes a 25-3 record with 31 knockouts, including a ninth round stoppage of Filipino Al Sabaupan in an IBF title eliminator on April 10.
Julio, of course, is a former world champion and is the brother of Joel. He is 38-7 with 27 knockouts.
“Three different sparring guys. He closed the last round like it was the first,” claimed Diaz, who feels that Bradley is primed for a huge upset because of their intensive three-month preparations for Pacquiao.
Like his opponent, Team Bradley will go to Las Vegas by land, checking in there late Monday, in time for his grand arrival at noon Tuesday.
Like Bradley, Diaz appreciates the attention being lavished on them for the first time.
“It’s a great experience,” Diaz said. “People are getting to know Tim Bradley as a person, not just as a fighter.”
And Diaz promises Bradley will become a byword on July 10.
NOTES: Dr. Ed dela Vega provided Pacquiao with a new, advanced blue mouthguard for his June 9 (June 10 in Manila) bout. Dela Vega, an orthodontist who doubles as boxing website Philboxing.com contributor and cut man, also makes mouthguards for Julio Cesar Chavez, Brandon Rios, Fernando Vargas and Filipino world champions Nonito Donaire Jr., Brian Viloria and Donnie Nietes…Veteran photographers Nick Sagmit, former president of the Press Photographers of the Philippines, and Ed Galvez, formerly of the Journal Group, who are both Los-Angeles-based, are taking time out from their jobs to cover the Pacquiao-Bradley fight.
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