Tim Bradley was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame 2023’s class.
The two-weight world champion says he gets his plaudits because ‘not a lot of fighters can say they did it like me.’ At one stage, Bradley was considered one of the best fighters pound-for-pound on the planet.
Born in Palm Springs, California, Bradley became a world champion at the age of 24 by defeating Junior Witter in the super-lightweight ranks. Four years later in 2012 he would defeat Manny Pacquiao to win the WBO Welterweight Title.
The 41-year-old lost just twice during his campaign, both times to Pacquiao after that win. As with all fighters, there was missed opportunities and elusive rivalries in the mix.
Speaking to Sean Zittel, Bradley said he still wants to face Amir Khan to this day.
“Man, look, Khan wasn’t man enough for me. That chin was… I’m letting you know that right now. Khan does have some balls, I give that, as far as when he fought against Canelo, he took on challenges.
He was never no shy dude, but his chin wouldn’t hold up. Especially not with me. I know people will be like ‘you don’t punch’ – I punch hard enough to rock his world for sure. No diddy on that one. That’s for damn sure. If he struggled against one of the guys i fought in Lamont Peterson, bro that’d been all.
Anyway, shoulda, woulda, coulda. But Khan knows he can always get that work. I owe him that and I told him already. He in a wheelchair and I see his ass I’m gonna run his ass off the road. It don’t matter. He know he can get it.”
Before facing ‘PacMan’, Bradley was set to face Khan in a unification in the 140 ranks but made ‘a business decision’ to pass on the opportunity as he was in the middle of switching from promoter to promoter.
Khan claims Bradley refused the fight on two occasions but the American took particular issue with the claims that he was avoiding the fight.
He then named 50-0 Floyd Mayweather as the other man he wished he could’ve faced – this time for the challenge rather than bad blood.
“It’s him and Mayweather – those are the only two that got away. I. wish I could’ve had a shot at Mayweather. Not gonna lie, I don’t know if I would beat him, the motherf***er was no joke. He’s a bad mama jama … But I can tell you it would’ve been competitive. That was another one I wish I could’ve got.”
