By Jake Donovan
Timothy Bradley is universally respected and recognized as a brave warrior in the ring, if not to a fault. Having won three championships in two weight classes, he's survived hellacious wars and all sorts of styles, with Manny Pacquiao the only fighter to hang a loss on his career to date.
That doesn't figure to change this weekend, as he is a 5-1 favorite to outlast Brandon Rios in their HBO-televised welterweight fight at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Perhaps because of that, discussion well beyond the matchup itself has taken place leading up and during fight week.
What has been questioned about the always in-shape welterweight from California is his intelligence - in the ring and in most recent weeks, outside the ropes. Bradley drew scorn years ago for walking away from manager Cameron Dunkin, and earlier this fall raised eyebrows in dumping longtime trainer Joel Diaz in favor of Teddy Atlas.
He may not always see the punches coming in the ring, but the defending two-time welterweight titlist came fully prepared to Thursday's final pre-fight press conference. Well aware of his ethics and intelligence being called into question, the defending champ took to the mic and did what he does best in the ring - take his opponent's best shot and fire right back.
"I want to tell you guys how dumb but really smart I really am," Bradley (33-1-2, 12KOs) said ahead of his upcoming title defense. "I don't think people understand what goes on around me, what I have around me.
"I'm very intelligent and I'm going to tell you guys why."
From there, it was his critics forced to contend with the return fire.
"I signed with the best promoter in the boxing business with Top Rank," Bradley said of the career-changing move that came in 2011.
The move led to two fights with Manny Pacquiao, in which he gained a controversial win and the lone loss of his career, but also netting his two best paydays. Also coming of the move was a terrific 12-round win over Juan Manuel Marquez, barely surviving the 2013 Fight of the Year in a win over Ruslan Provodnikov and earlier this year decisioning Jessie Vargas to kick off his second - and current - tour as a welterweight titlist.
His signing with Top Rank was preceded by his bringing Dunkin aboard, only to part ways with one of the top managers in the game in favor of having his wife, Monica grab the managerial reins.
"Inking up with a great manager in Cameron Dunkin - I told my wife Monica, 'Learn everything you can from Cameron Dunkin. Everything – because guess what? Someday you're going to manage my career,'" Bradley revealed, spelling out the past with Dunkin - who manages Rios - three seats to his left on the dais. "We're going to save 10% of my purse, which we're doing now.
"I'm still not intelligent, though, right? I own everything that I have, I don't owe the bank anything. I own everything. You guys understand that? I'm not dumb, I'm a super smart guy. I own everything. i don't even know how many houses I have, but I own them all, including the one I'm living in.
Bradley added: "I own all my cars. My kids... are in the best schools in my area, getting the best education. Guess what? I also already have my kids' college taken care of. The money is already there for them."
The moves he made in the past never had anything to do with ill will towards other parties, but simply being in control of his career.
By his own admission, it was a life lesson he didn't fully comprehend until joining forces with Atlas prior to the start of this training camp.
"He got rid of trainer, manager - he's dumb," Bradley said, not speaking in third person, but reciting public perception. "Everything has a plan, everything has a purpose. I'm living it right now, and I'm happy. I have control of everything that goes aroound me."
"Everything that's around me doesn't mean anything, it's just part of the show. The only thing that matters is what goes on in the ring Saturday evening. I know that now. I have control of that. Teddy taught me that. All that matters is Saturday night. Everything I said now, doesn't mean anything on Saturday night. With my wife, we're a team. As long as me and my wife are together, we are strong and can't nobody break us apart."
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
