By Rick Reeno
WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley had plenty to say in response to a recent article on BoxingScene.com, where Kevin Cunningham, the trainer for WBC/IBF champion, called him a coward. Bradley and Team Alexander have been arguing for several weeks over a potential future fight. Bradley tells BoxingScene that he won't allow Cunningham to pressure him into a fight. The fight will happen, but at the right time and for the right money, says Bradley.
"The only person talking about fighting Tim Bradley is Cunningham. Devon Alexander had his chance to say 'I want to fight Tim Bradley' [after stopping Juan Urango]. When they asked who he wanted to fight, he said he didn't care and he would leave it up to his team. He didn't say "I want fight Tim Bradley.' Right there he had his chance to say he wanted a fight," Bradley told BoxingScene.com.
"Cunningham is trying to trying to ruin my image. He's trying to corner me. He's trying to turn the fans against me, so Devon can have more fans than myself. The fight is going to happen what I'm ready to fight him, not when he's ready to fight. The fight fans know the fight is going to happen. I'm not afraid of no man. It don't really make sense right now, and when it does - we're going to make it happen. I actually feel like I'm fighting Cunningham. He's the one doing all of the talking. They need to stop worrying about what I'm doing, and focus on what they're doing."
When the fight takes place, Bradley has no problem with the contest taking place in Alexander's backyard of St. Louis. Bradley traveled to England to win his first title from Junior Witter and unified two belts in Canada with a win over Kendall Holt.
"We're going to call Devon's number. That's what he needs to realize. And Cunningham, he's acting like a kid, a spoiled little brat who wants something in the store and his momma tells him no, so he starts throwing a tantrum and getting all crazy and wild. He's been in the business a lot longer than I have, and he's acting like a rookie. He needs to quit," Bradley said.
"I don't mean to go back and forth and disrespect anybody, but he's calling me a name. He's calling me a coward. I'm not a coward, I'll fight anybody and it really don't matter. I've fought in England, I've fought in Canada and I've taken world titles from two different guys. And I have no problem going to St. Louis to put my hands on Devon, but it has to be the right time."
"The fight fans will get that fight....there is no doubt. I want that fight. I want to fight Devon. My goal is to put him out. If we fight, my goal is to put him out. Kevin Cunningham better get ready because he got a big mouth and he needs to lay off the bottle. He needs to leave the bottle alone and stop going on all these websites, blowing up your phones, late at night and early in the morning, he needs to lay off the bottle. I told him, I will fight Devon, just chill and relax."
Next up for Bradley is a welterweight debut against unbeaten Carlos Abregu on July 17. If successfully, Bradley plans to discuss a unification with Alexander for the fall. Once the fight takes place, Bradley has made it a personal mission to make Cunningham pay for all of his verbal jabs during the last few weeks.
"He might get the fight after this fight. After this fight I'll sit down with my team and we'll discuss it and he may get it after this fight," Bradley said.
"Just like with Cory Spinks and Zab [Judah]. Kevin was doing all of the talking and look what ended up happening. Zab went to St Louis and put his hands on Cory. And that's the same thing that's going to happen. He keeps talking and I will go to St. Louis and put my hands on Devon. I'm serious, I can beat this guy. I know I can beat this kid. And when it happens, I'm going to tell everyone 'I told you so.' Everything that he's talking about right now, he's going to eat all of those words."
