By Luis Sandoval
Timothy Bradley scored one of the biggest victories of his career this past October when he defeated Juan Manuel Marquez over 12 rounds to retain his WBO Welterweight title as well as his spotless undefeated record. While many saw Bradley clearing winning the fight, Marquez and his trainer Nacho Beristain did not agree with the decision and felt they had been robbed.
In a recent article on BoxingScene, Beristain said the only fight Marquez is interested in is a rematch with Bradley or he’d be ready to retire from the sport.
BoxingScene caught up with Bradley’s trainer Joel Diaz and was asked if they’d be interested in a rematch with Marquez considering there’s also the possibility of fighting Manny Pacquiao who just came off a dominant win over Brandon Rios.
“Honestly, I would like to go the Pacquiao way. We know this is a business and at the end of the day the best possible options are the ones we’re going to take. If Pacquiao wants a rematch with Bradley, we’re open for that. It’s up to the promoters. We can only ask but they’re the ones that are going to make the final decision” Diaz would tell BoxingScene.
While Diaz reveals they would also be open to a rematch with Marquez, the fight he really wants is against Pacquiao. Bradley was awarded a split decision victory over Manny in 2012 but it appeared Bradley and judges CJ Ross and Duane Ford were the only ones who saw him winning the fight as there was an immediate backlash over the verdict.
Bradley was never given full credit by most for the victory and it’s a stigma that he’s carried around ever since. For Joel, taking the second fight would finally clear the air once and for all and hopefully provide a decisive ending.
“You know Marquez, we beat Marquez fair and square but the option is open. I would like to go back to Pacquiao. The reason why is because we had a very sour taste after that fight and I would like to clear things. Honestly I would like to fight Manny Pacquiao so that we could make it nice and clear. We win, we lose but we go home happy and we don’t have to go home with a controversy of supposedly losing or a robbery” shared Diaz.
“The comments still follow us like ghosts wherever we go. It follows me everywhere and I really don’t like that. I’m a person that loves the sport and I have lots of sportsmanship and I’d like to make it clear. If we win, we want to win clear. If we go in there and we lose then we have to go and leave everything behind and be happy”.
Bradley will undoubtedly be part of a big fight next year but the question now remains who will it be against.
You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter & Instagram @Truewest007.