Boxing Quotes: Timothy Bradley vs. Carlos Abregu

Undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion and Top-10 pound for pound fighter Timothy Bradley and No. 1 junior middleweight contender Alfredo Angulo hosted a Palm Springs Media Workout today at the Boys and Girls Club of America Gym in Indio, Calif.

Undefeated Top-Five welterweight contender and Bradley opponent Carlos Abregu also paid a visit to the gym, choosing to observe Bradley’s training rather than give him a look at his own training.

The fighters will be featured atop an all-action card, in separate 12-round bouts. Angulo will be facing former WBA super welterweight champion Joachim Alcine in a WBC super welterweight title elimination bout.

Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and Thompson Boxing Promotions, the Bradley vs. Abregu and Angulo vs. Alcine doubleheader will take place this Saturday, July 17, at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif.. HBO Boxing After Dark will televise both bouts live, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast.

Timothy Bradley: “I’ve been very hard at work the last couple of months. I’ve had strenous workouts. I’ve added strength training to pick up my extra weight. I am ready for this fight with Abregu.

“I am focused on my game plan, I appreciate the media attention that I have received. It hasn’t distracted or bothered me.

“I am ready both physically and mentally. I feel stronger and faster than I ever have. I feel alive. This weight feels more natural. I can eat two portions of pasta instead of one.

“Life is about taking risks. You have to take risks to become the best. Abregu says that he’s going to knock me out, I’d like to see him try.

“I’m looking forward to a great battle on Saturday. Fighting in my hometown is an advantage because the crowd is going to cheer for me. Abregu is going to hear Bradley chanted all night long and in his sleep afterward.

“My body is physically prepared and mentally, I’m set. When the bell rings I’m going to go for it. When the first bell rings you lose your nervousness. It leaves your body because you’re ready to go. You want to get a feel for your opponent.

“I’m expecting his right upper cut to be heavy handed. He’s tall and lanky so he’ll be trying to get me from the outside. You have to do all the hard work throughout training and come fight night you perform.

“My delayed fights [Khan and Maidana] have given me incentive. I’ve been out of the ring too long. I’m weighing 149 right now so I am in good shape. I’ve been eating more than usual… The extra seven pounds allows me to eat a little more at my leisure. My energy level is incredibly high. I spar more than my opponents.”

On why he didn’t fight at a catch-weight: “I don’t believe in a catch-weight if you’re going to go to the next weight class. Fight the best in that weight class. Catch-weight is pathetic. Go the extra mile, gain the extra pounds… Roy Jones, Jr., James Toney, Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard have done it.”

On Carlos Abregu: “Abregu’s at the top of the list. He’s undefeated. I have to teach him how to lose. When they lose, they realize ‘it’s getting tough in here’. I have to break this guy down, make him pay for his mistakes.

“I am fighting for my fans. I have a motto, I can’t lose at home and if I do, I’m not afraid to lose. If I lose, I come back stronger. I would embrace a loss and learn from it. The key is going to be not standing in front of him and use a great jab. Be afraid… The Desert Storm’s coming at you!”

Carlos Abregu: On his game plan: “I don’t want to share my game at the moment. I’ll discuss my strategy after the fight.”

On Tim Bradley meeting him his weight class and not at a catch-weight: “He’s making a big mistake. I’m a natural welterweight. It’s a big mistake for him to fight at my division, he has no business here.”

On his fighting on HBO: “I’m happy to fight on HBO and I am going to take advantage of this opportunity”

On fighting away from his hometown: “Traveling out of my hometown is a normal thing for me. My having to fight here in Palm Springs is no different.

“I’m a professional. This is part of my job. I want to let everyone know that I am ready to fight and coming out of my hometown is no different. I have been in Brooklyn for about a month and arrived in Palm Springs yesterday. It’s hot here.”

On the media attention Bradley has been getting: “Bradley having all of the media’s attention puts me at ease because the pressure is not on me, it’s on the champ. This allows me to do my work. I don’t care about what is said before or after the fight. Everything I do, I do in the ring.”

On preparing for Bradley: “I worked out with sparring partners that moved a lot. I believe I have the formula to beat Bradley. I have sparred with guys as fast if not faster than Tim”.

On his own punching power: “My punching power is important to catch him at all rounds. I am going to try to in the first, second or third round. But if I have to, I am ready for the full 12 rounds; I’ve trained for it.”

On Bradley’s past fights: “I have seen Bradley’s fight style in his last four fights and I am not impressed. I’ll do what I have to do. I saw his fight against Kendall Holt and I can’t say much about that. I’ve been down and got up to win too. That’s part of what we do.”

Final comment: “Rest assured, when I put Bradley down he’s going to stay down.”

Alfredo Angulo: “I’ve been working hard with my training and now that it’s getting down to the wire I feel that I just want to finish this and fight. I’m going to continue working out until Thursday. On my final workout on Thursday I am going to focus on my speed.

“I have an arsenal of weaponry that I am going to use on fight night. Alcine is facing a multi-dimensional fighter on Saturday night. He’s in hot water…agua caliente. “