Trainers can make or break the chances of any fighter and that could be the case for Timothy Bradley Jr.
“Desert Storm” is technically seen as the last man standing on the shortlist of Filipino fighter Manny Pacquiao for his final fight in April 2016, though an eventual showdown will bring one minor change – Teddy Atlas.
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Atlas is of course the new man behind Bradley, taking over from Joel Diaz back in September. His work on Bradley was evident when the American boxer defeated Brandon Rios via KO last month, something that drew the interest of Pacquiao and company.
In their previous fights, Bradley was handled by Diaz. Bradley won the first fight in 2012 via split decision, something that stirred up a lot of controversy.
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The two would face again, but this time Pacquiao would win it via unanimous decision. Since that defeat, things weren’t the same for Bradley until he changed his trainer.
Veteran trainer Robert Diaz believes that Bradley has a shot at defeating Pacquiao in April.
According to boxingscene.com, Bradley’s triumph over Rios was a sign that “Desert Storm” is a new man which could be trouble for the ageing Filipino boxer/lawmaker.
And he credits Atlas for that change, something that could send Pacquiao off roughly into retirement.
"We all saw the first two fights and thought Pacquiao won, but this time with Teddy Atlas...Bradley looked different, Bradley looked motivated. He might have that extra push to pull it off. And Pacquiao might not be the same anymore, so this time Bradley has a better chance to pull it off."
On the other hand, Jeff Mayweather sees the “Teddy Atlas” shift as a non-factor. While he admits that Bradley could show remarkable improvement, the outcome will see Pacquiao as the eventual winner.
“I don’t think that Teddy Atlas — or anyone else — can help him win. He may do a little better but at the end of the day, Tim’s been in a lot of wars since the last time they fought. He may have more wear and tear on him than Pacquiao does," says the trainer and uncle of retired and undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. via On The Ropes Boxing Radio.
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