Tim Bradley

World class skill, heart, and grit will be on full display this Saturday night from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on HBO PPV. Many questions and queries from the boxing public will be answered when these pound for pound level fighters square off. Before we attempt to answer the final question of who will win enough battles to ultimately win the war, let’s take a look at what’s at stake and the doubts causing mass speculation leading into this matchup.

We might as well not beat around the bush, many fans and media members have placed a dark cloud of doubt that has followed the great Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez ever since he stepped on the scale for the third installment of a four fight series with Manny Pacquiao.

Marquez’s body, mainly his shoulders and arms, displayed growth and definition like never before. The last time above the lightweight division Marquez sported skin that wouldn’t be classified as saddle bags but surely his body looked bloated around 144 pounds.

The Final press conference for the undercard fights on the Marquez-Bradley welterweight showdown took place on Thursday in Las Vegas.

In a battle of Orlandos, the co-main event features another Puerto Rico Vs. Mexico face off: Orlando Cruz and Orlando Salido. At stake for both fighters is the vacant WBO Featherweight title. Salido, the Mexican bulldozer inside the ring, is aiming to bounce back from his defeat against Mikey Garcia. After having successful fights against Puerto Rican fighter Juan Manuel Lopez, Salido is no stranger to fighting and defeating Boricuas. He comes to this fight with confidence of scoring another victory and recapturing the title.

Two victories are in the mind of Orlando Cruz. One of those victories has already been achieved: a personal victory with himself. Months ago, Cruz openly admitted to being a member of the gay community.

Rarely do fight fans get a fight that we, the public want to see. Usually the promoters in their best interest and their fight stable, create fight cards and then OCNVINCE us it’s what we want to see. They hype enough and we buy into, because we are fight fans. Come Saturday though, I as a fight fan will be watching with intrigue the fight between Bradley and Marquez. Both of these fighters are true warriors and will fight to the finish. We have Bradley a come forward fighter, who though claims he will not be reckless as his previous fight, has something to prove to the world. That in his heart he did beat Pacquiao. Then you have Marquez a slick counter punching assassin, with a vicious body attack and precision that would make many surgeons jealous.

Desert Storm VS. Dynamite.

Las Vegas, NV once again becomes the spotlight for fight fans. A welterweight showdown looms with Timothy Bradley against Mexico’s own Juan Manuel Marquez.

The Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas was host to the final press conference for Bradley against Marquez. Fighters, trainers and promoters took to podium to finalize the last words that each camp had to say. Nothing but respect came from both camps. Both fighters understand the challenge that lies in front of them.

At stake for Juan Manuel Marquez is the opportunity to become the first Mexican fighter to win five different world titles in five different weight classes. With a scintillating knockout victory over Philippine sensation Manny Pacquiao, Marquez comes to this fight oozing with confidence.