By James Slater: Not long to go now until the first big, big fight of the year. This Saturday in Detroit, the unbeaten 140-pound duo that is Timothy Bradley (the WBO champ) and Devon Alexander (the WBC champ) will collide in a fascinating, “pick ‘em” unification match-up.
Both guys are young, naturally gifted, ferociously determined and on the verge of greatness. It was a similar thing for two peaking welterweights back in 1981, when future legends “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns met to decide who the world’s best was at 147-pounds. And, guess what? Bradley has been getting advice, as well as a “torrid” sparring session from the “Motor City Cobra” himself!
In an extremely interesting interview with The Detroit Free Press, Bradley spoke of the work he did with the 52-year-old all-time great yesterday at the Kronk Gym in the city. According to the piece, Hearns, looking in fantastic shape himself despite his years, took off his coat, donned the mitts and went “several torrid rounds” with the unbeaten 27-year-old.
Tommy reportedly advised Bradley, 26-0(11) on how to throw the right hand; this punch being the one he himself threw with utterly devastating results time and time again in a superb pro career. And Bradley admitted he learnt quite a few new things courtesy of the former six-weight world champion.
“It was awesome getting knowledge from a legend,” Bradley told The Detroit Free Press. “Obviously Tommy had one of the best right hands in boxing history, and he showed me how he does it. I didn’t know you had to turn that deep into the right hand. I mean, that’s full-body motion, man. That’s the whole body turned all the way through it.
“Tommy gave me some great advice. The right hand is supposed to be my most effective punch in this fight. I’m going to use that advice in there [in the ring on Saturday]. I’m going to turn it right over.”
Fans will surely agree how Bradley could not have been given advice by a more qualified man. However, Tommy – who told the Palm Springs man to “work the left/right every time. every time, make it hard. he’ll [Alexander] have double trouble.” – did say that “advice only goes a certain way. Then it’s up to the fighter.”
And now, with just three days to go until fight time, it is up to Bradley to go in and get the job done. Will the boxer/puncher who is known for having amazing fitness due to an even more amazing work ethic throw more right hands on Saturday night? Will the advice Hearns gave him make him a harder puncher? What is certain is the time he spent with the legendary warrior from the ’80s and ’90s cant have hurt Bradley any.
A great, chess-match-type of fight on paper, maybe Bradley-Alexander will end via a violent KO? But in whose favour?
For Sky Sports viewers in the UK the fight should be of even more interest, seeing as how it will go out live – and NOT on Box Office!