BRADLEY AND CAMPBELL MEET THE PRESS TO ANNOUNCE AUGUST 1ST SHOWDOWN
SHOWTIME TO TELEVISE CLASH OF CHAMPIONS IN RANCHO MIRAGE
LOS ANGELES,
June 24 – On Saturday, August 1st,
Unbeaten WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy “Desert
Storm” Bradley will face the toughest test of his reign at
the top of the 140-pound weight class when he battles former
undisputed lightweight champion Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior”
Campbell in a 12 round championship bout at The Show at Agua
Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa in Rancho Mirage, California.
Showtime Championship Boxing
will telecast this highly-anticipated battle – which is
presented by Gary Shaw Productions and Thompson Boxing
Promotions in association with Don King Productions and Agua
Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa – beginning at 9pm ET / PT.
In the televised co-feature undefeated Devon Alexander faces
British veteran Junior Witter for the WBC title that Bradley
voluntarily relinquished.
Tickets for Bradley vs Campbell go on sale July 3rd at 10 a.m. (PT) and will be available for purchase online at www.HotWaterCasino.com/TheShow or by calling (800) 585-3737.
To officially announce this clash of champions, the fighters and their camps engaged in a two-day California press tour in Rancho Mirage and Pasadena, and both Bradley and Campbell, while respectful of each other, left no doubt that they plan to come out with guns blazing when the bell rings on August 1st.
Quotes from Tuesday, June 23, 2009,
The Show at Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa in Rancho Mirage, California
TIMOTHY BRADLEY
“I don’t think people realize
or understand how exciting it is for me and how important it
is for me to fight at home and on SHOWTIME. I have been
asking for a fight here for a long time.
“It’s weird, really. I’m more
well-known in England, the United States and Canada than I
am in my own backyard. But that’s going to change on Aug. 1
and I am extremely happy about that.
“This will be a great night
for boxing and an exciting night for the fans in this area
to see one of their own in a great fight of this stature. I
really appreciate Aqua Caliente for stepping up to the plate
like they have.
“The
recognition I get has been fantastic, but home is where I
need the support. Home is where I
want
the support. Only stars and celebrities play the arena where
we’re fighting, and I know I am going to shine.
“I’ve known Nate for a long
time. I know what he brings to the table and that he is
going to try and bring it to me. This is a tough,
hard-fight. But that’s what I want. I want to fight the
best.
“I didn’t have to take this.
But I didn’t feel (Devon) Alexander had done enough to
deserve a shot. Now, he’s fighting a guy I beat to win my
first title, Junior Witter, on the undercard.
“That only makes this card better. I have to beat a highly regarded, determined, tough guy like Nate. I need his name on my resume to help get me where I want to go and am going to be.’’
NATE CAMPBELL
“I am just happy to fight. I had three lightweight belts and I couldn’t give them away, much less get anybody to fight me. I’ve fought bigger guys before so 140 is a very comfortable weight for me. I train all the time so the layoff won’t be a factor.
“There’s a lot of respect
going on here both ways, but once the bell rings we’ll be
trying to tear the other’s head off.
“I have no problem fighting
in his backyard, or anywhere for that matter. The only thing
that matters is that I’m the baddest guy not only in the
ring, but in the building whenever I fight.
“I’ve known Tim since when he
was barely a blip on the radar screen. He fights with a lot
of heart and he’s got the belt now, but I always feel like
I’m the champion. He’s undefeated, but I am going to get
that (zero). I plan to do it all on Aug. 1.
“I fight because I love to fight and I love the sport. Mostly, though, I love to win. This fight has all the makings of a great one. Style-wise, it will be amazing. It’s going to be a monster ordeal.’’
PHIL COOPER
(EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, AQUA CALIENTE BAND OF
CAHUILLA INDIANS)
“The Show was made for this type of knock-out entertainment;
this is the beginning of a new era for top-level sporting
events in Southern California.”
DAVID FENDRICK, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AQUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS)
“We have the right venue and the right team in place—this fight will be spectacular.”
PROMOTER GARY SHAW
“I want everyone to be aware
that Timothy Bradley didn’t have to take this risk of taking
on Nate Campbell but he did so because he is a true athlete.
“Timothy gave up his
championship title with the WBC to go with the WBO title in
order to seek out more opportunity and this fight offered
him that opportunity.
“Not only is this a battle for a championship title but it is a battle in his very own backyard. This is something very special to Timothy to be able to bring the fight home.
“Nate Campbell is a great fighter, as is Timothy Bradley.
They are both professionals and on Aug. 1 fight fans are
going to see a real fight from two great fighters.
“Having added the Witter-Alexander match as the co-feature
is something very special because two great world title
fights in the same weight class (on the same night) rarely
happens in this sport.
“We are honored to promote the first boxing event at Agua
Caliente Resort and Casino, which is a first class resort
with superior service that is very detailed -- in much the
same way, both Timothy and Nate bring the same type of
superior performance in the ring for the fight fans.”
PROMOTER KEN THOMPSON
“We’re especially excited to bring this stellar event to Bradley’s hometown. Bradley has proven time and time again on foreign land that he is a true champion and on Aug. 1 he will have the opportunity to treat his hometown fans to witness another one of his great victories.
“Agua Caliente Resort and Casino was our first choice when
considering the venue and the magnitude of this fight.
Southern California fight fans will enjoy the resort
immensely.’’
Quotes from Wednesday, June 24, 2009,
The Langham, Huntington Hotel and Spa, Pasadena, California
TIMOTHY BRADLEY
“Expect fireworks – a total
train wreck -- between two hungry, determined fighters who
come to fight. There will be no excuses. I know I’ll be
ready, and I know Nate will be ready.
“But on Aug. 1, I am going to be making me some Campbell’s soup.
“I really want to thank Gary
Shaw, Thompson Boxing, my promoter from the beginning,
SHOWTIME, Aqua Caliente and everyone responsible for making
this fight possible.
“I didn’t have to choose
Nate; I could have fought a far lesser guy. But I did it
because I wanted a challenge to see what I could do and,
like I’ve said, I want to make a statement that I am the
best in the world at 140 pounds.
“I’m always willing to fight the best, any time or any place, but if I can’t beat Nate Campbell then I can’t fight Manny Pacquiao or any of the top 140-pounders.
“Fighting before a full house in front of family, friends and fans in my backyard is going to be a tremendous experience. But, in my heart, I do not feel any pressure at all. If I can go to England and beat one of their own, Junior Witter, I can deal with anything.’’
NATE CAMPBELL
“I have a lot of respect for
Tim. He’s a nice guy with a real good family. He keeps his
shoes tied. He wears his pants above his waist. He is going
to fight his fight on Aug. 1, but he has never fought
anybody like me, and there is nothing he can show me that I
haven’t already seen.
“Who’s he fought to get the
kind of experience it will take to prepare for a
hard-working, blue-collar guy like me? I’ve fought all
kinds. I’m a physical guy and he’s never fought a guy at 140
that punches like me.
“Tim’s trying to make a name
for himself but he’s going to get some on-the-job training
against me and I am going to take that zero of this record.
“I love fighting undefeated
guys and taking away their ‘ohs.’ I think I have defeated
them all except one – and the one I didn’t get credit for
came against Issac (Hlatshwayo) on a split decision in a
fight I thought I won.
“Tim is a great little
fighter who may one day become a great champion. But he’s
going to have to do it after losing to me.
“After I beat Juan Diaz to
win the three lightweight belts, I could never enjoy the
thrill or turn the victory into a series of big paydays
because I could not get fights. Then, making 135 became
impossible.
“But it’s a new day and on Aug. 1, there will be a new champion.’’
PROMOTER GARY SHAW
“These are two great
champions.
“It’s special treat that we
just announced another fight yesterday, the WBC 140-pound
world title between Devon Alexander and Junior Witter.
Ironically, Tim gave up that title through the politics of
boxing.
“These are going to be two
great world title fights.”
“Tim chose to fight one of
the top three fighters in the 140-pound division in Nate
Campbell.”
“We can’t control the
politics of boxing, but there’s a good chance we’ll see a
unification fight between the winners of these two world
championship bouts.
“The winners will do what’s
best for their careers, but we always like to see
unification fights.
“I promoted Nate early in my
career and I know how tough he is and how good he is. I do
believe the best should fight the best. When you fight the
best it raises your game, it raises your level.
“As evidenced by this fight,
Nate is willing to fight the best out there. Timothy is
willing to fight anyone. He traveled to England to win a
world title and he traveled to Canada to defend it.
“You’ve got two fighters
willing to fight anyone, anywhere. Nate is going to Tim’s
backyard for this one. You have to respect fighters like
that. They’re good for the game.
“I do worry about the fight.
Nate Campbell is enough to worry about. I also worry about
bringing a fighter back to his hometown. In Tim’s case, I
believe he is mature enough now to be able to handle it.
“I’m confident Tim will be able to handle the pressures of fighting in his hometown. There will be some added pressure, but I think we’ll be in the right place at the right time.’’
PROMOTER KEN THOMPSON
“We’ve got another fabulous
night of boxing.”
“We have our homegrown world
champion going against a three-time world champ in Nate
Campbell.”
“It’s a night to remember and
something the Coachella Valley has been looking forward to
for a long time.
“We’re happy to have SHOWTIME broadcast this fight across the country for all fight fans to see. They’re going to get a real treat on Aug. 1.”
ALEX CAMPONOVO (GENERAL MANAGER, THOMPSON BOXING)
“Timothy started here in
California and moved on to bigger things because he had a
dream to be a world champion. Now, he has another dream and
that’s to become a legend, but he’s got to go through a
tremendous fighter in Nate Campbell to become one.
“Neither fighter had to take this fight, but they wanted to fight the best in the world. That’s what you’ll see on Aug. 1, two of the best fighters going at it.”
TERRY TREKAS (CO-PROMOTER, CAMPBELL)
“What’s going to take place
on Aug. 1 is actually bigger than the fight. We’ve got two
of the best at 140 pounds taking a big risk to fight each
other. A fight like this from a fan’s perspective is
refreshing.
“When you wear a world title, you’re ready. It’s time for champions to take fights like this. I respect Timothy for taking on a guy like Nate, the former unified champion of the world.”
