Coachella Valley's Bradley To Defend Title Against Marquez in Vegas

Timothy Bradley will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight championship tonight in Las Vegas against "probably the best fighter I will have ever faced in my career, by far," Juan Manuel Marquez.

"I want to fight the best to be the best in this sport," Bradley, who was born in Cathedral City and lives in Palm Springs, said in a recent conference call with reporters.

"People that tell me I can't do it, I want to prove them wrong. I am one of the best fighters in the world and if I'm not No. 1 on your list, I will be."

Bradley said he "tried three years ago to" fight Marquez, who has won seven world championships in four weight classes.

"I wanted to fight him before he left the game," Bradley said.

The 40-year-old Marquez, who was born in Mexico City and lives in Anaheim, is 55-6-1 with 40 knockouts. He knocked out Manny Pacquiao in his most recent fight, Dec. 8, after losing split and majority decisions to Pacquiao and having their first fight end in a draw.

"People struggle when they fight this guy," Bradley said. "He either knocks them out or he wins a decision because he is a great counter-puncher."

The 30-year-old Bradley is 30-0, with one fight ending in a no contest. He has 12 knockouts.

Bradley previously held the WBO and World Boxing Council light welterweight championships.

Bradley won his current title by upsetting Pacquiao on a split decision on June 9, 2012. He defeated Ruslan Provodnikov on a unanimous decision in his first defense of the title March 16.

The Bradley-Marquez fight card will begin at 6 p.m. at the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. It will be shown on a pay-per-view basis and at Coachella Valley casinos, including Agua Caliente, Fantasy Springs and Spotlight 29.

Oddsmakers have established Marquez as the favorite.

"Of course they are going for the veteran, the guy who knocked out Pacquiao, so of course they are going to bet on him to win," Bradley said.

"I don't mind being the underdog. I like it. I like taking people's money and I'll take it again. People can doubt me and doubt me and that's OK, but soon they will get sick of losing their money."

Reported by Steven Herbert, City News Service