{"id":720051,"date":"2023-05-24T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/palmspringslife.com\/?p=720051"},"modified":"2024-04-28T01:30:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-28T08:30:10","slug":"palm-springs-tim-bradley-celebrated-by-international-boxing-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.palmspringslife.com\/the-guide\/sports\/palm-springs-tim-bradley-celebrated-by-international-boxing-hall-of-fame\/","title":{"rendered":"Palm Springs\u2019 Tim Bradley Celebrated by International Boxing Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section][et_pb_row theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” ][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

The last thing on Tim Bradley\u2019s mind 15 years ago, on a lonely May night in Nottingham, England, was the International Boxing Hall of Fame. It was May 10, 2008, and survival, not fame, was the order of the day.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

He had flown from the California desert to England, planning to have his fianc\u00e9, Monica, join him the day before the fight. Monica\u2019s management and financial skills made her a huge part of Tim\u2019s success. He needed her there, but her flights had been delayed, and she didn\u2019t arrive until 4:30 a.m. the day of the fight.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

She arrived with bad news.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

\u201cYou better win,” Monica told Tim. \u201cWe only have $11 left in our bank account.”<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

Years later, Monica Bradley would regret the extra pressure she had put on her soon-to-be husband in that moment. But she said they had reached near rock bottom. Around that time, they had arrived at their Palm Springs home to find an eviction notice on the front door. Monica was working, and Tim was fighting everywhere he could. Back then, that meant a steady stream of low-paying fights in smaller area casinos and hotel ballrooms. Monica had kids from a previous marriage, and there were mouths to feed. But the ends weren\u2019t meeting.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

Later that day, Bradley stepped into a foreign boxing ring, in front of an unfriendly crowd, to fight Junior Witter of England for the World Boxing Council 140-pound title. Witter had the title and the home venue. In boxing, that is a huge advantage. But Bradley boxed him and outfoxed him and won easily, even though the hometown judges called it a split decision. The Bradleys left England with $52,011 in their bank account.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” column_structure=”1_2,1_2″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.palmspringslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/230427_PSL_TimBradleyJr_Studio0435-cc.jpg” _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ alt=”Image” title=”Image” title_text=”Image” ][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

Tim Bradley held the world title in two divisions.<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

Flash forward to<\/span> early December of last year. Tim and Monica had been shuttling between homes and businesses in Palm Springs and San Diego. Monica owns and operates two Haus of Pok\u00e9 restaurants and a food truck in the desert, and Tim is an established boxing analyst for ESPN. Now, there are two kids in college, another one working with Tim at ESPN, and two younger ones finding their way in school and sports \u2014 five children in all. The family parts never stopped moving.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

Monica was on her way back to the desert from San Diego, shortening the trip as much as possible by avoiding the big freeways and driving through Temecula instead. She got a flat tire and called Tim, who volunteered to come and get her. He did, told her to take his truck, continue on, and he would take care of the tire.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” ][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

\u201cI\u2019m sitting there, watching as she heads out,” he recalls, \u201cand before she gets no more than 100 yards down the road, I see her pull over to the side, then make a U-turn and come back to me. I have no idea what is going on. She gets out of the [truck], walks to my side of the car, and hands me a cell phone.” (Monica has managed Tim\u2019s business for so long that the standard way for people to get in touch with him is to call her.)<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|400|||||||”]

\u201cI look at her kind of strange, and she just hands me the phone. So, I take it, answer, and the voice on the other end says it is the International Boxing Hall of Fame; they were calling to tell me I had been voted in.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” ][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default”]

\u201cI went to my knees. I\u2019m on the side of the road in wine country in Temecula, and I go right to my knees. Then I cried.”<\/span><\/div>