SI.com: Last year, you weren't interested in this fight. What changed?
Tim Bradley: "Look, my life and career went down the drain after the first Pacquiao fight. I didn't want to revisit that dark cloud just yet. I wanted to fight a legend in Juan Manuel Marquez. I wanted to beat the guy who beat Pacquiao. I wanted to prove to the fans that I wanted to fight Pacquiao again. I think it's time. It's the perfect time. Win or lose, I have to revisit this chapter in my life. If I were to die tomorrow, [the first Pacquiao fight] would probably be the last thing on my mind. I have to prove to the fans that I did beat this guy. This is my opportunity. It's redemption."
SI.com: How much has the public's perception of you changed?
TB: "A lot. I was just at Disneyland a couple of days ago. Fans were hitting me up at Disney like crazy. Boxing fans, people recognizing me, taking pictures. When I go out of town, the respect I get from fans is there. A lot of people may not like my style, they may not like the way I fight. But they say 'keep doing what you're doing.' I've been looking for respect, been looking for it my whole career. Now I'm getting it as a top fighter."
SI.com: There was a lot of talk of you as a candidate to fight Floyd Mayweather this year. How big a factor was that for you during the Pacquiao negotiations?
TB: "It was definitely on my mind. I had to sit back and think about my options. But Mayweather runs from guys and does whatever he wants to do. There is no real reason to go after that fight besides the public wanting it. But the public wanted the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight forever and Mayweather won't fight him. The public might want me to fight Mayweather, but he chooses what he wants to do. Mayweather runs his own ship. There are no guarantees. I had to do what's best for my family. And Top Rank gave me an offer I couldn't refuse."
SI.com: Did you ever hear from anyone from Mayweather's team?
TB: "I never talked to anybody. It would be illegal for me to talk to anybody, because of my contract."
SI.com: What kind of extension did you sign with Top Rank?
TB: "I'm tied up with them for a couple more years. I have my guarantees. I was talking to my brother in law the other day about this. If any of these guys want to fight me, they can always come over to the other side. Top Rank, by far, hearing from different fighters, looking at different purses, Top Rank pays the most money. Floyd is his own boss, he makes crazy money, he has his own way of doing business. Canelo [Alvarez], he does well, too. Everyone else, I'm telling you, Top Rank pays the most. Abner Mares just made his first million check. Nonito Donaire has been making $1 million for a while."
SI.com: You split with your manager, Cameron Dunkin. Why?
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