Tim Bradley Didn’t Give Jamel Herring A Great Grade…What Did Bradley Say About Herring Win?

The new media landscape can be better, and it can be worse…but, for sure, it is different.

Former fighters were not always, but were often reluctant to go all in with critiques of warriors in active combat. These days, if you are too boring,you will get savaged online, on social media. You have to sometimes stir that pot, and be candid, or at least fake it, selectively, or you will be dismissed.

Tim Bradley has found his voice as an analyst in the last year in working with ESPN. From the guy who started out in the shadow of Teddy Atlas, the Cali boxer now is obviously having fun most of the time in doing his thing, with Andre Ward, and Joe Tessitore or Bernardo Osuna and Mark Kriegel.

On Saturday, Bradley said after seeing Jamel Herring win a UD12 over Lamont Roach, Bradley offered his critique of the Herring effort, which saw him rise his record to 21-2.

After Andre Ward said that Herring “showed the heart of a Marine,” Bradley said that Herring looked “OK,” and “he looked his age…34 years old.”

The 36 year old Bradey, who finished with a 33-2-1 record, though I do believe he will fight one more time, said that Herring “didn't look impressive tonight.”

So, you think maybe the Long Island native Herring put Bradley on blast? Get defensive and go back at the ESPN talker? Nope…

I reached out to Herring, and asked him his thoughts on Bradley's take, the critique of his Nov. 9 outing, in which he defended his WBO 130 pound crown.

“I did fall asleep in those middle rounds at times,” Herring said, referring to more so what Ward told viewers. “Reason being though was because I was constantly hit with rabbit punches after rabbit punch, and the ref didn’t help. Mike, as I’m saying this, I STILL have a knot on my head behind my right ear from all the shots. I couldn’t press the action without being hesitant of those shots from that wide left hook he kept throwing.”

OK, what about being 34…is or was that a factor in Fresno?

“Stamina-wise I felt great. I wasn’t tired, and I had to push the action a times because I felt him fatiguing! I have one of the best strength coaches so stamina issues weren’t the problem. If I felt otherwise, I wouldn’t tell Crystina Poncher that I still wanted a unification matchup with the best super featherweight in the division.”

So, to reiterate, 34 isn't meaning bad news for youse?

“Not at all. My conditioning was better than a 24 year old!”

So…Ward and Bradley talked about what Herring should maybe do next? Frampton next? Aim at Miguel Berchelt?

Ward lobbied for a stiff test, with a beefy paycheck, while Bradley thinks a defense against a lesser light, in a mandatory defense, is called for, get an A grade showing under his belt, then aim for bigger game.

“Word is the powers that be are waiting to see how the Nov. 30th card plays out first,” Herring said. “I do know for a fact that Berchelt isn’t next. He’s dead set on Oscar Valdez, and may move up afterwards. Rumor has it that ESPN wants me and Frampton in March.”