Timothy Bradley: Trainer Joel Diaz Disappointed in Peterson Rematch

At least one member of the Timothy Bradley camp seems disappointed with the decision to face Lamont Peterson in a rematch on Dec. 15 at Marlins Park in Miami.

That man is Bradley's very outspoken trainer Joel Diaz and he echoed some of the criticism from boxing observers about the decision to rematch what was a one-sided first fight.

“No, it’s not going to be like the first fight. Lamont Peterson hasn’t matured a lot, but a couple losses in his resume, that doesn’t make him the Lamont Peterson when he was undefeated," Diaz told Chris Robinson of BoxingScene.com.

Both fighters came into their Dec. 12, 2009, fight undefeated.

Bradley knocked Peterson down in the third round of the fight, which was nearly three years to the day of the proposed rematch, and won by wide unanimous decision.

On that night, "Desert Storm" got a much-deserved 120-107, 119-108, 118-110 victory on the scorecards in a fight that wasn't terribly competitive.

Diaz for one is aware that the public may not view the need for a rematch, and says it's the promoters and not him, who select the fights.

"But if that’s the fight that we’re going to have, right now at this point, whatever is out there for Tim, as long as we keep him active, it’s fine."

"I can’t be asking for big names. At the end of the day, the promoters are the ones who give us what they want.”

Bradley had struggled to find a suitable opponent for his return, and was perhaps hurt by the fact that his decision win over Manny Pacquiao was largely dismissed by observers as one of the worst in the history of boxing.

After a proposed rematch with Pacquiao fell apart, other names such as Peterson, current interim WBC welterweight champion Robert Guerrero and former champion Andre Berto were mentioned as possible foes. 

In settling on Peterson, Bradley will be facing a man he has already defeated in convincing fashion, certainly not the follow-up to the biggest win of his career many were expecting.

The fight will be televised on HBO.

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