Former unified world champion and ex-Manny Pacquiao opponent Timothy Bradley got emotional on TV when revealing he was racially profiled by police while out in the car with his four-year-old child.
The 36-year-old, who retired when losing to Pacquiao in 2016, was working as an analyst with ESPN when explaining what happened.
Bradley choked up when speaking on the first boxing broadcast since the coronavirus hit as the incident happened in front of his boy.
Bradley stated what happened in 2o19: “We were getting ready for school early in the morning. I went outside and asked my son which car you wanted to drive in today,” Bradley stated.
“It was a car I had been fixing for a little while. I haven’t driven in about three years. But I knew he was going to say that car.
“I was a little skeptical about getting in that car because I knew the type of attention it would get. But I got in anyway because I wanted to see the smile on my son’s face.”
On his way to take his son to school, Bradley added that “not one, not two, but four police cars.” he followed him to pull him over as his son sat in the passenger seat.
TIMOTHY BRADLEY RACIALLY PROFILED
At that moment, the ex-fighter knew he had some explaining to do to his offspring.
“I looked at my son. My heart was pumping 100 miles an hour. I told my son, ‘Look at me. Do exactly what I tell you to do right now. Don’t say anything at all. Keep your hands up high.’
“My son asked me why did they pull us over? And I said, son, they pulled us over because of the color of our skin and the type of car we’re driving.
“I told my son at four years old. I said, ‘you might not get it now, but you will get it later.’
“My father shared this same story with me 30 years ago. I just shared that with my son a year ago,” concluded the Californian.
The boxing fraternity rallied behind Bradley as soon as the incident occurred during a fight night special featuring Shakur Stevenson in top billing.
A widespread issue that needs serious addressing, Bradley’s story is sadly a familiar tale in the United States.
