Bradley vs Marquez: Timothy Bradley aiming for Hall of Fame credentials on October 12

Timothy Bradley considers Juan Manuel Marquez one of the best fighters in the world, as we all do, and says that he's aiming to make a Hall of Fame case for himself with a legacy win over a top opponent. Bradley will defend the WBO welterweight title against Marquez on October 12, live on HBO pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

"Marquez is definitely one of the best fighters in the world. Top three without a doubt. I just thought it would be perfect to have a guy like Marquez on my resume. If I beat Marquez then I think I definitely belong in the Hall of Fame and am one of the top fighters in the world."

Bradley (30-0, 12 KO) says he's confident that Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KO) won't look as destructive as he did against familiar foe Manny Pacquiao last December, and that Marquez benefited from having faced Pacquiao three times before knocking Manny out.

While a win over Marquez would not immediately make Bradley a Hall of Fame fighter, it certainly would be something in his defense later on down the line when we're really worried about Bradley's credentials. Marquez will turn 40 on August 23, but he's still legitimately one of the best boxers in the game. A legitimate win for Bradley here -- rather than a highly questionable decision like he won over Pacquiao last year -- would be the biggest win of Bradley's career, and would legitimize him as one of the sport's true elite.