According to reports, WBC & IBF champion Devon Alexander, as well as WBA regular and interim champions Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana, are all ready, willing and able to face each other to decide who truly is the best 140-pound fighter in the world. Unfortunately, the one man who many believe currently holds that distinction by default, WBO champion Timothy Bradley, is apparently reluctant to join the other champions in their quest for division supremacy. "Khan is ready to sign on. So is Alexander. Why isn't Bradley," a frustrated Kevin Cunningham, trainer of Devon Alexander, would ask in an email sent to FightHype.com earlier today.
According to Cunningham, HBO has been eager to stage a tournament of sorts in the talent-filled 140-pound division for quite some time. When it was revealed that Timothy Bradley would be making his HBO debut in July, it appeared as though the network was inching closer to it's goal. "Alexander vs. Bradley and Khan vs. Maidana, or Marquez, taking place in the fall with the winners fighting March, 2011," Cunningham added as he laid out the initial plans that HBO is working on. Evidently, all of the fighters, trainers, managers and promoters are on board, with the exception of Team Bradley, who insist that "the money must be right" before stepping into the ring to face Alexander.
In all fairness to Bradley, he was already set to face Marcos Maidana in July, but a back injury forced Maidana to pull out of the bout. That being said, judging from recent comments made by both Bradley and his promoter, Gary Shaw, one might guess that the real issue is the fact that Bradley is now being asked to face Alexander. "I'll fight him next, no problem. HBO just has to pay for the fight. I don't have no problem with it all," Bradley commented in an interview when asked whether or not he would be willing to face Alexander after his fight with Maidana was cancelled. "They have to pay us what we deserve as the #1 and #2 fighters in the division. HBO needs to do is take care of us and it's on." His promoter would echo those sentiments. "That fight is a big fight and I don't want to rush it. It's really unfair to both fighters," Shaw added. "There's more money in that fight if they wait one or two fights and both are seen on HBO."
Cunningham sees it differently, however, and is more than willing to pit Alexander's skills against Bradley right now as opposed to later on down the road. "He needs to beat the best at 140 if he wants a mega-fight," Cunningham reiterated, making it clear that money is not standing in the way of Alexander proving that he's the best fighter in the division. Not to mention, one or two more fights televised on HBO against unknown opponents [Luis Carlos Abregu is currently penciled in as Bradley's opponent in July] is not going to significantly increase either fighters' worth. So is Timothy Bradley essentially ducking Devon Alexander? You be the judge and let us know in the comments below.
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