How do you break into the upper echelon? If you have answers, let junior welterweight champ Timothy Bradley know.
Bradley, who’s 25-0, is No. 9 in the pound-for-pound rankings at FOXSports.com. He should be pretty popular, but he’s not. In fact he’s moving up to welterweight to fight Luis Carlos Abregu on Saturday (HBO, 9:45 p.m. ET). His hope is he’ll become marketable in two weight classes.
For most people this is the first time they’ll see Bradley, so who is he?
“The kid who has the guts and determination to get where he wants,” Bradley said.
As for his fighting style, Bradley is an offensive fighter but doesn’t close the show often. He has only 11 knockouts, and that can’t help him land big-time fights. Fans want to see definite, violent endings to bouts and Bradley’s fights often fail to deliver on that front. Floyd Mayweather Jr., who’s often criticized for his defense-first style, has 25 knockouts in his 41 wins.
However Bradley’s fights aren’t boring, says legendary boxing historian Bert Sugar. “If you like action, he’s your guy.”
Action alone doesn’t bring in the large paydays. “I can’t get any play at 140,” Bradley said, even though there are lots of great junior welterweight fighters.
A proposed bout with the well-regarded Marcos Maidana fell through. Amir Khan, the top name in the junior welterweight division, is being “protected” by his handlers, Bradley said. This has pushed him to take a risk and go up to 147 pounds.
Boxing’s two best reside at that weight — Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao — and Bradley would love to fight either of them. But he needs to build a genuine following first.
“This is all about marquee names,” Sugar said. “Look at LeBron James. He is a marquee name with a one-hour special.”
Bradley can’t become a marquee name without winning on Saturday and that won’t be easy. Abregu is also undefeated and has knocked out 23 of his 29 opponents. At welterweight, Bradley’s lack of punching power will also be more apparent. So how does he beat a guy who’s bigger, stronger and seemingly won’t be hurt by Bradley’s punches?
“He can’t hit what’s not in front of him,” Bradley said. “He packs a big punch, but I won’t be there. ... We’re going to see if I can take it.”
Sugar said the move to 147 pounds gives Bradley the best chance to find the money fights he so desperately craves. Timing, believe it or not, is on Bradley’s side, too. Not since the early to mid-1980s has the heavyweight division, boxing’s showpiece weight class, been so devoid of excitement. Lighter fighter like Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Tommy Hearns filled the void then and we’re seeing that now, Sugar said, with Pacquiao and Mayweather leading the way.
Bradley is on the cusp of joining the top echelon of fighters and Saturday’s performance can go a big way toward making him a star.
“He’s got to gain respect,” Sugar said. “The whole aspect here is to get a ‘W’ not a KO, which Bradley can do."
