Three weeks ago, WBC Super Lightweight Champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley scored the biggest win of his career as he came off the floor to unanimously outscore WBO champion Kendall Holt in the unification bout. In breaking developments, the WBC has contacted Fightnews exclusively to inform the boxing world that it is stripping Bradley for reneging on his promise to defend against #1 rated Devon Alexander after the Holt fight. Read on to see the explanation of WBC president Sulaiman as well as Bradley’s earlier communication to the WBC expressing his loyalty and requesting same from the organization.

WBC STATEMENT:

José Sulaimán, president of the World Boxing Council is officially announcing that the WBC is declaring the super lightweight championship vacant, as the former WBC champion Timothy Bradley has definitely rejected to make his mandatory defense against Devon Alexander, who is the official challenger designated by the past 46th annual WBC convention celebrated in Chengdu, China. Timothy Bradley won his title from Junior Witter of England, when he defended mandatorily his title against Bradley. Bradley stepped on the rule that gave him the WBC title, tarnishing the prestige, the image and the honor of all WBC champions.

Therefore, with Devon Alexander, USA, the # 1, and Junior Witter, England, the # 2 of the WBC world ratings, the organization is ordering a match among both of them for the vacant WBC super lightweight championship, with the free negotiations starting on April 28th and with a purse offer to be held on May 22nd, in Mexico City, if no negotiations are reached before that date.

The WBC is attaching a letter by the former champion Timothy Bradley, who stepped on his commitment and his word by accepting the exception made to the rules by the WBC, to approve his fight against Kendall Holt, knowing that his next fight should have been against Alexander, of who he must be probably afraid, or what is worse, following the pressures of his representatives, as the WBC was informed that SHOWTIME would not buy the fight of Bradley against Alexander, which would be a significant fact that would show the actions taken by people of the boxing industry to control and monopolize boxing.

http://www.fightnews.com/?p=10070

What’s Next For Tim Bradley?
April 29, 2009 by Michele Chong

Team “Desert Storm” says full steam ahead!
“No one was more proud to wear that illustrious green belt than I,” said Timothy Bradley in a letter to World Boxing Council (WBC) President Jose Sulaiman. As he relinquished his WBC super lightweight title, the unbeaten 25-year-old said he is grateful for all their support.

Bradley, coming off of an April 4 Montreal victory against Kendall Holt, was apparently given a deadline to agree to a bout against mandatory challenger Devon Alexander (18-0, 11 KOs). When that agreement was not reached, reports are that Alexander will now be facing Junior Witter (whom Bradley had previously beaten for the belt) for this newly-vacant title.

Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs) is co-promoted by Gary Shaw and Ken Thompson. A couple of weeks ago, after the undefeated boxer had stated in an ESPN interview that he wanted to fight the winner of the Ricky Hatton-Manny Pacquiao fight, his co-promoter Thompson, wholeheartedly agreed with his young charge. “Tim is the ‘most together’ fighter in the business today–mentally or physically. Fear does not enter the game!” Thompson said to me. During this chat, I asked the promoter who he’d prefer as Bradley’s next foe? “Either Hatton or Pacquiao–he can beat either of them!” he said with confidence.

Now, as news travels fast about Bradley (aka “Desert Storm”) being stripped of his title, Alex Camponovo, matchmaker for Thompson Boxing Promotions says, “He’s vacated a title, but Tim’s still undefeated. And he’s the only champion in his division to have held two belts.”

In an exclusive conversation with Camponovo, he says it was not easy for Bradley to give up that green belt–but it was also not in the plans for Bradley to fight Devon Alexander. Camponovo, also General Manager of Thompson Enterprises, is quick to say that the sky’s the limit in regards to Bradley’s future.

So what’s next for him? Bradley still holds a WBO 140 title and his camp says they’re busy planning their next move. But what everyone really wants to know is: WHO is next for Tim Bradley?

Juan Manuel Marquez, Amir Khan, Juan Urango, Andriy Kotelnik are just a few of the names Camponovo listed as possible future opponents for their young champ. “He’s got a ton of options–we’re not holding onto any one name. There’s the winner of the fight this Saturday (Pacquiao-Hatton) who may go on to fight Mayweather…But there’s also Marquez (after his own Mayweather fight) Khan, Urango and Kotelnick.”

And you may be hearing these same names mentioned often as the boxing calendar fills up fast with their exciting matchups: Juan Urango will be fighting Andre Berto on May 30, Amir Khan will be squaring off against Andriy Kotelnik on June 27, and Marquez and Mayweather will (reportedly) go head to head on July 18.

Whether or not Bradley is to battle any of these particular names in the future is yet to be seen. For now, we can only anticipate what would be a solid round robin of action between any of the aforementioned combatants and great bouts for any fan.

I ask Camponovo if Bradley’s training right now and when the Palm Springs resident’s next battle might be. “He’s taking it easy right now, just running a little bit,” says the always-professional matchmaker. “Tim will be fighting late summer or early in the fall. We’ve opened up the conversations and we’ll know more soon.”

Stay tuned to this column as we all watch “Desert Storm” surge ahead!

Tough one in my opinion. Now Bradley has come from nowhere to being one of the bigger players at 140. Now Alexander is a decent fighter and it could be a decent fight. But Alexander is untested.

Id like to see Bradley-Alexander but cant blame Bradley for going for the money.

Also nice to see the influence Don King still has with the wbc, with his fighter ( alexander ) now lined up for the vacant title.

This just adds more fuel to the fire that the "titles" are meaningless.
i hope alexander gets crushed by witter. there is no way he is the number one contender at jr.welter in a division loaded with talent.
the best guy he ever beat is a washed up Chop-Chop Corley. If they had real contenders then maybe they could keep real champions!!
i can name a bunch of other guys who have way better resumes than alexander,

guys like this should be #1 contenders:
cambell
witter
hatton
pacquiao

or even any of these guys would be more worthy of a number one contender.
alvarado
maidana
torres
bailey
ortiz

Witter looks happy yet another vacent belt lol