by James Slater – With practically all the other top names in the currently talent-rich 140-pound division busy over the coming months, it looked as though unbeaten Timothy Bradley, the reigning WBO champ at light-welterweight, would perhaps be unable to find a worthy opponent to get it on with in the summer. The 26-year-old known as “Desert Storm” told this writer only a week or so ago, how “everyone at 140-pounds has a fight but me!.”
Indeed, with names like Amir Khan, Paulie Malignaggi, Victor Ortiz, Marcos Maidana, Nate Campbell, etc all having big fights set up, the undefeated Bradley’s chances of getting a big fight, or any fight, looked poor for the immediate future. However, as the man with all the news, Dan Rafael, has reported over at ESPN.com, Bradley, 25-0(11) has at last found a dance partner. Set to face the undefeated Luis Carlos Abregu on June 26th (venue still to be made official), Bradley will box a scheduled 12-rounds against the 29-0(23) Argentine, yet the bout will not contest the champion’s WBO belt.
The fight will also mark Bradley’s HBO debut, Tim having previously been a Showtime fighter, and the fight with Abregu will appear on the network’s Boxing After Dark show.. So, although Bradley has not gotten the kind of big fight he craves (not yet anyway), he has at least got himself a decent test against a strong and game undefeated fighter who can bang.
Rafael reports how HBO will show future Bradley fights (as long as he wins on June 26th) and that the ultimate goal for the T.V giant is to crown an ultimate champion at 140-pounds. With talents like Bradley, Devon Alexander (who, coming off his hugely impressive stoppage of Juan Urango in what was his own HBO debut, is down as possibly facing Zab Judah next, again on HBO) and Khan and Malignaggi currently fighting at 140, HBO could well have some great fights ahead of them – as could we, the fans.
But what of Bradley-Abregu? Will “Desert Storm” have any problems with the bigger, possibly stronger man?
27-year-old Abregu, nicknamed “El Potro,” is an aggressive fighter, he is a physical fighter and he can punch. The man from Argentina is also capable of being exciting to watch; as fans who saw his up-from-the-canvas win over Richard Gutierrez back on February 6th will know. Winning that fight on points and also scoring a knockdown of his own in the ten-rounder, Abregu made a name for himself. He also has a good win over the tough David Estrada (WSD 10, back in Dec. 2008) and Abgregu will now be looking at crashing the big time at the expense of Bradley.
Though he is no huge puncher, Bradley is one of the best boxers in the sport today and this skill level, coupled with his sheer desire to reach legend status, will make it very hard for Abregu to spring the upset in the summer. An interesting fight all the same, Bradley has to be the pick to win, more than likely on points.
Then, if guys like Alexander, Khan, Maidana, Malignaggi and Ortiz are available, HBO will hopefully see to it that Bradley gets the big opportunities his talents deserve.