By James Slater: It’s Twitter time again, fight fans! Unbeaten 140-pound star Timothy Bradley recently logged onto Twitter and issued a challenge to 140-pound rival Amir Khan. Bradley, training for his upcoming Nov.12th fight with veteran Joel Casamayor, challenged Khan to a 50-50 purse split:
“If Amir Khan beats his next opponent and I will beat mine, then I’m willing to fight him! 50/50. Let’s do it!,” Bradley wrote.
Khan, a guy who seems to be on Twitter more than anyone this side of Oscar De La Hoya, was quick to respond with his own words:
“It took Bradley six months to find his voice after calling me out and agreeing to fight me, and now he’s asking for a 50-50 split for 2012?,” Khan wrote. “He had his chance for a 50-50 split including the UK income, and I’m going to stick to my words – he’s never gonna get that offer again. Bradley denied me the chance of becoming undisputed champion and I’m gonna make him regret it. He needs me now! I’m the bigger draw.
“All he is worth is 70/30 split and that’s in my favour with no UK split.”
Khan is right when he says Bradley had his chance, as back in the early part of this year a 50-50 offer was indeed on the table for Bradley. However, embroiled as he was in legal issues with his then promoter Gary Shaw (Bradley has since signed with Top Rank), Bradley declined to fight – against Khan or anyone else. It’s easy to understand where Khan is coming from now as a result.
It sounds as though Bradley is going to have to accept Khan’s 70/30 terms if the fight is going to happen. Bradley may be on the same level as Khan, skill-wise, but the unified IBF/WBA ruler is without a doubt the bigger name with the greater star power.
But will Bradley agree to take the short end of a split to get the fight? If not, it seems this one is destined to be filed under the “never happened” section.