WBO Light Welter Champ Timothy Bradley Signs With Top Rank

ByBoxing Press

Top Rank announced today it has signed undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy “The Desert Storm” Bradley, Jr. to an exclusive long-term promotional contract.

The Top-10 pound-for-pound fighter will be making his Top Rank debut in the feature bout under the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Márquez III World Welterweight Championship, on Saturday, November 12, at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena. Televised live on pay-per-view, Bradley will be defending his world title against two-division world champion and former Cuban Olympic gold medalist Joel Casamayor (38-5-1, 22 KOs) of Miramar, Fla.

“Tim’s incredible accomplishments against Alexander, Holt and Peterson have cemented him as one of the marquee fighters in the world. We look forward to working with him and further developing this chapter of his career,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank.

“I’m just so happy. I don’t know what to say man. I’m so excited,” Bradley told The Desert Sun. “My main objective was to get a promoter to build the Bradley brand, and Top Rank is good at doing that. That’s why we chose Top Rank. It’s a wonderful feeling to be fighting in Vegas, especially at the MGM. All the greats fought there. Tons of great fighters fought there, and I’ll be another one to add to the list.”

Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., has successfully defended his world titles five times. He won the WBC super lightweight title when he dethroned defending champion Junior Witter via a 12-round split decision in Witter’s backyard of Nottingham, England in 2008.

Since winning the WBC title Bradley has become an unstoppable force, successfully defending his belt against former world champions Kendall Holt, in a title unification fight (Bradley elected to keep the WBO title), and Nate Campbell, as well as top-rated junior welterweight contenders Lamont Peterson and Edner Cherry.

After winning an exciting unanimous decision over undefeated and top-five world-rated welterweight contender Carlos Abregu, Bradley moved back down in weight and reunified the junior welterweight titles by blitzing undefeated WBC super lightweight champion Devon Alexander via a 10-round technical decision in January. Bradley is managed by Cameron Dunkin, the 2007 Boxing Writers Association of America Manager of the Year.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Marquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand, The Pacquiao vs. Marquez III world championship pay-per-view telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD.