Timothy Bradley a ChampionJust Looking for a Fight!

By: Ethan Doutney
The new year has started with the list of light welterweights reading like a who’s who (Ricky Hatton, Nate Campbell, Amir Khan, Marcos Rene Maidana, Devon Alexander, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt, Juan Urango, Joel Casamayor, Mike Alvarado, Paul McCloskey, Andriy Kotelnik, Ajose Olusegan, Junior Witter, Victor Ortiz, Yosukezan Onodera, Ionut Dan Ion, Lucas Martin Matthysse, Victor Manuel Cayo and Lamont Peterson). Despite the overwhelming talent the division WBO and WBC Champion Timothy Bradley finds himself waiting in the wings looking for a fight.

Bradley coming from a solid amateur background having over 140 amateur bouts losing only 20 won a PAL National Championship, a 2001 Jr. Golden Gloves Title, a 2001 Under 19 National Championship to name a few having battled the likes of Juan McPherson, Andre Berto, Vaughan Alexander and Vanes Martirosyan in the 2004 Olympic trials.

Turning pro in 2004, Bradley “Stormed” his way to a record of 25-0, 11Ko’s winning the WBC Light Welterweight title May 2008 decking Junior Witter in the process. Later that year Bradley defended his title winning a one sided unanimous decision over Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry, 24-5-2, 12Ko’s adding the WBO Welterweight Title with a 114-112, 115-111 times two unanimous decision over Kendall “Rated R” Holt, 25-3, 13Ko’s April 2009.

The Palm Springs, California native went on to battle Nate Campbell in a fight he was dominating only to have the fight declared a no contest due to an accidental clash of heads causing a severe cut over Campbell’s left eye.

This past December Bradley stepped in with the previously undefeated and highly touted Lamont “Havoc” Peterson 27-0, 13Ko’s dropping him in the sixth round enroute to a 110-118, 108-119, 107-120 unanimous decision leaving him waiting for the next step.

Bradley always well conditioned but not noted for devastating punching power somehow has found him in the land of the avoided reminiscent of “Tijuana Tornado” Antonio Margarito and Paul “The Punisher” Williams. The talk out of Gary Shaw Productions, Bradley’s promoter is that attempts to make fights with a list of names including Zab “Super” Judah Marcos Maidana, Amir Khan, Edwin Valero, “Viscious” Victor Ortiz and “the Magic Man” Paulie Malignaggi have provided no takers.

Possibly the March 6th fight between Devon “The Great” Alexander / Juan “The Iron Twin” Urango will provide an opponent. The winner could take on the champion Bradley unless they line themselves up for a fight with Ricky Hatton who is Rumored to return later this year. A Bradley / Hatton fight would certainly fill the bill but a fight with either Alexander or Urango would grab some interest if a Hatton fight can’t be made.

Bradley needs a legitimate fight which the winner of Alexander vs Urango would provide although a match with “The Hitman” would be a sure thing. Hatton is talking of maybe two to three fights but they must be against top competition and Bradley absolutely fills that requirement.

How about Urango / Hatton rematch if “The Iron Twin” gets by Alexander. Or if Alexander wins he gets Bradley. Maybe Bradley / Khan or a Junior Witter rematch and the winner gets Hatton. The options are infinite. So how about its time for light welterweight fighters to fight, their promoters please promote and get this division going. Bradley always staying active fighting three and four times a year is ready, willing and able. Let’s go, the champ is waiting.

Bradley who calls himself “Desert Storm” because he offers his opponents and his fans an all out war each time he climbs into the ring sees that as a great way to honor all the service men and women that have defended our country may have to go to Afghanistan to get a fight.

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The Klitschko Brothers Move West!

The Klitschko brothers have parted ways with former K2 East partner Vadym Bukhkalov. The two heavyweight Champion brothers Vitali and Wladimir have created K2 Promotions Ukraine there they will be the sole owners. The reason for the divide remains confidential. The promotional ties to other K2 fighters is unclear with the premiere of the first K2 Ukraine event is tentatively scheduled for April 24th in Kiev.

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Scott Finds a Home Inside the Ring!

They make them big in Texas, even their mortgage professionals. Just ask once-beaten heavyweight prospect Herman "Skip" Scott.

And if you're wondering how a 6' 8" 255-pound destroyer with a heavy right hand can find the mild temperament to spend his days filling out home buyers' paperwork and the aggressive temperament to spend his nights pulverizing opponents, you need look no further than the old real estate axiom: it's all about location, location, location.

Skip Scott is a gentleman in business and a monster in the ring.

"I started out kickboxing for about 10 years. I was ranked #3 in the nation and #2 in Texas and went about 75-5 in 80 bouts. Then I hurt my leg, so I went to a boxing gym and fell in love with it," explains the 31 year old of his introduction to the boxing. "I fought three amateur boxing fights total. I entered a Ringside Tournament in Kansas City and made it all the way to the finals. That was my entire amateur career."

Despite the short time spent in the unpaid ranks, Scott (currently 6-1, 4 KOs as a professional) says he knew he had found his calling and set about putting together the team that will help him attain his dream.

"I have a new trainer now, Bobby Benton - not to take anything away from my original trainer I still take things into the ring I learned from him - but Bobby is showing me how to stand tall when I fight. Not crouching down and keeping my gloves high. He's also showing me to shoot my straight shots down the middle and set them up with a jab."

Fighting out of the Lou Savarese Promotions Boxing Gym in Houston, Texas, Scott also gets a top-flight education from his many sparring partners including Eugene Hill (19-1, 15 KOs), Nagy Aguilera (15-2, 10 KOs) and Texas amateur champion Justin Jones. "We also have some light heavyweights like Chris Henry. He's like 22-2. Cornelius White. Larry Pryor. (Longtime heavyweight contender) Dominick Guinn even comes in and works out."

With so little amateur experience to rely on, Scott says every fight is an important lesson. "I lost my first fight to a real tough guy. He ended up winning his next 10. I hurt him in the first two rounds, but threw too many punches. I threw a hundred punches in each of the first two rounds and wore myself down." He has since run off six consecutive victories including his latest, a four-round decision over Chris Abercrombie in February 2010 in Houston. "I won by decision. I knocked him down with a jab, but the bell saved him. He got up and I couldn't finish him because I got excited. It was my first time in front of my home crowd in a long time."

Another key member of Team Scott is well-known boxing figure Kerry Daigle, who serves as manager. "Kerry is a great guy. The thing about Kerry Daigle -- if you speak to ten different people you'll hear ten different great things about him. You don't find too many people like that, especially in boxing. Most people you meet, if you talk to ten people, five will have something good to say and five something bad. This guy, everybody loves him. He's an excellent motivator and a real positive guy."

Daigle introduced Scott to NSA's Juice Plus Fruit and Vegetable supplements - a product Scott calls his "secret weapon" for fast recovery times in training. "I believe in it so much I'm a distributor!"

Scott says he realizes he's currently getting an education in the ring and doesn't plan on skipping any grades. "We're not going to fight for the belt in the next few months. We're just taking our time making sure we know all the steps before we get to the dance. My ultimate goal is not just to win the title but to keep it and be known as one of the best ever. I'm not in a rush to make that happen -- just taking one step at a time to get there."