By Lem Satterfield
Kevin Cunningham, manager and trainer of WBC junior welterweight champion Devon Alexander, wants to make it clear that his boxer's upcoming clash with Timothy Bradley, the WBO champion, is still a unification bout on their end. The HBO-televised fight takes place on January 29.
The fight originally had three titles up for grabs. The IBF recently stripped Alexander of their title for refusing to make a mandatory defense against Kaizer Mabuza, of South Africa, by December 28. The mandatory order was issued once the Bradley deal was in place, which made the Mabuza deadline impossible to meet.
Bradley, according to his promoter Gary Shaw, has refused to pay a sanctioning fee to the WBC. Because of his refusal to pay a fee, Bradley will not be allowed to keep the WBC title if he beats Alexander. However, Cunningham said, that for his fighter, "this is a title unification." Alexander plans to pay a sanctioning fee to both the WBC and WBO. If he wins, he will keep both titles. But if Bradley wins then the WBC title will become vacant.
"The fight is a unification fight. The WBC champ is fighting the WBO champ. So it is a title unification. Now, if Tim Bradley refuses to pay the WBC's sanctioning fee, then it's obvious that he can't win the title. But Devon is fighting for the WBO title, and he's defending his WBC belt. So it is title unification," said Cunningham.
"Now, if Tim Bradley so happens to beat Devon, Tim Bradley doesn't win the WBC title. But Devon can't keep the WBC title neither. But the WBC title is on the line," said Cunningham. "So it is a title unification. Devon is going to pay sanctioning fees to both organizations, like you are supposed to in a title unification fight. If Tim Bradley does not, then that's his business, but this is a title unification."
Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here.
