Big breakthrough in talks for Alexander-Bradley fight.
Timothy Bradley Jr. weighing offer
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
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LOS ANGELES -- A negotiating breakthrough between junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. and promoter Gary Shaw moved Bradley's proposed unification fight with Devon Alexander a step closer, Bradley's managers told ESPN.com on Saturday night.
Alexander, his manager/trainer, Kevin Cunningham, and promoter Don King have already come to terms for the Jan. 29 fight and King and Shaw already have an agreement with HBO, which plans to make the much-anticipated 140-pound showdown the centerpiece of its early 2011 schedule.
However, Bradley and his managers, Cameron Dunkin and Michael Miller, have not been able to come to terms with Shaw.
The issue has been Shaw's demand that Bradley agree to an extension of their promotional contract beyond its May 10 expiration as part of the deal to get the fight with Alexander, which Bradley and his team rejected.
Dunkin and Miller said Bradley wants to make the fight with Alexander and then test the free-agent waters once his deal is up.
However, the breakthrough came Friday, when the managers said Shaw offered Bradley a two-fight deal -- the Alexander fight plus an automatic rematch, win or lose -- and agreed to end his demand for a contract extension.
Alexander has already agreed to an automatic rematch clause on his side, according to Cunningham.
Dunkin and Miller said HBO, which would produce a 30-minute countdown show previewing the fight, has agreed to do the Alexander-Bradley rematch in addition to the first fight.
"HBO is willing to do both fights and so are we, as long as the rematch takes place by May," Miller said. "But we'd give them until June 4."
Bradley would make career-high paydays of $1.1 million for the January fight and $1.2 million for the rematch, regardless of the outcome of the first fight, the managers said.
Dunkin and Miller said they met Saturday night with Bradley to deliver the offer to him at Shane Mosley's draw with Sergio Mora, whom they also manage.
"We talked to Tim and he's interested in the deal, but he wants to talk it over with is wife," Miller said. "He thinks the money is still short, but he wants the fight. He's supposed to get back to us Monday."
Miller said locking in the offer for the second fight was key because it assured Bradley another seven-figure purse and also gives Shaw at least a one-fight extension of his promotional deal. Once the deal is over, Miller said Shaw would have an exclusive 30-day window during which to offer Bradley a new contract. Miller said they would listen to Shaw's offer and when the 30 days are up, listen to other offers before deciding where Bradley would sign.
"I won't tell my fighter to sign a long-term agreement before he listens to other offers," Dunkin said. "But this is going to be Timmy's call on what he wants to do. He'll tell us what he wants to do and we'll go from there."
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter @danrafaelespn.
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