Is Timothy Bradley Making a Mistake Fighting at Welterweight?

It’s hard to believe now, but two years ago, I was actually more interested in seeing Junior Witter than Timothy Bradley when the two of them clashed for the WBC 140-pound title.

Though I hadn’t seen him fight, I knew Witter was a tricky veteran who utilized an unorthodox style and switched stances often. He also had a reputation for stinking up some bouts, but I was still curious to see him in action.

Still, it was Bradley who opened my eyes that night, dropping Witter with a right hand in the sixth round en route to a tight split decision victory. Four months later, the California native impressed me even more, dominating Edner Cherry as the unexpected headliner on a Showtime card that had lost its scheduled main event.

Since then, a lot more fans have been turned on to the man nicknamed Desert Storm.

Bradley has rightfully climbed the list of top young American boxers, combining a well-rounded set of boxing skills, seemingly limitless stamina, and a humble personality into one very appealing package. Except for superior power (he has only 11 KOs in 25 career victories), Bradley truly has all the tools.

He’s also fortunate enough to be the top dog in a junior welterweight division that is brimming with possibilities for good match-ups.

British sensation Amir Khan, Argentinian slugger Marcos Maidana, and fellow rising star Devon Alexander are just the tip of the iceberg at 140 pounds.

That just makes it all the more perplexing that Bradley is making his HBO debut on July 17 at welterweight against pressure fighter Luis Carlos Abregu. Though I like Bradley to out-box Abregu and win, it’s a potentially dangerous bout, especially since Desert Storm hasn’t fought at 147 since 2006.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with giving yourself as many options in various weight classes as possible. Top boxers are doing it more and more these days, and Paul Williams is making a name for himself by trying to compete everywhere from 147 to 168.

And Bradley had to fight someone after Maidana pulled out of what would have been a dynamite scrap due to a back injury. It was just a bit surprising to see promoter Gary Shaw tell ESPN’s Dan Rafael last week that fighting Abregu was the plan all along.

Shaw went on to say that showcasing Bradley at welterweight could lead to a bout with one of the sport’s top dogs, namely Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. It’s his job to throw stuff like that out there, but he and everyone on Bradley’s team are kidding themselves if they think the Holy Grail of boxing paydays is one win away.

For all his talent, Bradley simply hasn’t established himself as a draw outside of California. His profile outside of diehard boxing fans is pretty much nonexistent, and a win against Abregu, even on HBO, won’t do much to change that.

Mayweather and Pacquiao both appear to be winding down their careers and can be very picky about who they fight from here on out. Landing a match with one of them if you aren’t an established champions isn’t impossible (just ask Joshua Clottey), but it’s a long shot, to say the least.

Because Bradley has so much potential, it would be a shame to see him get bogged down in a quest for a fight that may never happen. If his handlers really have his best interests at heart, here's hoping they get him back to taking care of business at junior welterweight.

And who knows? If he continues winning fights against all of the talented boxers at 140 and Floyd and Manny stick around longer than many expect, maybe Bradley will force them to look his way down the road.

Now that sounds like a plan.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com. Follow his Twitter feed @Nick_Tylwalk or the site's feed @boxing_watchers.