Timothy Bradley Jr. had a decision to make in the wake of his upset split decision victory against Manny Pacquiao on June 9 in Las Vegas: Which title should he keep?
Bradley has decided that he will hang on to the WBO's welterweight title and has vacated the organization's junior welterweight belt.
A reigning junior welterweight titleholder, Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs) moved up in weight and claimed a welterweight belt against Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) by getting the nod in one of boxing's most controversial decisions. The loss ended Pacquiao's seven-year, 15-fight winning streak during which he became the only boxer in history to win world titles in eight weight classes.
"Tim told me, 'I'm going to hold onto the 147-pound belt,' " Cameron Dunkin, Bradley's manager, told ESPN.com. "He said, 'That's the title I just won and that's where the good names are -- Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather. That's where I'm going to keep my belt.' "
Dunkin said he then notified WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel about Bradley's decision.
"Timmy wants to keep the 147 belt because that's where the action is," Dunkin said. "Even though he is the best 140-pounder in the world, he can't keep both belts, so he made the decision to stay at 147."
Bradley has decided that he will hang on to the WBO's welterweight title and has vacated the organization's junior welterweight belt.
A reigning junior welterweight titleholder, Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs) moved up in weight and claimed a welterweight belt against Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) by getting the nod in one of boxing's most controversial decisions. The loss ended Pacquiao's seven-year, 15-fight winning streak during which he became the only boxer in history to win world titles in eight weight classes.
"Tim told me, 'I'm going to hold onto the 147-pound belt,' " Cameron Dunkin, Bradley's manager, told ESPN.com. "He said, 'That's the title I just won and that's where the good names are -- Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather. That's where I'm going to keep my belt.' "
Dunkin said he then notified WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel about Bradley's decision.
"Timmy wants to keep the 147 belt because that's where the action is," Dunkin said. "Even though he is the best 140-pounder in the world, he can't keep both belts, so he made the decision to stay at 147."
