Over the weekend, FightHype.com caught up with promoter Gary Shaw to discuss the future plans of some of his fighters. While Shaw has a clear direction for nearly all of his stars, there was one particular fighter whose future he seems unsure of. "If he didn't take it for what it was worth now, you know, I don't know what would make him take it. I would assume we'll be in litigation, he and I," Shaw commented when asked about the future plans of WBC & WBO jr. welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
"Any time you offer someone $1.4 million versus an 80-20 split, which would bring him over $2 million and 50% of all the pay-per-view in England, when somebody turns it down, I can't explain it," Shaw reiterated as he explained the offer that was on the table to face WBA jr. welterweight Amir Khan. It was an offer that Bradley ultimately turned down, leaving his promoter, as well as many fans, shocked by his decision.
"This boxing game is a business...I still think the fight is still too premature. There's a lot of other things that plays into this as well. The fact that, you know, I'm contracted by my promoter to fight a fight by June 30th, you know, and July 23rd is way beyond June 30th," Bradley would explain regarding his decision to turn down the fight. "I just want to be promoted, man. That's what it boils down, man. I just want to be promoted like a champion. I want to be promoted, I want to build the Bradley name; the Bradley brand...he always makes promises that he can't keep."
Bradley has made it crystal clear that he's not happy with his promotional situation. His decision to turn down the fight with Khan was obviously a move designed by his manager, Cameron Dunkin, to free him up from his promotional contract with Gary Shaw Productions. Having previously gone through a similar situation with Dunkin and one of his former fighters, Nonito Donaire, Shaw appears to be fully aware of what's coming next and litigation seems likely. The question is, who will come out victorious and was the decision the best move for a fighter who hasn't fought since January, but is still looking to establish himself as a household name?
BE SURE TO CHECK BACK SHORTLY FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH GARY SHAW