HBO Wants Tim Bradley-Devon Alexander Super Bowl

If it happens -- an HBO-televised Jan 29 bout between WBC and IBF king Devon Alexander (pictured above left) and his WBO counterpart Tim Bradley (above right) -- their clash would be taking place the day prior to the NFL's 2011 Super Bowl.

And how appropriate that would be, because Alexander-Bradley would truly be the Super Bowl of the junior welterweight (140 pounds) division, perhaps boxing's deepest and most talent-rich weight class.

Bradley's promoter, Gary Shaw, said that he and Alexander's promoter, Don King, are pretty much on the same page, and that HBO's President of Sports, Ross Greenburg, is absolutely giddy about the match up and the date.

"It's newsworthy that HBO wants Bradley and Alexander to fight on that big date, which is Jan. 29. It's the biggest HBO date. One of the biggest of the year because it sits right in front of the Super Bowl. I just don't have a deal done with HBO. But HBO is on board saying that they would like to do the fight very much," said Shaw.

"I've not discussed money with them. I've not discussed anything with them other than the date. If HBO puts the right amount of money on the table, then the fight will happen," said Shaw. "Unless Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao come knocking, then the fight between Bradley and Alexander will happen if the money is there."

But the bout is contingent on each of the youngsters winning big fights over the course of the summer.

On July 17, the 26-year-old Bradley (25-0, 11 knockouts) of Palm Springs, Calif. will take on welterweight (147 pounds) Carlos Luis Abregu (29-0, 23 KOs) of Salta Salta, Argentina, in an HBO-televised, non-title over the limit bout that is slated for the Agua Caliente Casino, in Rancho Mirage, Calif., near Bradley's hometown.

A 23-year-old southpaw with a mark of 20-0, with 13 KOs, Alexander takes the ring for the HBO-televised Aug. 7, second defense of his WBC title, and the first of his IBF crown against former WBA titlist Andriy Kotelnik (31-3-1, 13 KOs) before his hometown fans in St. Louis, Mo.

"I agree with Ross Greenburg, this could be the first mega fight of 2011," said Kevin Cunningham, trainer and manager of Alexander. "This fight should happen and it needs to happen. Obviously, it sounds like this is the fight that HBO wants to make. I would love to see this fight happen."

Bradley and Alexander are considered the two premiere junior welterweights in a class that includes 23-year-old WBA titlist Amir Khan (23-1, 17 knockouts) of England, 26-year-old WBA interim king Marcos Rene Maidana (28-1, 27 KOs) of Argentina and 23-year-old Victor Ortiz (27-2-1, 21 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif.

"The Alexander-Bradley fight, I think that it's the fight that the fans have been calling for, and it's the fight that needs to be made," said Cunningham. "The winner of this fight will be catapulted into super stardom, which is where both fighters want to be."

Khan has his sights on a Dec. 11 clash with the winner of a July 31 rematch between WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) champion, Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs), of Anaheim, Calif., and, Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs), of Houston, Tex.

Khan, Maidana, Ortiz, Marquez and Diaz are promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

But it is Bradley-Alexander that is "the fight between the two best guys in that weight class," said Shaw of what is certainly the Super Bowl of the 140-pound class.

"Ross Greenburg has come out and made a public statement that this is the fight that he wants to make," said Cunningham. "Ross has said that this is the fight that their network wants to make, and that they're willing to pay the money to make the fight, how can we do anything else but come to the table and to say, 'Let's do this.'"