By Jim Dower: HBO Sports is hoping to put together a light welterweight unification bout between IBF/WBC light welterweight champion Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KO’s) and WBO light welterweight title holder Timothy Bradley (26-0, 11 KO’s) early next year on January 29th, 2010, says Dan Rafael. Gary Shaw, Bradley’s promoter, is already reportedly working with HBO in putting together the Bradley-Alexander fight. However, the fight is contingent upon the 23-year-old Alexander beating former WBA junior welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik when they meet next month on August 7th at the Scottrade Center, in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Alexander should win that fight, but you never can be too certain because Kotelnik has excellent boxing skills, a great jab, an iron chin and a fighter that doesn’t get lulled into fighting on the inside like some of Alexander’s lesser opponents have done against him in the past. HBO will be working separately with both Alexander and Bradley’s promoters to try and broker the deal. That way there won’t be any issues where the promoters are bumping heads with each other and unable to come to a deal in the negotiations.

Shaw says “If there is anything that would get Timmy [Bradley] the notoriety he wants, that’s it.” Shaw is correct. Bradley needs a big win over a fighter like Alexander for him to get over the hurdle to start getting fights against the big stars like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Right now, neither Mayweather or Pacquiao want to waste time fighting Bradley because he still hasn’t made a name for himself yet by establishing that he’s the best fighter in the light welterweight division.

However, if Bradley can beat Alexander, then he will have knocked off a part in showing that he’s the best fighter in the division. Bradley will still have to beat WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan and WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana before he can be considered the best in the division. However, a win over Alexander could be the hardest part unless Maidana and Khan prove to be tough match-ups for Bradley.

Shaw says “You beat Maidana or Khan in the fall and then you beat Alexander in January and I think you’re right there for a Mayweather or Pacquiao kind of fight.” Bradley might be able to get a fight against Maidana in the fall, but it’s probably not likely that Khan will fight Bradley. Khan is talking about wanting to fight Bradley, but then again Khan was also talking about wanting to fight Maidana, but then ended up fighting Paulie Malignaggi instead.