By Hernan Cortez: On January 29, undefeated fighters Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley meet in a bout to decide who will sit atop the 140 lb division. Many feel that whether or not the bout is as significant, and/or potentially great as past historic 140 match ups may beside the point. Bradley vs. Alexander will offer a clearer picture of who’s who among the exciting young fighters in the sport. If the winner will be considered the best of the division then what does that mean for the loser?

Undoubtedly, and with the exception of a draw, someone will lose their “0” at the end of the night. But will a perfect record be the only thing at stake, or is the loser in danger of falling off the charts all together? There is the possibility the loser will walk away a little more experienced, with a little more respect, and with many more opportunities.

Can losing this fight be just as positive as wining this fight? For now, lets set aside the fact that in today’s boxing atmosphere, we can not rule the loser out as Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent. Instead, lets think of the plausible matches that could be made around this talented division. While the winner on January 29th will be expected to call out Amir Khan to solidify their standing as best of the best, the loser could go on to face any number of opponents in series of fights that could mean more to the boxing public than an initial showdown with Amir Khan.

At the top of that list of opponents is Marcos Maidana. Many think he walked away with a moral victory of sorts against Kahn. A victory over Maidana would place the victor right back where they were before January 29th. Then a match with Khan, or their previous opponent would have more significance. But many other young prospects would make ideal opponents. If Berto and Ortiz meet later this year as reported, then a bout with either would be a significant event for Bradley or Alexander. Its not only prospects that make for good match ups in the near future. Lets not forget that Juan Manual Marquez is flirting with the notion of moving up to 140, and a victory over him means the winner can claim to be a relevant opponent for Pacquiao or Mayweather. Maidana, Berto, Ortiz, and Marquez are just the top names the loser could look forward to facing if January 29th is a win-win situation. However, there is the danger that the loser will fade into obscurity by losing a consecutive bout after January 29th, and become destined to struggle for quality matches for the rest of their career. What seems more likely? Either way I will enjoy being at the Pontiac Silverdome on January 29th, and look forward to a great fight between Bradley and Alexander that will almost assuredly be one of the best of the year. That is, as long as an ill-fated head butt does not end the bout before we can know who of the two is the hotter prospect.