New champ Bradley seeks more success

NOTTINGHAM, England -- Timothy Bradley, whose first professional fight outside his native California has earned him the WBC light-welterweight title, is keen to become undisputed world champion in the division.

Bradley was a surprise winner against champion Junior Witter in Nottingham on Saturday night, putting the Englishman on the canvas on his way to split points decision.

Two judges scored 115-113 and 114-113 in Bradley's favor, with the other making it 115-112 for Witter.

Bradley, 10 years younger than the more experienced champion, caught him with a looping right which sent him down in the sixth round.

"I always knew I would get to Junior in the second half of the fight," Bradley said. "He pulls back his chin in the air so I felt I could throw a counter right and it worked in the sixth.

"It's a punch that I have worked on. I knew the first four rounds would be hard but through the sixth and seventh rounds I came on. I knew I had to win it in the second half of the fight."

Witter, 34, took a mandatory eight count and remained on the defensive for the rest of the sixth round.

Bradley can now turn his attention towards the other champions in the division -- Andreas Kotelnik (WBA), Paulie Malignaggi (IBF) and Ricardo Torres (WBO).

The idea of facing Ricky Hatton, still widely considered as the division's best boxer, also attracts Bradley.

"I love Ricky Hatton and I would love to fight him. If the fight took place in the USA and the money was right, I would fight Junior again too," he said.

Witter said: "My timing and speed just wasn't there. I always thought if I just turned up I would win, but I didn't turn up.

"Getting put down in the sixth cost me the fight, but I still thought I did enough to win the fight. I was sloppy though and just couldn't get my timing right."