James Toney Makes $500,000 For Failed Mma Debut » Former champion boxer James (Lights Out) Toney made US$500,000 for his short-lived MMA debut, a first-round submission loss to Randy (The Natural) Couture at UFC 118 last weekend in Boston… Source: www.tsn.ca

Texas Official Explains Margarito Licensing » While Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito and the rest of the circus wind their way through this week’s three-city media tour, which concludes Friday at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas, perhaps the most important person in the whole sideshow is missing. • William Kuntz, who most of you have probably never heard of, is probably working in his office somewhere deep in the heart of Texas while everyone else involved in the fight is off selling it… Dan Rafael, espn.go.com

Dan Rafael’s Weekend Notebook » Slowly but surely, the Devon Alexander-Timothy Bradley junior welterweight unification match, slated for Jan. 29 (HBO), is coming together… Source: espn.go.com

Pacquiao/Margarito photo: AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano

Devon Alexander, Timothy Bradley Wage War Of Words » WBC and IBF light welterweight champion Devon Alexander continues to claim WBO champion Timothy Bradley is ducking him and was critical of the Desert Storm’s latest victory… LEIGHTON GINN, www.mydesert.com

INSIDE BOXING: Timothy Bradley, Zab Judah At Parallel Crossroads » There were two interesting developments last weekend in two of the hottest divisions in boxing. • WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley stepped up to the welterweight division, while Zab Judah — remember him? — stepped down to the junior welterweight division… Bob Hanna, www.southcoasttoday.com

Former Olympic Boxing Coach Says OTC Residency Program Wasn’t His Idea » The former U.S. Olympic boxing coach maintains fingers shouldn’t be pointed at him for a controversial residency program that preceded a meltdown at the 2008 Beijing Games… BRIAN GOMEZ, www.gazette.com

Froch To Fight Abraham At Neutral Venue » Carl Froch’s Super Six super middleweight contest against Arthur Abraham will take place at the neutral Chapiteau de l’Espace Fontvieille in Monaco on October 2… Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com

Having Conquered A Mountain, Boxer Zab Judah Looks To Continue Comeback In Bout At The Rock » Mount Charleston rises a staggering 11,913 feet into the Nevada sky.  • Around its jagged, tree-covered slopes lies a narrow trail, more than 5 miles long, extending from the base of the Las Vegas Valley all the way to the top of the state’s third-highest peak. • And every Saturday, for the past 3½ months, Zab Judah would sprint to the top. Leading a pack of boxers from his gym, this became Judah’s path. His way back… Conor Orr, www.nj.com

Bradley Testing The Best Of Both Worlds » The junior welterweight division has the potential for some of the most exciting fights in boxing with a group of young stars about to enter their prime. At the top there’s unified titleholder Devon Alexander, fellow American titlist Timothy Bradley Jr., British star Amir Khan, who also has a belt, and power-punching interim titleholder Marcos Maidana… Dan Rafael, espn.go.com

» Timothy Bradley talks about the hard times growing up and the influence his dad had on his boxing career. Timothy Bradley battles Luis Carlos Abregu and Alfredo Angulo meets Joachim Alcine Sat., July 17 at 9:45 pm ET/PT on HBO with re-airs on HBO ON DEMAND through August 9th.

What Does Zab Judah Have Left? » Once upon a time welterweight southpaw Zab Judah was considered to be a future all-time great. While the 32-year old Judah, 38-6, 26 KO’s, has managed to capture a few title straps he has never lived up the his hype. Judah has not a had a major fight since his 2008 loss to Joshua Clottey but is hoping that a win over rugged veteran Jos Armando Cruz, 28-4, 17 KO’s, on ESPN Friday Night Fights will give his career a boost… Source: www.onlinesportshandicapping.com

Foreman Family Brings Boxing To East Texas » MARSHALL, TEXAS (KLTV) – Two time heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman is bringing boxing back to East Texas. • And there will be a Foreman in the ring… Coleman Swierc, www.kltv.com

TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Luis Abregu Will Be Bigger, Tougher Foe » The situation is fluid and Timothy Bradley is willing to swim in either direction – junior welterweight, where he is titled, and welterweight, where the big money beckons. • He just doesn’t want to tread water… Michael Katz, www.gamingtoday.com

Judah photo by Lemlerphoto.com

Featherweight Lopez A Budding Star » If he were American, and about 30 pounds heavier, he’d be a superstar. • But as it stands, Puerto Rican southpaw Juan Manuel Lopez is already a pretty big deal… Lyle Fitzsimmons, www.sportsnetwork.com

Bradley Gets Taste Of Hollywood » HOLLYWOOD — For one day at least, the mild-mannered Timothy Bradley went Hollywood, holding an open media training session at the Fortune Gym off of Sunset. • Now ranked among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Bradley’s camp wanted to hold a media session in Los Angeles to maximize his exposure for the July 17 fight against Carlos Abregu at The Show inside the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. The fight will be televised on HBO… LEIGHTON GINN, www.mydesert.com

Inside Boxing: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Making A Name For Himself » He has one of the great names in boxing history, but it had been more of a hindrence than a help. Comparisons with his dad were inevitable and always unfair. • He will never emerge completely from his father’s shadow, but two weeks ago (a week after Father’s Day), Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. created his own shadow in the Alamodome in San Antonio, where his father fought a draw with Pernell Whitaker 17 years ago… BOB HANNA, www.southcoasttoday.com

Juan Manuel Lopez photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank

Winky Wright, Paul Williams Set To Battle In Vegas Saturday » Maybe it isn’t so hard to believe that a top-tier boxer could stay out of the ring for nearly two years and hardly be missed. Chalk that up to the state of the game. • Winky Wright, who once occupied a spot on the mythical top-10 pound-for-pound list, hasn’t fought in 21 months, and there was no hue and cry for him to return to the ring. Certainly not the kind of calls (muted as they are) for the return of Floyd Mayweather Jr… Tim Smith, www.nydailynews.com

Arreola Is Properly Motivated For The “Big Time” Challenge » Last November I went up to Chris Arreola’s training camp in Big Bear California while he was training for his fight with Travis Walker and the Nightmare wasn’t as motivated as he should have been and commented, “Travis Walker doesn’t motivate me.  I wanted to fight a big name, I’m tired of fighting prospects,” and the lack of drive was evident. • Yes Chris was in camp and had cut out all the alcohol and was going to the gym in the afternoons, but the day that I went to the gym, his regimen definitely lacked intensity… Brent Matteo Alderson, www.boxingscene.com

Bradley’s Move Was Hailed As Brilliant: Not So, Says Kimball » Since boxing is a sport that trades on its legends, we’re generally not disposed toward debunking myths, particularly those that support an otherwise plausibly good storyline, but since this one appears to be taking on a life of its own it might be a good idea to nip it in the bud, lest it spawn an entire generation of puglists suddenly disposed to crawling around on their knees for all the wrong reasons.  • In the first round of last Saturday night’s 140-pound unification fight in Montreal, Kendall Holt unleashed a left hook that looked capable of taking Timothy Bradley’s head off. Bradley went down like he’d been popped with one of those stun-bolt guns they use in slaughterhouses, but then, amazingly, bounced right back to his feet… George Kimball, www.thesweetscience.com

Vitali vs. Lennox II?

Epic Comeback Being Strongly Considered » An absolutely epic comeback to pro boxing by one of the legends of the sport is under serious consideration as this article is written, according to one of the most connected and knowledgeable people in the sport. We’re talking a rematch of some unfinished business that would revitalize the sport in a way that’s desperately needed. Flaws were said to be detected in an arch rivals most recent performance, by the former champ. • So be on the lookout this week or next, for a boxing comeback story which will be front page headline news in just about every newspaper in the world… Scoop Malinowski, www.boxinginsider.com

Round Two For Ring One » After a 10-day hiatus brought on by heartache and financial problems, Brian Clark returned to the ring, putting another young fighter through his paces. • Faced with mounting unpaid bills and the collapse of a seven-year relationship with one of his boxing proteges, Clark (pictured) shut down the Ring One boxing gym last month. He needed time to consider whether it was worth pouring all his energy and money into an operation that was barely staying afloat… THOMAS MACMILLAN, www.newhavenindependent.org

Timothy Bradley Looking For Big Pay Day » Timothy Bradley (24-0) recovered from a first-round knockdown for a unanimous-decision victory over Kendall Holt (25-3) at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night. It’s a big win for Bradley, the WBC 140-pound champ, who added the Holt’s WBO title to his mantle place. • Holt caught Bradley in the first round with a mix of punches, sending him to the floor. But that was it from Holt as Bradley controlled the bulk of the fight. Holt had Bradley on the ropes in the 12th round, so much so that referee Mike Griffin had to give Bradley a standing eight count. But he held off Holt for the win… MARCUS HENRY, newsday.com

Both guys looks fit and ready. They also sound confident. I think its going to be very entertaining, with Bradley winning… possible KO, because I think both men will be fighting aggressively all night. WHO YOU LIKE? —LC

Kendall Holt And Timothy Bradley Set To Mix It Up » In what is one of the most important fights of the year, Timothy Bradley will need to find a way to topple a more experienced fighter in Kendall Holt when the two hook up in a 140-pound unification bout on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Showtime Championship Boxing. • Most experts have given Bradley (23-0, 11 KOs), the WBC title holder, a slight edge of WBO 140-pound champion Holt. Bradley’s speed and chin are noteworthy, but Holt (25-2, 13 KOs) has the better track record with wins over Ricardo Torres, Demetrius Hopkins, Jamie Rangel and David Diaz… Robert Cassidy, newsday.com

Calm Before The Storm: Bradley Vs Holt » On Saturday, WBC junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley returns to action in his second defense – a unification match against WBO champion Kendall Holt on Showtime Championship Boxing. Much has been written about the underrated importance of a junior welterweight unification, about the focus on future foes like Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao, and about the lack of ticket sales in Montreal for this bout. Few have weighed in on how good Bradley in particular might actually be. • Kendall Holt seems to be an open-and-shut case. He went life-and-death with the Colombian slugger Ricardo Torres twice and suffered his first loss via first-round knockout to an unremarkable opponent. Holt may be a solid fighter, but he’s already shown chinks that make it increasingly unlikely he’ll have crafted an all-time great suit of armor at the end of his career… JD Camacho, DoghouseBoxing

This Weekend’s Betting Action » As Grand National weekend weighs heavy on the minds of bookmakers nationwide, boxing backers have a conundrum of their own to solve as two evenly matched warriors, Kendall Holt and Timothy Bradley, contest WBC and WBO light-welterweight titles, live on Setanta… The Judge, www.britishboxing.net

MONEYLINE »

(Photos © Tom Casino/SHOWTIME)

Mannn… I’m getting real excited about this fight (Holt vs. Bradley). Kendall’s tells an ill story here. Good luck bro. • I need to check out some more fights of Holt and Bradley, but right now, I’m going with Timothy. Kendell’s got a few holes in his defense… Can Bradley fill ‘em? —LC