Bradley to keep welterweight belt

Timothy Bradley Jr. will keep the WBO welterweight title earned in an upset split decision over Manny Pacquiao, and has vacated the organization's junior welterweight belt.

A reigning junior welterweight titleholder, Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs) moved up to the 147-pound weight class and will keep the belt won in a June 9 bout in Las Vegas, earning the title in one of the sport's most controversial decisions. Pacquiao had entered the bout on a seven-year, 15-fight winning streak and had won world titles in eight weight classes.

"Tim told me, 'I'm going to hold onto the 147-pound belt,'" Cameron Dunkin, Bradley's manager, told ESPN.com. "He said, 'That's the title I just won and that's where the good names are -- Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather. That's where I'm going to keep my belt.'"

Junior welterweight interim titlist Juan Manuel Marquez was elevated to full titleholder to replace Bradley.

Bradley will likely defend his title Nov. 10, since there's a strong possibility that Pacquiao will exercise his contractual right for an immediate rematch. If Pacquiao doesn't face Bradley in the fall, he likely would meet Marquez for the fourth time.