RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- Timothy Bradley could tell from the opening bell that Luis Carlos Abregu might be much more trouble than he had imagined.

Bradley spent the next 12 rounds staying out of trouble so he could stay in the conversations around the biggest fights in boxing.

Bradley kept his unbeaten record intact with a bruising unanimous decision over Abregu on Saturday night, surviving a tough move up to welterweight with his usual superb technical fighting.

Although Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs) was tested and tagged by his relatively unknown Argentine opponent, the WBO 140-pound champion did enough work to win comfortably on all three scorecards against the previously unbeaten Abregu at the Agua Caliente Casino in Bradley's native Palm Springs area.

"He boxed a little different than what I had seen on TV," said Bradley, who sometimes claims he doesn't watch tape. "He kept his composure out there. He fought a great fight plan. I dare to lose, and that's what I'm trying to tell everybody. If it happens, it happens, but I'm going to learn from it, and I'll become stronger."

Bradley's perfect six-year career has included titles and money, but relatively little fame -- and his HBO debut really was an infomercial for his next bout. After fighting through an early cut and holding on when Abregu (29-1) surged in the middle rounds, he took advantage of his national platform to challenge the elite fighters who won't return his calls.

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