Bradley defeats Provodnikov; Vargas decisions Omotoso

By Boxing News - 03/16/2013 - Comments

provodnikov22By Jim Dower: WBO welterweight Tim Bradley (30-0, 12 KO’s) survived a 12th round knockdown, and getting badly hurt in the 1st, 2nd and 6th rounds to defeat challenger Ruslan Provodnikov (22-2, 15 KO’s) by a 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night by the scores of 114-113, 114-113 and 115-113 and the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

You can make a case where Provodnikov deserved credit for a knockdown in the 1st round after badly hurting Bradley and having him completely out on his fight, causing Bradley to hit the canvas.

However, referee Pat Russell failed to rule it a knockdown. In the 2nd round, Provodnikov once again had Bradley completely out on his feet, and it’s a miracle that the referee didn’t stop the fight. In the 6th, Provodnikov hurt Bradley with a big left hook that had him staggering around the ring.

In the 12th round with the fight seemingly in Bradley’s hands, Provodnikov hurt him with a big right hand that knocked Bradley against the ropes to where he looked badly hurt. Provodnikov then added to right hands that put Bradley down on one knee. By the time he got back up and was looked over by the referee the fight ended. Had there been another minute left in the round, Provodnikov would have had a good chance to win the fight.

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In undercard action, Jessie Vargas (22-0, 9 KO’s) outworked a bigger, stronger and much harder punching Wale Omotoso (23-1-1, 19 KO’s) in beating him by a 10 round unanimous decision by the scores of 96-93 96-93 and 97-92. Vargas, a Top Rank fighter, didn’t look good and he’s pretty lucky he got the decision because the fight looked more like a draw to me. Omotoso knocked Vargas down in the 2nd round, and clearly won at least four of the rounds, and when you add the knockdown to the equation that should have given at least a draw. I thought it was a badly scored fight by the judges.

Other boxing results on the card:

Oscar Valdez TKO 4 Carlos Gonzalez
Andy Ruiz, Jr. TKO 1 Matthew Greer
Gabino Saenz KO 2 Cesar Valenzuela
Victor Sanchez TKO 1 Ramon Valadez
Jessie Magdaleno TKO 3 Carlos Fulgencio
Egidijus Kavaliauskas UD 4 Eridanni Leon Quintero



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