In what is already being considered a Fight of the Year candidate, Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov gave fans at the Home Depot Center in Southern California a night they won’t soon forget. Bradley escaped with a Unanimous decision victory, but it was almost the end of Bradley’s reign as Champion.
Provodnikov managed to hurt Bradley in rounds 1 and 2 with Bradley looking visibly hurt and was dropped but was oddly ruled a slip by the ref. As the fight reached the 4th and 5th rounds Bradley managed to adjust and began Boxing while Provodnikov’s activity began to slow down. Once the fight reached the championship rounds Provodnikov began applying more pressure until the very end of the 12th round where Bradley took a knee after taking solid shots from the Russian. Two judges scored it 114-113 while the other had it 115-112 to give Bradley the Unanimous Decision. But after viewing replays of the previous knockdowns that weren’t called knockdowns, the scorecards indeed could’ve had it a Draw or Majority decision to Provodnikov. After the fight, Bradley was interviewed by HBO’s Max Kellerman who he told “I have a Concussion”. When Kellerman asked how he knew, Bradley admitted, “I’m still dizzy”. He did give Provodnikov lots of credit stating “He can take anyone out at 140 or 147″, which is something you don’t hear other fighters mention about a guy they just beat.
What’s next for both guys? Ummmm….A REMATCH?!?!?!? I’m already sold.
Posted by Roberto Flack 
