It is only three months into the new year and already there is a frontrunner for fight of the year, Timothy Bradley vs. Ruslan Provodnikov. For Bradley this fight was all about earning the the respect back from the fans who viewed his victory against Manny Pacquiao as a robbery, and rightfully so. And for Provodnikov it was all about gaining more fans in the United States, and possibly earning the biggest win of his career.
The fight started off electric and never slowed down. Provodnikov caught Bradley early in the 1st round and after a quick clinch, Bradley dropped to the canvas. However referee Pat Russell ruled it a slip, even though when Bradley tried to get up he stumbled backwards and fell on his ass. Bradley showed a lot of heart and a ridiculous chin just to survive the round. Then came the second round.
Provodnikov looked even better then he did in the 1st. He utterly dominated Bradley with ruthless power punches, that badly hurt Bradley. He was totally out on his feet, but yet again managed to not get knocked out. If the round had lasted ten seconds longer it might have been a different story, and Provodnikov might have been raising his hands in victory. That round, just like the 1st could have easily been ruled a 10-8 round for Provodnikov.
In the 3rd round Bradley smartened up. He came out throwing combinations to keep Provodnikov from pouncing all over him, and controlled the round rather easily. In fact that was the story for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds. Bradley used his jab and moved well enough to keep the power punching Provodnikov off of him. But the easy rounds would not last long.
Provodnikov badly hurt Bradley again in the 6th round, he was completely out on his feet and referee Russell looked as if he would stop the fight. But Bradley showed incredible ring intelligence by throwing his arms out in a punching motion in order to look like he was fighting back, when in reality he was just trying to survive, and survive he did. But his trainer Julio Diaz warned that he would stop the fight if Bradley continued to trade punches with the stonger Provodnikov. Bradley heard that warning and went to work.
Bradley took control again in the rounds following his near distruction. He resembled the late great Arturo Gatti, he was hurt, showed how bad he was hurt, was totally out on his feet, yet somehow managed to fight back and look better than ever. After that 6th round he controlled the action and kept Provodnikov from storming in. He started to dominate Provodnikov so much that his trainer Freddie Roach also considered stopping the fight due to the punishment he was taking and a bad cut over his left eye.
After the 10th round Roach told Provodnikov that he needed a knockout to win, and that he needed to show he was capable of the knockout or Roach would stop the fight. So Provodnikov came out stronger than he did in the 10th but it still wasn't enought to deter Bradley, however he did show enough for Roach to let him continue. And that was a great decision.
When the 12th round started Bradley looked as if he would cruise to victory, but that would not be the case. Instead Provodnikov launched another vicious attack that saw Bradley in a lot of trouble. Provodnikov landed a big left hook that sent Bradley flying across the ring, then Provodnikov caught him with a monster right hand that forced Bradley to wisely take a knee. If the fight lasted half a minute longer Bradley would have probably been knocked out, but the fight ended a few seconds after referee Russell ended his ten count, which a wobbly Bradley beat.
It was a very entertaining fight, the kind of fight that causes fans at home to give a standing ovation at the final bell. And both fighters will without a doubt have more fans then they did coming into this fight. When the scores came in they were as close as the fight looked, one judge had it 115-112 and the other two had it 114-113. That is where the controvesy comes in, had that first round "slip" been properly ruled a knock down the two judges would have scored it as a draw and the fight would have been ruled a majority draw. Also it would have been very easy for any of the judges to rule the 2nd or 6th round as 10-8 rounds for Provodnikov, which would have given him the win. But in a fight like this it seems foolish to haggle about the score. Whether it was ruled a win for Provodnikov, a win for Bradley, or a draw, it would have been just as satisfying. And it seemed this fight was satisfying for everyone invloved, referee Russel told Max Kellmerman after the fight that "it was an honor to ref that fight." And Kellerman paying homage to Provodnikov's nickname, 'The Siberian Rocky' declared "That's Rocky! We just saw a Rocky movie!"
The days of Bradley being ripped for getting a ridiculous decision against Pacquiao are over. He will know be looked as an an exciting fighter with a good chin, a ton of heart, and more stamina than anyone in the sport. For his part, Provodnikov will be looked as a fighter with two losses that are both controversial, making him in the eyes of some, still undefeated. Both men will be on HBO again very soon, and this time the arena will be packed to the rafters.
Thank you to both men for a fight no one will ever forget, and one of the best fights I have ever seen.
The fight started off electric and never slowed down. Provodnikov caught Bradley early in the 1st round and after a quick clinch, Bradley dropped to the canvas. However referee Pat Russell ruled it a slip, even though when Bradley tried to get up he stumbled backwards and fell on his ass. Bradley showed a lot of heart and a ridiculous chin just to survive the round. Then came the second round.
Provodnikov looked even better then he did in the 1st. He utterly dominated Bradley with ruthless power punches, that badly hurt Bradley. He was totally out on his feet, but yet again managed to not get knocked out. If the round had lasted ten seconds longer it might have been a different story, and Provodnikov might have been raising his hands in victory. That round, just like the 1st could have easily been ruled a 10-8 round for Provodnikov.
In the 3rd round Bradley smartened up. He came out throwing combinations to keep Provodnikov from pouncing all over him, and controlled the round rather easily. In fact that was the story for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds. Bradley used his jab and moved well enough to keep the power punching Provodnikov off of him. But the easy rounds would not last long.
Provodnikov badly hurt Bradley again in the 6th round, he was completely out on his feet and referee Russell looked as if he would stop the fight. But Bradley showed incredible ring intelligence by throwing his arms out in a punching motion in order to look like he was fighting back, when in reality he was just trying to survive, and survive he did. But his trainer Julio Diaz warned that he would stop the fight if Bradley continued to trade punches with the stonger Provodnikov. Bradley heard that warning and went to work.
Bradley took control again in the rounds following his near distruction. He resembled the late great Arturo Gatti, he was hurt, showed how bad he was hurt, was totally out on his feet, yet somehow managed to fight back and look better than ever. After that 6th round he controlled the action and kept Provodnikov from storming in. He started to dominate Provodnikov so much that his trainer Freddie Roach also considered stopping the fight due to the punishment he was taking and a bad cut over his left eye.
After the 10th round Roach told Provodnikov that he needed a knockout to win, and that he needed to show he was capable of the knockout or Roach would stop the fight. So Provodnikov came out stronger than he did in the 10th but it still wasn't enought to deter Bradley, however he did show enough for Roach to let him continue. And that was a great decision.
When the 12th round started Bradley looked as if he would cruise to victory, but that would not be the case. Instead Provodnikov launched another vicious attack that saw Bradley in a lot of trouble. Provodnikov landed a big left hook that sent Bradley flying across the ring, then Provodnikov caught him with a monster right hand that forced Bradley to wisely take a knee. If the fight lasted half a minute longer Bradley would have probably been knocked out, but the fight ended a few seconds after referee Russell ended his ten count, which a wobbly Bradley beat.
It was a very entertaining fight, the kind of fight that causes fans at home to give a standing ovation at the final bell. And both fighters will without a doubt have more fans then they did coming into this fight. When the scores came in they were as close as the fight looked, one judge had it 115-112 and the other two had it 114-113. That is where the controvesy comes in, had that first round "slip" been properly ruled a knock down the two judges would have scored it as a draw and the fight would have been ruled a majority draw. Also it would have been very easy for any of the judges to rule the 2nd or 6th round as 10-8 rounds for Provodnikov, which would have given him the win. But in a fight like this it seems foolish to haggle about the score. Whether it was ruled a win for Provodnikov, a win for Bradley, or a draw, it would have been just as satisfying. And it seemed this fight was satisfying for everyone invloved, referee Russel told Max Kellmerman after the fight that "it was an honor to ref that fight." And Kellerman paying homage to Provodnikov's nickname, 'The Siberian Rocky' declared "That's Rocky! We just saw a Rocky movie!"
The days of Bradley being ripped for getting a ridiculous decision against Pacquiao are over. He will know be looked as an an exciting fighter with a good chin, a ton of heart, and more stamina than anyone in the sport. For his part, Provodnikov will be looked as a fighter with two losses that are both controversial, making him in the eyes of some, still undefeated. Both men will be on HBO again very soon, and this time the arena will be packed to the rafters.
Thank you to both men for a fight no one will ever forget, and one of the best fights I have ever seen.
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