By Robert Morales, Los Angeles Daily News
The longer Timothy Bradley fights, the better he gets.
Bradley, of Palm Springs, on Saturday entered the ring at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage hopeful of defending his super lightweight world title.
He was faced with Lamont Peterson, a fighter starving for a world title of his own, a fighter who spent years homeless on the streets of Washington from ages 8 through 10. Peterson is also three inches taller than Bradley.
There was a pro-Bradley capacity crowd of 2,200, putting even more pressure on the champion to perform.
But Bradley outboxed and outslugged Peterson in a dazzling performance and won a unanimous decision. Bradley won by scores of 118-110, 119-108 and 120-107.
Bradley decked Peterson about a minute and 20 seconds into the third round.
But in the best round of the fight, Peterson landed several vicious body shots after he got off the canvas.
Bradley moved much more over the next several rounds, perhaps by design, but he still outboxed Peterson for the most part.
"He came out and made me fight like no one ever has," said Bradley, 26. "He's a tough, tough fighter. This was a great night for me, but also a great fight for the fans."
Bradley (25-0) is 4-0 with one no-decision in title fights.
"I think experience played a real big role," Bradley said. "He had the right game plan, but he got a little careless and he was rushing in there instead of following his jab. When he came in is when I nailed him."
Peterson (27-1) certainly should be given an 'A' for effort. But even when he was stalking Bradley during in the middle rounds, Bradley would most often get the better of the exchanges when they happened.
"My game plan was to win the first round, but in the middle of the first I got hit real hard by a couple of right hands," said Peterson, 25. "I was in trouble. I fell behind. I got reckless. He's a great champion. I gave it all I had."
Peterson's trainer, Barry Hunter, could not fault his fighter.
"He left it all the ring," he said. "He had no more left to give."
On the undercard, Vic Darchinyan of Australia via Armenia made quick work of Mexico's Tomas Rojas in their super flyweight title fight, stopping him at 2:54 of the second round.
Darchinyan (33-2-1, 27 KOs) had just connected with a punch and Rojas motioned for him to bring it on, so Darchinyan whacked him with a vicious left cross that made Rojas (32-12-1) crumple to the canvas, falling partially through the ropes.
Referee Raul Caiz Jr. began to count, but waved it off before he reached 10.
Darchinyan said he knew his power would come into play.
"I took my time and let the knockout come to me," he said. "He was hitting me with punches but I was hitting him back more and with more power. It was only a matter of time before he felt my power."
Rojas was holding his own until he got caught.
"I was boxing and doing what I was supposed to do," he said, "but I got careless and I never even saw the punch coming."
Maskaev loses
Former heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev had a title elimination fight with Ray Austin awaiting him - the winner to get a shot at heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko - so Maskaev didn't have to fight unheralded Nagy Aguilera on Friday night in Sacramento.
But Maskaev, of Sacramento via Kazakhstan, wanted to fight in his hometown and he didn't want to pull out of a fight to which he had committed. It backfired when he was knocked out in the first round by Aguilera (15-2, 10 KOs). Maskaev, 40, will not get the fight with Austin - and also lost the possible shot at Klitschko.
Source: dailynews.com
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