Timothy Bradley verses.............

Timothy Bradley verses........... Ruslan Provodnikov

I don't know about you guys but I'mreally excited about this fight. Just the fight to put boxing back on the map.

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/8909066/timothy-bradley-jr-return-ruslan-provodnikov

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=268173&cat=boxer

Hopefully be a good fight. I don't mind Bradley and think he could be a champion for a few years now. Some good fights to be made at WW.

I must admit paul I don't really know anything about provodnikov. I had to look him up. Is he capable? Or is it just a filler fight to keep busy?

Same as yourself Spencer I've not heard much about him, a quick look at his record shows he's a 140lb fighter and stepping up for this fight. We could be surprised or he could be awful. Either way hopefully he come to win.

One of the few highlights I could find, looks like he has quick hands and can throw good combos.

Spoiler:

Rubbish fight

Prodovkin is a B level lightwelter and nothing more and got shown up against Herrera who himself is a gatekeeper

Bradley is fast becoming a forgotten man of boxing

Apparently he struggled with Corley too. Is suppose if it's just to get rid of a bit of ring rust before getting back in a little later in the year then it can't be too bad.

Yawn, but he hasn't fought i a while and I like Bradley I guess.

I wont be stopping up to watch it thats for sure!

I probably will, but I'm sad like that.

Bradley is with Top Rank isn't he?

In which case an awful match up is par for the course.

Timothy Bradley is a top professional. He's a grafter!

Pity, he isn't walking straight into another big shot. But should be a decent fight with Provodnikov.

Providing they meet again (most likely) you would assume that at least one of Marquez and Pacquiao will retire after the 5th fight (unless Arum tries to milk us again with a 6th which isn't hard to imagine given Bobs track record) which leaves TopRank desperately thin in terms of talent from lightweight to welter

Rios and Alvarado are there and a couple more but how many times can he match these guys against each other before everyone gets bored

Guerrero, Berto, Ortiz, Broner, Garcia, Khan, Thurman, Maidana, Matthysse are all guys that would make great fights with Tim but won't happen

He's an obvious talent but he isn't one I'm dieing to see and just doesn't seem to have a style or the personality for TV

They don't have a great stable at 135 - 147 at TR at the moment, GBP is really swooping them all up which leaves peolpe like Bradley with very little.

5th fight?!? I've heard marquez will not be doing it?? It would be pathetic if it happened. Arum needs to seriously urine off.

Money talks though and he can pocket a cool $10mil easy for a 5th fight

He does not seem the type to demand or be in desperate need of cash. He beat pacquiao in 3 of the 4 in my eyes along with a lot of other people in the world. To end the doubters with a sensational knockout should be enough to close the script, enhance his legacy and to maybe finish off with a decent operator in front of his home fans.

Money talks but I'd be let down if JMM agreed.

I thought he won 3 also and the manner of the KO puts a stamp on the whole thing but he's a true fighter and its hard for them to let go and while he isn't I need if the money I don't think he has ever earnt the big big bucks that a 5th fights being. He got the back end deals off of Pacquiao and Mayweather but was never in a position to get a larger share of the purse

Don't want the fight to happen but given how entertaining and competitive (let's not beat around the bush Pacquiao was very much winning and in control of the fight untill the KO) I would definately watch a 5th fight and for that reason, the reason that people will want to watch another good if not great fight, Arum will push for it

Ive seen ruslan fight, near half a dozen times, what is very simple, Average.

Solid C level fighter, very tough good power. He fights at 140, top 15. 10-15, He can and will be outboxed. Many had him beating Herrera - that was quality vs quantity, I had it a draw, scores varied from 116-112 for either fighter, I wouldnt argue with either, it was that type of fight, scoring is subjective, that fight was what you prefer, but if anything Ruslan looked better, he won his rounds clear, herrera won his by scraping it. Ruslan is always entertaining to watch, but Bradley moght outclass him and make it boring.

Tim by UD 120-108, at best for Ruslan - 118-110 for bradley

I don't think Bradley should cop too much stick for this fight, to be honest.

He clearly had his heart set on the Pacquiao rematch for late 2012 and his comments both before and after their bout last June hinted that there had been some kind of intimation of this.

That didn't come off, so he had to look elsewhere. And he did, offering Brook a fight. Brook and / or Hearn weren't interested. Outside of that Judah and Garcia are tied up with each other, as are Rios and Alvarado, as was Alexander until the recent news, as is Mayweather now it seems, as are Marquez and Pacquiao, in all probability.

Bradley has probably just realised that he can't afford to spend a whole year out of the ring at this stage while he's in his prime years, so has simply opted to stay busy until the right, viable fight comes up. We'd be living in a fantasy world if we expected all of our world champions to be fighting big, big names every single time.

Don't buy that Chris, yes Brook did turn down a fight wih him, but the others where never really in discussion as Bradley only wanted Pacquiao and waited around for ages waiting for him although that fight wasn't going to happen. Bradley-Pacquiao did poor business (compared to Pacquiao's recent fights) and he showed that he can beat Bradley easily and that Bradley couldn't do anything to deter Manny

You need to remember also that Bradley turned down a Peterson fight (which was at welterweight) which would have been a far better fight as Peterson has improved since the first fight, and he also turned down a big fight with Gamboa as he refuse to go below 147. Bradley is a tiny welterweight and in the past never struggled to make weight at lightwelter. That means that that fight could have taken place at a catch weight or even 140. Gamboa's team was willing to go up to 144 I think but Bradley's team rejected it

He doesn't understand that he's not a big draw. He always waits for these big fights but needs to realise that by being inactive people can forget about you (especially given his boring style) which puts you in a horrible position to bargain

I'm not saying he was in any kind of negotiations with many of those names I mentioned, WHU, just that, one he realised that Pacquiao II or Brook weren't happening, he wouldn't have been able to start negotiating a fight with those other guys in any case, as most of them have other irons in the fire. Hence, he hasn't been left with a great number of options.

Peterson surely wouldn't do much business (hence the $37,500 fee he's having to settle for in his next IBF defence), and remains a hard sell given the one-sided nature of their fight a couple of years back. Can't blame Bradley for overlooking that one. As for Gamboa, well I had misgivings about how realistic that fight was from the off. If Gamboa and his team have said they can do a catchweight between Light-Welter and Welter then yes, maybe Bradley's been follhardy in turning his nose up at it, but at the same time that suggests to me that he maybe just sees himself as a genuine Welterweight and nothing else now.

I accept that this fight isn't going to be much more than a solid work out for Bradley, but I just don't think it's come about by him avoiding big names as others suggest, and I definitely don't think it'll be the norm in the future, either. Later this year and throughout 2014 I fully expect Bradley to be fighting the big, recognised names as mentioned above.

Bit of a shame for Bradley. He actually seems to have taken a step backwards in terms of star power since 'winning' against Manny. Regardless of the results he put up a great fight that night against a great opponent. He should be in the mix with some top names but he can't see to get a fight.

it's like Timmy is being punished for getting the W versus Pac

i dont think that bradley is boring, the alexander fight was, but it was always going to be. the peterson fight and the manny fight where both crackers imo. bradley gets nowhere near enough credit for ending the most dominant 15 fight streak of our decade (mannys), and neither does he get respect for his wins (witter, peterson, alexander, cassmayor and pacquiao) which are very impressive. his never give attitude wins him a lot of fights and he showed great boxing ability last time out too. i'd like to see him fight a decent opponent, but i dont know enough about this guy too really judge. but last time he was called a ducker for not fighting khan, his next fight was with pac man, so i dont think this is an attempt for an easy fight, i think this is the best avalible at the moment.

I don't get this Bradley has a boring personality stuff, all have different opinions granted, but I really warmed to him in the 24/7's a lot more than Manny talking about God and Floyd chucking money around with 'Fiddy has been in the past.

yeah definetly, he seemed so driven running late into the night on his own, whilst manny was ringing roach again to cancel training.

Timothy Bradley verses ......

I thought I was about to read some poetry.

Chris, there really is no defending this fight, it's an awful match up that lesser fighters would rightly get ribbed for taking.

Bradley has a boring personality...no one is interested....

He is a top 5/6 p4per with the Manny "win" added to his record..

But who cares..that's his problem

re-read my above posts truss, you'll be a convert in no time

I would say he gets no credit for 'beating' Pacquiao because so few think he deserved to win.

disagree but lets be honest nobodys going to budge, all i say is he has the title and there was a rematch clause by mannys team he didnt want to persue, even though he felt he easily won.

Bit of a no brainer isn't it if you have a choice between your biggest rival in Marquez or someone you beat easily in Bradley, not as if he took the easy option.

he could have won his title back and revenged his loss, then fought marquez afterwards. if you thought the decision went mannys way then i see why you wouldnt expect him to bother, but i thought he lossed fairly, and needed to rectify that first. if the decision had gone to manny people would credit bradley with his performance, but the controversy takes away from that fact.

I don't think he was that good personally, a small minority over rate his performance to a ridiculous level and he offers nothing to Pacquiao at this point in time.

i think many people give manny close rounds because of his aggression, and his power, but he never hurt bradley and never was really effective. bradley also completely changed his style for that fight, he was counter punching and moving in and out, as opposed to charging forwards like normal, but he did it very well for me, and it worked. manny started very well, but gave the last rounds away and cost himself the fight.

Shame there isn't enough time to sign him up to fight Kell Brook. Chances are Brook is going to get the runaround now and will end up stagnating or, god forbid, going back to fighting eliminators against unheralded but apparantly "world class" operators just to keep him ticking over.

Stick Kell Brook in with Tim Bradley, even if Kell loses, chances are no one will watch it so we'll never know.

DAVE667 wrote:Shame there isn't enough time to sign him up to fight Kell Brook. Chances are Brook is going to get the runaround now and will end up stagnating or, god forbid, going back to fighting eliminators against unheralded but apparantly "world class" operators just to keep him ticking over.

Stick Kell Brook in with Tim Bradley, even if Kell loses, chances are no one will watch it so we'll never know.

Why?

That sounds like an exciting fight.

Maybe Brook can fight Khan next instead!!!

Doesn't need a belt that fight..although I'm sure Khan will receive one..

Khan is looking for an April fight don't he, maybe at welter

Must admit when I saw the thread header "Timothy Bradley verses"

I was expecting some Browning and tennyson type poetry with Bradley in the mix....

What a letdown..