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11/22/2024 04:15:55 am

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Boxing News: Timothy Bradley Beats Jessie Vargas In Controversial Finish

Tim Bradley (blue trunks) vs Jessie Vargas

(Photo : Getty Images) Tim Bradley (in blue trunks) lands a right cross in the face of Jessie Vargas during their welterweight title fight in Carson, California.

Two-division world champion Timothy Bradley Jr. outpointed young gun Jessie Vargas in their welterweight championship bout at the StubHub Center in Carson to win the WBO interim belt via a 12-round unanimous decision, June 27.

Official scorecards had it 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 all for Bradley, as per Bleacher Report.

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However, there was a hint of controversy near the end of the lopsided match as referee Pat Russell prematurely stopped the fight with seven seconds to go thinking that the bell had already rung. Vargas then thought that he had won via a TKO stoppage, although it was immediately cleared afterward that the referee had committed a mistake.

Bradley (32-1-1, 12 KOs), who was clearly winning the fight as he leads in all of the judges' scorecards and in the TV broadcast crew's as well, was caught by a right overhand shot from Vargas (26-1, 9 KOs) right in the kisser with about 20 seconds remaining in the last round.

Bradley was visibly wobbled by the miracle right as he tried to stay on his feet, blocking all of Vargas' follow-up shots and clinching him when Russell suddenly interrupted and signaled that the fight was over.

Confusion from the fighters, corners, and the audience ensued as Vargas went up in one corner turnbuckle and raised his hands in excitement thinking that he had upset the former champion.

Bradley admits to Max Kellerman during the post-fight interview that Vargas indeed landed a good shot that hurt him, but he also said that he would have finished and won the fight anyway even if the referee did not mistakenly interfere.

"I'm an experienced fighter, man. I know what I'm doing in there," Bradley told Kellerman.

Meanwhile, there were a lot of "what if" questions in the mind of Vargas after the bout, via The Guardian.

"All I needed was one more shot," Vargas said. "Those seven seconds cost me the fight."

Vargas suffered his first defeat in 27 fights as he could not handle the firepower of the man they call the Desert Storm, who was the first big-name fighter that he had ever faced.

Even when it seemed like a rematch is going to be scheduled soon, Boxing News 24 reported that the likelihood of it happening is slim. The report said that it was not Top Rank CEO Bob Arum's style to set a rematch right after a controversial fight and that Vargas is not a "big enough name" for him to consider a second bout with Bradley.

Both fighters are under Arum's Top Rank promotional outfit.

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