Timothy Bradley vs. Lamont Peterson: Round By Round

The main event on Showtime Championship Boxing sees two young, undefeated Americans do battle for the WBO light welterweight title. Timothy Bradley takes on Lamont Peterson in front of what should be a friendly crowd in his native California.

Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein have had some time to fill since Vic Darchinyan knocked out Tomas Rojas in two rounds in the co-feature. A video package shows us some of the rough going that Peterson had in his youth, and Jim Gray gets a word with Bradley.

Bernstein says Peterson can fight in the inside but will want to use his size and length to control the distance tonight. Bradley's key will be his speed and volume punching.

Peterson comes to the ring first to Jay-Z's "Run This Town." Representing Tennessee, the 25-year old is 27-0 with 13 KOs, but this is his first real world title shot.

Bradley gets a live rap accompaniment as he soaks in the cheers from the fans. He is 24-0 with 11 KOs and has held at least one of the belts at 140 pounds since May 2008.

The tale of the tape shows that Peterson has three-inch advantages in both height and reach. Jimmy Lennon Jr. does the intros, and we are ready to go for a scheduled 12 rounds.

Round 1

Bradley comes out quickly jabbing. Peterson does the same, and Bradley goes to the body. Both men land as Peterson jumps in. The ref tells them to let go as Peterson goes to work. He pops the jab from the outside. Bradley leaps in with body shots, but Peterson throws right back. Nice straight right by Lamont. Bradley lands a big right hand that dazes Peterson, and he slips as he rushes in to follow up. Lamont gets tagged again and has to hold on until the end of the round. He makes it to the bell still throwing.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 2

Peterson's legs look fine for now. He tries to jab but Bradley relentlessly stays in his face. The champ bounces as he circles around. Another nice right by Bradley finds the mark. Peterson backs Bradley into the corner as Tim switches to southpaw. A counter right by Bradley scores, and another huge right follows. Peterson has 40 seconds to survive again. Lamont has to hold as Bradley steps on the gas. A left hook puts the exclamation point on Timothy's round.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 3

Peterson opens with a right hand but has to cover as Bradley flurries in response. Bradley scores with a lopping right and Peterson goes down. He beats the count but has almost two minutes left in the round. Lamont leans on his foe and tries to turn it into an inside brawl. He's ripping big body shots but Bradley is answering in kind. Left hook by Bradley and now here comes Peterson. Great action as Lamont shows some real guts and Tim maybe got too brave for his own good.

Franchise: 10-8 Bradley
Uatu: 10-8 Bradley

Round 4

The last minute of the previous round was intense. Peterson has found something at super close range even though he's the taller fighter. They stand and slug away again. Peterson works to get his hands free. Bradley looks like he's tiring a bit but he's still throwing mean shots too. The ref us busy too as Bradley steps into an uppercut. Short right by Tim as he just dodges the shot coming back. More wild swings in the last five seconds.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 5

Bernstein likes the work both corners are doing advising their fighters. Bradley strikes first as Peterson tries to close the distance. Tim is using his footwork more now. Left-right by Bradley and another left hook. Now Peterson scores with his own right hand before they return to body shots. Tim pops jabs as he backs up. Big right by Peterson along the ropes gets the champ's attention.

Franchise: 10-9 Peterson
Uatu: 10-9 Peterson

Round 6

Peterson gets very low to avoid Bradley's combination punching. He misses a big right and covers up to block the counter shots. Bradley is boxing well, landing as he moves. Tim continues to switch stances too. Left hook by Peterson and a right upstairs. Bradley lands his own left hook and keeps moving. Peterson is nursing a bit of a cut near his left eye. Peterson finally tracks his man down for some late body work.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 7

Bradley gets off first with jabs. Peterson keeps stalking but he's not landing enough. Peterson is picking off a lot of punches but is getting hit with some too. He's really having to reach because of Bradley's movement. Peterson scores with one right but misses the follow-up shots. A right to the nose makes Lamont bleed a bit more, but he presses forward. Can Bradley keep up this pace?

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 8

Peterson gets Bradley to exchange a bit, but he quickly resumes boxing. Peterson can't line him up for a straight right. More jabs from Bradley. A nice right snaps Lamont's head. The crown starts chanting Bradley's name. Peterson tries a left hook but Bradley's hands are still too fast. Nice action both ways as both men swing away.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 9

Peterson has never been 12 rounds before, so we'll see what he's made of here. Clubbing right by Peterson is answered by multiple punches. Bradley circles, throwing as he does so. Right hand by Tim and a jab to the body. Peterson finally closes in to work the body. Lamont weaves as Bradley unleashes the right once again.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 10

Bradley goes to the body and Peterson throws the hook downstairs. Tim just keeps moving around and flicking out jabs when he gets a chance. Bradley uses an uppercut and bounces back away. Lamont throws multiple body shots but has nothing else with it. Bradley dodges some big swings and delivers some hooks. Peterson connects with his own hook right before the bell.

Franchise: 10-9 Bradley
Uatu: 10-9 Bradley

Round 11

Bradley nearly slips as he continues to work. Peterson is closing the range better, landing a hook. Tim slips away from trouble in the corner. Nice right by Peterson. He uses a combo but Bradley responds in kind. Tim switches to southpaw as Peterson goes downstairs again. Here's another exchange with Bradley landing a nice right but Peterson slugging away with multiple body shots from both hands.

Franchise: 10-9 Peterson
Uatu: 10-9 Peterson

Round 12

Press row has it closer than we do, but Peterson still probably needs something dramatic here. Lamont loops in a right hand but Bradley keeps bouncing around. Clubbing punches from both fighters in close. Bradley sticks in one shot and eats several coming back. Right hand by Peterson with a minute to go. Neither man is giving up as they trade shots in the center of the ring. Not much subtlety as they lean in and punch each other right up to the final bell.

Franchise: 10-9 Peterson
Uatu: 10-9 Peterson

Franchise: 117-110 Bradley
Uatu: 117-110 Bradley

The judges score it 118-110, 119-108 and 120-107, all for the winner by unanimous decision... and still WBO junior welterweight titleholder... Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley.

Bradley gives Peterson a lot of credit, saying Lamont was the toughest challenge he's ever faced. Tim admits to feeling tired in the middle rounds but says he got a second wind later.

Asked about the knockdown, Bradley thinks it caught him beside the head and doesn't think Lamont was hurt. Peterson credits Bradley for fighting well from the outside but says the switching stances didn't bother him.

Tim gives Lamont another compliment before talking about how his work ethic keeps him on top.

Posted by The Franchise