Timothy Bradley wins interim WBO title after bizarre finish
Sunday 28 June 2015 18:20, UK
Timothy Bradley ended Jessie Vargas' unbeaten record amid controversy to claim the interim WBO welterweight title on Saturday night.
Bradley claimed a unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards in Carson, California, but only after the fight ended in a controversial manner.
The eventual winner appeared to be in trouble after being hit by an overhand right when the referee stopped the contest with several seconds still remaining having thought he had heard the final bell, denying Vargas the chance to claim a late knockout.
Vargas celebrated, thinking he had forced a stoppage, but instead the fight went to the cards with Bradley declared the winner with a 115-112, 116-112 and 117-111 verdict.
“All I needed was one more shot. Those seven seconds cost me the fight,” said Vargas, who also demanded a rematch.
Bradley suggested a second fight could be possible but denied he was in trouble and insisted he would have made it to the final bell.
“I got hit by a hard shot,” said Bradley, who had dominated the fight until the final 15 seconds. “I knew where I was at all times.”
Bradley was previously gifted a decision in his first fight with Manny Pacquiao, but the Filipino set the record straight in their rematch.
The victory saw Bradley extended his fight record to 31-1-1 while Vargas suffered his first defeat after 26 straight victories.
An interim version of the title was at stake with Floyd Mayweather being the WBO's current king at welterweight, recently defending his crown against Pacquiao.
