Timothy Bradley retained his WBO light-welterweight title with a unanimous points win against Lamont Peterson in California.
WBO champion stakes claim as best 140-pounder after win
Timothy Bradley retained his WBO light-welterweight title with a unanimous points win against Lamont Peterson in California.
Both fighters entered the contest with unbeaten records but Bradley, making the third defence of his belt, proved far superior with a dominant performance, winning every round on one card.
The 26-year-old, who beat Junior Witter for the WBC strap 18 months ago, dropped Peterson for the first time in his career in the third round and bossed the fight with slick hand speed and skills.
"He came out and made me fight like no one ever has," Bradley said of his friend and former amateur room-mate. "I think experience played a big role.
"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."
Bradley could now be on a collision course with Britain's WBA title holder Amir Khan, who is set to make his debut Stateside in 2010.
"I will fight whoever they want me to fight, and I don't care where I have to go," added Bradley.
Darchinyan defends
On the same card at the Rancho Mirage, Australia's Vic Darchinyan retained his WBC and WBA super-flyweight titles by knocking out Mexico's Tomas Rojas in the second round.
Armenian-born Darchinyan allowed Rojas to dictate the early minutes as he sized up his opponent, who walked on to a big left hand towards the end of the second.
It was the 27th stoppage in 33 wins for the former flyweight champion, who suffered only his second loss earlier in the year when an attempt to pick up the bantamweight title ended in a points defeat to Joseph Agbeko.
"He was punching me. He was making more punches than me. But I knew my time would come," Darchinyan said. "I just took my time. I used my skills. It's about mind. It's not just power. I had to mentally be ready.
"I like when opponents hit me and think I'm open and they can get more. I know he's going to come and I'm going to get him."
