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-Photo Credit: Tom Casino-
BRADLEY BESTS HOLT IN
WBC/WBO JR. UNIFIER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION... by George
Elsasser
Begins with Bradley pressing the action
and Holt looking to counter - late in the stanza it was Holt
bringing the paying clientele to its feet with a sudden
booming counter that found the sweet spot - it also found
Bradley down on his back.
The superbly conditioned WBC strap
holder, surprisingly got to his feet and finished the stanza
in his usual modus operandi, as he foiled Holts’ big chance
of dropping the curtain in opening stanza.
In my unofficial, until the final stanza twelve, it was
Bradley with the edge in most rounds, displaying the much
busier work ethic, while Holt stayed with the counter mode
searching for the opening he found in that first candle.
LIBRADO ANDRADE GETS
DECISION WIN OVER TSYPKO... by Larry Flores
In a 12-round co-feature bout on SHOWTIME’s
Saturday night Timothy Bradley- Kendall Holt championship
unification card, Librado Andrade earned a unanimous decision
over the Ukraine’s Vitali Tsypko at
the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada.
Andrade (27-2 with 21 KOs) was
making his first appearance since his disputed decision loss
to “IBF” champion Lucien Bute in the same Montreal ring six
months earlier. Tsypko (22-2 with 12 KOs) was riding a three
bout winning streak after a loss to Jeff Lacy in December
2006.
In what was billed as a Super Middleweight “IBF
Title Eliminator”, the 3rd ranked Andrade
controlled most of the action against the 2nd
ranked Tsypko. After a “feeling out”
opening round, Andrade landed a strong right hand punch flush
on the jaw of the southpaw Tsypko that dropped him for an
8-count early in the second round. A cautious Andrade was
unable to land any other serious punches on his opponent, who
lasted until the bell sounded to end the round.
ANDRADE BATTERS TSYPKO.... by
George Elsasser
My first and only prior peek at the now
numero uno IBF s/middleweight challenger Librado Andrade,
was back in December of last year - and a come from behind
KO win over defending champion Lucian Bute was aborted by
local Montreal third lunatic in charge, Marlon Wright - the
hack’s home cooking bordered on the criminal to the extent
the joint had to be fumigated once the building was emptied.
But not so in Andrade’s return visit last Saturday -
although it went the full twelve candles against a very game
opponent in Vitali Tsypko there was no need of concern with
referee Jean-Guy Brosseau on assignment.
EXPERTS OVERWHELMINGLY EXPECT BRADLEY TO BEAT HOLT -- IN AN
ABSOLUTE SQUEAKER!
If the media members who participated in the SHOWTIME Media
Prediction Poll have called it correctly then Timothy Bradley’s going to walk away victorious over
Kendall Holt Saturday on SHOWTIME. But it will it be
close.
Bradley, the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion,
and his World Boxing Organization (WBO) counterpart Holt clash
in an eagerly awaited 140-pound world title unification
showdown from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, on
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
live at a special time 10:45 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the
west coast) to accommodate fans watching the conclusion of the
2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®.
The majority of those who participated in a SHOWTIME Media
Prediction Poll not only could not state with conviction who
would win, but how the tough, close fight would play out.
Several possible scenarios and story lines were predicted.
One thing almost all the experts agreed on: This will not be a
waltz.
BRADLEY AND HOLT, ANDRADE AND TSYPKO FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES...
In a must-see
world title unification fight between two of the most talented
and exciting 140-pounders in the world, Timothy “Desert
Storm” Bradley and Kendall “Rated R’’ Holt will
risk their WBC and WBO belts, respectively, in the main event
Saturday on SHOWTIME live at a special time 10:45 p.m.
ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) to accommodate fans watching
the conclusion of the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®.
The undefeated Bradley, of Palm Springs, Calif., is 23-0 with
11 knockouts. Holt, of Paterson, N.J., is 25-2 with 13
knockouts.
In the co-feature on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Ukraine's Vitali Tsypko (22-2, 12 KOs) will take on Librado
Andrade (27-2, 21 KOs), of La Habra, Calif., in an IBF
super middleweight eliminator.
SIX QUESTIONS WITH LIBRADO ANDRADE...
The overwhelming fan underdog
in his last fight in Montreal, Canada--a controversial loss to
Lucian Bute--30-year-old Librado
Andrade is looking forward to the cheers that will
undoubtedly rain down on him Saturday night from the
boxing-crazed Bell Centre crowd.
Andrade
(27-2, 21 KOs) is ranked No. 3 in the International Boxing Federation super
middleweight division and figures to be a favorite when he
meets Ukraine's Vitali Tsypko (22-2, 12 KOs), who is ranked a notch above
him at No. 2. The winner becomes the No. 1 contender and
Bute's mandatory challenger.
Saturday's elimination bout will
air on SHOWTIME
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live at a special time 10:45
p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) to accommodate fans
watching the conclusion of the 2009 NCAA Men's Final Four.
The fight will take place before Timothy Bradley and Kendall Holt
unify their respective World Boxing Council (WBC) and World
Boxing Organization (WBO) 140-pound titles.
Questions? Comments? Post them in BRC's new Message Board...
4-2-2009
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