Tim Bradley Wins 10-Round, Technical Decison Over Devon Alexander

PONTIAC, MICH. -- WBO king, Tim Bradley, won an anti-climactic, 10-round technical decision over WBC champ, Devon Alexander, in Saturday night's HBO televised, junior welterweight (140 pounds) championship bout when referee Frank Garza, acting on the advice of ringside doctor, Peter Samet, stopped the fight as a result of Alexander's complaining that he could not see out of a bleeding right eye as the result of an accidental head butt.

Nevada's Duane Ford 97-93, Mexico's Omar Mintun 98-93, and Ohio's Tim Miller, 96-95, all for Bradley. FanHouse had it for Bradley, 98-93 in a bout that was contested at the Pontiac Silverdome, in Pontiac Mich.

The bout was stopped at 1:59 of the 10th.

"I ruled them as accidental head butts," said Garza. "The second one was a completely different head-butt than the previous one in the fight. I stopped the match after consultation with the ringside physician."

Alexander was initially butted and cut over his right eye in the third round, and bled from the cut throughout, even as the 27-year-old Bradley continued to pressure and land right hands to the heads and body that held his 23-year-old rival at bay.

Later, a cut developed on the far, lower left corner of Alexander's left eye. The cuts required stitches after the fight -- four for the right eye; two more for the left.

In the 10th round, Bradley's head came up from underneath and met Alexander's full force. At that point, Alexander let out a scream and was escorted by Garza over Samet, who called a halt to the fight.

"I asked Devon to open his eyes three times, and he couldn't. After the third time, I told Devon, 'Son, if you can't do it, then this fight's over," said Samet. "He tried for the third time, and he couldn't open his eye. I feared temporary nerve damage or temporary paralysis, so I advised the referee to halt the contest."

In victory, Bradley rose to 27-0, with 11 knockouts, and Alexander slopped to 21-1, with 13 KOs before a sparse crowd of 6,247.

"I couldn't see after the head butt. He's got a big head. He came at me full force. My eye was burning and I couldn't see. You can't prepare in the gym for a head butt, only for skill," said Alexander. "He didn't stop me from using my skills, but I have no excuses."

Alexander out-landed Bradley, 129-128, in overall punches, with an edge in power shots, 98-89. Bradley landed more jabs, 39-31, all according to punch stats.

During the post-fight press conference, Bradley displayed a slight laceration on his left cheekbone, as well as a cut over his own left eye.

Bradley was disappointed with the way the fight ended.

"If that's the best in the world, then that's weak. He was jumping in. He just didn't want to get hit with the big shot. Both of us were coming in and going back and forth throughout the fight," said Bradley. "We were both coming in and trying to land the big shot. He's a tough, tough warrior, and he'll be a champion again."

Bradley had hoped that a dominant win would make him a viable rival to WBO welterweight (147 pounds) and WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) belt-holder, Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), or, WBA junior welterweight king, Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KOs) of England.

Asked if he would like to face Khan or former WBA interim king Marcos Rene Maidana (29-2, 27 KOs), Alexander said that he would like a return bout with Bradley.

"The contract says that I get a rematch," said Alexander. "I want a rematch with Tim Bradley."