The main event for this night, a lightweight title fight between Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman, was canceled about four hours prior to the bell time. Guzman didn’t make weight at the weigh-in, coming in three and a half pounds over the 135 lb weight limit. Guzman was given a few hours to shed the pounds but never returned to the scales. Campbell was still willing to fight at a higher weight but Guzman declined, stating he was in poor condition due to dehydration and didn’t want to risk his health. I was looking forward to that contest but there is still another decent fight on tap for tonight as Tim Bradley takes on Edner Cherry in a light welterweight title contest.
Timothy Bradley vs. Edner Cherry (WBC Super Lightweight Title Fight)
Referee: Gary Ritter
The fight does not start off in any fighter’s favor. Cherry is working in some nice hooks between stiff jabs but Bradley is more active and doesn’t seem to be bothered by Cherry’s punches. Cherry lands two nice left hooks in the fourth round and Bradley shows no ill-effects. Bradley landed a nice right later in the round that Edner Cherry walked right in to. Cherry looks to be fading a bit in the middle rounds. Bradley lands a barrage of body shots, one of which landing on the belt line. The referee warns Bradley but Cherry uses it as a rest period. The ref even tells Cherry he should be okay to continue and they restart. I guess Cherry just needed a rest.
Cherry’s corner tries to give their man a pep talk before the eighth round. It’s a profane-laced rant that was meant to anger the religious Cherry. Edner lands some good power shots but Bradley remains composed. Bradley slips a punch and lands a counter right that puts Cherry down in the 8th round. Cherry gets right back up and survives the round.
Bradley has worn Cherry down with his body work and Cherry doesn’t seem to possess the energy level needed to knock Bradley out, which seems to be Cherry’s only way of winning this fight. Cherry does respond with a nice flurry in the 11th but his power just doesn’t seem to bother Bradley. Cherry comes out energized in the twelfth round, which always make for a fun finale. No one goes down so we go to the scorecards. The scores are 117-110, 118-109, and 119-109 in favor of Timothy Bradley.
Come back to Inside Fights for Corey’s review of Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Joel Casamayor and Vernon Forrest vs. Sergio Mora.
