Once again, Tim Bradley proved on Saturday that he is indeed his own worst enemy. After looking nothing short of masterful against the lauded Jessie Vargas, Bradley was rocked by a thunderous shot at the end of the fight and nearly went down.
It looked like Bradley was going to survive the round, just like he had against Ruslan Provodnikov a few years earlier - but referee Pat Russell stopped the fight a few seconds too early, denying fans a legitimate answer to a burning question. This is no knock on Russell, by the way. I've never had problems with the ref and we all make mistakes. Regardless, Bradley ended up earning himself a unanimous decision victory.
He also proved - once again - that he's his own worst enemy. Believe it or not, Bradley is one of the most skilled fighters in the sport. Indeed, his mastery on Saturday was reminiscent of Floyd Mayweather. As Bradley himself admitted, however, he didn't listen to his corner at the end of the bout - and that's why he got nailed.
It seems as if it's now time to simply accept the fact that Bradley will never live up to his potential. Why? Because he just isn't disciplined enough to stick to a game plan. Over and over again, the guy abandons his strengths and relies on his inclinations. And the result is often disastrous. Don't believe it? Check out round twelve of last night's fight again - or any number of rounds in Bradley's fight against Ruslan Provodnikov.
Tim Bradley is, without doubt, one of my favorite fighters. I admire him both as a person and as an athlete. He may well make it to the Hall of Fame, and if he gets there, no one should complain. At the rate he's going, however, Bradley will forever leave fans wondering about what could have been.
And for the record, I'd rather see a more dominant, less fan friendly Bradley than the a Bradley who gets his head rattled unnecessarily throughout the course of his career. But that's just me.
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