Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion and Top-10 pound for pound fighter Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley Jr. will make his 2013 debut, making his first title defense, against the No. 2-rated contender Ruslan Provodnikov Saturday, March 16, under the stars at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Tickets for the fight go on sale this Friday, and right here, you can find the complete opening press conference photos, quotes and notes. Take a look.
In this video, Bradley talks about getting back into action and about his fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Bradley vs. Provodnikov will be televised live as the main event on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.
These two gladiators boast a near-perfect record of 51-1 (27 KOs).
Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Banner Promotions and Tecate, tickets to the Bradley- Provodnikov world championship event will go on sale This Friday! February 8, at 10:00 a.m. PT. Priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, tickets can be purchased online at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Suites are available by calling 1-877-604-8777. For information of group discounts, please call 1-877-234-8425.
Bradley vs. Provodnikov Presser Quotes
” I am so happy and inspired to be fighting in the Los Angeles area in front of my home state fans,” said Bradley. “There is nothing more exhilarating than defending your title for the first time. March 16 will be the first step in doing what I did as the junior welterweight champion, cleaning house.”
“I want to thank my team and HBO for making this fight happen and giving me this long awaited opportunity,” said Provodnikov. “I promise that once everyone sees this fight no one will regret making it happen because once we are both in the ring I will fight until the end and the more Bradley will want to fight me the more exciting this fight will be for everyone!”
“We are excited to be able to showcase Tim. He is a tremendous talent,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “Tim cleaned out the junior welterweight division as champion, beating everyone. We are confident that he will perpetuate that accomplishment as welterweight champion. It’s going to be an exciting night.”
“Ruslan understands that these opportunities do not come along often. He knows that this is a great chance for him and he will rise to the occasion and win the fight,” said Provodnikov’s promoter Arthur Pelullo of Banner Promotions.
“We are delighted to present Timothy Bradley Jr.’s first defense of his world welterweight title on March 16 at The Home Depot Center in southern California,” said Kery Davis, senior vice president, programming, HBO Sports. “An intriguing part of the fight is that it is as much of an opportunity for Bradley as his challenger Ruslan Provodnikov.”
Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., a two-division world champion trained by Joel Diaz, returns to the ring off his historic and career-best victory over Manny Pacquiao last June 9, ending the defending WBO welterweight champion’s title reign and his seven-year winning streak.
Provodnikov (22-1, 15 KOs), born and raised in Berezovo, Khanty-Mansi, Russia in Siberia, is trained by Hall of Famer World-Famous Freddie Roach. He has built up a steady fan base due to his exciting fights which have been televised nationally.
