If Tim Bradley turns out to be Floyd Mayweather?s next ? and possibly last ? choice of opponent then Saturday night?s controversy in California will erupt into a full-blown conspiracy theory come September 12 in Las Vegas.
Not for the first time the American who calls himself Desert Storm was the beneficiary of deeply dubious officiating.
The arm-waving referee looked for all the world to have stopped this WBO title fight in favour of Jessie Vargas 10 seconds before the final bell, with Bradley reeling semi-conscious on his feet from a thunderbolt right hook.
Vargas, naturally, celebrated with much gusto.
Veteran official Pat Russell then told one of Bradley?s promoters that what he had really done was signal the finish of the fight early, by mistake.
Russell?s excuse for denying Vargas the chance to finish off Bradley was that he had miss-heard the 10-second warning ? normally a thumping on the ring apron ? as the bell to end the 12th and final round.
Hmm.
