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Live updates: Timothy Bradley defeats Brandon Rios by TKO in ninth round

Timothy Bradley Jr. connects to Brandon Rios' face during their WBO welterweight championship bout on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Timothy Bradley Jr. connects to Brandon Rios’ face during their WBO welterweight championship bout on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

(John Gurzinski / AFP / Getty Images)
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Timothy Bradley defeated Brandon Rios by technical knockout in the ninth round to retain the World Boxing Organization welterweight title on Saturday night.

Coachella Valley’s Bradley (33-1-1, 13 knockouts) claimed the belt following his June 7 victory over Jessie Vargas. The WBO stripped Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the belt he won May 2, when he defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision. Mayweather declined to pay sanctioning dues.

It was a crossroads fight for Oxnard’s Rios (33-3-1, 23 knockouts), who had lost two of his last four fights but looked strong.

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The bout follow the co-main event on HBO, in which WBO featherweight title champion Vasyl Lomachenko (5-1) of the Ukraine defeated Mexico’s Romulo Koasicha (25-5) by knockout in the 10th round.

Here is a recap of the Bradley-Rios fight (scoring is unofficial):

Prefight: Word from HBO officials is that Rios stepped on the network’s pre-fight scale at 170 pounds, a staggering 23 pounds beyond the welterweight limit while Bradley was at 155 pounds. Rios received final instructions from his trainer and close friend Robert Garcia, looking determined, while Bradley listened to his new trainer Teddy Atlas, who’s pushing for a defensive-minded boxing show.

First round: Bradley quickly works the body. Rios tries to pound the gut during a clench. Fast punches from Bradley. Rios nods as if they don’t hurt. Two jabs to Rios’ face are followed by two good lefts to the head by Bradley. Rios is looking very slow. Hard left by Bradley before the bell. Bradley wins the round, 10-9.

Second round: A couple of quick lefts by Bradley to open. Atlas apparently warning Bradley about Rios’ potential power shots. The crowd wants Rios. Bradley now holding. Quick, good uppercut by Bradley. It appears that Bradley is capable of throwing nearly three punches in the time it takes Rios to throw one. But in close, Rios landing a bit. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 20-18.

Third round: Replays of Bradley’s big right in the second impress. Bradley snaps in a clean right early. Bradley can defend, he blocks Rios’ right. Bradley’s volume always impresses the judges. Rios looks to judge Tony Weeks after a Bradley low punch. Some inside fighting follows. Both fighters land punches. Then comes a good Bradley right. Rios can’t find Bradley for a clean punch. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 30-27.

Fourth round: Long counseling from Atlas in the corner. The fighters open by exchanging punches inside. Bradley backs out. Both guys go to the body. Is fatigue setting in for Rios? Bradley works a combination to the head, body, then head. Bradley out-punching Rios inside, plants a right to the jaw. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 40-36.

Fifth round: Bradley lands a left to Rios’ face. Bradley holds Rios back into Bradley’s corner before referee intervenes. Right hand by Bradley to Rios’ chin hurts the challenger. Another Bradley right. The champion said he intended to “amaze” the audience, and he’s picking apart Rios. Rios swings more wildly, but isn’t sustaining the pressure. Two clean Bradley jabs to Rios’ nose. Left-right-left combination to the head by Bradley. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 50-45.

Sixth round: Rios throwing a repeated right to the head as they hold. Bradley jabs and escapes. Bradley is still willing to fight inside, but backs away at appropriate times. Right-left combination to the face by Bradley. Pacquiao couldn’t knock out Rios, so don’t expect Bradley (12 KOs) to, but he’s piling up the points. Left to the body, a shot to the face by Bradley. Rios looking frustrated and tired. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 60-54.

Seventh round: Bradley lands a right to Rios’ side. Rios pounding some inside punches, not bothering Bradley at all. Good left hook to the head by Bradley. Crowd turning to Bradley. Rios swings, Bradley ducks it. Bradley landed a bit inside after a clench. Closest round in awhile. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 70-63.

Eighth round: Bradley connects with a left to Rios’ face, igniting an attack on Rios’ body. Rios hunched over, looking for … something. His fitness is not what he reported it to be. Bradley right to the body, two lefts to Rios’ face. Bradley wins an exhange. Good left by Bradley, Rios nodding it doesn’t hurt. Bradley wins the round, 10-9. Bradley leads the fight, 80-72.

Ninth round: Rios getting to the desperate stage, we’ll see what he does. He needs a victory, he said, to avoid just being another guy. Rios hits Bradley with a left. Bradley jabs away, then lands some rights. Good right by Bradley shakes the sweat from Rios’ head. Bradley works a left to Rios’ body. Rios downed by a hard right to the gut followed by a good left to the body. Bradley on the attack, Rios down again and referee Tony Weeks stops it. Timothy Bradley wins by technical knockout at 2:49 of the ninth round.

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