TIMOTHY BRADLEY W12 LAMONT PETERSON

In one of the year’s classic exhibitions of boxing and fighting, Timothy Bradley reached new heights as he soundly outpointed a game and tough Lamont Peterson to retain his WBO junior welterweight title in the main event on Showtime.

The wide scoring of the three judges (one of them had it a shutout) suggested that Peterson had been outclassed on Saturday night. This wasn't quite the case, with Bradley admitting afterwards that this was his toughest fight. Peterson was thoroughly beaten, though. He gave it a great try, but it wasn’t enough. Everything Peterson did, Bradley came back with something better.

It isn’t often we see improvement as dramatic as Bradley showed in this fight. He reached a new level. We knew he was a human dynamo who could keep throwing punches for 12 rounds, but in this fight he demonstrated slick, smart boxing ability and polished moves. Time after time Peterson missed with huge, winging hooks and right hands. Although Peterson kept coming forward, throwing everything he had, Bradley was too good and too elusive.

The third round was one of the year’s best. Dropped to one knee by an overhand right, and looking unsteady, Peterson stamped his feet to get some life back in his legs and rallied bravely, digging in hooks to the body. Bradley’s rocklike physique allowed him to absorb the shots — there are junior welters who might have wilted.

A competitive contest had generally been expected, but as it turned out what we saw was one of those entertaining one-sided fights.

Anyone who appreciates the science of boxing will have enjoyed watching Bradley’s dominating display.

This was a fight in which the winner hardly put a foot wrong. Bradley jabbed, went to the body with combinations, fired right hands and left hooks and never gave Peterson a chance to get any sort of momentum going.

Bradley moved when he should have moved, and fought when he should have fought.

This was as perfect a performance as a boxer can hope to give, and the last title fight in Showtime’s 2009 boxing year was one to savour.