The 29 year-old, who can fluctuate between 140 and 147lbs willingly, narrowly lost out to pound for pound star Bradley after dropping him twice in March and has been linked to some huge match-ups since then.
‘The Siberian Rocky’ held out hopes of a rematch with ‘Desert Storm’ until the American agreed a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, although Provodnikov has other options in the pipeline for his next outing.
“I should be back in the ring in September or October on HBO Boxing,” Provodnikov told World Boxing News. “I am beginning to do some light training already and plan to start training camp back at the Wild Card Gym with my trainer Freddie Roach soon.
“I know that there is a lot of talk about me fighting Mike Alvarado next for the WBO light-welterweight title and I think this would be a great fight. Mauricio Herrera beat me, then Alvarado beat Herrera, so I think this will be a fight that would be enjoyed and Alvarado has all the chances in this fight just as I do.”
Provodnikov knows that he can ill-afford a second defeat in a row, even though the decision against Bradley at the Home Depot Center was so close. The 22-2 slugger has to put on a good showing in victory against whoever opposes him later in the year to stand any chance of another meeting with the welterweight champion, win or lose against Marquez in September.
“I think that even if Bradley could make more money in a rematch against me he would still fight Marquez this time around,” he said.
“Marquez is a great fighter and Manny made a slight mistake in his last fight with him because he almost had him out already and he went for the kill a little recklessly. Next time I think Manny would have beat Marquez and that’s why he decided to fight Bradley.
“In my rematch against Bradley I would finish the fight much quicker as well, and Bradley knows it, so that’s why he is fighting Marquez. In them fighting each other I think it’s going to be an exciting fight, I think Marquez is hoping that Bradley suffered too much after fighting me and he’s one punch away from being knocked out.
“I think there are good chances that Bradley will box Marquez and get a close and lucky decision again for the third time in a row and then Bradley should fight me or Manny again as the decisions were controversial,” added Provodnikov.
