- 5/25/2025
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00:00:00First, the taped rebroadcast of Oscar De La Hoya's stirring split-decision victory over Ike Quartey.
00:00:05And the live battle between Bernal Whitaker and Felix Trinidad in Madison Square Garden, next.
00:00:12In the history of organized crime,
00:00:15Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano were legends.
00:00:18But the master...
00:00:19HBO at 7.30.
00:00:21A world championship boxing doubleheader.
00:00:23Trinidad vs. Whitaker live on the De La Hoya vs. Quartey replay.
00:00:26At 10, a new movie every Saturday night.
00:00:29Mira Sorvino, Chow Yun-Fat, The Replacement Killers.
00:00:32And at 11.30, a new installment of the HBO original series, Real Sex.
00:00:37World championship boxing doubleheader, The Replacement Killers and Real Sex.
00:00:43HBO is on tonight.
00:00:46Exhilarating. Hard-hitting. Unbeatable.
00:00:51HBO Sports.
00:00:53And now, the HBO Sports presentation, world championship boxing.
00:01:24The following is a special presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
00:01:32In the early 1980s, the Welterweight division fostered the careers of three glamour stars.
00:01:37Champions who fought some of the most memorable battles of their time.
00:01:41First, Sugar Ray Leonard met Roberto Duran.
00:01:44Then, Leonard fought Thomas Hearns for the first time.
00:01:57Later, Hearns would meet Duran.
00:02:00In 1999, once again, it's the Welterweights' turn in the boxing spotlight.
00:02:06Last Saturday, Oscar De La Hoya decisioned Ike Corte in a memorable battle.
00:02:11Hustle starts off with a stiff jab.
00:02:14And down goes Corte.
00:02:16Only Hustle and De La Hoya left hook.
00:02:18Has the Ghanaian star hurt enough to contemplate penetrating him?
00:02:22Down goes De La Hoya on a left-hand counter by Corte.
00:02:25And down goes Corte.
00:02:27And down goes De La Hoya on a left-hand counter by Corte.
00:02:30And down goes De La Hoya on a left-hand counter by Corte.
00:02:33Corte holding on.
00:02:35Remember Leonard Hearns?
00:02:37Remember Tommy Hearns leading in the fight?
00:02:39Right across the ropes in the 14th round.
00:02:42Mitch Alford hooking on.
00:02:47Tonight, Welterweights' Felix Trinidad and Pernell Whitaker face off in another title fight.
00:02:52Trinidad is an undefeated champion from Puerto Rico.
00:02:55Though he's only 26 years old, he's held the title for five years.
00:03:00Pernell Whitaker may no longer be a title holder,
00:03:03but for almost all of the 90s,
00:03:05he was considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
00:03:13That was a knockdown.
00:03:15You got it, baby.
00:03:17That could have been scary enough.
00:03:19It is a knockdown.
00:03:21It is a knockdown.
00:03:23But since Whitaker's last fight,
00:03:25he's never been able to win a title.
00:03:27But since Whitaker's last fight with Andre Pistriath,
00:03:30he's battled drug and alcohol problems.
00:03:33Tonight, we'll see whether Whitaker can make one last great stand,
00:03:36or whether it's the end of his era.
00:03:40First, a replay of the explosive Delaware-Corte battle.
00:03:44Then live, Felix Trinidad against Pernell Whitaker.
00:03:57FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:00FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:03FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:06FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:09FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:12FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:15FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:18FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:21FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:25FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:28FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:31FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:34FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:37FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:40FELIX TRINIDAD VS. PERNELL WHITAKER
00:04:43Tonight, we're live from Madison Square Garden in New York City,
00:04:47where you'll see 147-pound champions slugging it out for two world titles.
00:04:52First, a videotape replay of last Saturday's Oscar De La Hoya Ike Poitier battle.
00:04:57Then, our live fight, Felix Trinidad taking on Pernell Whitaker,
00:05:01fighting for the first time in a year and a half.
00:05:04The world's most famous indoor arena undergoes a boxing renaissance of sorts.
00:05:09Once the boxing home to many of the great fights and fighters,
00:05:12Madison Square Garden is now the home of this meaningful welterweight fight,
00:05:17and next month's Evander Holyfield-Lennox Lewis heavyweight unification bout,
00:05:23one of the biggest heavyweight fights in the sport in many years.
00:05:27And hello again, everybody. I'm Jim Lampley,
00:05:29welcoming you to this extra-special edition of HBO's World Championship Boxing.
00:05:34As we've told you, first, a videotape look back at the pitched battle in Las Vegas last week
00:05:40between Oscar De La Hoya and Ike Poitier,
00:05:44a dramatic finish to some a controversial decision in favor of De La Hoya.
00:05:49That provides the context for the live fight that follows
00:05:52between two men angling for a possible shot at De La Hoya down the road,
00:05:56former titlist Pernell Whitaker and welterweight champion Felix Trinidad.
00:06:01Now, as we get ready to go back a week ago to Las Vegas,
00:06:03let's turn to the man who called the fight there with us,
00:06:06heavyweight living legend and HBO boxing expert George Foreman.
00:06:09George, you told us before the fight in Las Vegas last week
00:06:12that Oscar De La Hoya was taking a huge risk
00:06:15by serving, in effect, as his own matchmaker
00:06:18and demanding a fight against a dangerous opponent,
00:06:21which his management and his promotion might well have done without.
00:06:25Having put himself on the line like that,
00:06:27do you think that helped to motivate Oscar through the tough periods of the fight?
00:06:30Yeah, the main motivation, because once you find some adversity in the ring,
00:06:34you really want to blame someone in your corner.
00:06:36They told me wrong. I did something,
00:06:38but I couldn't have done it properly if they hadn't told me improperly.
00:06:42So when you've done it yourself, set yourself up for defeat.
00:06:45You got to fight yourself out of the corner.
00:06:47That's what Oscar did. That's what he had to do.
00:06:49You'll see how it may have played into De La Hoya's motivation,
00:06:52particularly in the later rounds.
00:06:54Also working with us tonight and a week ago,
00:06:56HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant.
00:06:58Larry, everybody in our viewing audience knows what they're about to see,
00:07:02a split decision win for De La Hoya.
00:07:04What should they be looking for in the tape replay?
00:07:07Jim, whenever a champion gets a split decision in his hometown,
00:07:12I find myself wondering whether he really earned it.
00:07:15And also assuming that if the fight had been held in the other fighter's hometown,
00:07:20he would have gotten the decision.
00:07:22Is that what happened last week?
00:07:24Well, all you would-be Harold Lettermans get out your pencil and paper
00:07:28and score the fight round by round and point by point.
00:07:33And then you decide whether Oscar De La Hoya
00:07:36overcame Ike Cortez's early lead with his spirited rally at the end of the fight.
00:07:42Or whether, in a phenomenon that is really unique to boxing,
00:07:46Oscar De La Hoya won the fight by winning the drama of the fight.
00:07:51And also decide whether there should be a rematch.
00:07:55The biggest matchup between unbeaten welterweights in nearly 18 years
00:07:59since Ray Leonard first fought Tommy Hearns.
00:08:02Let's go back now seven nights, one week ago in the desert in Las Vegas.
00:08:11Six glorious unbeaten years into his professional boxing career,
00:08:15American welterweight superstar Oscar De La Hoya
00:08:18met Ike Cortez of Ghana February 13th
00:08:21in what experts unanimously viewed as the toughest test of the Golden Boy's career.
00:08:25On a busy weekend in Las Vegas,
00:08:27tickets to the fight at the Thomas and Max Center were simply impossible
00:08:31as most of those with the privilege of seeing
00:08:34the biggest welterweight fight in nearly two decades
00:08:37had planned four months in advance to be there.
00:08:44Tale of the take for Oscar De La Hoya against Ike Bazuka Cortez.
00:08:49A three-year age advantage for De La Hoya.
00:08:52Three inches in height.
00:08:54Cortez weighed in a half pound under the limit about 25 hours ago.
00:08:59Tonight, Cortez weighs 156, De La Hoya only up to 153
00:09:04and a two-inch reach advantage for the champion whose title is at stake.
00:09:10What's that numbers, Larry Merchant?
00:09:12Cortez, the more aggressive, the more active fighter.
00:09:16De La Hoya, the more efficient fighter.
00:09:22If you've got a big gun, shoot it.
00:09:25Cortez has a big jab and those numbers tell you he will shoot it.
00:09:29But De La Hoya's jab is a gun as well.
00:09:34Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
00:09:38Oscar De La Hoya.
00:09:39Ike Cortez fight is scheduled for 12 rounds
00:09:42using those rules of the Association of Boxing Commissions.
00:09:45There is no standing eight count, no three knockdown rule.
00:09:49Only the referee can stop the fight
00:09:50and you cannot be saved by the bell at any round
00:09:53including the 12th and final round.
00:09:55Jim!
00:09:58Scarcely an empty seat in the house
00:10:01as the Ghanaian contingent gets ready to make its appearance.
00:10:11An involuntary layoff of 482 days,
00:10:15it wasn't his plan, he just worked out that way.
00:10:23Go, go, go, go, go!
00:10:27Go, go, go, go, go, go!
00:10:48It's hard to understate how big this event
00:10:52appears in his native land of Ghana.
00:10:58It's at 4.30 in the morning
00:11:02and Cortez is a member of the largest tribe in Ghana.
00:11:07It is called the Ga tribe.
00:11:10He speaks the Ga language.
00:11:13And they are ga-ga over this fight.
00:11:17I wondered if you would take advantage of that.
00:11:20Never miss an opportunity.
00:11:22You listen to those drums.
00:11:23I don't have the fondest memories of drums
00:11:26in my days in Africa.
00:11:27Your mind is drifting back to Kinshasa Zaire.
00:11:30It's interesting you should say that
00:11:32because it says, I, Quartay, Bumaye.
00:11:35Oh, no!
00:11:36There's the record for Quartay.
00:11:3834 wins, no losses.
00:11:40I heard the drums and it ain't nice.
00:11:43All right, enough of the Bumaye guys.
00:11:4529 knockouts among Quartay's victories
00:11:48and that one draw with Jose Luis Lopez,
00:11:51an oddly scored fight,
00:11:53which was at first ruled a majority decision for Quartay,
00:11:56later changed to a draw.
00:11:57Most of us at ringside thought that Ike had won
00:12:00at least eight rounds in that fight.
00:12:03Here comes De La Hoya.
00:12:24Oh, my God!
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00:18:38Oh, my God!
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00:19:00Oh, my God!
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00:19:56Oh, my God!
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00:20:00Oh, my God!
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00:20:19Oh, my God!
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00:21:00Oh, my God!
00:21:01Oh, my God!
00:21:02Oh, my God!
00:21:03Oh, my God!
00:21:04Oh, my God!
00:21:05As you all see, the crowd starts clapping while the starting judge,
00:21:07why he's not a starter, is forced to stand and watch
00:21:10as De La Hoya picks up the tempo here.
00:21:13Very, very intense action.
00:21:18He's allowed Oscar De La Hoya to punch him,
00:21:20and you don't want to do that.
00:21:23It's not a joke if the fight continues on for a couple of rounds.
00:21:26Whether correctly or incorrectly,
00:21:28if you believe what Corey Cortez had said
00:21:30emerging into the fight,
00:21:31What do you have?
00:21:33What do you have?
00:21:35What do you have?
00:21:37A little more side to side.
00:21:39More lateral.
00:21:41Side to side.
00:21:43A little bit more side to side.
00:21:45And you're going to be first with a jab.
00:21:47Stay more busy with a jab.
00:21:49And keep him outside.
00:21:51Don't let him in.
00:21:53Keep him outside.
00:21:55Side to side.
00:21:57And stay busy with a jab.
00:21:59You're giving him too many chances.
00:22:01When you hit him, you step back.
00:22:03When you hit him, step back.
00:22:05Don't let him use his left hook.
00:22:07Okay.
00:22:09You've got to step back any time you hit him.
00:22:11Okay.
00:22:13Don't let him give you a chance.
00:22:15Those of you who speak a little Ga
00:22:17don't need Fred to sing those translations
00:22:19in that corner.
00:22:21But for the rest of us, Fred is the man.
00:22:23Jabs in round one
00:22:25by CompuBox.
00:22:27Jabs in round one
00:22:29by CompuBox numbers.
00:22:31De La Hoya, 10 out of 33.
00:22:33Fuerte, 9 out of 32.
00:22:35A standoff.
00:22:37Down as a piston-like jab
00:22:39from De La Hoya.
00:22:41This corner told him go side to side.
00:22:43He's standing flat-footed.
00:22:45They said go side to side
00:22:47and stay busy with the jab.
00:22:49You know something?
00:22:51Communication sometimes is a big problem with fighters.
00:22:53It's not what you say.
00:22:55You get away with it.
00:22:57Sometimes Oscar is young,
00:22:59and he's kind of rebellious.
00:23:01You want to tell him to do something
00:23:03in a real sweet fashion, so to speak.
00:23:05You used to bring in Angelo Gundy,
00:23:07who would have nothing to do with your training camp,
00:23:09but who came to the fight to communicate
00:23:11with you in the ring.
00:23:13That's right.
00:23:15You need communications in the ring.
00:23:17The biggest CompuBox news out of round one
00:23:19was that Fuerte throwing only 43 punches
00:23:21through less than half
00:23:23and that's because the other guy
00:23:25punches hard coming back.
00:23:27Both showing some respect
00:23:29for each other's punching ability.
00:23:31Oscar's also doing
00:23:33a lot of weighting,
00:23:35and this is not what you want to do.
00:23:37If a guy can punch, don't wait on him to hit you.
00:23:39Go on and hit him.
00:23:41As far as him being a tough opponent,
00:23:43every opponent is tough.
00:23:45That's what you're a boxer for.
00:23:47You don't mind a guy being tough.
00:23:49De La Hoya backing up,
00:23:51trying to reach with his jab,
00:23:53hoping that Fuerte will overcommit with the jab,
00:23:55and he can counter him with right hands,
00:23:57as Jose Luis Lopez
00:23:59effectively did in the late rounds
00:24:01of his battle with Fuerte.
00:24:03And that's Oscar doing an excellent job
00:24:05of stepping back, moving around the ring,
00:24:07making this guy follow you,
00:24:09at the same time keeping your right hand up.
00:24:11If you can make him lean forward
00:24:13just a tiny fraction.
00:24:15That's right, just make him get overconfidence.
00:24:17And there it was, the right hand
00:24:19and Jose's left.
00:24:23Oscar want to go back into his position
00:24:25and don't get yourself out of position,
00:24:27reaching out at anything.
00:24:29Fuerte has done a good job
00:24:31of keeping this balance.
00:24:41Fuerte wears what amounts to a confident grin
00:24:43on his face throughout the action.
00:24:45De La Hoya with a look of determined tenacity.
00:24:47He's doing a good job,
00:24:49but he don't want to get in a boxing match
00:24:51with Oscar De La Hoya, I'll tell you that.
00:24:53You want to go on and throw your jab,
00:24:55keep punching him at all times,
00:24:57but he's standing there watching Oscar De La Hoya.
00:24:59One punch comes, next thing you know,
00:25:01you're hit with five or six.
00:25:03Even Fuerte's biggest supporters
00:25:05would agree in most cases
00:25:07that De La Hoya is the more flexible,
00:25:09more multi-talented boxer.
00:25:11De La Hoya was caught
00:25:13with a good right hand that time,
00:25:15and De La Hoya with a left right
00:25:17left of his own.
00:25:21Fuerte getting on the left of the body
00:25:23as De La Hoya missed the right upstairs,
00:25:25dropping right in hand inside by Fuerte.
00:25:30Both fighters experiencing some moments
00:25:33in the closing seconds of round 2.
00:25:46A little more movement.
00:25:48A little more movement.
00:25:52Let's take a look at the jab,
00:25:54and as you see,
00:25:56De La Hoya coming over with a straight right.
00:25:59Never been his best punch.
00:26:01Threw that one perfectly
00:26:03without a lot of power.
00:26:09Okay, you got to paint this guy,
00:26:11and you got to have more lateral movement.
00:26:14The combination
00:26:16with which Jose Luis Lopez
00:26:18bedeviled Fuerte in the late rounds
00:26:20of their fight October of 97
00:26:22was counter right across the top
00:26:24of Fuerte's jab, left hook to the body.
00:26:26He landed it over and over
00:26:28and eventually put Fuerte down
00:26:30with a right hand.
00:26:32You notice Oscar's been so effective
00:26:34with his left jab that Fuerte
00:26:36is not even trying to jab as much.
00:26:39In round number 2, Fuerte again
00:26:41threw sparingly, only 46 punches.
00:26:44De La Hoya threw more, 62,
00:26:46but Fuerte landed at a much higher rate.
00:26:49But by the same token, George,
00:26:51Oscar is not throwing his left hook as much,
00:26:53and that's his big punch.
00:26:55Well, remember, Fuerte is supposed to be
00:26:57this great jabber,
00:26:58and it is just not happening.
00:27:00You know why?
00:27:01Because Oscar matches jab for jab.
00:27:03Then when you take a guy's biggest weapon
00:27:05from him and throw it at him,
00:27:07then he turns ordinary,
00:27:09and you try to attack him with your stuff.
00:27:11Yeah, but if he's taking the other guy's
00:27:13best weapon away,
00:27:15they've neutralized their best weapons,
00:27:17and they have to show each other
00:27:19that they can beat each other with other stuff.
00:27:21And De La Hoya starting to get to Fuerte
00:27:24with power punches in round 3.
00:27:26Fuerte grinning as if to say,
00:27:28you didn't hurt me.
00:27:29Usually that means I'm a little bewildered
00:27:31that you're hitting me the way you are.
00:27:33That's what you're able to do.
00:27:35You jab, throw right hands,
00:27:36and then use your footwork
00:27:37to make the other guy miss you
00:27:38as he tries to pay you back.
00:27:40And when a guy,
00:27:41and I'm talking about the gold-drunk Fuerte here,
00:27:43when a guy who normally throws
00:27:4580 or 85 punches a round
00:27:47is throwing 40,
00:27:49does that mean his confidence has dropped?
00:27:51Not at all.
00:27:52It's just a jab that Oscar De La Hoya has.
00:27:54It hurts you like a big punch.
00:27:56So you think before you do everything,
00:27:58and that stops everything.
00:28:01If you think...
00:28:06De La Hoya with a quick left hook,
00:28:08partially blocked.
00:28:09Fuerte starting to just paw with the jab.
00:28:12That is not the laser shot for which he's known.
00:28:14Counter right hand by De La Hoya
00:28:16as Fuerte's jab slows down.
00:28:19Oscar getting the better of it now
00:28:21as he's going to the last moment of round 3.
00:28:23This is the thing about Oscar,
00:28:24after every combination,
00:28:26he's back in position to do it again.
00:28:29Fuerte throws a good left jab on the right hand,
00:28:31and he's always out of position.
00:28:33De La Hoya's corner should tell him
00:28:34about being in position.
00:28:36De La Hoya clearly so focused
00:28:38on the counter right hand
00:28:40that if Fuerte starts to get lazy with the jab,
00:28:43Oscar could have a right-hand festival.
00:28:48Now Fuerte goes back to throwing the thudding jab
00:28:51instead of just pawing with it.
00:28:53Now, you know Gil Clancy's not gonna look like
00:28:55Oscar De La Hoya laying his left hand down
00:28:57to his side there.
00:29:00And this is when you want someone like Gil Clancy out
00:29:03speaking, taking charge, getting control here.
00:29:07But I think the plan is for only Robert Alcazar
00:29:10to talk to the fighter during the fight.
00:29:13You know, the good thing about Gil Clancy,
00:29:16he can see what is going on.
00:29:18Well, we'll watch to see if Clancy talks to De La Hoya.
00:29:21De La Hoya lands a hard counter right.
00:29:23Fuerte comes back with a right and a left of his own.
00:29:26Fuerte takes off of him.
00:29:33Oh, this is something.
00:29:35This is good.
00:29:40Okay, put the pressure on him.
00:29:46Stick to what you're doing.
00:29:53Also, you have to be very careful
00:29:54he doesn't hit you with his left.
00:29:59Okay, stick to your jabs.
00:30:01You're doing good.
00:30:08This is obviously what De La Hoya has been working on
00:30:13in preparation for this fight
00:30:15because we've never seen him do this as often.
00:30:19Throwing the right straight over the top.
00:30:22And he gets back in position.
00:30:25But at the end of that round,
00:30:28Fuerte buckles De La Hoya's knees.
00:30:33Mike Fuerte, a man who commonly throws 80 to 85 punches a round,
00:30:37averaging 48 attempts per round here
00:30:40as he shortens up his output
00:30:42to try to accommodate for De La Hoya
00:30:44and the firepower coming back.
00:30:46Harold, how'd you score the first three?
00:30:48Jim, I got it two rounds to one.
00:30:5028, Oscar De La Hoya.
00:30:52I gave Oscar rounds one and three.
00:30:54I think that when he opens up,
00:30:55he outpunches him and he hurts him.
00:30:57I don't know.
00:30:58To me, he looks like a skinny little kid,
00:30:59but God darn, the minute he opens up,
00:31:01he gets straight and he whacks him.
00:31:03As far as Mike Fuerte goes,
00:31:04the snap is not really there.
00:31:06De La Hoya's head never went back once from a jab.
00:31:09I mean, if Fuerte does land the jab,
00:31:12Oscar usually either blocks it
00:31:13or just doesn't seem to have an effect.
00:31:15Oscar keeps his distance.
00:31:17Fuerte should understand
00:31:18that he touches toe or something before you jab.
00:31:21Don't just throw your jab out there.
00:31:23You gotta have something that you see.
00:31:27Otherwise, your jab will fall on his right hand all night.
00:31:31So do you think that so far,
00:31:33De La Hoya is winning the tactical battle,
00:31:36the mind game between the two fighters?
00:31:38Well, he's keeping his distance.
00:31:39You know, when you're an inch taller,
00:31:41use that inch.
00:31:42That's what he's done so far.
00:31:44Fuerte is standing back.
00:31:46He's not moving his head,
00:31:47shakes his fist before he does something.
00:31:51If you want to be the champion of the world,
00:31:53you're gonna have to get out there
00:31:54and mix it up and take it from him.
00:31:55But as De La Hoya flattens out,
00:31:57spreads his feet,
00:31:58and goes for more power on his connected punches,
00:32:00he brings himself down into Fuerte's range.
00:32:03Yeah, because he wants to spring up with his hook.
00:32:05He understands that he gets power
00:32:06with springing with that hook.
00:32:13Tactical round 4.
00:32:15They trade jabs.
00:32:17De La Hoya looking to find a way
00:32:18to shorten the distance between himself and Fuerte
00:32:21while at the same time nullifying Fuerte's jab
00:32:24by staying away when the Ghanaian star wants to throw.
00:32:29Now, whenever Oscar decides to stop doing anything,
00:32:32Fuerte starts with his jab again.
00:32:34So Oscar's got to, when he's not moving around,
00:32:36do something.
00:32:39De La Hoya landing a little right
00:32:40as Fuerte awkwardly stepped to the side.
00:32:45Now Oscar does something different.
00:32:47He stoops down and jabs upwardly to the shorter opponent.
00:33:05Notice Oscar misses a jab on right hand.
00:33:08He gets right back into position.
00:33:09He doesn't try to follow the guy.
00:33:11Fuerte is moving around,
00:33:13hasn't decided what kind of footwork he wants,
00:33:16hasn't established any kind of tactics with his feet.
00:33:20And as round 4 comes to a close,
00:33:23the two fighters are getting
00:33:24better and better looks at one another
00:33:27because they are throwing fewer and fewer punches
00:33:31as time goes by.
00:33:32It's respect.
00:33:33Both have a lot of respect for each other.
00:33:35Both have respect.
00:33:39Okay, you got to keep thinking more and more.
00:33:42That's the right hand.
00:33:43That's the only punch he's got.
00:33:44You got to watch out for that right hand.
00:33:46And keep them outside.
00:33:49Now you're a little busy with that hand side.
00:33:51You let them in the fight.
00:33:53Throw those combinations once in a while.
00:33:55They look great.
00:33:58Okay, you have to start crouching a little bit.
00:34:01Okay?
00:34:02When you let out the jab, crouch out a little bit.
00:34:04Okay?
00:34:05And step over the pressure.
00:34:06Don't give him a chance to do all these things
00:34:08that he's doing at this point.
00:34:13When you jab, stay on the left-hand side.
00:34:16Okay?
00:34:19Conventional wisdom is that
00:34:21Cuarte cannot win a close decision
00:34:24in what amounts to Oscar De La Hoya's hometown.
00:34:28No matter how we score the fight,
00:34:31the benefit of the doubt in the close rounds
00:34:34may be going to De La Hoya.
00:34:36Oscar Cuarte will have to open up.
00:34:41It's worth pointing out, though,
00:34:42that all three judges are from out of the United States,
00:34:45two from the United Kingdom,
00:34:47one from Japan,
00:34:48as they attempt to eliminate
00:34:50any implication of favoritism
00:34:52in the judging here.
00:34:54Now, Oscar has Cuarte reaching out
00:34:57with paw and hooks
00:34:58rather than jabbing straight forward.
00:35:00Got his hand tucked to his side.
00:35:02And I'm telling you, Oscar can do a lot of things
00:35:04when his hands are in that position.
00:35:08And incidentally, between rounds,
00:35:10you probably heard Gil Clancy leaning in
00:35:12over De La Hoya's left shoulder
00:35:14and talking into his left ear.
00:35:16Throw more combinations, he said.
00:35:18They look beautiful.
00:35:19Every now and then, he said.
00:35:21Not constantly.
00:35:22Just throw them every now and then
00:35:23and let the guy know that you have something.
00:35:25Now, when you start throwing left hooks wild like that,
00:35:28then you get out of rhythm.
00:35:29So you got to really contain yourself, Oscar.
00:35:33And Cuarte having to discipline himself
00:35:36to choose his shots correctly
00:35:38in a fight in which he's fighting
00:35:39at a much more measured pace
00:35:41than he's ever been accustomed to in his career.
00:35:44What Oscar's doing,
00:35:45he's using the middle of the ring.
00:35:46He's not interested in the ropes.
00:35:48He's not interested in anything
00:35:50but the middle of the ring.
00:35:51Do you see anything here so far, George,
00:35:53that indicates that that 16-month layoff
00:35:55is a big factor for Cuarte?
00:35:57It has nothing to do with it.
00:35:58He's found a guy who can jab with him, Cuarte has,
00:36:01and he's trying to find a way to do it.
00:36:03One thing about it, he's brave.
00:36:04He hasn't given up.
00:36:05He's just looking for another way.
00:36:07Now he's slapping with his left jab.
00:36:10You don't want to do that.
00:36:12That's when you can really get countered
00:36:14because it throws your body inwardly
00:36:16toward the pointing of your feet.
00:36:18Well, and the two times that Deloitte
00:36:19has landed sharply with big right-hand counters,
00:36:22it was when Cuarte got lazy with his jab,
00:36:25hard with it, didn't bring it back in a hurry,
00:36:27dropped it down to his waist,
00:36:29and he's holding it down there now.
00:36:31Now, you see, Oscar has no respect
00:36:32for Cuarte's right hand.
00:36:34He's only watching the left jab, which is good.
00:36:37You got...
00:36:38You know, but nothing's happening
00:36:41in this round, basically.
00:36:42I don't see Deloitte doing much.
00:36:44I see Cuarte doing most of the landing.
00:36:48Uh, not much is a lot for Oscar Deloitte.
00:36:51Not much is a lot.
00:36:52Body punches inside, Cuarte landing.
00:36:54What do you mean by that, George?
00:36:55What does that mean?
00:36:56Because you don't want to get out there
00:36:57and take some chances with a guy
00:36:58whose only chance thus far is to win by knockout.
00:37:01You want to stay positioned,
00:37:02don't take any risks, jab him,
00:37:04because if the whole world has said he has a good jab,
00:37:07so I'll jab him.
00:37:08The crowd will applaud.
00:37:09You're in your home.
00:37:10You got your hometown.
00:37:13Well, maybe he, uh,
00:37:14maybe he improves his chances
00:37:15to win by decision in this round,
00:37:17because I tend to agree with Larry.
00:37:18Cuarte has controlled the activity here,
00:37:21and I'd be hard-pressed to see
00:37:22how a judge could give this round to Oscar.
00:37:27Good shot.
00:37:36When you get him to the ropes,
00:37:39you got to do something.
00:37:46Oscar, Oscar.
00:37:49You had to make some more steps side to side.
00:37:54Okay.
00:37:56Stop stepping back, okay?
00:37:59Okay, anytime you hit him,
00:38:01just follow him, wherever he goes.
00:38:03Just follow him.
00:38:04Keep jabbing.
00:38:06If he decides to come back,
00:38:07keep jabbing when he starts coming back.
00:38:13You got to be first.
00:38:14Maintain him on the outside.
00:38:16And be careful with that right hand.
00:38:21Round 6 of a scheduled 12.
00:38:24Oscar starts off with a stiff jab.
00:38:27And down goes Cuarte
00:38:29on a classic De La Hoya left hook.
00:38:32It was because of the way it dismantles
00:38:35through that stiff jab of Oscar De La Hoya.
00:38:37Remember, the left hook was just part of it.
00:38:40Cuarte was down twice in a row,
00:38:43and Oscar's left hook
00:38:45Remember, the left hook was just part of it.
00:38:48Cuarte was down twice against Lopez.
00:38:51One of them was a flash,
00:38:52but the second one was on a hard punch like that.
00:38:56Oscar should suppose now that this was done
00:38:59because of the effectiveness of the left jab,
00:39:02not because of the right punch.
00:39:04Don't go back to what you were doing.
00:39:06Don't get over-anxious and start reaching.
00:39:09Right-hander talliation for Cuarte.
00:39:11De La Hoya begins to open up and trade,
00:39:13taking chances.
00:39:15It's not necessary for Oscar.
00:39:18Not necessary at all.
00:39:21He must believe he has the Ghanaian star hurt enough
00:39:25to contemplate finishing it.
00:39:27Down goes De La Hoya
00:39:28on a left-hand counter by Cuarte.
00:39:32It was because he got a little closer,
00:39:34and he tried the uppercut too early.
00:39:36Now you got the makings of a classic.
00:39:43And now it's Cuarte who thinks he can finish.
00:39:46Hard to the body. Hard to the body.
00:39:50And Halprin warns him that he must follow his instructions.
00:39:53And Halprin gives De La Hoya a chance to recover.
00:39:59Both men have been down in the sixth round.
00:40:04And both were real knockdowns on hard punches.
00:40:10Halprin deducted no points.
00:40:12That was just a warning to Cuarte.
00:40:14Oscar's starting to open up with the left uppercut,
00:40:17which is not a good idea yet.
00:40:19And Cuarte's starting to come back with his jab.
00:40:22Oscar's gonna have to go back to his left jab,
00:40:24take control of the fight again.
00:40:26If not, it's just gonna get rougher and rougher.
00:40:28Another plus right-hand cross for Cuarte,
00:40:31and De La Hoya bustled for a moment,
00:40:33but didn't go down.
00:40:37Now we see this famous jab that Cuarte was talking about.
00:40:41It was in the sixth round of the Leonard Hurst classic fight
00:40:45that the fight broke out.
00:40:48In the sixth round of this fight,
00:40:51the fight has broken out.
00:40:53It's on now, baby. It is on.
00:40:56It's up to the corners now to get Oscar back in control.
00:40:59This is when you need someone to communicate with you.
00:41:02Because the more he draws,
00:41:04the more chances he gives to Cuarte.
00:41:07Hard left hook upstairs for De La Hoya.
00:41:09Cuarte grins. That means he was hurt.
00:41:13Now the jab is back for Oscar.
00:41:15Keep it up. Let him smile, but get your point.
00:41:18And Cuarte has got to make sure he gets into the body of Oscar
00:41:21so he doesn't have any strength in that left jab.
00:41:23Another right cross for Cuarte,
00:41:25and De La Hoya's left eye has begun to swell.
00:41:31What a round!
00:41:54Don't forget, okay?
00:41:57Now we're going to watch as Cuarte goes down.
00:42:01He was a little off balance after taking a right hand.
00:42:05He comes in close, catches a left,
00:42:09doesn't appear to be hurt.
00:42:11Later, a perfect left hand
00:42:15drops De La Hoya on the seat of his pants.
00:42:19Wasn't so much power, but right on the point.
00:42:23Cuarte has witnessed the punch you don't see coming.
00:42:36Crowd cheers as we get past the midpoint of the fight.
00:42:40Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!
00:42:42Time!
00:42:46Mitch Alpern wants the Vaseline off of De La Hoya's face.
00:42:49Too much grease.
00:42:51Okay, go!
00:42:52Ha! That was very funny,
00:42:54because the guy didn't take any grease off his face.
00:42:56He rubbed his head.
00:42:57Brilliant.
00:42:58If Robert Alcazar got away without taking grease off his face,
00:43:01that's a heck of a move by the trainer.
00:43:03I mean, that was great.
00:43:04Now, that's the first experienced thing I've seen Alcazar do.
00:43:07All right, quickly, Harold. How do you have it?
00:43:09Jim, three rounds apiece, 57-57.
00:43:11But round six, definitely to Ike Cuarte,
00:43:14because even though they traded knockdowns,
00:43:16Cuarte certainly finished strong.
00:43:18And look at the swelling under De La Hoya's left eye.
00:43:21I have it four rounds to two for Cuarte.
00:43:24Cuarte's right hand became a factor in the bout
00:43:27in that last round.
00:43:32All he has to do is stand on his... watch the pivot.
00:43:35Make sure your pivot is your left... your right foot,
00:43:38and keep that jab out there.
00:43:41You can also remember
00:43:44that in that great classic fight
00:43:47that it was Leonard's eye
00:43:49that also started to close up
00:43:52in the middle of the fight.
00:43:54His left eye from Tommy Hearn's great right hand.
00:43:57Now, remember, Cuarte has a history
00:43:59of tiring in the late rounds,
00:44:01but he's tired in the late rounds
00:44:03of fights where he's been throwing
00:44:0570, 80, 90 punches in the early rounds.
00:44:08That hasn't been the case here.
00:44:10Awful conservative.
00:44:12At the same time, he's not waiting in.
00:44:14A lot of respect for the power of Oscar De La Hoya.
00:44:19Oscar's doing a good job with the jab.
00:44:21Cuarte is smelling blood.
00:44:23He's like a tiger got loose there.
00:44:26Everything is jumping up.
00:44:28He's jumping up on his jab.
00:44:29He jumps up on his right hand.
00:44:30Everything is jump, jump.
00:44:35Fascinating, and what a testimony
00:44:37to the brilliance of their work habits
00:44:39that both of these great fighters,
00:44:41at the height of their careers,
00:44:42have introduced new elements into their game,
00:44:44and successfully so for this fight.
00:44:49You're right, Jim.
00:44:51Cuarte is showing more versatility
00:44:53in his boxing ability,
00:44:55and De La Hoya is using the right hand.
00:45:05That's right.
00:45:06Whenever Oscar decides to throw a jab,
00:45:08whether it's hard or not,
00:45:09Cuarte does nothing.
00:45:11Now he's relaxed.
00:45:12He's got his elbows in, Cuarte has,
00:45:14and he's intending to jab from there.
00:45:16But now that Cuarte made his right hand
00:45:18a factor in the bout in the last round,
00:45:20De La Hoya is much more reluctant
00:45:22to throw the jab.
00:45:23Yeah, but he's gotten relaxed now.
00:45:25He's got his elbows close,
00:45:26and he feels like he can do
00:45:27whatever he want to do now.
00:45:29I don't see De La Hoya landing much at all.
00:45:32Hard right cross for Cuarte.
00:45:34De La Hoya wobbles again.
00:45:36Oscar trying to come back with the left hook.
00:45:38Cuarte looking for a shot.
00:45:41Let's go, Cuarte.
00:45:45Let's go.
00:45:56You're fighting like you're stuck in mud.
00:45:57You got legs, use them.
00:45:59You got better legs than the other guy.
00:46:01Use them.
00:46:02You got to beat first.
00:46:03You got to beat first, Oscar.
00:46:05You need to get some discipline.
00:46:08Okay. Okay.
00:46:10You're doing very well now. I'm very proud of you.
00:46:12Okay? Now, when he's jabbed,
00:46:15I want you to step to the side, okay?
00:46:16Don't give him the full body.
00:46:18Don't give him the full body. Just step to the side, okay?
00:46:21End of the round.
00:46:23Cortez with a nice combination.
00:46:26Let's go, Robert!
00:46:28Let's go, Robert!
00:46:30Let's go, Robert!
00:46:32Let's go, Robert!
00:46:34Probably won the round for him.
00:46:37You heard in the corner Gil Clancy saying to De La Hoya,
00:46:41you're fighting like you're stuck in the mud.
00:46:43You've got better legs than him.
00:46:46Use them.
00:46:47That's right.
00:46:48And De La Hoya begins to bounce,
00:46:49and you've always said, George,
00:46:51he's most dangerous offensively
00:46:53when he gets up and bounces like this.
00:46:54You get a little bounce in his legs,
00:46:56he's gonna do something to you.
00:46:57He works off the bounce.
00:47:00He gives him the rhythm to fire his power punches.
00:47:02He goes back into the mud, as Gil would say again.
00:47:05Keep your feet moving.
00:47:06If you're in condition, why not move them?
00:47:09You got nothing to prove. You can box.
00:47:11Between rounds, to my eyes at least,
00:47:14De La Hoya wore a discouraged look on his face.
00:47:19Cortez always looks the same,
00:47:21even when he's down on the canvas.
00:47:23He's down on the canvas.
00:47:40De La Hoya unwilling to commit to the left.
00:47:43So many right hands have been coming back.
00:47:45Yeah, he doesn't want to reach out at this point
00:47:47because he's been told, and that's why he's reluctant.
00:47:49Let the fight come to you.
00:47:51De La Hoya's right or his left eye is swelling.
00:47:54Cuarte's targeting, looking for chances
00:47:57to fire the right hand again.
00:47:59De La Hoya reluctant to use his left,
00:48:02and a hard right hand again.
00:48:05Now the left hand of Cuarte is making some points here.
00:48:12He slaps with it.
00:48:13He's got his confidence in all angles now.
00:48:15Uppercut from Cuarte.
00:48:17It's a punch he doesn't throw all that often.
00:48:20He's got his confidence through the guard.
00:48:22De La Hoya not coming back.
00:48:24Cuarte is creating the impression
00:48:26that he is starting to dominate De La Hoya.
00:48:30De La Hoya has to do something quick
00:48:33to change that in his plan.
00:48:35And he lands a right hand
00:48:36that changes the bout momentarily,
00:48:38and a left hook.
00:48:41This boy's been in the Olympics.
00:48:43He's been in a lot of title matches.
00:48:45He's not gonna fold.
00:48:46If you're gonna whip him, you're gonna have to whip him good.
00:48:48He's not gonna fold under
00:48:50his smiles and those kind of things.
00:48:51No question, George.
00:48:53And when he's been in trouble in big fights,
00:48:55he has always come out,
00:48:57particularly in the 12th round,
00:48:58and closed the show.
00:48:59Did it against John John Molina.
00:49:01Did it against Cornel Whittaker.
00:49:03You have to look for him to reach down deep
00:49:05and try to do it again here.
00:49:07Mistake Oscar's making.
00:49:08He's not moving his feet.
00:49:12First two rounds, he kept his feet,
00:49:13making certain that his jab,
00:49:15he would be out of the range of Cuarte's jab.
00:49:19And you fight the way you train.
00:49:22And there were rumors that Deloitte's training camp
00:49:24was not great, but he says it was fine,
00:49:27and right now his left hook is coming back to life.
00:49:30Oh, don't push. Don't push.
00:49:33Step back. Watch the heads. Come on.
00:49:40Let's go.
00:49:49Let's go.
00:49:57Oscar, start those combinations to the body.
00:49:59The flashy ones that you use with his mitts.
00:50:03Give me two punches, okay, combinations.
00:50:06Papá, give me two punches, papá.
00:50:09Give me the jab, and right after the jab,
00:50:11give me the two punches.
00:50:14Are you happy?
00:50:16When he starts getting a little followy,
00:50:18he starts picking up confidence.
00:50:20Don't let him get any confidence.
00:50:22Follow him any time you hear him.
00:50:23Jab him, follow him.
00:50:25Wherever he goes, follow him.
00:50:26Put the pressure on him, okay?
00:50:30Seconds out.
00:50:31All right, watch out.
00:50:34Seconds out. Let's go.
00:50:36Round 9 of a scheduled 12.
00:50:39There have been two knockdowns.
00:50:41Both men were on the canvas in the sixth round.
00:50:44First, Cuarte went down,
00:50:46and then, as the De La Hoya contingent celebrated,
00:50:49De La Hoya was planted on the seat of his pants by Cuarte.
00:50:53Now De La Hoya goes jabbing to the body.
00:50:56He's hitting him in the chest with a left jab,
00:50:58which is what you want.
00:51:00Now, Cuarte's going to try to get a little follow-through
00:51:03in the chest with a left jab, which is what you want.
00:51:06The fight goes on.
00:51:07You hit a guy straight in the chest,
00:51:09he loses a lot of his power
00:51:11in all of that quick left-handed, right-handed stuff.
00:51:12And as Cuarte has limited his jab output,
00:51:15De La Hoya has gotten fewer and fewer chances
00:51:17to counter with the right hand.
00:51:19That was a big part of his fight plan,
00:51:21so he has to improvise something to replace it.
00:51:23But Oscar De La Hoya should be standing just a bit taller.
00:51:28Going to the body, and the uppercuts landed.
00:51:30He got two left uppercuts through the guard.
00:51:36That's what you want to do.
00:51:37After you do it, sit back down on your guns
00:51:39and make him come to you for some more.
00:51:41Don't go reaching after him.
00:51:44Cuarte is very smart, keeps his balance.
00:51:47His corner told him to follow him around,
00:51:49but he's a little smarter than that.
00:51:51And Cuarte, hungering for the chance
00:51:53to land one more big right hand.
00:52:00Those body shots are more important
00:52:01than the head shots right now that De La Hoya landed.
00:52:06As if Cuarte begins to fire the jab in multiple numbers again.
00:52:17De La Hoya cannot afford to just stand there
00:52:20and watch Cuarte dead.
00:52:21Yeah, he's trying to wait and time a right hand,
00:52:24but this guy's jab is so quick,
00:52:26and he knows so much about what he's doing,
00:52:28you won't be able to just time
00:52:29an overhand right on top of his jab.
00:52:31You might as well just get started yourself.
00:52:36This round has been all Cuarte's jabs,
00:52:38with the exception of the two little De La Hoya flurries,
00:52:41one of them keyed by the uppercuts.
00:52:45Now that De La Hoya throws a right hand,
00:52:48pretty much lands it whenever he wants.
00:52:51Right hand landed for Cuarte,
00:52:54flush on the chin of De La Hoya.
00:52:56That was a killer right hand.
00:52:58De La Hoya took it very well.
00:53:00And lands a right hand of his own.
00:53:04Oscar De La Hoya is taking a challenge.
00:53:05He's not fighting like a champion.
00:53:07Fighting like a challenger.
00:53:08I mean, he wants it.
00:53:09He wants this win.
00:53:12May cost a few bruises, but you just got to go get it.
00:53:18Courage, composure, dedication, class
00:53:23on the part of two tremendous welterweight fighters.
00:53:26What a show.
00:53:29Good right hand by Cuarte.
00:53:30That's a hard right hand by Cuarte.
00:53:32And De La Hoya does not move his feet afterwards.
00:53:36And another right hand lands for Cuarte.
00:53:40And going into the last three rounds,
00:53:42Oscar De La Hoya is in trouble.
00:53:45Let's go.
00:53:47Let's go.
00:53:48Let's go.
00:53:57Oscar, tus golpes están muy por fuera.
00:53:59Recuérdalos.
00:54:0045.
00:54:01Sigue trabajando los opponents.
00:54:03The opponents are working beautiful.
00:54:04Oscar, you get the hooks.
00:54:07The hooks are too wide, Oscar.
00:54:09You can't go one combination and be satisfied.
00:54:11You got to go back, show the judges
00:54:13He's a very straight puncher showing straight uppercuts but later in the round he saw that
00:54:27big right hand and if there is any question about Asuka Delahoye's will to win, taking
00:54:36that right hand was as clear a demonstration as you could get.
00:54:41Delahoye is showing courage and willpower beyond any ever displayed in his career.
00:54:46But you know, courage and willpower don't win fights if you don't land the big punch.
00:54:50Bill Clancy said a very interesting thing in the corner, something we've alluded to
00:54:54here, which is you've got to show the judges you're trying to win the round.
00:54:58The two long portions of the round, Asuka hasn't been punching, there he does.
00:55:04He wobbles Kote with another counter left.
00:55:06And this time Kote regains his balance.
00:55:10Asuka has just got to be himself.
00:55:13All of the strategy stuff is already gone.
00:55:15Now throw it out the window and be yourself.
00:55:17Because time is running out.
00:55:19Harold Letterman, how do you have it through 9?
00:55:21Jim, 87, 84, 6 rounds to 3, Ike Kote.
00:55:25I got Ike Kote with 5 rounds in a row.
00:55:27I just don't think Asuka Delahoye is doing enough to win these rounds and Ike Kote is
00:55:33an effective aggressor.
00:55:35They're more clean punches.
00:55:37He's coming forward, I mean, and good defense.
00:55:39Back to the story.
00:55:41One thing I got to mention, Ike Kote is measuring him for 2 rounds.
00:55:43He leaves that left hand out there just like Lennox Lewis.
00:55:45Mitch Halpert is letting him get away with it.
00:55:47But he's got to keep the glove closed in order to measure Asuka Delahoye.
00:55:51If he opens it, it's illegal.
00:55:53Kote knocked out DeSanto Espana in the 11th round in 1984.
00:55:57That's his late round knockout earlier in his career.
00:56:01Asuka Delahoye knocked out Jimmy Bidal in the 10th round in 1994.
00:56:05Neither has ever had a 12th round knockout.
00:56:09Delahoye trying to scratch out the beginning of some kind of a rally here in the round 10.
00:56:15And he can do it if he just continues to believe in his left jab.
00:56:19Whenever he throws combinations after the left jab, Kote is there.
00:56:23But when he does not, he misses.
00:56:25And we talked about role reversal.
00:56:28Remember Ray Leonard becoming the puncher to beat Tommy Hearns
00:56:32when Hearns had taken over the role of the boxer?
00:56:35So now, as Delahoye tries to work with his left hand,
00:56:38it's Kote who's looking to counter over the top with his right.
00:56:42Kote's eyes are wide open.
00:56:44He hasn't lost anything.
00:56:46He's physically strong.
00:56:48He's ready for whatever amount of rounds that may pop up.
00:56:50He's in shape.
00:56:53Hard left hook for Delahoye.
00:56:55That's what Oscar Delahoye does.
00:56:57He shouldn't be holding back,
00:56:59trying to be something that training camps have molded you into.
00:57:17Delahoye is showing more effort here.
00:57:21Delahoye is showing more effort here
00:57:23and might be able to squeeze the round out.
00:57:25Yep. Good left hook by left, Oscar Delahoye.
00:57:28Maybe Delahoye is doing enough to, as Gil Clancy said,
00:57:32show the judges you want to win the round.
00:57:35But the situation remains difficult.
00:57:38And with two rounds to go, Oscar Delahoye badly needs to produce
00:57:43the six most spirited fighting minutes of his life.
00:57:47Okay.
00:57:49You got a lateral movement.
00:57:51And be careful with his right hand.
00:57:53And don't let him out-jab you.
00:57:56You only got two rounds to go.
00:57:5811 and 12, and that's it.
00:58:03Just rest and relax.
00:58:05Two more rounds, Oscar. Come on.
00:58:07We need those rounds from the bag.
00:58:09I don't want you to jab.
00:58:11I don't want you to launch when you jab, okay?
00:58:13Put a lot of pressure on him.
00:58:15Okay?
00:58:17All right, don't let him follow you.
00:58:19Once he starts following you, pick some confidence, okay?
00:58:21And then he starts landing all these kind of combinations,
00:58:23so be very careful.
00:58:25All right? Just get in and out.
00:58:27Get in and out. That's all you got to do.
00:58:30Let's go!
00:58:34Delahoye angrily getting up from his stool,
00:58:37and you heard Ike Cortez' trainer telling me
00:58:40he didn't want him to jab.
00:58:41No jabs in the last two rounds.
00:58:43He doesn't want Delahoye to get a chance
00:58:45to counter with a right hand and to change the fight.
00:58:48They must believe in Cortez' corner
00:58:51that he's well ahead.
00:58:54I don't see that at all.
00:58:56And I think they'd make a sad mistake
00:58:58to assume anything like that here in Las Vegas.
00:59:01I don't care who the judges are.
00:59:04Well, and I don't think Cortez
00:59:06is gonna listen to him either.
00:59:07How could he tell a fighter like that not to go in and jab?
00:59:10It's the reflex his whole career has been built on.
00:59:14All night, Oscar's been waiting to go over top of that right,
00:59:17that left jab of Cortez.
00:59:19All night, he's waited.
00:59:20You have to just start saying,
00:59:21forget it, I'm not gonna wait, I'm gonna do it.
00:59:24Oscar hurt his right hand that time,
00:59:26on the elbow of Cortez.
00:59:27He's got to attack.
00:59:29And he's got to attack with the left hand,
00:59:31which has been his bread and butter
00:59:32throughout his career.
00:59:33Oscar Delahoye, if he's gonna go down,
00:59:36has got to go down using the left hook.
00:59:39Yeah, but his jab is doing a lot of good power things there.
00:59:42I like that jab of Oscar Delahoye.
00:59:45He's using his footwork now, bouncing.
00:59:48Let me tell you, if you rush in now,
00:59:52Cortez is so relaxed.
00:59:55Should have come a point where he was not so relaxed
00:59:58and started to charge a bit more.
01:00:00And Cortez has shown no sign of tiring here.
01:00:04After a career marked by fatigue in the late rounds,
01:00:07Delahoye has taken himself carefully
01:00:09in the early rounds tonight
01:00:10and has brought plenty to the table in round 11.
01:00:14You know, the side of Oscar's face is swollen.
01:00:17Cortez is not taking advantage
01:00:18of moving over on that side at all.
01:00:21When you see some swelling,
01:00:23go over on that side and start picking your fight up.
01:00:26You don't need to be on his left side.
01:00:28Put your left foot on the other side of his left foot
01:00:31and stay over there fighting.
01:00:33Well, what about the fact, though,
01:00:34that that's Delahoye's strong side?
01:00:36You can't see.
01:00:37Believe me, when your eye is swollen like that,
01:00:39there's a vision problem here.
01:00:43You're supposed to just put your left foot
01:00:45on the opposite side of his left foot
01:00:47and fight him from there all night.
01:00:50This is the way Delahoye's right eye swells
01:00:52in the closing rounds against Miguel Angel Gonzalez.
01:00:55That was a fight in which he was well ahead
01:00:58and comfortably headed toward victory.
01:01:01It's a different story.
01:01:03Delahoye is doing very little in this round.
01:01:08His first flurry with 30 seconds left.
01:01:20And Cortez continues to grin in there
01:01:23like a man who thinks he is headed to the bank.
01:01:26Well, he's grinning,
01:01:27but he's not throwing a lot of punches after this.
01:01:29He's got a lot of preparation.
01:01:31Cortez throws three jabs.
01:01:41Three minutes to go.
01:01:44And as he goes back to the corner,
01:01:46Delahoye shook his head.
01:01:57Okay, this is the last round.
01:01:59We got to get this round.
01:02:01You got to be busy.
01:02:11This is the last round.
01:02:12Don't give him any chance.
01:02:14You control the fight.
01:02:15It's the last round, okay?
01:02:16Just control it.
01:02:17Beat him.
01:02:18That's all you need to do.
01:02:25Please be careful of that right hand.
01:02:27That's all he's got, and he's been defected.
01:02:29It's the last round.
01:02:30Don't blow the fight now.
01:02:33Oscar Delahoye has a history,
01:02:35both as an amateur and a professional,
01:02:37of fighting great closing rounds when he needs them.
01:02:41Never in his long career
01:02:43has he more badly needed a great closing round
01:02:46than right now.
01:02:49Oscar's brave.
01:02:50He is brave.
01:02:52Oscar Delahoye is the brave man.
01:02:56He's brave.
01:02:57And it was the left hook.
01:02:58If you're going to lose,
01:02:59lose using the left hook,
01:03:01and he did it.
01:03:03He has shown that he is the bravest fighter
01:03:05in the ring tonight.
01:03:09Crowd trying to lift their man.
01:03:11Watch her holding on.
01:03:17Remember Lennon Hearns?
01:03:19Remember Tommy Hearns leading in the fight,
01:03:21right across the ropes in the 14th round?
01:03:24Mitch Halpern looking on.
01:03:27Halpern's close.
01:03:29He's close.
01:03:32What a brave man Oscar Delahoye is.
01:03:35Halpern's going to stop it, I think.
01:03:37He's brave.
01:03:38Delahoye is right there.
01:03:41It's Lennon Hearns all over
01:03:43if Halpern stops this fight.
01:03:54Corte survives.
01:03:55Still wobbly on his feet.
01:03:57A long way to go.
01:03:59Is Delahoye punched out?
01:04:06It's all yours, Jim.
01:04:08So unlike Baby Pearl in 1981,
01:04:11Mitch Halpern elects to let
01:04:13the wounded warrior go on,
01:04:15and Corte still with a chance to win.
01:04:19One knockdown already in the 12th.
01:04:22Delahoye trying to make his left hook
01:04:25the deciding factor in the fight.
01:04:28Not Corte's left jab.
01:04:30Not Corte's right hand.
01:04:32But the bread-and-butter punch
01:04:33that's carried out...
01:04:34When you throw that many punches,
01:04:35you are out of wind.
01:04:36He did it, though.
01:04:38But he might have one more flurry in him.
01:04:39He's got...
01:04:40He's looking for one more.
01:04:43Tell us about it, Jim.
01:04:46Let the crowd tell you.
01:04:49All you need to know is in the soundtrack.
01:04:52Both fighters showing their mettle in this round.
01:04:56These are two champions.
01:04:59The great Phil Russell once said
01:05:01that sport is a combination of art and war.
01:05:05We are seeing it right here.
01:05:08And before we hear the judges' scores,
01:05:10if that's the way it's gonna be,
01:05:12there's a rematch clause in the contract.
01:05:15Let's see it.
01:05:16And I would say that, Jim,
01:05:18it doesn't matter who wins this fight.
01:05:20Absolutely.
01:05:21It doesn't matter who wins the fight.
01:05:23Let's see it again.
01:05:25Irresistible stuff.
01:05:30De La Hoya never producing that last flurry
01:05:33that we might have expected
01:05:35in the closing middle of the fight.
01:05:37Here comes the bell.
01:05:40Time.
01:05:52I had Ike Corte winning the fight.
01:05:56Let's see how that last round influences
01:06:00the final result.
01:06:02I saw the fight Oscar De La Hoya's left jab
01:06:04winning that boxing match hands down.
01:06:08If it wasn't for Oscar De La Hoya,
01:06:10Corte would land one.
01:06:20Congratulations.
01:06:22Excellent job.
01:06:27CompuBox numbers in round number 12,
01:06:29a valiant Oscar De La Hoya landed 41 of 69,
01:06:32including that left hook
01:06:34in the opening seconds of the round
01:06:37Second knockdown of the fight for De La Hoya.
01:06:39And I'll add this.
01:06:40This is the kind of fight
01:06:42that helps Oscar De La Hoya
01:06:44even if he should lose it.
01:06:49Showing the kind of courage he did to come back.
01:06:52Now, here's the flurry
01:06:53during which Mitch Halpern watched
01:06:55but never decided to stop the fight.
01:06:57And he was right
01:06:59because Corte is returning fire.
01:07:01He's staying in the fight.
01:07:03He has earned the right to go on.
01:07:06He is not out on his feet.
01:07:08And in another few seconds,
01:07:10De La Hoya will have punched himself out.
01:07:13Yeah, but you don't want to get punched out
01:07:15by taking that many shots just by Corte.
01:07:18What a night.
01:07:28So how will the judges punctuate the drama?
01:07:31Well, here's a preview.
01:07:32Harold Lederman, scorecard.
01:07:33How'd you have it, Harold?
01:07:34114-113.
01:07:37Ike Corte, seven rounds to play.
01:07:39Jim, I thought Oscar needed three points to even it out.
01:07:42I would have given him two.
01:07:44Great job by Mitch Halpern not stopping it.
01:07:46I tell you, it was a heck of a fight.
01:07:48Very close.
01:07:49I just thought Ike Corte
01:07:51had too big a lead going into the last round,
01:07:53and I just don't think Oscar did enough to pull it out.
01:07:57And Michael Buffer has the official decision.
01:08:00Let's go.
01:08:02Ladies and gentlemen,
01:08:04before we go to the Budweiser scorecards,
01:08:07how about a round of applause
01:08:09for the best welterweight fight seen in Las Vegas
01:08:12since Hernes and Leonard.
01:08:15We now go to the Budweiser scorecards.
01:08:19Larry O'Connell scores the bout.
01:08:21115-114.
01:08:24He scores it for Corte.
01:08:28John Keane scores the bout.
01:08:31116-113.
01:08:34He has it for De La Hoya.
01:08:37Ken Morita scores the bout.
01:08:40116-112
01:08:43for the winner by split decision
01:08:46and still the undefeated
01:08:49WBC welterweight champion of the world,
01:08:54the Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya!
01:09:09A split decision victory for De La Hoya.
01:09:13We'll have more on the judges' scorecards
01:09:16in just a moment.
01:09:18But right now, let's look back
01:09:22at highlights of this brilliant,
01:09:25brilliant 147-pound war.
01:09:30The action heated up in round number 6
01:09:33when first, Corte went down
01:09:35on a classic left hook by De La Hoya.
01:09:38And then moments later,
01:09:39as De La Hoya tried to press
01:09:41what he believed was his advantage,
01:09:43Corte with a counter left of his own
01:09:45and Oscar was down.
01:09:47In the next few rounds,
01:09:49De La Hoya was able to seemingly
01:09:51take the lead in the fight
01:09:53with his big right hand
01:09:55that forced swelling in Oscar De La Hoya's left eye
01:09:58and twice watered the champion.
01:10:00But then in the 12th round,
01:10:02high drama as a De La Hoya
01:10:04seemingly desperately in need of a knockout
01:10:07fired that left hook to open the round
01:10:09and put Corte on the seat of his pants.
01:10:11And then, shades of 17 1⁄2 years ago,
01:10:15like Ray Leonard against Tommy Hearns,
01:10:17Oscar De La Hoya pressed Corte against the ropes
01:10:20and pounded and pounded
01:10:22and waited to see if referee Mitch Halpern
01:10:24would step in to stop the fight
01:10:26and give him the victory.
01:10:27But Halpern, correctly noting
01:10:29that Corte was throwing back the whole time,
01:10:32never did so.
01:10:33As it turns out,
01:10:35it was okay for Oscar anyway
01:10:37as he gets the split decision
01:10:39and amazingly, amazingly to me at least,
01:10:43Oscar De La Hoya on the cards
01:10:45of the two judges who scored the bout for him,
01:10:48John Keene and Ken Morita,
01:10:50did not need that big 12th round rally
01:10:53to win the fight.
01:10:54If he only wins the 12th round 10-9
01:10:57or even if the round is even,
01:10:59he still wins the fight
01:11:01on the cards of Keene and Morita.
01:11:04Astonishing.
01:11:06And right now, Larry Mertzend is with the winner
01:11:09and still unbeaten, Oscar De La Hoya.
01:11:12Oscar.
01:11:13Oscar, congratulations.
01:11:16You asked for a dangerous fight.
01:11:18You got one.
01:11:20Oh, well, I called it from the beginning.
01:11:22I mean, this guy's a very good warrior.
01:11:24I mean, I give him all the credit in the world
01:11:25because I gave him some punches the last round
01:11:27that he wouldn't go down.
01:11:29What surprised you about him?
01:11:31Was it his ability to box better than you thought?
01:11:35Tell us.
01:11:36I think I underestimated his boxing ability.
01:11:39When I would try to rush him,
01:11:41I thought he would stay forward and fight me,
01:11:43but he did move some lateral movements,
01:11:45some waist movements.
01:11:46He's a very good fighter.
01:11:47I give him a lot of credit.
01:11:48All right.
01:11:49In this 6th round, you knocked him down.
01:11:52It appeared you were coming on.
01:11:53Did you get a little anxious and walk into a punch?
01:11:56I got a little anxious, yes.
01:11:57I mean, this guy was a very dangerous fighter.
01:12:00I mean, I was looking for his left jab, his left hook.
01:12:03Came back with the right hand and caught me clean.
01:12:05In the second half of the fight, for long spells, Oscar,
01:12:08you weren't doing much.
01:12:09You were going after him, going after him.
01:12:11In your corner, they were urging you to do something,
01:12:13at least to impress the judges.
01:12:15What happened there?
01:12:16I was a little worried of his punching power.
01:12:19This guy is a very powerful hitter,
01:12:21and I know I have to...
01:12:23It's a big learning lesson because I have to train harder,
01:12:26be more prepared, be aware,
01:12:27never underestimate my opponents,
01:12:29and this guy's a very tough, tough, worthy opponent.
01:12:32When you went out for the last round,
01:12:34did you think you had to do something dramatic
01:12:37to win the fight?
01:12:38Not dramatic because I knew all along that he was...
01:12:41Nobody was really putting the pressure.
01:12:43I was finishing the rounds pretty good.
01:12:45He wasn't connecting me with those good jabs that he has,
01:12:49but it was just a very intimidating fight for me.
01:12:54But you certainly understood or conveyed the idea
01:12:58that there was some great urgency
01:13:00when you went out in the 12th round.
01:13:02Oh, of course.
01:13:03For the people, for the fans, for the public.
01:13:05They want to see good, action-packed fights.
01:13:07I gave it to him the last round.
01:13:09I dropped him.
01:13:10Almost knocked him out.
01:13:11I had him.
01:13:12Oh, my gosh.
01:13:13I'm very upset with myself.
01:13:14Did you get arm-weary?
01:13:15Because he was hurt, obviously,
01:13:16but he stood in with you, kept throwing punches.
01:13:18No, this guy can take a punch.
01:13:19This guy's a real strong hitter, can take a punch,
01:13:21and I give him all the credit in the world.
01:13:23Finally, this.
01:13:24There's a rematch clause in your contract in case he won,
01:13:28but this was such a great fight,
01:13:30and so many people got pleasure out of it.
01:13:32Do you want to give the public a rematch of this fight?
01:13:36I don't know.
01:13:37You think it was a great fight, Larry?
01:13:38I don't think so.
01:13:39I don't really think so.
01:13:40There's better and bigger, better fights out there for me.
01:13:42I know that.
01:13:43More exciting fights that the people want to watch.
01:13:45Basically, you're saying you don't want to fight him again.
01:13:47I'll fight him any time.
01:13:48I mean, you know, as long as the contract is good,
01:13:51the date, the weight, everything,
01:13:53the people want to watch it again.
01:13:55I think people want to watch more exciting fights.
01:13:57Icorte, sometimes he did fight, sometimes he didn't.
01:14:01But, hey, that's his style, that's my style,
01:14:03and we gave you this fight tonight.
01:14:05Thank you very much for an outstanding fight, Oscar De La Hoya.
01:14:08Jim?
01:14:09All right.
01:14:10Thank you very much, Larry.
01:14:11Let's quickly take a look at final punch stat numbers,
01:14:13and you can see that they're close.
01:14:15De La Hoya landing five more punches than Icorte.
01:14:18Icorte throwing 57 more overall,
01:14:21higher connect percentage for De La Hoya,
01:14:23who was more measured in his output.
01:14:25Jabs, and one of the stories of the bout
01:14:27is that De La Hoya accomplished the seemingly difficult task
01:14:32of neutralizing Icorte's jab,
01:14:34landing almost as many, throwing 120 less,
01:14:37but reducing Icorte's connect percentage to 29%.
01:14:41And in various of his fights against good fighters,
01:14:43Icorte has been given credit for landing more than half his jabs.
01:14:47Let's go back to Larry Merchant
01:14:49with the man who lost the split decision, Icorte.
01:14:53Thank you, Jim, once again.
01:14:55Icorte, did the fight go as you planned until the last round?
01:15:00Yeah, that's what I planned.
01:15:01You know, I planned to outbox him.
01:15:03You know, I'm planning to outbox him.
01:15:04You know, I know what this guy is coming to do,
01:15:06so we have our strategy.
01:15:08So you plan to outbox him and surprise him in that way?
01:15:11That's what he thinks.
01:15:12I'm coming to fight.
01:15:13You know, everybody knows I'm strong,
01:15:15so, you know, I always come to fight.
01:15:17I'll surprise him.
01:15:19Was he stronger or quicker with his left hook
01:15:23than you anticipated because it was the left hook
01:15:27that knocked you down twice?
01:15:29Not at all.
01:15:30I also knocked him down with my left hook,
01:15:32so he's not strong, not smart.
01:15:33He's nothing.
01:15:34You know who I am.
01:15:35Everybody saw the fight.
01:15:36You know what?
01:15:37You know, I'm happy.
01:15:38I'm happy my kids are here.
01:15:39All the guys are watching this fight
01:15:40because I knew this was going to happen in Las Vegas.
01:15:43Are you saying you didn't think that you,
01:15:46or that you thought it would be very difficult
01:15:48for you to win a decision here in Las Vegas?
01:15:51Yeah, I know.
01:15:52I brought my own judges in the ring.
01:15:54I don't expect any judge.
01:15:55You know, I know in Las Vegas,
01:15:56if I don't take a good decision,
01:15:58I don't get a fight to win.
01:15:59That's what happened.
01:16:00You saw the fight.
01:16:01Everybody saw the fight in the world.
01:16:02If you thought that you had to win the fight
01:16:05by stopping him,
01:16:06why didn't you get more aggressive in the late rounds?
01:16:09You know, he's a champion.
01:16:10I respect him as a champion.
01:16:11You don't have to put pressure on him
01:16:13because you have to respect him and fight him
01:16:15and knock him out easily.
01:16:16So you're saying you respected him,
01:16:18and so, therefore, you didn't attack him
01:16:20as hard as you might have otherwise?
01:16:23No, I shouldn't have to attack him
01:16:24because, you know, that's not the plan.
01:16:26You know, I know what I come to do,
01:16:28so there's no need to go and put pressure on him
01:16:31to knock him out.
01:16:32But I know by later rounds,
01:16:33I'll do what I got to do.
01:16:34Are you...
01:16:35Give us your feelings about the decision in this fight.
01:16:39Well, you saw the fight.
01:16:41I'm happy my kids are here.
01:16:43You know, everybody saw the fight in the world.
01:16:45I'm happy Gannett saw the fight
01:16:47because I knew this would happen in Las Vegas.
01:16:49You know, it was a bad decision.
01:16:51You saw it.
01:16:52You saw it.
01:16:53You were here, right here.
01:16:55I was, and I'm glad you were here as well.
01:16:58Hi, Corte.
01:17:01And before we bring you back live
01:17:03into Madison Square Garden,
01:17:04one more look at some of the memorable drama
01:17:06of De La Hoya Corte.
01:17:08The bookend knockdowns in the sixth round,
01:17:11one for each fighter.
01:17:13The difficulty De La Hoya endured in the rounds
01:17:16leading up to round 12.
01:17:18The big left hook that put Corte on the seat of his pants
01:17:20to begin the final round.
01:17:22And the stirring rally,
01:17:23which was, in the eyes of most ringside observers
01:17:26who gave the fight to De La Hoya,
01:17:28the difference in the fight.
01:17:29The 12th round showing De La Hoya's courage
01:17:32and desire to win.
01:17:34And now we bring you back live to Madison Square Garden
01:17:37where in a few minutes,
01:17:38you'll see the next chapter
01:17:39in this welterweight round robin saga
01:17:42as Brunel Whitaker comes in
01:17:44to take on Felix Trinidad.
01:17:45But a final word on De La Hoya Corte
01:17:47with Larry Merchant.
01:17:48Good day with Larry Merchant.
01:17:49Larry, we said before the fight
01:17:51that it was the biggest battle between
01:17:53unbeaten welterweight superstars
01:17:56since Hearns Leonard back in 1981.
01:17:59In victory now,
01:18:00does De La Hoya emerge
01:18:02with a lot of the luster that Ray Leonard
01:18:04brought out of his victory over Hearns in 81?
01:18:06In a couple of ways, yes.
01:18:08First and foremost, as Leonard always did,
01:18:11De La Hoya finally challenged himself
01:18:15by taking on a dangerous opponent in his prime.
01:18:18And secondly, as Leonard always did,
01:18:21he showed that the end of a fight
01:18:23isn't about boxing.
01:18:24It's about summoning the will
01:18:26to close the show like a champion.
01:18:29Now we'll get a chance to see
01:18:31if also as Leonard always did,
01:18:33De La Hoya fights
01:18:35all of those dangerous opponents out there
01:18:38and there are four or five or six of them
01:18:41and whether again like Leonard,
01:18:43he gives rematches to the ones who have earned it,
01:18:46starting with Icorte.
01:18:48Well, and perhaps also including, ironically,
01:18:51Fernell Whitaker,
01:18:52a rematch that a lot of us thought
01:18:54would never take place,
01:18:55but which apparently will
01:18:57if Whitaker is able to upset Felix Trinidad.
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