Mike Weaver vs James Tillis - HBO 10-3-81 - video Dailymotion

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Mike Weaver defends the WBA Heavyweight Title against No 1. Contender James "Quick" Tillis on HBO.

Transcript

00:00:00WBA champion Mike Weaver and the WBA's second-ranked contender James Quick-Tillis

00:00:05collide for the most prestigious title in boxing, the heavyweight championship of the world.

00:00:11So my ultimate goal now is to be the understated champion of the world.

00:00:16It's gonna be a thriller.

00:00:18I hope it'll be a jam, jam if I play a standard run only, and Weaver the Beaver's in trouble.

00:00:23The main event, Mike Weaver defends his WBA crowd against James Tillis.

00:00:30Live from the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois, it's the main event.

00:00:45A scheduled 15-round fight for the WBA heavyweight championship of the world

00:00:49between WBA champion Mike Weaver and the second-ranked WBA contender James Quick-Tillis.

00:00:55Well, I'll tell you what, Ray Leonard, I am tired from that fight, and we may have another

00:01:0215 rounds to go here.

00:01:04Mike Weaver and James Quick-Tillis, let me ask you a point blank.

00:01:07Do you give the challenger Tillis any chance at all?

00:01:09Well, I'd give a guy like Tillis a great deal of chance because they look at him as an

00:01:13inexperienced heavyweight, but Tillis has quick hands, good movement, foot movement, and normally,

00:01:19you know, Weaver starts on very slow, and he can't afford to against a guy like Quick-Tillis.

00:01:23Well, Mike Weaver is a guy who has been virtually invisible, and the reason he has been is because

00:01:28Larry Holmes has been busy with people, Jerry Cooney has been busy with people, and so has

00:01:33every challenger except the one tonight.

00:01:36He will probably not be a threat at the next Van Cliburn Scholarship Competition.

00:01:41Mike Weaver will never put bread on the table with his virtuosity on the keyboard.

00:01:45This is but a diversion for the champion who has spent more time mastering music than mastering

00:01:49the fine art of pugilism in the last 12 months.

00:01:52Until June 22, 1979, Mike Weaver was merely one of those heavyweights whom every champion

00:01:58has fought and beaten.

00:02:00But when he stepped into the ring with Larry Holmes, the champion was thinking tune-up for

00:02:03Ernie Shavers.

00:02:04The piano player from Pomona was thinking upset.

00:02:07I felt the fight should have been taken more seriously because I won the ring the same thing

00:02:13Larry Holmes had, two arms, two legs, and a fighter, the ability to box and ability to

00:02:19punch.

00:02:20I mean, I feel that no one should step in the ring as just as a two-null fighter because

00:02:23anything can happen in the boxing ring.

00:02:26What Mike Weaver was on that night was a big, strong puncher who has inherent skills but

00:02:31didn't waste a lot of time honing them.

00:02:33But inherent skills were almost enough.

00:02:36We didn't train that much for the Larry Holmes fight.

00:02:38We got very little sport and maybe we trained a month for the fight.

00:02:43He's supposed to be a great fighter and I'm doing this much to him.

00:02:47Just think if I was taking the fight seriously and I'm trained.

00:02:51Near miss was the best Mike Weaver could do on that night.

00:02:54Short hours in the gym made for long minutes in the final rounds and the champion caught up

00:02:59with the man who embarrassed him earlier.

00:03:01The last couple rounds of this fight and I really experienced what it felt to be exhausted.

00:03:05Larry Holmes letting it uppercut and drop me.

00:03:07And I did manage to get back up but I was, you know, still hurt, dazed, mostly tired.

00:03:14I mean, a lot of things went through my head is that I was fighting for the championship

00:03:21of the world.

00:03:23And after they stopped the fight, I said to myself, it slipped by.

00:03:28Would I ever get another opportunity to fight for it?

00:03:30And I prayed and I did.

00:03:33Within a year, I had another title shot.

00:03:35The pre-fight riggers this time became fight night allies for Mike Weaver.

00:03:40For 14 rounds, John Tate had things his own way.

00:03:42But conditioning let Weaver wait until 15 for his opportunity.

00:03:46Opportunity came in the last minute of the fight.

00:03:49I landed right to the body and then left hook that knocked him out.

00:03:53At that moment, that was the most joyful experience of my life when I knew he fell on the ground and didn't get up.

00:04:01And I think I fell on the ground, too, in excitement and almost broke my back.

00:04:07And just like that, the sometimes piano player was the WBA heavyweight champion of the world.

00:04:13He was to be the fighting champion of the people.

00:04:16But somehow, born of the political power struggles that are as much a part of his sport as Vaseline and smelling salts, the fights didn't come.

00:04:23Title defense number one was seven months later against South African Jerry Cozzia.

00:04:27And again, conditioning was the key.

00:04:30He was putting pressure on Cozzia, but not fast enough.

00:04:34He was giving too much room, you know.

00:04:37After then, that seemed to have sparked him.

00:04:42When he came back to the corner, we said, hey, he hit you some good shots.

00:04:47You didn't go out.

00:04:49You have shot as well.

00:04:50Now jump on him.

00:04:51After absorbing everything Cozzia can muster in the first 12 rounds, Weaver took charge in the 13th.

00:04:57The result was inevitable.

00:04:59After the Cozzia fight, it was time to relax amidst the solitude of the gymnasium.

00:05:04It was by choice that Weaver bathed in the championship sunlight for a year.

00:05:07When it was time to go back to work, Jerry Cooney was the most likely opponent.

00:05:11The fight, it seemed, was booked.

00:05:14Not so.

00:05:15In step the WBA.

00:05:17Fight the number one contender or give up the ghost.

00:05:19The burning question, who is the number one contender?

00:05:22Cooney was busy with Norton.

00:05:24Enter tonight's contender, Quick Tillis, who the WBA deemed a viable contender,

00:05:28although he was then ranked no better than number three.

00:05:31And again, the quiet gym became active.

00:05:33Active with the sounds of a pending championship fight.

00:05:36The aura of anticipation.

00:05:38Once more, it was Mike Weaver, the heavyweight champion of the world.

00:05:41Tuning for a title defense.

00:05:43The controversy is behind, and there is now the business at hand.

00:05:46And Dan Clyburn will just have to wait for Mike Weaver.

00:05:52So Marvin Hagler has defended his championship here in Chicago, and now it's the task of Mike

00:05:56Weaver to do the same with the WBA version of the heavyweight championship.

00:06:00And who is the guy who's going to fight?

00:06:01Where does he come from?

00:06:02What qualifies him?

00:06:04Don't you just know our own Larry Merchant's going to tell us just that.

00:06:07Larry.

00:06:07Until the opening bell, and perhaps even after a victor's hand is raised, the most amazing

00:06:14thing about this fight is that it's being held at all.

00:06:18Mike Weaver didn't win his share of the heavyweight championship until he was a minute away from

00:06:23his tenth defeat.

00:06:24Then he turned down $4 million to fight Jerry Cooney and took three quarters of a million

00:06:30dollars to fight Quick Tillis.

00:06:33Amazing.

00:06:34The fight crowd could hardly believe it.

00:06:36The reason he did so, he said, was on the basis of a religious advisor who said she saw

00:06:42a vision.

00:06:43That vision happened to synchronize with a dream by Quick Tillis, the dream of being a champion,

00:06:49a dream so powerful that he turned down almost a million dollars in guarantees from the Cooney

00:06:55people to pass up this fight, for which he's getting about $200,000.

00:07:00The fight crowd remains amazed.

00:07:03Titles are not as important to them as money.

00:07:07They'd be more surprised if a kangaroo was fighting a bucking bronco for the heavyweight championship.

00:07:13And speaking of bucking broncos, let's take a look at James Quick Tillis, cowboy.

00:07:19This is James Quick Tillis, fighting cowboy, next heavyweight champion of the world.

00:07:26This is my roping style here.

00:07:29It was at the age of eight that James Tillis discovered the joys of riding horses and roping

00:07:33cattle.

00:07:35Seven years later, he found boxing.

00:07:37And after picking up his 20th straight win, he had earned a shot at Weaver's WBA title.

00:07:42But champions are not merely born.

00:07:43They are bred.

00:07:44The man who molded Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard is a hopeful newcomer to Tillis' corner.

00:07:50He's going to win the title.

00:07:52His attitude is dynamite.

00:07:54So everything is good.

00:07:56I got the, I mean, the subject is perfect.

00:07:58So all we got to do is have a little luck and you win a title.

00:08:02I learned a lot from Angelo.

00:08:04I'm working on a lot of moves.

00:08:06Fame countering.

00:08:08Putting, you know, putting combinations together.

00:08:10Working on a lot of moves with him and we're getting it all together now.

00:08:15Before the magic of Angelo Dundee, there was a certain degree of skepticism.

00:08:20But Tillis' 18th victim, Mike Korenicki, did knock out South African Kali Kanazi.

00:08:25And then on November 13th of 1980, he disposed of Argentinian champion Domingo Della.

00:08:31The winner was promised a shot at Weaver's title.

00:08:33The fight was set for February 28th, but Weaver postponed it because of a hand injury.

00:08:38The WBA announced that Weaver had to sign to fight Tillis by March 31st because as the third-ranking contender,

00:08:44Quick was the only mandatory defense available.

00:08:47So while Cooney fought Norton and Spinks took on Holmes, Angelo Dundee had him fight a tune-up named Ruffhouse Fisher.

00:08:59But by May 3rd, Mike Weaver had signed to fight Jerry Cooney.

00:09:03And Cooney's promoter had offered Quick a million dollars to back out of a Weaver title fight.

00:09:08I could have got a million either.

00:09:10You know, that money, that sounds good, but I'd rather be champion of the world.

00:09:14Well, that's my dream, and no money can buy me out of this.

00:09:18So he got another thing coming that I can buy me out.

00:09:21I'm looking forward to beating Weaver and looking forward to getting Cooney.

00:09:25I want to fight this kid to fight for the title now.

00:09:29You don't wait for another shot.

00:09:31It may never come.

00:09:36I'm going to be in top six.

00:09:38I won't be getting tired.

00:09:39I'll be ready to go 25 now.

00:09:44I have a very talented young man.

00:09:47I think so talented will win the Hedway Championship when he faces Weaver.

00:09:55I was about this age when I was seeing Cassius Clayton when he won the championship in 64.

00:10:00I was like, I want to be like him when I was a little boy, you know, but I didn't start fighting until I was 15.

00:10:03So my dream being champion really started a long time ago, about eight years old, back in 64.

00:10:09Now I'm working with Angelo, trying to fight for the championship.

00:10:11So life is something else.

00:10:13You never know what to expect.

00:10:14So now it is the task of this man right here, James Quick, tell us.

00:10:22What do you suppose his thoughts are coming down as the challenger to the heavyweight champion?

00:10:26Well, he's walking down the stairway, and he's walking towards the championships.

00:10:29I'm quite sure he's very confident, and he believes very highly in his capabilities, along with Angelo Dung.

00:10:34You ever have the feeling of, what am I doing here, fighting for a championship?

00:10:38I know you never have.

00:10:39Well, once you walk out, you see all the people, and then you think about it, you say, hey, I'm going to be in the ring all by myself.

00:10:46And forget about we're going to win.

00:10:48You're the one that's going to win it.

00:10:50Larry, let me ask you.

00:10:51You've been around the sport for a long time.

00:10:53I can't help but wonder the effect of a 12-month layoff on the championship.

00:10:57Well, we all have to see that.

00:10:58One potential effect, which hasn't been mentioned, is that Weaver hurt his right hand in his last fight against Coetze.

00:11:08I don't know what that's going to mean.

00:11:10But Weaver is a strange fellow.

00:11:12The fight crowd really doesn't understand him.

00:11:14He says, I don't have a killer instinct.

00:11:16I want to retire after a couple more fights.

00:11:20When he fights, he usually has to be hit to wake him up.

00:11:23I think that Tillis' best chance is just to let this sleeping dog lie and not get him up and growl.

00:11:33And what he's going to do is the exact opposite of what Hampshire did.

00:11:36Hampshire had to come to Hagler.

00:11:38He's got to stay away from Weaver, set a nice leisurely pace, and hope that Weaver falls into that trance.

00:11:45So he is now on the threshold of a heavyweight championship.

00:11:49James Quick-Tillis, the first man in the ring.

00:11:51But he has a lot of company here.

00:11:53He's really the local favorite.

00:11:54He's been living in Chicago, having moved north from Tulsa.

00:11:57Take a look at his recent action.

00:11:58You saw a couple of those fights, briefly at least.

00:12:01And the feature that we showed you just a couple of moments ago on Quick-Tillis, after the Kornicki and Delia fight, he fought Tom Fisher in one in ten rounds.

00:12:08So he's on a bit of a win streak here.

00:12:10Well, Weaver starts off very, very slow.

00:12:12So it's up to Tillis to take advantage of that, win the early rounds.

00:12:16And hopefully there might be a decision because Tillis is not really a knockout puncher.

00:12:20We talk about the fact that he has the crowd very much on his side.

00:12:23How much does that help a fighter?

00:12:25It can help you, and it can hurt you.

00:12:28And hopefully it will help you.

00:12:29So here comes the champion, Mike Weaver, now making his way toward the ring.

00:12:34He did not make Quick-Tillis wait as long as Marvin Hackner made Mustafa Hamshel wait.

00:12:40So Weaver comes down looking very stern, looking all business, I would say.

00:12:44In fact, if I were a psychiatrist, I might say a little bit tense.

00:12:48It has been a long layoff for the champion.

00:12:54He has not fought since the Kutsia five-blowing kisses to the crowd here.

00:13:01And I would say he looks a little bit tight.

00:13:04I'll be an amateur shrink.

00:13:05Well, I think that some nerves is good.

00:13:08It's the butterflies before the kickoff.

00:13:10Nothing wrong with it at all.

00:13:12He's human.

00:13:14It's going to help him when he gets in here.

00:13:17It helped me.

00:13:19Well, the fight that you had, of course, in Las Vegas, I really would have to think that the crowd was pretty much split

00:13:25because you have been kind of the national hero, whereas Thomas Ernst coming from Detroit was just everything there was in Detroit.

00:13:32He had a lot of his people at that fight.

00:13:33Well, that's true.

00:13:34They always looked at me as a rich little kid fighting a kid from the ghettos, but it wasn't that way at all.

00:13:39So Quick Tillis does have the fan support here, and we use the term in describing the champion, Mike Weaver, invisible, and I'm not too sure if that's wrong.

00:13:49I think he is the kind of guy, and Larry said it too, that you just don't know anything about.

00:13:54And I think you can hear the booing in the crowd, which pretty much tells where its sentiment is.

00:14:03It's not often that a champion gets booed, really, is it?

00:14:07It happened to me.

00:14:10Take a look at the tail of the tape.

00:14:11Larry, you want to talk us down this?

00:14:13Well, I don't think any of these figures mean a whole lot.

00:14:18Mike Weaver was dubbed Hercules by the previous Hercules, Ken Norton, and we saw what happened to him.

00:14:28And he is a magnificent physical spectacle.

00:14:32There's no question about it.

00:14:34Here's their one common opponent.

00:14:37Don't know what that means either.

00:14:38These are not massive, big heavyweights like some of the new kids coming up.

00:14:47Weaver 215, Tillis around 210.

00:14:50Good size men.

00:14:52Our national anthem, the world-renowned and very popular, Isaac Hayes.

00:15:08Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

00:15:27What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming

00:15:39Whose broad stripes and bright stars

00:15:45Through the perilous night

00:15:51O'er the ramparts we watched

00:15:57Were so gallantly streaming

00:16:02And the rocket's red glare

00:16:09The bombs bursting in air

00:16:15Gave proof through the night

00:16:20That our flag was still there

00:16:26Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

00:16:40O'er the land of the free

00:16:46And the home of the brave

00:16:55Ladies and gentlemen

00:17:06Here with us in the audience

00:17:09We'd like him to come up here

00:17:11And take a bow

00:17:13He's the WBC

00:17:15World's heavyweight champion

00:17:18Larry Holmes

00:17:19Come on up

00:17:20Larry Holmes

00:17:21There he is, Larry Holmes, ladies and gentlemen

00:17:33And ladies and gentlemen

00:17:41Sitting at ringside

00:17:44We'd certainly love to have him come up and take a bow

00:17:48He is doing the color for HBO

00:17:51One of the most courageous fighters we have seen in our time

00:17:56What more can I say

00:17:58Sugar Ray Leonard

00:17:59And now

00:18:10And now ladies and gentlemen

00:18:12With a great deal of pleasure

00:18:15Let me make this announcement

00:18:18The next man I'm about to introduce

00:18:20Established history

00:18:22In the heavyweight division

00:18:24Winning the title three times in a row

00:18:27He is the greatest Muhammad Ali

00:18:31Ladies and gentlemen

00:18:47Oh

00:18:49We must say that while you're standing

00:18:52To the gentlemen standing out there

00:18:53We were told to say hello

00:18:54A great, great sports announcer

00:18:56Harry Carey

00:18:57Glad you're with us tonight

00:18:59Ladies and gentlemen

00:19:03The officials

00:19:05For this contest

00:19:09The judges

00:19:12Rogelio Perez

00:19:14And Ismail Fernandez

00:19:18And the referee

00:19:21Stanley Cristodulo

00:19:24And the supervisor

00:19:31Sitting at ringside

00:19:32WBA

00:19:33Mike

00:19:34Mortimer

00:19:35Sitting right there

00:19:37This ladies and gentlemen

00:19:3915 rounds

00:19:43For the WBA

00:19:47Heavyweight Championship

00:19:49Of the world

00:19:50The challenger

00:19:52From Tulsa, Oklahoma

00:19:54Now living in Chicago, Illinois

00:19:56He's wearing the white

00:19:58And the red trunks

00:19:59He weighed in at 209 pounds

00:20:03James

00:20:04Quick

00:20:04Tillis

00:20:05Tillis

00:20:06His opponent

00:20:14His opponent

00:20:16His opponent

00:20:16From Diamond Bar, California

00:20:18He's wearing the red and the white trunks

00:20:23He's scaled 215 pounds

00:20:26He's the WBA

00:20:28Heavyweight Champion of the world

00:20:31Mike Weaver

00:20:32We should make a comment here

00:20:42There are three foreign officials officiating this fight

00:20:47Including a referee from South Africa

00:20:50It's really unbelievable that here in Chicago, Illinois

00:20:54That this should take place

00:20:56It's part of the politics of boxing

00:20:58In which the promoter, Robert Arum

00:21:00Had to concede this to the WBA

00:21:03In order to have this fight

00:21:05Quickly, Larry

00:21:05Let's talk about the scoring system also

00:21:07It's a 10-point scoring system

00:21:10Once again, the same system

00:21:12As we saw in Las Vegas

00:21:13A couple of weeks ago

00:21:15All right, round one

00:21:17That is the champion, Weber

00:21:19In the red trunks

00:21:19Of the white trunks

00:21:20The challenger

00:21:21Quick

00:21:21Tillis

00:21:21In the white trunks

00:21:22Weaver

00:21:23A notoriously slow starter

00:21:2512-month layoff

00:21:28And that could be a tail

00:21:29Somewhere in there

00:21:30It could be, Barry

00:21:33I've never seen

00:21:34Weaver start off as quickly

00:21:35As he did

00:21:36There might be a little rush

00:21:39From the inner activity

00:21:40You just have to wait and see

00:21:41There is no questioning

00:21:42The man's ability to punch

00:21:44He does have

00:21:46A very good left hand

00:21:47Tillis pretty quick for his size

00:21:58Tillis of course

00:22:03Handled by Angelo Dundee

00:22:05Who has done a fairly good job

00:22:07With Sugar Ray Leonard

00:22:08Well Tillis is doing the right thing

00:22:14Utilizing that left jab

00:22:15Staying out of harm's way

00:22:17Because Weaver packs a punch

00:22:19In both hands

00:22:19Almost comes to the right hand lead

00:22:22A little bit short

00:22:23And there's a good right hand

00:22:25Inside the head of Mike Weaver

00:22:27So Tillis up on his bicycle

00:22:33But also doing a little bit of scoring

00:22:34Here in round one

00:22:35You know, they really don't consider

00:22:38Tillis a knockout puncher

00:22:39And they were just saying

00:22:40The same thing earlier

00:22:41But he looks so big

00:22:43He looks so awesome

00:22:44I think he'll be able

00:22:45To change people's minds

00:22:46There's a right hand

00:22:51That gets in on the face of Tillis

00:22:53By the champion Mike Weaver

00:22:54First round WBA Heavyweight Championship

00:22:58Scheduled for 15

00:22:59Neither fighter thinks

00:23:00It'll go that far

00:23:01Tillis has a nice

00:23:04There's a good sharp snapping punches

00:23:06Whereas if Weaver punches

00:23:07Are more solid

00:23:08They land and they stick

00:23:09Crowd is really alive in this fight

00:23:18They consider this to be the main event

00:23:19Not the Hagler-Hamshow fight

00:23:22Larry and Ray and I

00:23:24Talking between fights

00:23:25About the fact that

00:23:26That was just an outstanding fight

00:23:28Terrific fight

00:23:29This one would have to go some

00:23:33To be as good as the middleweight championship fight

00:23:36Earlier this evening

00:23:37Coming up on the 22nd mark

00:23:45Remaining in round one here

00:23:46Tillis scoring with a pretty good jab right now

00:23:56But nobody really doing any damage

00:23:58This is sort of the obligatory

00:23:59Feel each other out round

00:24:00And around one

00:24:07I have to say that I was very surprised

00:24:10And impressed by Tillis

00:24:12He maintained his composure

00:24:14I thought he won the round

00:24:16Weaver tried to come out

00:24:18And intimidate him a little bit

00:24:19He stuck that jab out there

00:24:21And held him off

00:24:21And we may have a fight

00:24:23We have to understand

00:24:26Tillis has never fought a quality opponent

00:24:28He's had 20 fights

00:24:30He won 16 of them by KOs

00:24:32I was very impressed, Ray

00:24:34I was doubly impressed

00:24:35Because I've seen the movement

00:24:37That Tillis possessed

00:24:39And I'm really impressed with him

00:24:41You know what I mean?

00:24:42But go one way

00:24:43Go the other way

00:24:44You'll be my man

00:24:45You'll be like this all night long

00:24:47This guy ain't nothing for you, baby

00:24:48Good round

00:24:50Good round

00:24:50You hear Angelo Dundee saying

00:24:53All night long

00:24:53He loved that round

00:24:55He had to love that round

00:24:57From Quick Tillis

00:24:57The first round of a heavyweight championship fight

00:25:00For the young man

00:25:01Whatever nerves he had

00:25:04Should be gone

00:25:05Angelo being a cheerleader

00:25:08He's given a corner after round one

00:25:09And Tillis comes out to meet the champion for round two

00:25:12Confidence builder in round one

00:25:14For Quick Tillis

00:25:14But remember, Weaver has won his last two fights

00:25:22One in the 15th round

00:25:23One in the 13th round

00:25:24You know, it's a reality for a big man

00:25:27With the exception of Ali

00:25:29To move

00:25:29And now at home

00:25:30To move the way Tillis is moving now

00:25:32Greg Page is another example of fine talent

00:25:35And what Weaver's trying to do

00:25:37He's trying to pretty much corner him

00:25:39So he can release that bomb

00:25:40Well, in fact, I think you might have heard

00:25:42Quick Tillis talking

00:25:43In the feature we ran a little bit earlier

00:25:44About what Angelo Dundee has done for

00:25:46He throws that right hand

00:25:48And then grabs onto Mike Weaver

00:25:49He said Angelo has taught him

00:25:51To stick and move

00:25:52Stick and move

00:25:52And that's what he's doing

00:25:53Well, you know, that's the key to winning

00:25:55You've got to stick him

00:25:56And not let him hit your back

00:25:57Keep him off balance

00:25:59And move

00:25:59In the second round

00:26:02Scheduled 15-rounder

00:26:03WBA Heavyweight Championship

00:26:05Quick Tillis on the left

00:26:06The champion, Mike Weaver

00:26:07On the right

00:26:08No serious damage

00:26:12Tillis, though, has impressed

00:26:14Everybody at this table, at least

00:26:15With the fact that he is quick

00:26:16It's a left hand

00:26:17It gets out of there

00:26:18Quick being more than just a nickname

00:26:22And another good left hand

00:26:24Followed up with a right hand

00:26:25That comes up a little bit short

00:26:26But Tillis throwing punches

00:26:27In combination now

00:26:28The inactivity is showing in Weaver

00:26:30Because he wants to throw a combination

00:26:32He's in position

00:26:32But then he hesitates

00:26:34He wakes

00:26:34He thinks about it

00:26:35And by then

00:26:36Tillis has gotten out of work

00:26:37Quick right hand lead

00:26:43Scores on the side of the face

00:26:44Of Mike Weaver

00:26:45Tillis up on his toes

00:26:49Whether he can maintain that

00:26:50For 15 rounds

00:26:51Remains to be seen

00:26:52But early on

00:26:53It's been very effective

00:26:54Flips out the right hand again

00:26:55A little bit short

00:26:56And Weaver right now

00:27:00Is looking a little bit

00:27:01Plotty

00:27:02Although

00:27:02With the left hand

00:27:03Scores on the chin

00:27:05Of the champion

00:27:05Weaver misses with the right and the left hand

00:27:14Tillis can't afford to stay in the corner

00:27:16Because Weaver hits much too hard

00:27:18And that's what he's most effective

00:27:19When a guy's just in the corner

00:27:21In the effect of punching

00:27:23With the both hands

00:27:23Either man is marked

00:27:30We come up

00:27:32On the 30-second mark

00:27:34Here in round two

00:27:36This is by Weaver

00:27:41Tillis tags on the left hand

00:27:43Coming off of it

00:27:43There's a right hand

00:27:57With that score by Weaver

00:27:58It backs Tillis up momentarily

00:28:00But Tillis gets out of there

00:28:01We come to the end of round two

00:28:06Well fellas we may be in for a long one here

00:28:11Let's go into Mike Weaver's corner

00:28:23And see if we can hear what advice he's getting

00:28:25Let's take a look at a good punch that Tillis landed in this round

00:28:46There it is

00:28:47A lead left

00:28:49Occasionally he comes

00:28:50Around from the side with his hook

00:28:52Instead of going over with his jab

00:28:54You might say his left is his branding iron

00:28:57And his right is his lasso

00:28:59I like it

00:29:00And the referee wiping the face

00:29:08Of Quik Tillis

00:29:09Referee Stanley

00:29:10Christodoulou

00:29:11Once again Weaver flat footed Tillis on his toes

00:29:25That's been the story of the first two rounds

00:29:27And that's the way the third round starts

00:29:29Left hand a little bit short

00:29:33And that left hand got through the guard of Mike Weaver

00:29:35A guy like Tillis can really frustrate a fighter

00:29:39Especially a guy that is a complete slugger at punching

00:29:41Because he rat touches that's on the head

00:29:43He moves

00:29:45He makes you mad

00:29:46And when you throw a punch he's not there

00:29:49He's like a rod

00:29:51So I think it's safe to say this is a fight that could conceivably come down to conditioning

00:29:55Short left hand is too short by Mike Weaver

00:29:57Whether or not Quik Tillis could stay up on his toes for fifteen rounds remains to be seen

00:30:05But he's done so very effectively through the first two and a half

00:30:09Combination by Weaver

00:30:13Minimal damage to Quik Tillis

00:30:15This fight is going to be determined on whether or not Tillis can take advantage of Weaver's inactivity

00:30:23And whether or not he can stay out of the corners and keep moving

00:30:29Neither man has been hurt as we approach the halfway mark of round three

00:30:38No question of who the boxer is and who the puncher is

00:30:41But neither boxer nor puncher has been very offensive minded so far

00:30:47You know that's how Weaver's trying to cut the ring off

00:30:49You know that's how Weaver's trying to cut the ring off

00:30:55I see an overhand right being set up by Weaver

00:30:59He's trying to stalk his man, set him up

00:31:01He's trying to stalk his man, set him up

00:31:03He hits the left hand in the face but again minimal damage

00:31:13You know that's Weaver's attempting to throw a right hand

00:31:15Weaver ducks under that left hand

00:31:23Weaver ducks under that left hand

00:31:25Tillis has rarely thrown the right hand in combination

00:31:27He's led with the right hand a couple of times

00:31:29But rarely has thrown it in combination off the jab

00:31:31Well Tillis doesn't make a mistake

00:31:33He's moving one way

00:31:35He should be going both ways in a narrow position

00:31:39Warning to Mike Weaver for a low blow

00:31:41It was accidental I'm quite certain

00:31:43But Weaver does seem to be just kind of stalking his man

00:31:45Now his last two victories have been essentially one punch victories

00:31:49And it could be that that's what he's looking for in this case

00:31:51Against Quick Tillis

00:31:53But he has to find him before he can hit him

00:31:55Well you notice Weaver's attempting to throw a two body shots

00:31:59And throw his man down

00:32:01Left hook was short by Mike Weaver

00:32:03But it does bring the crowd to attention every time he throws it

00:32:05And the ground three

00:32:11Well one thing that's definitely happened here

00:32:13Is that Mike Weaver has failed to really win any respect from Tillis

00:32:19He's allowed Tillis to set his own pace here

00:32:23Let's see if we can hear Angelo Dundee

00:32:25Good job John

00:32:27Stop swallowing a little bit

00:32:29Good job

00:32:31Give him a swallowing

00:32:33Give him a swallowing

00:32:35Come on

00:32:37Come in

00:32:39Quick

00:32:41Keep him reaching

00:32:43Keep him reaching

00:32:45Let him keep guessing for you

00:32:47Okay

00:32:49Get away like you've been practicing

00:32:51If he reaches

00:32:52Now

00:32:53Left hook

00:32:54Nice and easy

00:32:55All night long

00:32:59It's hard to say what a man like Angelo Dundee can do for an experienced fighter

00:33:05Like you Sugar Ray Leonard

00:33:07But I imagine for somebody like Tillis

00:33:09It's very reassuring to have him there

00:33:11Well it is

00:33:12Angelo is a plus in anyone's corner

00:33:14And he gave instructions to Tillis to move both ways

00:33:17Not just one way

00:33:19Confuses man

00:33:20Take advantage of it

00:33:21He also said he doesn't know where you are

00:33:23And I think that's a valid point

00:33:25That has been the case for the first three rounds as we get into round four

00:33:28Well that movement is confusing Weaver

00:33:31There was another interesting little scenario going on in that corner

00:33:34That again I hearken back to your fight in Las Vegas

00:33:36Between rounds there was only one man talking in the corner

00:33:39And that was Angelo Dundee

00:33:41And here there was a little bit of crosstalk

00:33:43Couple of people talking

00:33:44And I would expect that a fighter could only listen to one

00:33:46That's true

00:33:47That's very confusing

00:33:48Tellis continues to work on Mike Weaver

00:33:53And is doing a pretty good job at least of being invisible

00:33:55Tellis continues to dance continues to stay off the ropes

00:34:09Weaver continues to try to cut the ring off on him

00:34:11And counter punching left hand by Quick Tillis

00:34:18You know there's a right hand attempt again by Weaver

00:34:21He's trying to place Tillis in a right spot so he can deliver that right hand

00:34:26But Tillis is much too quick

00:34:27But isn't it a difficult thing to just look for one punch as Weaver appears to be doing

00:34:31It is very difficult

00:34:32It is very difficult

00:34:33But see here inside Weaver normally works the body

00:34:35Slows his opponent down

00:34:36And very simply you meet a heavyweight like Tillis

00:34:39Who is able to move and not be a stationary target

00:34:42I don't know if you can read the back of Quick Tillis' trucks

00:34:47But what it says is believe it

00:34:48And that has been the byword of the Quick Tillis training camp

00:34:51Coming up to this fight

00:34:57Again Weaver gets it in the corner

00:34:58But Tillis gets out of there

00:35:00A lot of strategy in this fight

00:35:06Tillis is doing the right thing with the movement

00:35:08The jab, looking on the left jab

00:35:09But see he's not capitalized on when he makes this man miss

00:35:12He must make him pace

00:35:13It's a pretty good short left hand that time

00:35:16That caught Weaver right on the button

00:35:17But Weaver comes right back

00:35:18Weaver is doing a good job of cutting the ring off on Tillis

00:35:33But every time Tillis does get his back on the ropes

00:35:35He gets out of there in a hurry

00:35:36Oh yes, I think they were good

00:35:37I think they had a secret workout

00:35:45Those are the shots that were thrown back down on Tillis

00:35:47And Tillis can't get ground now

00:35:49And Tillis can't get ground now

00:35:51Because he'll lose momentum

00:35:52And he'll give Weaver momentum

00:35:54That left hand over the top of the head of Mike Weaver

00:35:58But Tillis is still peppering him with the jab

00:36:00Pretty good Weaver gets him against the ropes

00:36:01But just can't quite get a clear shot at him

00:36:04Most of the punches that Weaver is throwing

00:36:06Are landing on the elbows

00:36:07And it's round four

00:36:08Saturday, November 14th

00:36:09I want to remind you of another boxing super card

00:36:14Coming up here, Super Welderweight boxing

00:36:17Wilfred Benitez versus Carlos Santos

00:36:19HBO Sports presenting exclusive coverage of this WBC Super Welderweight title fight

00:36:24Against these two great champions

00:36:26Wilfred Benitez and Carlos Santos

00:36:28Who is undefeated

00:36:29That is live Saturday night, November 14th

00:36:31It all happens 10 o'clock Eastern

00:36:337 o'clock Pacific Time

00:36:35And we, of course, will all be there

00:36:36Sugar Ray Leonard, Larry Merchant and myself, Barry Tompkins

00:36:39And that should be a good one

00:36:40Right here on HBO

00:36:42Weaver doesn't seem very concerned

00:36:54But he has that style about him

00:36:58You hear that his handler is saying

00:37:05You heard him in that round

00:37:07That was the first time

00:37:08That Weaver did reach his opponent

00:37:11Let's see if he can get to Tillis

00:37:12A little bit more right here

00:37:14Tillis started getting a little lazy

00:37:15Started laying back

00:37:16Weaver built momentum

00:37:18Gained confidence

00:37:19And started whooping the body

00:37:20Right hand of the body

00:37:21Did score that time

00:37:22Off the looping left hand

00:37:23By Weaver

00:37:26Weaver seems to be thinking

00:37:28In terms of combinations

00:37:29A little bit more now

00:37:30Than he did in the first four rounds

00:37:31Neither man has really been hurt

00:37:33Through the first four rounds

00:37:48We are 45 seconds into the fifth round

00:37:54Tillis has the speed to counter

00:37:56Weaver's punches

00:37:57If he really wants

00:37:58All he can do is settle down once in a while

00:38:00And deliver a couple of shots

00:38:01And get back on the move

00:38:02Like he did just now

00:38:03Weaver covering

00:38:05Just coming up a little short

00:38:06On a whistling left hand

00:38:13Change of jabs

00:38:14And I think you can hear the crowd

00:38:15Partisan to put Tillis

00:38:16Every time he scores

00:38:17They come alive

00:38:18Much more than they do

00:38:19When Mike Weaver scores

00:38:20Again a wild left hand

00:38:21Well you notice the way

00:38:26That Weaver is missing

00:38:27Some of those left hooks

00:38:28The inactivity

00:38:30He's a little rusty

00:38:31And he could be caught

00:38:33But I think he's not

00:38:35Afraid of Tillis punching power

00:38:37Halfway through the fifth round

00:38:39The same might be said of Tillis

00:38:41I have the feeling

00:38:42That he's starting to be

00:38:43A little bit more aggressive

00:38:44And really not too worried

00:38:45About Weaver hurting him

00:38:46That may be a false hope

00:38:47Well this fight is pretty much

00:38:51Like a seesaw

00:38:52Up and down the balance

00:38:53That one guy gains confidence

00:38:55Through the next round

00:38:56He loses confidence

00:38:57And it's vice-versus

00:38:58More back and forth

00:39:00That left hand did cause

00:39:01Mike Weaver to blink a little bit

00:39:03Weaver trying to go downstairs

00:39:04And come upstairs

00:39:05Close as Tillis to miss two shots

00:39:06Weaver trying to go downstairs

00:39:10And come upstairs

00:39:11Close as Tillis to miss two shots

00:39:12Weaver has a very good stick left there

00:39:13But I don't understand why he's not using it

00:39:14Get out of course

00:39:15Get out of course

00:39:16Get out of course

00:39:17Get out of course

00:39:18.

00:39:25Weber trying to go downstairs and come upstairs.

00:39:28Goes to tell us to miss two shots.

00:39:33Weber has a very good scoop left there,

00:39:36but I don't understand why he's not using it.

00:39:39Get out of here! Get out of here!

00:39:46Coming up on the 22nd mark now, remaining here in round five.

00:39:49Didn't even fight so far. Tillis may have a slight edge.

00:39:56Weber starting to pick up the pace just a little bit here in this round

00:39:59as we come inside the five-second mark.

00:40:06And around five.

00:40:12There's young Crick Tillis fighting the fight of his life.

00:40:16And whether he wins or not here,

00:40:18he has an opportunity to establish himself as a heavyweight

00:40:22who is a force in the division and can do well down the road.

00:40:29But he is what I call a negative force in the ring.

00:40:34He's really not doing a whole lot of fighting.

00:40:39Deep red.

00:40:41Well, Mike Weaver, and I think that graphic pretty much tells the story.

00:40:56As we approach round six here,

00:40:59the inactivity does not seem to be a great factor in Mike Weaver right now,

00:41:04at least from his legs,

00:41:05but he's been a little bit sloppy with some of his punches, I think.

00:41:08Well, I think I like Mike really once a month,

00:41:12but not now because the guys are hitting a little bit too hard for me.

00:41:15But the only get, and the less active you are, you get very rusty.

00:41:24Weaver now continuing to stalk his man.

00:41:30Get back what you were saying, Tillis is moving fine,

00:41:35but he should be throwing more punches.

00:41:41Weaver lunges at him, but can't quite catch up with him.

00:41:45Tillis has come down off his toes to Sundergreen.

00:41:51Scored with a left hand there.

00:41:55Weaver can't quite pick up Tillis' river.

00:41:59He knows the way Tillis is beginning to change up,

00:42:02left and right, right and left,

00:42:03and it's confusing Weaver now.

00:42:09Weaver just stalking,

00:42:10just looking for the punch that will hurt his man.

00:42:12Hasn't found it yet.

00:42:14Neither man has really scored very effectively.

00:42:25I don't like when Tillis gets in the corner and stops and just waits.

00:42:28Because it's very dangerous against Mike Weaver.

00:42:31That was the right hand that caught Weaver pretty good,

00:42:36but Weaver comes right back and Tillis scores with the right and left.

00:42:39I think Tillis might hit him his best shot there,

00:42:44and Weaver just kept right on corner.

00:42:46Combination again, scores on the face of Quick Tillis by the champion Mike Weaver.

00:42:50You know, as rounds go by, there's a psychological advantage to a champion,

00:43:00especially an inexperienced fighter.

00:43:02Once he begins to miss punches, he throws his best shots,

00:43:06and the champion doesn't budge, it plays tricks with you.

00:43:10You must maintain your composure in order to score successfully.

00:43:13That might have been just the case just a couple of moments ago,

00:43:16where Tillis hit him a pretty good right hand.

00:43:18It was a short right that landed right on the cheek of Mike Weaver,

00:43:21and Weaver didn't move.

00:43:22Comes off the ropes of the left hand that also scores,

00:43:24but once again did not appear to really hurt Mike Weaver.

00:43:27Well, Mike Weaver's timing is off.

00:43:29That's the reason Tillis is able to score with that left jab.

00:43:32Mike comes in, he stops, and Tillis with his feet pops him.

00:43:36Tillis counterpunching that time pretty well.

00:43:38Weaver gives seems to be setting up for the right hand.

00:43:43And it's the right hand that time as Tillis jerked the head away just in time.

00:43:48You're right, Ray, doesn't seem to be using his left hand very much at all.

00:43:55Going to right hand leads almost exclusively here.

00:43:59Pretty soon, Rick Tillis has proved he could stay in there with Weaver,

00:44:17but very soon he's going to have to start doing something.

00:44:22It's a tactical fight, which is to say it's interesting but boring.

00:44:31I think that well describes what we've seen.

00:44:35Let's take a look at this flurry here, an exchange,

00:44:39the best exchange of the fight so far.

00:44:42Weaver threw a left to the body, a left to the head, a right,

00:44:45and a left, a four-punch combination sandwiched around one very light left by Tillis.

00:44:55That combination probably won him the round.

00:45:00Yet none of the punches really caught him flush.

00:45:03We have to remember that in the two big fights that we've seen Weaver in,

00:45:07when he won the championship from Tate and then defended it against Tate.

00:45:12He was fighting big, more or less stationary men.

00:45:15We don't really know whether he can handle a fighter like this.

00:45:19Now, as we see, here's my biggest mistake.

00:45:22He is not cutting the ring off. He's actually following Tillis.

00:45:25This is the reason he can't cut the ring off,

00:45:27and he can't gain leverage in his punches because he's walking along with Tillis.

00:45:32Tillis is getting the jab in, but it's essentially an ineffective job.

00:45:36It has not really stopped Weaver. Weaver misses the right hand.

00:45:44I noticed that Weaver began to throw left jab and right hand,

00:45:48and I see the accuracy a little bit.

00:45:50I think his timers coming back.

00:45:55Crowd comes alive now, trying to exhort its man here,

00:45:58who is the challenger. Quick Tillis back in the corner,

00:46:00takes two shots to the body from Weaver.

00:46:05He must get a little busier now.

00:46:09He's also pretty much come flat-footed now, getting down off his toes

00:46:15that he was on for the first four rounds.

00:46:17Right hand scores on Tillis by Mike Weaver.

00:46:19Go, oh!

00:46:20Go, oh!

00:46:35Go, oh!

00:46:36Yeah, Mike!

00:46:37The man is really marked so far, but you notice what happens when we have a team,

00:46:41Either man is really marked so far.

00:46:47Well, you notice what happens when Weaver begins to throw his left jab.

00:46:51He keeps Tiller's off balance.

00:46:58Tiller's back up on his bicycle now, takes a left hand.

00:47:02Pretty good shot that time from the champion, Mike Weaver.

00:47:06Now, this is where Mike Weaver is going to go to work.

00:47:10The crowd starts to boo.

00:47:23You notice the crowd start booing by Tiller's movement.

00:47:27This is when a fighter can get in trouble, especially if he pays attention and tries to impress the audience.

00:47:33Once again, Weaver just backs him into a corner and gets a couple of shots in, but mostly ineffectual shots.

00:47:42Ten seconds remain here in the round.

00:47:43That's a right hand by Weaver that scores on the face of Quick Tillis.

00:47:55If you want an interpretation of that boo, I think it's this.

00:48:00The object isn't to fight for the championship.

00:48:01The object is to win the championship.

00:48:13The object is to win the championship.

00:48:14And everybody had their thrill.

00:48:15They saw the hometown boys start to fight for the championship.

00:48:16Now they're saying, okay, we know you can stay in there.

00:48:17Now show us you want to win it.

00:48:18Don't give it away.

00:48:19Don't give it away.

00:48:21Don't give it away.

00:48:22Stop baiting.

00:48:24You've got to box.

00:48:25Box!

00:48:26Don't give it away.

00:48:27Don't give it away.

00:48:28That's all I'm saying.

00:48:29You've got to box.

00:48:31Box!

00:48:32Box!

00:48:33And even if you have to fight for the championship, the object is to win the championship.

00:48:36The object is to win the championship.

00:48:39And everybody had their thrill.

00:48:41They saw the hometown boys start to fight for the championship.

00:48:43Now they're saying, okay, we know you can stay in there.

00:48:46Fox!

00:48:48When he reaches, nail him.

00:48:51Okay?

00:48:52When he puts that jab out, slide over and nail him.

00:48:55Just a second.

00:48:57Come on, get him. Fox!

00:48:59Fox, I got a lot of conversation in that corner

00:49:02from a lot of different people.

00:49:04Well, he has trust in Angelo and the other trainer.

00:49:07So I don't think it's really gonna bother him that much.

00:49:11I told him to box,

00:49:14and when these swings come in on him,

00:49:17perhaps easier said than done.

00:49:37Right hand by Weaver did score on the side of the head.

00:49:40Cook Tillis.

00:49:42Neither man has been hurt though.

00:50:01In the center of the ring now.

00:50:03Pace of the fight is slowed.

00:50:05What Tillis must do now,

00:50:14because Weaver is pretty much dominating around.

00:50:17He must stand his ground every so often

00:50:19and gain respect.

00:50:21Back from Weaver.

00:50:23There's a good combination, it says,

00:50:25Tillis reeling backwards.

00:50:26Best combination of the fight by Weaver.

00:50:28Come on, pick it up!

00:50:30Come on, pick it up!

00:50:31Come on, pick it up!

00:50:32Don't worry about it!

00:50:33Once again, Weaver scoring, and Weaver now

00:50:45starting to take control of this fight.

00:50:48Weaver, that's how Tillis stays on the ropes.

00:50:53Tillis lands a good punch, but he backs away,

00:50:55giving Weaver to clear his head,

00:50:57which is a major mistake.

00:51:02Weaver has shown historically that he can take a pretty good shot.

00:51:05Coetzee just about had him done.

00:51:07And Tate had him done a couple of times,

00:51:09but he never went down,

00:51:10and he came back and won both fights.

00:51:16When Weaver throws a jab to the body,

00:51:17if he comes up with the right hand,

00:51:18I think it will land.

00:51:20Well, I know it will land.

00:51:22Tillis has slowed perceptively, I believe.

00:51:36He's gotten off his toes, opens up once again,

00:51:38and Weaver tags him with the right hand.

00:51:40Weaver got him opened up that time.

00:51:46The crowd doesn't like it here.

00:51:48The fight by Tillis is bothering Weaver,

00:51:52but he has to do something,

00:51:54he has to do something as he throws the fight,

00:51:56throw some punches behind it.

00:52:04And Weaver now gets his man against the ropes

00:52:06as we cover the end of the seventh round.

00:52:09There's an interesting thing happened

00:52:12out of Tillis' corner as we watch Mike Weaver.

00:52:16But we heard Angelo Dundee tell him to box.

00:52:22Let's watch this action here in the middle of the round.

00:52:25An awkward punch with a right hand.

00:52:27It was all arm.

00:52:28There was no snap in it.

00:52:30Didn't hurt Tillis at all.

00:52:36This is another angle for the same punch.

00:52:38Digs a left to the body,

00:52:40but Weaver is not the quickest,

00:52:43most coordinated athlete you've ever seen.

00:52:47What I was getting at before, Ray,

00:52:49is that during the round itself,

00:52:51Angelo was yelling to Tillis,

00:52:53back him up.

00:52:54Go at him.

00:52:55Back him up.

00:52:56He was saying the exact opposite of what he said.

00:52:59I think he senses that Tillis has to,

00:53:03as we've been saying,

00:53:05he has to do more if he's going to win this championship.

00:53:09Well, he can't let Weaver gain momentum

00:53:12because he's really dangerous man.

00:53:14And as we start the ninth round,

00:53:15the pace picks up considerably here.

00:53:25Tillis looks as though he's trying to do a little more boxing.

00:53:27Takes a shot to the body by Weaver.

00:53:47Weaver continues to stalk Tillis.

00:53:49Tillis continues to try to circle.

00:53:52That has pretty much been the pattern over the past few rounds.

00:53:55Weaver has caught up with this man much more

00:53:57than Tillis has gotten away from Weaver.

00:54:02The crowd getting a little antsy here.

00:54:04The fight has not been wrought with action.

00:54:11You know, once in a while,

00:54:12Weaver will gain his rhythm back.

00:54:15Then all of a sudden,

00:54:16he gets into the sluggish.

00:54:17He lays back until he scores.

00:54:21There's a left-handed,

00:54:22scores on the face of Tillis by the champion, Mike Weaver.

00:54:25Backs him up, but he stays on his toes.

00:54:27And a right hand in the face of Tillis.

00:54:31Tillis hangs on.

00:54:35Crystal Dulu separates the two.

00:54:39Weaver scoring more consistently now on the challenger.

00:54:43That's a good shot by Tillis.

00:54:48That's a good shot by Tillis.

00:54:49Tillis might have been his best punch of the fight.

00:54:52Well, here Tillis is just be stationary.

00:54:55Because he's taking Weaver's best shots.

00:55:00The crowd punches a little bit off balance.

00:55:02I don't think there's any question

00:55:03about that Tillis hurt Mike Weaver with that right hand.

00:55:05I believe he did, Mark.

00:55:07But he can't move away

00:55:09because his hair's gonna clear

00:55:11and he's gonna come back at it.

00:55:25Tillis is getting a little busier now.

00:55:28But Weaver still stalks.

00:55:31Weaver had his man right there.

00:55:36He had Tillis lunging,

00:55:37but couldn't quite come through with the right hand.

00:55:4520 seconds remain here in the ninth round.

00:56:01That was Tillis' best round since much earlier in the fight.

00:56:18I think he's convinced himself right now

00:56:20that he has to go in and do more punching.

00:56:24And in truth, there's no reason he shouldn't

00:56:26that I can see.

00:56:27Can you see it?

00:56:28Well, Tillis would just be a little more busy.

00:56:30He throws good shots, but then he moves away from it.

00:56:33I think if he threw some combination,

00:56:35it remained there.

00:56:37You know, given the action and the pace

00:56:39of the middleweight championship fight,

00:56:41this fight is a little bit of an embarrassment,

00:56:44to say the least, I think,

00:56:46for Mike Weaver especially, the champion.

00:56:52You can see the distance

00:56:53that these two fighters have fought.

00:56:55And Quick Tillis has never fought more than ten rounds.

00:56:59Only gone six to ten rounds on six occasions.

00:57:02Weaver much more experienced, of course,

00:57:04over the long haul.

00:57:08Round ten.

00:57:14Weaver seemingly has taken control

00:57:16since about the third round, maybe the fourth round.

00:57:18Tillis now seems intent to do a little bit more punching,

00:57:23which he's going to have to do.

00:57:25Weaver waits for the opportunity to get Tillis on the ropes,

00:57:30and when he does, then he punches.

00:57:31Otherwise, he barely does.

00:57:32Otherwise, he barely does.

00:57:33There he goes.

00:57:34There he goes.

00:57:35There he goes.

00:57:36There he goes.

00:57:37There he goes.

00:57:38There he goes.

00:57:39There he goes.

00:57:40Weaver waits for the opportunity to get Tillis on the ropes,

00:57:42and when he does, then he punches.

00:57:43Otherwise, he barely does.

00:57:44Weaver waits for the opportunity to get Tillis on the ropes,

00:57:47and when he does, then he punches.

00:57:48Otherwise, he barely does.

00:57:51down.

00:58:15His right hand is the only one of the three punches that scored.

00:58:19I believe Tillis is reluctant to go inside.

00:58:23The pace of the fight, especially, as Larry mentioned, in the face of the middleweight championship fight, which we saw earlier, is just deadly.

00:58:48Weaver seems to be fighting like a guy who knows he's got the fight right now.

00:59:17He knows he's got the fight and won, and is going to be content just to kind of grind it out.

00:59:22Well, you hit it right on the spot, Larry.

00:59:24Weaver's content.

00:59:25He knows he's the aggressor.

00:59:26He knows he's winning the rounds.

00:59:32And he's going to make Quick Tillis come to him or just sit down with a rather embarrassing, unanimous defeat.

00:59:39The next round, believe me, Angelo would tell him, stay still and fight him.

00:59:46Either man is marked in the 10th round.

00:59:53And again, the crowd starts to boo, and we come to the end of the 10th round.

01:00:00And again, the crowd starts to boo, and we come to the end of the 10th round.

01:00:09This live telecast of world championship boxing featuring two world title fights between middleweight champion Marvin Hagler and Mustafa Hamshow and WBA heavyweight champion Mike Weaver and James Quick Tillis is a presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.

01:00:31All right, let's get the view here of the other champions, Larry Holmes.

01:00:45How do you see the fight?

01:00:48I'm going to fight just to show you how good I am.

01:00:52This shows the people of the world today, Larry Holmes is the best heavyweight fighter in the world.

01:00:57And as soon as I knock out Snipes and Cooney, I want the winner of this fight.

01:01:01Look, Weaver has a fraction of the championship, but even if he wins, that fraction looks like it's getting smaller and smaller.

01:01:07What about Tillis?

01:01:09Tillis is out boxing him.

01:01:11He's moving, but he's not really doing too much.

01:01:14If he will fight, I think Tillis can beat Weaver.

01:01:16But they're telling Weaver now to put a lot of pressure on Tillis because they feel that he can get to him.

01:01:22But Weaver can take him out if he's fighting.

01:01:25Thanks, Larry.

01:01:28And Tillis is running, and Weaver is chasing, and Weaver is catching, and Tillis is not.

01:01:40Weaver has come out here and said, enough of this nonsense.

01:01:45And Tillis catches it with a right hand.

01:01:47Tillis has caught Weaver with a couple of right hands, but as Ray Leonard has said time and again,

01:01:51he just will not come back behind the punch.

01:01:54That's true.

01:01:55Tillis throws punches.

01:01:56A couple of times, he throws light punches, and I noticed that Weaver buckled.

01:02:00I don't think it's from the punch itself.

01:02:02I think Weaver probably had trouble with his legs.

01:02:06Or maybe he's just off balance.

01:02:11It could be one of the two.

01:02:13The punches did not seem that hard.

01:02:14Another left hand scores by Tillis, but Weaver comes right back with a right to the side of the head of Tillis.

01:02:19Tillis backs up again.

01:02:20Into the ropes he goes, and Weaver pursues once more.

01:02:22Tillis again scores with a left hand, but it's ineffectual unless it's done in combination.

01:02:35And Weaver scores with a right hand on the face of Quick Tillis.

01:02:38Weaver unquestionably the bigger puncher.

01:02:41Tillis would be far more effective if he kept Weaver in the center of the ring.

01:02:45And not run, but just move.

01:02:48This is the mistake he's making.

01:02:50He's running from it.

01:02:52And Weaver's starting to catch him a little bit more now.

01:02:55We're in the 11th round.

01:02:56Once again, combinations by Weaver.

01:02:58There's a left hand sends Tillis back into the ropes.

01:03:00And Tillis clings to the champion, Mike Weaver.

01:03:05Left hand by Tillis, scores on Weaver, but again, one punch.

01:03:12And again, a left hand, the chin of Mike Weaver.

01:03:15And Weaver measures.

01:03:16Weaver's throwing in combinations, and Tillis is throwing a single punch.

01:03:21And a crowd comes alive for the first time.

01:03:27Tillis backs up once again.

01:03:29Weaver misses a looping right hand, and another right goes over the head of Quick Tillis.

01:03:34And a second warning for low blows is given to the champion, Mike Weaver.

01:03:40Tillis now starting to breathe through his mouth a little bit.

01:03:4920 seconds remain here in the round.

01:03:51And once again, Tillis scores with a single punch, but cannot come back.

01:03:56At this point now, the fighter puts his hands together, probably would knock the other out or knock him down.

01:04:03Tillis covers up again.

01:04:05Tillis seems dazed.

01:04:06Tillis is hurt.

01:04:07There's no question about it.

01:04:08Weaver comes after him now.

01:04:09End of the round.

01:04:10And I don't think there's any question Tillis is hurt right now.

01:04:13Well, he may be hurt, but if you see what we saw there, Angelo Dundee slapped him in the face.

01:04:23He's making him wait up.

01:04:25Get him!

01:04:26The guy's shot!

01:04:27Go get him!

01:04:28You don't want to win!

01:04:29You want to be a fucking bum all your life!

01:04:30Go and get him!

01:04:31Let's take a look at some of the middle round action here.

01:04:32Weaver is such an awkward fighter.

01:04:34I don't think one of those punches landed really well and flush on Tillis who was just reeling away.

01:04:41Later in the round, good body shots.

01:04:44Weaver is the only one of the two fighters to have landed any body shots.

01:04:47Weaver is the only one of the two fighters to have landed any body shots.

01:04:51in the fight.

01:04:52And in the end, that probably will be the difference.

01:04:54Well, Angelo Dundee was saying, the man is shot.

01:04:57The man is gone.

01:04:58You've got to go get him.

01:04:59You've got to be a bum your whole life.

01:05:00That was the exact quote, or a nearly exact quote from Angelo Dundee.

01:05:0512th round.

01:05:06I'm sure both corners are saying to their man, the other guy is shot.

01:05:10The fact that they both be right.

01:05:13That's the only one of the two fighters.

01:05:16And in the end, that probably will be the difference.

01:05:18Well, Angelo Dundee was saying, the man is shot.

01:05:20The man is gone.

01:05:21You've got to go get him.

01:05:22You're going to be a bum your whole life.

01:05:23That was the exact quote, or a nearly exact quote from Angelo Dundee.

01:05:2612th round.

01:05:27I'm sure both corners are saying to their man, the other guy is shot.

01:05:30The fact that they both be right.

01:05:33Not oczywiście.

01:05:42Tillis is so cont pm.

01:05:47I don't understand what it's going through within the present time.

01:05:48The best punch Boas big Mama might have taken was the one of Angelo Dundee in the corner.

01:05:55Delaney's legs, you know, he's taking the double bounce when he dances around there.

01:06:00That's a sign of fatigue.

01:06:01He's always almost punching off his back foot, Ray, just kind of sticking and never really

01:06:12getting any leverage into it.

01:06:14There's no power behind Tillis's punches now because he's too high on his toes.

01:06:29Tillis has gone softball here.

01:06:31First time tonight.

01:06:33Don't know if that's the first time ever.

01:06:43It seems to me that Tillis is losing confidence.

01:06:48He must have heard me.

01:06:52He has hurt Weaver on more than one occasion, another right hand.

01:06:55He's about turning softball.

01:07:00But he's dancing.

01:07:01He's not going after it.

01:07:03This is when he definitely should be on top of Weaver.

01:07:06At this point now, he should stop dancing, take control of those punches he's landing.

01:07:10Go softball again on him now.

01:07:23Might have let Weaver off there.

01:07:25And I know Angie's going to say that to him.

01:07:29Like I said earlier, Tillis looked as though he was losing confidence.

01:07:33And all of a sudden, he comes out and throws a punch and a good shot.

01:07:36And then he backs away again.

01:07:38Another good right hand.

01:07:40And again, the legs of Mike Weaver are not real sturdy.

01:07:44And Angelo Dundee is just going nuts in the corner here.

01:07:57You would have to think the dance has got to stop at some point and the party's got to begin.

01:08:09End of the round.

01:08:11Let's listen.

01:08:17I've never seen Angelo quite this wild in a corner.

01:08:21Don't you want to be champion of the world?

01:08:24I told you to go softball.

01:08:26I told you to go softball.

01:08:29Nail him.

01:08:30The man wants to be locked out.

01:08:32Let's take a look at the right hand punches that Tillis landed as he turns southpaw.

01:08:41A solid right hand.

01:08:43But he's not following up.

01:08:45A straight right hand right to the point of the jaw.

01:08:49But he's on his toes and he doesn't have any real power in it.

01:08:53And now he's back on his bicycle.

01:08:55You could be the champ of the world.

01:08:56Fight softball.

01:08:57It's an editorial in and of itself.

01:08:58Well, Angelo does do some announcing for CBS, so he's helping us out right here.

01:09:14Tillis is on his bicycle.

01:09:16Angie said go softball.

01:09:17Let's see if his troops will do that.

01:09:20He got him in the right hand again.

01:09:23Did switch to softball and did hit him in the right hand.

01:09:29But he's got to be able to follow up.

01:09:31And that has been the bane of Quick Tillis tonight.

01:09:38Weaver backs Tillis into the corner.

01:09:49And again, Tillis is on the bicycle.

01:09:56That southpaw's style is bothering Weaver a little bit.

01:10:02Weaver seems to look a little tired.

01:10:16Weaver clears.

01:10:17Right said in.

01:10:19This has got a punch.

01:10:21Andrew saying.

01:10:23His talent.

01:10:24Malaysian fastball.

01:10:25הוzaah was at home.

01:10:29edes to turn it back to Southpad.

01:10:30Angelo is hard for Tillis to turn back to South Pole because he was a very effective

01:10:39fight that way.

01:10:44The crowd again starts to boo and once again Weaver catches Tillis and Tillis seems stunned

01:10:53every now and then like he's just suddenly tuned out.

01:10:59Weaver does seem a little bit tired.

01:11:20Tillis has gone softpaw only once in this round after Angelo Dundee exhorted him to do so

01:11:26between rounds.

01:11:36Tillis is running out of rounds.

01:11:53I want to remind you that coming up tonight's presentation of airplane will be seen immediately following the conclusion of the world championship.

01:12:03boxing coverage that we're in the midst of right now.

01:12:13Don't go away.

01:12:14Airplane will be seen in its entirety that's right after the fight.

01:12:23Ray you know I don't think it makes any difference whether he fights southpaw or northpaw.

01:12:33He's got to throw punches.

01:12:36He's got to say okay I got a couple of rounds left.

01:12:41Let me let it all go.

01:12:43Not only for this fight but for his future as a fighter.

01:12:46He must do just that.

01:12:48He must stand ground because he has the tunes.

01:12:51He has the qualification.

01:12:52All the students use him.

01:12:53There's Muhammad Ali there in the middle.

01:13:06What he's looking at.

01:13:08Tillis is a Muhammad Ali clone.

01:13:11But one who just isn't taking advantage of his speed the way Ali did.

01:13:20So we have two rounds to go here.

01:13:22And Quik tell us he would think would have to at some point start to heed the advice on his corner.

01:13:27He has hurt Mike Weaver on more than one occasion.

01:13:30But he has just simply been unable to follow it up.

01:13:35That was a good short left hand in there that caught Weaver on the side of the face.

01:13:41Weaver takes a deep breath and continues stalking.

01:13:57Weaver doesn't seem to have much steam left in his punches.

01:13:59Tillis seems to be the stronger of the two right now.

01:14:03I believe Tillis is the stronger of the two.

01:14:05And he should just prove that.

01:14:07By just standing ground and making Weaver respect a little bit more.

01:14:12Angelo in the corner saying come on, come on, come on in.

01:14:15That was a lunging right hand.

01:14:27Didn't have any on it.

01:14:28With that attempt right hand by Tillis proves that fatigue is setting in on both fighters.

01:14:33The body shots that Weaver is delivering to Tillis body is taking us to it also.

01:14:46Uppercut does score, but more on the chest than on the face of Mike Weaver.

01:14:51And Tillis backs up.

01:14:55Tillis seems very, very tired now at this point.

01:14:57Weaver with a combination in the legs of Tillis bucket.

01:15:02And a left hand scores on the challenger.

01:15:04And a left hand scores on the champion by Tillis.

01:15:07And now Tillis comes after him.

01:15:09Each man staggered, each man tired.

01:15:11It's almost a question of who can score the most and who can put his man down.

01:15:16I'm not sure, but Tillis is not more wobbly than Weaver right now.

01:15:19We're at this point now.

01:15:20It depends on who lands a keen punch.

01:15:22The other man definitely would go down.

01:15:24Tillis goes against the ropes.

01:15:25He is tired and he is hurt.

01:15:27Stands straight up.

01:15:28Weaver comes back and pours in on him.

01:15:30Both men are tired.

01:15:31Both men are hurt.

01:15:34I don't understand why they both are not taking these in this.

01:15:38Go ahead and try to take control of it.

01:15:4030 seconds remaining in the round.

01:15:42To the body goes Weaver.

01:15:43A pretty good shot.

01:15:49Left hand hurts Weaver by Tillis.

01:15:54And Weaver comes back with a right hand.

01:15:57Both men scoring, but more out of the fact that each is tired.

01:16:01Tillis breathing through the mouth, trying to do what he can.

01:16:07End of round 14.

01:16:09End of round 14.

01:16:22Three minutes.

01:16:23Three minutes.

01:16:24Go get the title.

01:16:26Tillis is tired now.

01:16:28He's brought it up from the bottom of his guts, Ray.

01:16:31We'll see if he's got anything left.

01:16:32Let's see what he can do right here.

01:16:34He stood his ground there.

01:16:35And I guess maybe we're seeing here why he wasn't anxious to stand his ground for the first 13 rounds of the fight.

01:16:42He's just not as strong as Weaver.

01:16:45This, of course, is much further than he's ever gone before in a fight.

01:16:51He needs a big 15th round here to pull out his self-respect, if not the fight.

01:16:56I think he has to do just that, Ray.

01:17:03Quick Tillis is a very tired fighter.

01:17:05The crowd now comes to its feet.

01:17:07Yes, it's the same crowd that was brewing just a couple of rounds ago.

01:17:11Angelo Dundee said it all.

01:17:13Three minutes.

01:17:14Three minutes.

01:17:15That is what's left for Quick Tillis.

01:17:20Whistling right hand misses.

01:17:21Left hand does not really seem to do too much damage.

01:17:33Weaver continues to be on the offense a little bit himself here.

01:17:36He almost had Tillis a couple of times in the last two rounds.

01:17:40Once again, as Ray Leonard mentioned, it's almost the fact that who's going to score with the first big punch.

01:17:45Either man will fall.

01:17:48Well, I think Tillis made this round more so than Weaver, because Weaver's his champion.

01:17:54Tillis gets a punch in on the chin, but Weaver ties him up immediately.

01:18:02Tillis goes to the body, Weaver to the head, misses the long left hand.

01:18:06Weaver getting the better of that exchange.

01:18:12The crowd is on its feet here.

01:18:13Tillis is a tired fighter.

01:18:17Right hand does get in on the head of Mike Weaver.

01:18:20And now Tillis backs up again.

01:18:22Lunges with a left hand that misses.

01:18:29Both men are tired.

01:18:34Right hand by Weaver, scores on Tillis, and the left hand backs him up.

01:18:38Halfway through the final round.

01:18:40The crowd is appreciating it.

01:18:52Dundee is yelling at his man.

01:18:54There seems to be little that Tillis can do about it right now.

01:18:57Weaver content to tie Tillis up.

01:19:01One minute remaining in the fight. One minute left hand by Tillis.

01:19:02I don't want to stay while Tillis moves away. He backs away. He doesn't follow up.

01:19:16And Weaver bangs for the body. Once more, draws a warning for low blows.

01:19:20Tillis is hurt right now. Can hardly breathe. The punches to the body really did a job. He is tired and he is hurt.

01:19:23And I think right now he'd like to just finish it. Get it over with. 35 seconds remaining.

01:19:33Left hand on the side of the head. He is groggy. No question about it. Tillis holds on. Looks through his corner.

01:19:4525 seconds. Coming up with a 20 second line. Weaver tries to put his man down. Tillis holds on.

01:19:5118 seconds for Maine. Now 15 seconds.

01:19:58This fight is going to go the distance. Weaver closing with a flurry. Inside five seconds. The fight is over.

01:20:11The heavyweight championship is over and you are looking at two tired fighters.

01:20:14Well the crowd doesn't show their approval for the fight. I think they wanted some more action. I think they were scored by the Hagler fight.

01:20:25Case of too little too late. For Quick Tillis I think.

01:20:29I think Tillis had an opportunity to pull the fight out. Going to the late rounds. But he laid back a little bit too long.

01:20:35Heard his man on a couple of occasions. On our cards. We had Weaver the winner. But stranger things have happened in the sport of boxing.

01:20:45I can verify that.

01:20:50Tillis was a very very tired individual at the end of the fight. There's no question about it. Both men were. And I think you made the point. It was a well taken point.

01:20:57That if either fighter had been able to back up one punch. The other man would have fired. That's true. And the stage where both fighters are completely tired. It depends on who lands the key to punches.

01:21:10Weaver seemed to fight a pretty good fight. Just based on the fact that he did have the one year layoff. And he did seem to pace himself pretty well.

01:21:16Well I think what Weaver is going to need more fights on his belt. Stay a little bit more active. Active because it hurts him.

01:21:21So we await the decision here. Fifteen round fight. I think that in itself is pretty much of a surprise. Everybody. We all thought at least that it was going to be a knockout by someone. Even they thought so.

01:21:37Well they thought that the fight wouldn't go the distance. But Tillis. Again I say the guy has a lot of talent. You just have to use it a little bit more.

01:21:45It's a fight that I would have to think that should Quick Tillis lose it. Should Quick Tillis lose it. He will have to give himself a lot of second thoughts. He's going to do a lot of thinking about why he lost this fight. If it is a fight it seems he could have won.

01:22:01Well what's going to happen. If it was a fight. If he doesn't want to fight. He can review this tape. See his mistakes. And he'll capitalize off of it.

01:22:08Interestingly he did score very effectively by going southpaw. That I believe was in the thirteenth round. And then for fourteen and fifteen he didn't go with the southpaw style at all.

01:22:19Well I think like I said fatigue set in. And you know he was moving around the ring but he was bouncing. His legs were tired. And I don't think he was as sure of himself as he was in the earlier rounds.

01:22:30All right. We will now get the decision to this heavyweight championship. Let's go up to the ring announcer Ben Bentley for the official result. Ben.

01:22:37Ladies and gentlemen. Here is the official scoring as seen by the judges and referee was Mr. Mortimer.

01:22:58Judge Perez scores 147 142 Weaver. Judge Fernandez. He scores the fight 145 143 Weaver.

01:23:21Judge Fernandez.

01:23:22Judge Fernandez.

01:23:23Judge Fernandez.

01:23:24Judge Fernandez.

01:23:25Judge Fernandez.

01:23:26Judge Fernandez.

01:23:27Judge Fernandez.

01:23:28Judge Fernandez.

01:23:29Judge Fernandez.

01:23:30Judge Fernandez.

01:23:31Judge Fernandez.

01:23:32Judge Fernandez.

01:23:33Judge Fernandez.

01:23:34Judge Fernandez.

01:23:35Judge Fernandez.

01:23:36Judge Fernandez.

01:23:37Judge Fernandez.

01:23:38Judge Fernandez.

01:23:39Judge Fernandez.

01:23:40Judge Fernandez.

01:23:41Judge Fernandez.

01:23:42Judge Fernandez.

01:23:43Judge Fernandez.

01:23:44Judge Fernandez.

01:23:45Judge Fernandez.

01:23:46Judge Fernandez.

01:23:47Judge Fernandez.

01:23:48Judge Fernandez.

01:23:49have the official decision, and Ray, I think you have to say, it may not have been very

01:23:54impressive, but a W is a W, and a championship is a championship.

01:23:58Well, you have to look at the fact that Weaven hasn't been active, and he proved that he

01:24:03still was a champion, and he's played so much heart and so much determination.

01:24:07Unquestionably, he was the seasoned professional in this fight, and I think that accounts for

01:24:11the fact that he won it.

01:24:12That's true.

01:24:13He was a little rusty.

01:24:14He couldn't get off.

01:24:15He was a little sluggish.

01:24:16But then again, he still came on strong in later rounds.

01:24:18And as we mentioned, Quik Tillis is going to be the type of guy who I think is going

01:24:23to go back and take a good, long look at this tape and say, where did I go wrong?

01:24:27Well, he'll be able to see his mistakes.

01:24:29I'm quite sure Angelo Dundee will tell him his major mistakes and pretty much what cost

01:24:34him the fight.

01:24:34All right.

01:24:35Let's go up to Larry Merchant right now.

01:24:36He is with the winner and still champion, Mike Weaver.

01:24:39Larry, you got it.

01:24:41All right.

01:24:43Mike, you took an enormous gamble by turning down $4 million to fight Jerry Cooney.

01:24:48For this fight, did you think that you were blowing it at any time in this fight?

01:24:52You know, I believe I have the victory.

01:24:54But I thought in details, I didn't know it was going to be such a hard fight.

01:24:58I guess the layoff really did bother me.

01:25:01So my timing was off and everything.

01:25:02Not that I got necessarily tired, but just that my timing was off.

01:25:05But I thank God it came through.

01:25:07He gave me another victory that he promised me.

01:25:08What could he do that you didn't expect?

01:25:11You knew he would move.

01:25:12He would move.

01:25:12And, you know, he would move.

01:25:14And that type of box would give me a lot of trouble.

01:25:16You know, he was very fast, heavyweight.

01:25:18And he gave me a lot of trouble.

01:25:19But thank God it came through.

01:25:20All right.

01:25:21Coming down to the last few rounds, did you expect him to finally stand and fight you?

01:25:25Yes.

01:25:26Till was getting tired.

01:25:27And I was getting a little tired also.

01:25:29And I figured Till knows he was behind.

01:25:30And I thought he was going to try to fight me the last round.

01:25:31Did you think at any time that he could hurt you?

01:25:35Or did he hurt you?

01:25:36No.

01:25:36Till's never hurt me.

01:25:37He was a good right hand, but Till's never bought me at all.

01:25:40What's in the future now?

01:25:41Are you just going to wait on Holmes and Cooney, or are you going to fight before then?

01:25:44No, they fight in March.

01:25:45I'll probably fight somebody before then.

01:25:47You know, I think the long 15 rounds really helped me.

01:25:50It made me train a little harder next time.

01:25:51Thank you very much, Mike Weaver.

01:25:54So another night of fighting, another jubilant night of fighting for some people at any rate.

01:26:03After the 10, the absolute 10 that we had in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago between Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns,

01:26:12you don't expect to come back with anything like that.

01:26:14In fact, the championship fights that we saw tonight are more or less how most championship fights go.

01:26:20And that shows us why what we saw a couple of weeks ago, and here recently in replays on HBO, was so extraordinary.

01:26:28Marvin Hagler met a very tough opponent in a bloody fight.

01:26:32He did what he had to do to win.

01:26:33And in the end, so did Mike Weaver in his own awkward fashion.

01:26:37Another night at the fights.

01:26:39You never know what's going to happen.

01:26:41It's the theater of the unexpected.

01:26:43Now back to ringside.

01:26:45And in fact, that's the only thing that is expected, is the unexpected.

01:26:48It may be a cliche, but it works in this case, I think.

01:26:51Sugar Ray Leonard, before we jump off the track, one final word first about Marvin Hagler.

01:26:55Well, I definitely want to fight Marvin Hagler because there's no one left,

01:26:58and I think Marvin Hagler will be a superior challenge in a very tough fight.

01:27:02And finally about Mike Weaver.

01:27:04I'm proud, and I'll say I'm glad he won the fight.

01:27:06Did a good fight, 15-round decision.

01:27:08Marvin Hagler, very impressive winner over Mustafa Habsha.

01:27:11So that just about wraps it up from here at the Horizon in Rosemont.

01:27:14So for the champion, Sugar Ray Leonard and our cohort here at HBO, Larry Merchant,

01:27:19I'm Barry Tompkins, and we'll see you next time.

01:27:22Be sure to tune in each week for HBO Sports Inside the NFL.

01:27:26A recap of each week's NFL highlights with hosts Len Dawson and Nick Bonacani.

01:27:30It premieres Thursdays through Super Bowl XVI at 7.30 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, 6.30 Central.

01:27:37Also, don't miss our next telecast of world championship boxing.

01:27:40WBC super welterweight Wilfred Benitez defends his crowd against Carlos Santos.

01:27:45That'll be live from the showboat in Las Vegas, Nevada, Saturday, November 14th.

01:27:50So Marvin Hagler is the undisputed middleweight champion of the world,

01:27:58and the man you're looking at, Mike Weaver, the WBA champion.

01:28:01This telecast was executively produced in a manner speaking by Michael Fuchs,

01:28:05produced by Ross Greenberg, directed by Mark Payton.

01:28:09The associate producer was Linda Jackson.

01:28:13Assistant to the producer was Rick Bernstein.

01:28:15One more run into my hands

01:28:18Mr. I ain't a boy, no I'm a man

01:28:23And I believe in the promised land

01:28:27I've done my best to live the right way

01:28:31I get up every morning and go to work each day

01:28:35But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold

01:28:39Sometimes I feel so weak, I just want to explode

01:28:44It's so to tear this old town apart

01:28:48Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart

01:28:52I ain't somebody who took a song from the start

01:28:56But a dog from the street

01:28:58How do you understand if I've reached

01:29:01One more run into my hands

01:29:04Mr. I ain't a boy, no I'm a man

01:29:09And I believe in the promised land

01:29:13This has been a presentation of HBO Sports

01:29:17The Network of Champions

Mike Weaver vs James Tillis - HBO 10-3-81

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