- 6/9/2025
Robin Reid makes the 1st defense of his WBC Super Middleweight Title against Giovanni Pretorius in the first of three fights on Showtime Championship Boxing
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00:00:01Love itself.
00:00:02Let's get a drink!
00:00:03Leaving Las Vegas.
00:00:05Coming in March, only on Showtime.
00:00:09Now, America's number one boxing network is home to Europe's boxing royalty.
00:00:16Prince Nassim reigns over his WBO weight division
00:00:19with more than just a little pomp and circumstance.
00:00:24Boom Boom Johnson rules the roost of the IBM.
00:00:27Now, it's time to decide who's king.
00:00:32It's Prince Nassim Hamed vs. Tom Boom Boom Johnson
00:00:35as they both lay their titles on the line in this featherweight unification bout.
00:00:38Plus, you'll see two super middleweight championship fights.
00:00:41WBO champ Ireland Steve Collins has no intention of giving up his throne
00:00:45to number one contender Frederick Sellier.
00:00:48And Robin Reed is out to prove he's worthy of wearing the WBC crown
00:00:51as he takes on Giovanni Pretorius.
00:00:54It's Ahmed vs. Johnson, Collins vs. Sellier, and Reed vs. Pretorius.
00:00:59It's all coming up next, only on Showtime.
00:01:03It is hard to imagine two fighters with more opposing personalities
00:01:08and more contrasting fighting styles than the two featherweight champions meeting tonight.
00:01:12Britain's Nassim Hamed and Detroit's Tom Johnson.
00:01:17The fighter currently known as Prince is hardly shy as this 22-year-old possesses one of the most boisterous,
00:01:26most flamboyant personalities in the sport today.
00:01:28Johnson, a decade older, has earned a reputation for his dignified behavior, work ethic, and quiet, unassuming personality.
00:01:37Ahmed thrills his fans with his creative, unconventional, and certainly flashy fighting style.
00:01:46He fights like a swarm of bees. They come from all angles.
00:01:50Johnson possesses an orthodox style, relying on good, solid technique instead of flash.
00:02:07Tom Boom Boom Johnson, one of the best-kept secrets in boxing.
00:02:11Ahmed, after a brief professional career of only five years and 24 vouts,
00:02:16has already become a major superstar in his native England.
00:02:20Johnson, who has fought for 10 years, won 44 vouts, and made 11 title defenses, still toils in relative obscurity.
00:02:29Tonight, opposites attract as Tom Boom Boom Johnson meets Prince Nassim Hamed
00:02:37in a unification bout for the IVF and WBO featherweight title.
00:02:41Give me that belt!
00:02:43Plus, title holder Ireland's rugged Steve Collins will meet number one contender
00:02:48Frederic Selye of France for the WBO super middleweight championship.
00:02:52And in another 168-pound title bout, England's undefeated Robin Reed will face South Africa's unbeaten Giovanni Pretorius
00:03:01for the WBC championship.
00:03:04Tonight, London hosts three world title fights, including the unification bout between featherweight champions
00:03:11Tom Boom Boom Johnson and Prince Nassim Hamed.
00:03:15Next, on Showtime Championship Boxing.
00:03:22London's famous Piccadilly Circus is just one attraction that draws sightseers from around the world to England's capital city.
00:03:45But tonight, all of this great city's historic landmarks and stately architecture take a backseat to the London Arena
00:03:53as England's Prince Nassim Hamed will soon meet America's Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
00:04:01And a capacity crowd of 12,500 expected here at the London Arena,
00:04:06situated in the heart of the Docklands in London's historic East End.
00:04:10This locale, formerly the site of the old London Docks, the birthplace of British boxing,
00:04:14dating all the way back to the bare knuckle days.
00:04:16They practice some, some shade goes on today in some parts of this rough area.
00:04:20Tonight, it's home to a world championship tripleheader featuring a much anticipated featherweight unification showdown
00:04:26between England's most charismatic sports commodity and one of the best kept secrets in boxing history.
00:04:32In addition, you'll see a pair of super middleweight championship fights.
00:04:40Hello again, everybody. I'm Steve Albert. Welcome to London. Glad you could join us.
00:04:43Tonight's main event, not only significant to Britain, but to boxing.
00:04:47Starting with the Marcus of Queensbury, who invented the rules for modern boxing,
00:04:50the British have taken great pride in the sweet science.
00:04:53And over the last decade, there's, there's been quite a resurgence of British boxing with marquee names like Nigel Ben,
00:04:59Chris Eubank, Frank Bruno, and Lennox Lewis.
00:05:02But none, not even Bruno, has ever broken through to reach the potential status of superstardom,
00:05:08like one Prince Nassim Ahmed.
00:05:10This self-proclaimed Prince, the son of Yemeni parents, but born and raised in Sheffield, England,
00:05:15has fast become the hottest sports personality this side of the Atlantic.
00:05:20But can he fight?
00:05:21Well, tonight is the crossroads for this charismatic fighter
00:05:24as he faces the quiet, dignified, highly respected Tom Boom Boom Johnson,
00:05:29a man who's held his title for nearly four years through 11 defenses.
00:05:33If Ahmed wins, he could become Britain's biggest import to America since the Beatles.
00:05:39Tonight's main event is for a partial unification and unified champions are certainly at a premium these days.
00:05:44Currently, there are a grand total of two fighters who hold the same title in more than one boxing organization.
00:05:51There's terrible Terry Norris, the IBF and WBC 154 pound champion.
00:05:56And then you've got Virgil Hill, the IBF and WBA light heavyweight title holder.
00:06:01Now that is it out of what seems to be an ever expanding field of over 40, 40 so-called champs.
00:06:07Tonight, either Prince Nassim Ahmed or Tom Boom Boom Johnson will join that elite list.
00:06:14As we bring on my partners at ringside first, the fight Dr. Ferdi Pacheco.
00:06:17And Ferdi, give us your sense of the magnitude of this fight here in England.
00:06:21We're going to hear it in about a few minutes.
00:06:22It's big.
00:06:23It's all-time big here because anytime you have a popular man and one that equally divides fans.
00:06:28Nobody wants to see him get beat.
00:06:29Somebody wants to see him be good.
00:06:31When he comes up to a real, real test, he's either going to get a beating or he's going to come out of here a superhero.
00:06:36When he comes up against Johnson, he comes up against the best.
00:06:39Anytime you have that in somebody's hometown like London, you're going to have a sense of occasion.
00:06:45You're going to have a real loud screaming crowd.
00:06:48I sense it. I feel it. I can't wait for this thing to start.
00:06:50And elaborate on that. What about the partisan crowd?
00:06:53How will it affect Hamed and Johnson?
00:06:55Well, not Johnson at all. He's fought 11 times. He could care less.
00:06:58Hamed brings his own hot air to inflate his balloon. He doesn't need any outside.
00:07:02He's already as high as he can get on his own.
00:07:05All right. As we check in with our other colleague right here, Bobby Chez.
00:07:08Bobby, what about the experience factor, Johnson, obviously, with the more experience than Hamed?
00:07:13Well, Johnson's experience is the single biggest factor between these two very talented fighters.
00:07:17There is. Johnson's been in the distance in long, tough fights.
00:07:19He's had to get off the floor to win late. He's had to come from behind.
00:07:22He's seen all the styles in all the situations, and Prince Nassim has not.
00:07:26Bobby, one of the knocks on Prince Nassim Hamed is his lack of quality of opposition.
00:07:30What's your read on that?
00:07:32Well, you know, that's just it. He has beat some very so-so fighters, fighters that are new, very green.
00:07:37He's beaten some no-name fighters, some fairly tough fighters.
00:07:40But Tom Johnson, even though some people are saying that the fighter is a little bit past his prime and showing some ring wars,
00:07:46anyone that could do to Johnson, what Nassim has done and everybody else, will be automatically accepted as the goods.
00:07:51This is his proving ground.
00:07:53All right. We'll see what happens later tonight.
00:07:55Well, these are certainly interesting and controversial times for British boxing fans.
00:07:59Tonight, Hamed's big test. And last night, the aforementioned Lennox Lewis took on Oliver McCall for the second time,
00:08:05the vacant WBC heavyweight crown at stake in Las Vegas.
00:08:09And in case you missed it, one of the most bizarre title fights in heavyweight history, Lewis, who dominated from the opening bell,
00:08:15the first half of his jabs and hard rights, regained the title, avenging his second round KO loss to McCall in 1994 with a fifth round disqualification.
00:08:23McCall, showing no interest and apparently dazed, simply stopped fighting.
00:08:27And afterwards, his $3.1 million purse was withheld pending an appeal.
00:08:32McCall, plagued by drug problems, refused to go back to his quarter after the third round, walking around the ring like a caged lion.
00:08:40He appeared unstable and was in tears in his quarter after the fourth, a round in which he threw only two punches.
00:08:47He lowered his guard while glaring at his corner and those around him.
00:08:53Finally, 55 seconds into round number five, referee Mills Lane stopped the fight as a seemingly uncomprehending Oliver McCall was still on his feet.
00:09:03Some thought McCall was having an emotional breakdown.
00:09:07Some unbelievable footage from Las Vegas.
00:09:10Now, after the fight, our V Sky V TV colleagues in Las Vegas got this reaction from Oliver the Atomic Bowl's McCall's trainer,
00:09:20and that, of course, being former middleweight contender George Benton.
00:09:24I don't have a clue because I can't say that he was under the influence of any drugs or anything because he had a guard with him at all times.
00:09:37And the particular guard, I got to know him pretty well, and he was on Oliver, you know.
00:09:45He was lock-stepping Oliver.
00:09:47So all I can say is that it might have been a withdrawal symptom, you know, and that's what I'm thinking.
00:09:56He was having withdrawal symptoms or something because, you know, he's not really that way.
00:10:04Do you think he should give up?
00:10:05Well, look, him as a boxer, he could still be all right, but his mind, you know, we don't know where his mind is at,
00:10:13and this is what other people would think.
00:10:15Is he still in the same state of mind, you know?
00:10:18Is he still that way?
00:10:19You know, see when a guy does things like that, you don't know when he's going to go off, you know?
00:10:25So you'd be afraid to trust him.
00:10:27Candid comments from McCall's trainer George Benton in Las Vegas after that bizarre set of circumstances.
00:10:35Last night we spoke with McCall's promoter, Don King, who said, quote,
00:10:38Oliver appeared fit and ready to fight.
00:10:40He was approved to fight by the Nevada Commission doctors as well as his drug counselors.
00:10:44We don't know what happened to him, but he's being examined by doctors right now.
00:10:48My only concern is for the fighter, unquote.
00:10:51We tried to reach Oliver McCall, but he was unavailable for comment.
00:10:54McCall may have seen the last of big money fights while the resurrected Lewis may next face fellow Englishman, Henry Akinwande,
00:11:00for unification of the WBC and WBO heavyweight titles.
00:11:05Well, from the strange happenings in Las Vegas, we turn our attention back to the business at hand here.
00:11:11Our first bout tonight, the WBC super middleweight championship featuring a pair of undefeated fighters.
00:11:17And we go backstage into the dressing room of the champion, a man who has the movie star looks, Robin Reed out of Cheshire, England.
00:11:24And Reed making his first defense of the title he won about five months ago, a seventh round TKO over Vincenzo Nardiello in Italy.
00:11:31Reed made several of the local British puntets eat their words with his upset win in enemy territory.
00:11:37Although some feel Reed got the eccentric Italian southpaw at the right time with his career on the decline.
00:11:45So coming up here at the London Arena in London, England, Robin Reed puts his WBC super middleweight title on the line
00:11:52against South African Giovanni Pretorius in the first of three world championship fights.
00:11:58Well, 168 pounds has become a very successful fighting weight in recent British boxing history.
00:12:04Robin Reed, former Olympic bronze medalist, the latest Englishman to reach the summit.
00:12:08But despite his success, his ring skills are considered questionable.
00:12:12The rap on Reed that he can be very inconsistent and he really hasn't been tested against enough world-class competition.
00:12:19In spite of that, Reed is now on the honor roll of British super middleweight champions.
00:12:23He joins the impressive lineup.
00:12:25That includes former 168-pound WBC champion Nigel Benn, who defended the crown nine times,
00:12:31and former WBO champion Chris Eubank, who made a division record 14 title defenses.
00:12:38Ferdy Pacheco, why do you think the British have excelled so at 168?
00:12:44I think he's just grown into that since the war and evolution.
00:12:47All of us are growing up.
00:12:48The Americans are bigger.
00:12:49The English are bigger.
00:12:50The English are now natural.
00:12:51168 pounds.
00:12:52That's their natural weight.
00:12:53I think they've got a great division.
00:12:55And that's the evolution and the weight is why they're there.
00:12:59All right.
00:13:00As we turn back to Bobby Chez, two young fighters here with nearly identical records.
00:13:05Your overview of Reed and Pretorius.
00:13:07I believe their records are exactly identical, 22-0 with only one draw.
00:13:11Pretorius is moving up in weight, although he's just stronger, more of a brawler.
00:13:14Wants to keep a really fast pace and Reed wants a box.
00:13:17The champion wants to settle the pace in.
00:13:19Whoever keeps their pace in this fight wins it.
00:13:22All right, Bobby.
00:13:23Right now, let's see how they stack up on paper.
00:13:27As we go to the tail of the tape, they practically mirror one another.
00:13:32Every number but the weight exactly the same with that only a half pound difference.
00:13:35Let's check the WBC rules for this championship fight.
00:13:38Scoring by the 10 point much system.
00:13:40Three judges will score.
00:13:41No standing eight count.
00:13:42No three knockdown rule.
00:13:43Only the referee can stop the fight.
00:13:45A fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round.
00:13:48If an accidental foul occurs before the end of the fourth, it's ruled a no decision.
00:13:52If it happens after the end of the fourth, they go to the scorecards.
00:13:56Only completed rounds are scored.
00:13:59So here at the London Arena, we're getting ready for the WBC Super Middleweight Championship.
00:14:06Reed and Pretorius, the champion about to enter the ring.
00:14:11That, of course, local hero Robin Reed.
00:14:15Always theatrical productions here on ring walks in England.
00:14:20And here he is, the man with the cover boy looks in a moment.
00:14:23As you look at South African Giovanni Pretorius, the challenger.
00:14:27Meanwhile, undefeated Robin Reed will be entering in a moment.
00:14:30Local product and a huge fan favorite here in England.
00:14:34Pretorius, the South African middleweight champion.
00:14:36There's his trainer, Nick Durant, you just saw.
00:14:39He's one of the most heralded prospects to come out of South Africa in recent years.
00:14:44Now, here is Robin Reed.
00:14:46Won the bronze at the 92 Summer Games in Barcelona at 156.
00:14:50Losing to eventual gold medalist Park Si-hun, the Korean who got the controversial decision over Roy Jones.
00:14:57And here he comes, Robin Reed.
00:14:59And, Bobby, the book on Reed.
00:15:01Sometimes he looks good and sometimes he looks ordinary, real hot and cold.
00:15:06Well, you know, I've seen him on tape and I've watched him win his title.
00:15:09He never looks like he's in a real bad mood.
00:15:11He never looks like he's throwing punches with seriously bad intentions.
00:15:14Somewhat methodical, maybe even too predictable, but he is consistent.
00:15:18He upset Vincenzo Nardiello in Italy for the title.
00:15:22But in that fight, Bertie Nardiello seemed lackluster.
00:15:25The Italian crowd, normally more hostile towards outsiders, was uncharacteristically docile that particular night.
00:15:31So it really wasn't a factor at all.
00:15:34But we've got to give credit where credit is due.
00:15:36Robin Reed comes in as a champion and he looks to defend it tonight against the South African.
00:15:41He's certainly handsome enough, isn't he?
00:15:43Good looking guy.
00:15:44And he is a part time model when he isn't boxing.
00:15:47He's going to have to make a choice pretty soon if he's going to keep on going and boxing.
00:15:53And here he is to the cheers of the crowd.
00:15:56Robin Reed from Cheshire, England.
00:16:01They're filling up the arena here.
00:16:04A crowd of twelve thousand five hundred will be on hand.
00:16:07That's for sure.
00:16:09Any minute.
00:16:10They're getting ready for the big main event tonight between Nassim Ahmed and Tom Johnson.
00:16:16There's the challenger, Giovanni Pretorius, listening to the music.
00:16:21His first world title shot.
00:16:22Only his second fight outside of his native South Africa.
00:16:25Once fighting in, of all places, Indiana.
00:16:28Tremendous amateur career, undefeated record.
00:16:31Tough to gauge, though, due to his list of opponents.
00:16:34Although his manager trainer, Nick Durant, who we mentioned earlier, quick to point out.
00:16:38Pretorius has been in there with better fighters while Reed has fought just average journeyman.
00:16:43That's his opinion.
00:16:47And there, another look at Robin Reed.
00:16:51So we're standing by for the WBC Super Middleweight Championship from London.
00:16:56Let's get the official introductions from our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr.
00:17:01Ladies and gentlemen, a very good evening to you.
00:17:04We welcome you to the London Arena for the first of our four world championship boxing matches coming your way tonight.
00:17:12Of course, it's all brought to you by Frank Warren's Sports Network in association with Don King Productions
00:17:18as sponsored by Adidas, ART, and The Sun.
00:17:23This bout coming your way is sanctioned by the World Boxing Council.
00:17:27The president is Jose Suleiman, co-supervisors at ringside, John Morris and Peter Nagatani.
00:17:34Along with the British Boxing Board of Control, the steward in charge is John Clifford.
00:17:39Introducing to you our judges scoring this bout from ringside,
00:17:43we have Pacamile Jacobs, John Keane, and Helacio Perez.
00:17:49Introducing to you our referee in charge on this bout, he'll be giving instructions after the introductions.
00:17:54Working in this his 72nd world title fight, Lou Filippo.
00:18:00Alright fans, here we go with the WBC Super Middleweight Championship of the World scheduled for 12 rounds of boxing.
00:18:09Introducing to you first the challenger on my left, fighting out of the red corner,
00:18:14entering the ring wearing blue and white trunks, and joining us from Johannesburg, South Africa.
00:18:21He weighed in at 11 stone, 12 pounds, or already 166 US pounds.
00:18:28His record includes 22 wins, no losses, one draw, with 19 of his wins coming by way of knockout.
00:18:36Tonight making the first attempt at a world title, please welcome the challenger, Giovanni No Mercy Praetorius.
00:18:46And his opponent across the ring, the defending world champion on my right, fighting out of the blue corner,
00:18:56wearing white trunks with blue trim, originally from Runcorn in the north of England,
00:19:01now fighting out of Manchester.
00:19:04He weighed in 11 stone at 12 and a half pounds, 167 and one half pounds.
00:19:12Ladies and gentlemen, with a record of 22 wins, no losses, one draw.
00:19:17He has 17 of his wins coming by way of knockout.
00:19:21Tonight making the first defense of his title, here is the undefeated WBC super middleweight champion of the world,
00:19:28known as the Grim Reaper, Robin Reeves.
00:19:34Once again, our referee in charge, Luke Filippo, now to give instructions.
00:19:49Okay, Giovanni, you both have your impressions.
00:19:53Give me a good fight.
00:19:55Take that back to the team.
00:19:58Following the stare down, a little wink from Robin Reed.
00:20:06Ray, the little wink from Robin Reed.
00:20:10Ray, the champion of the people's choice here in England.
00:20:13He told us he's treating this as if Pretorius is the champion.
00:20:16He's the challenger, so as to keep the edge, try to take the pressure off.
00:20:21And there is Robin Reed.
00:20:22I'm not sure that sounds like a super confident individual, but we'll see what happens here.
00:20:26The challenger, Giovanni Pretorius, looking to become the eighth world champ from South Africa today.
00:20:31Very cool and calm when we spoke to him yesterday.
00:20:34He said, I'm not underestimating Reed.
00:20:36He's the champion, but I'll be world champion.
00:20:39Well, they should be confident off their knockout record,
00:20:42because they almost have an identical one, and it means they're both bombers.
00:20:46Well, they come right to it, Purdy. There's no nonsense.
00:20:48And there you see Reed staggering Pretorius.
00:20:51Robin Reed opening up early, going after Pretorius and looking to end this one of the first round.
00:20:57Good right hand, and he's in trouble.
00:20:59He's staggered. Fat pedals.
00:21:01Reed trying to finish him off in the opening minute.
00:21:04Robin Reed swarming all over the challenger,
00:21:07and, oh, he's basically almost went down.
00:21:10Right now it's Reed's power and accuracy that's doing the job.
00:21:13Lou Filippo looking closely.
00:21:15Robin Reed pouring it on.
00:21:18I don't know what's keeping him up, because he's taking a beating.
00:21:21Pretorius is taking a beating.
00:21:23Reed's people said that Pretorius wasn't big enough or strong enough to deal with the power,
00:21:27and right now they're right.
00:21:28Again, he is wobbled.
00:21:30That's about the fourth time, and he's on square street right now.
00:21:35Pretorius showing tremendous heart, hanging on against the ropes.
00:21:40They said he couldn't take Reed's punch.
00:21:42Now he comes back.
00:21:43Look at this courage for the challenger.
00:21:45I'll tell you what, he leaded two of his best shots while he was staggering.
00:21:48He's thrown good shots back.
00:21:49He's still in trouble though.
00:21:51Yeah, that's desperation stuff.
00:21:53He's lucky.
00:21:54Oh, there he goes.
00:21:55And there it is finally, a knockdown for Reed.
00:21:58Four, five, six, seven, eight.
00:22:03And he gets up on eight.
00:22:06Pretorius' face is flushed.
00:22:08It's just red, completely red from the hammering.
00:22:10Robin Reed goes right back to work, hammering away.
00:22:14Pretorius just trying to defend himself, but fighting back in the meantime, Bobby.
00:22:20His legs aren't under him, Steve.
00:22:21He's getting hit too cleanly.
00:22:22He's not covering up, and he's not holding on.
00:22:25He's just in bad trouble, Bobby.
00:22:27He is in bad trouble.
00:22:29Here's him mounting a body attack to open up to the head.
00:22:32Reed with a big right.
00:22:34Fifty seconds and counting in round one.
00:22:36Can Pretorius get through this?
00:22:38Boy, if it is, it's almost a 5-7 round because he is taking the shot back.
00:22:43I'll tell you what, I'm not sure why he's still up.
00:22:45He has really had his legs taken out from him immediately.
00:22:48The first good, clean punch that Reed landed had this fight set.
00:22:53Bobby, look at the number of heavy body shots that Reed has landed.
00:22:56I mean, he is doing his homework to the body.
00:22:58And meanwhile, the challenger, Pretorius, showing tremendous guts.
00:23:03He is actually pressing the action right now, where he should just be getting himself together.
00:23:08Well, if he comes back from this, he's got amazing Cooperative powers.
00:23:12And he lands when they lift up, Pretorius, and that startled the champion.
00:23:18He stunned the champion very well.
00:23:20He is, you know, here's the thing.
00:23:21He is the one who's been able to keep the better pace and bring his fights.
00:23:24Reed, not a start with Carter.
00:23:26He started very fast.
00:23:27Wow.
00:23:28Wow.
00:23:29Wow.
00:23:30Let's take a look.
00:23:32Let's take a look.
00:23:33Let's take a look where Pretorius got hurt for the first time.
00:23:47It was a good right hand that got him in trouble.
00:23:50And then, as he was floating along, he kept getting in trouble.
00:23:52There's the right hand.
00:23:53See the effect of him?
00:23:54We'll take a look at the knockdown.
00:23:55Same thing.
00:23:56You see a right hand that grazes off the side of his head.
00:23:58He had to do it a nice combination, and then there's a left hook, actually.
00:23:59It was a good right hand that got him in trouble and then as he was floating along he kept getting in trouble
00:24:05There's the right hand see see the effect of him
00:24:09We'll take a look at the knockdown same thing
00:24:11You see a right hand it grazes off the side of his head
00:24:14He threw it a nice combination and then there's a left hook actually grazed off the left side of his head
00:24:18I think some of the body shots set that up though pretty well
00:24:22That was a good body attack Bobby. They tell you when you get a guy in trouble go to the body
00:24:26Well, he did read it a furious pace to that first round some last second instructions from Nick Durant
00:24:32The man with a long blonde hair comes Pretorius breed stunning Pretorius with a big right to the top of the head
00:24:3925 seconds into the first round and put him down to the 1 30 mark surprising. He didn't go down again
00:24:46He was clearly staggered a minimum of three to four times and on the floor once he was really shaking
00:24:52Yeah, I think I thought don't finally look like he could go down and he just recuperated
00:24:57Oh boy, what recuperative powers come out in the second round. He wants to get this back
00:25:01Well, that's got to make Robin read think and read backpedaling a bit now as Pretorius comes forward
00:25:07Pretorius a busy fighter just got nailed with a left hook from Reed reads up boxing. He is putting punches where they should be
00:25:13And now
00:25:17Pretorius putting combinations together about a minute gone by in round number two
00:25:23And they're not surprising that the pace is slowed down just a bit. It was frantic in that opening round
00:25:27It'll be interesting to see what happens if this fight gets to the fourth fifth and sixth rounds because this is the type of pace
00:25:32That Pretorius likes to keep and Reed does not normally keep in the first round read through a tremendous amount of punches
00:25:37Well, this is Reed. He's either very powerful very explosive or very ordinary
00:25:42He comes out in explosive fashion here tonight, but both men have huge huge knockout records indicating they have confidence in their punch
00:25:48When you go in with a guy that's knocked out most of his people he's got confidence. He's gonna knock the guy out
00:25:53He's got guessing. Reed 22-0-1 with 17 knockouts and Pretorius 22-0-1 with 19 knockouts. Their tail of the tape is
00:26:01practically the same
00:26:03These guys evenly matched on paper
00:26:11But the difference at the
00:26:13Pretorius corner is
00:26:15Reed thinks that Pretorius is just the junior middleweight that he can't handle the power of robin reed
00:26:20But even though he went down in the first round showing that he can't stand in there with the champ
00:26:25And here you see he's pressing the fight steve. He's pushing it. He is setting the pace now
00:26:29Reed may be a little tired be arresting a little from all the punches in the first round
00:26:33But what is going on now is a slight change of momentum getting a little confidence is Pretorius
00:26:38Well, you know
00:26:39It's interesting to note how he went on the offensive here
00:26:42And how reed let him go on the offensive because reed had him where he wanted him he should have
00:26:47Stood tall here and and stopped him, but he's taking a round off
00:26:50And i believe it's like bobby said too many punches thrown in the first round reed's taking this one off
00:26:55Reed letting Pretorius off the huck is Pretorius unloads on robert reed robin reed
00:27:01And the crowd getting antsy
00:27:04Right now Pretorius is definitely getting the better of these exchanges
00:27:07Reed right now is worried about covering up right now
00:27:09He's laying a couple of feet
00:27:11A couple of the big solid super middleweight shots again have the knees buckled on the challenger
00:27:15Pretorius was staggered because the counter punching was so sharp and good
00:27:19Just as you were saying that he was that Pretorius is coming on reed mounted a terrific counter barrage
00:27:38Oh, don't get gold
00:27:44That's
00:27:49Okay
00:27:54Oh, you've got it wrong look at his face
00:27:57Drink please drink
00:27:58With my hands with my hands
00:27:59Right
00:28:00And then bring him through the middle
00:28:02Right
00:28:06Now come on settle down never mind the water
00:28:08I don't want him wobbling you in and out in and out big one
00:28:11Double jab
00:28:12Again
00:28:12Double jab keep your head moving
00:28:14One even one jab as long as you jab in your working points okay
00:28:17No mixing
00:28:24Here at the london arena robin reed comes out to begin round three and
00:28:29Keep keep in mind the last the last two years
00:28:35Pretorius has sparred with sugar boy malinga malinga the former wbc super middleweight champion
00:28:42As they continue to exchange at the outset of round three
00:28:45You know nikki durant told
00:28:47Pretorius don't go straight in and leave yourself wide open
00:28:50Go in a little more defensive be a little more careful of his punches
00:28:52Because he's just walking straight in with wild abandon
00:28:55Amazing similarities between these two fighters
00:28:58Pretorius as mr no mercy comes forward but
00:29:02It's reed who dishes out the most punishment
00:29:05And it's pretorius who starts caving in in every round he's a beast been stunned in every one
00:29:10And there's only been two rounds of course but in the first one it was a festival being stunned
00:29:13And now here comes pretorius and reed missing with a wild short right hook and pretorius the busier of the two now
00:29:24Is laying it on and then a short left hook by reed
00:29:27Pretorius looks very sloppy with his points he doesn't look really strong
00:29:30He wastes a lot of energy he uses a lot of certainly a lot of pace and body pressure
00:29:35But he's not landing clean with the shot he's using a lot of energy and getting nothing done reed being very conservative
00:29:41And pretorius does eat a lot of leather from watching the tapes of him
00:29:46He gives some but he takes a lot too just like there the right hook by robin reed followed by a left with the left miss
00:29:52Reed is out boxing no question about it
00:29:54He's out boxing gladly shorter the best punch and the ones with a knockout possibility are all reeds
00:30:01Here's the first element of boxing for pretorius with the left jab
00:30:04But i still gave the second round to pretorius i thought he landed the punches kept reed backed up the ropes
00:30:09And was more effective for the majority of the fight but took an enormous amount of punishment in winning the round even
00:30:13And reed going to the head of pretorius there again his knees were bent
00:30:17I agree with you bobby i gave it to pretorius as well because he took the round all the way to the end when he got in trouble
00:30:22But he took the round
00:30:24Let that net go let that net go
00:30:25He's getting hurt and debilitated in winning rounds that's going to be trouble in the stretch
00:30:28Yeah, looked at overall and overall he is in the debit side
00:30:33He's in the minus side of this fight reed being in a big plus side
00:30:37Robin reed as they continue to fight on the inside those shots are being blocked by the arms of pretorius
00:30:44Pretorius game he just keeps coming straight ahead
00:30:48Firing away missing most of those shots as you can see though
00:30:52You see when he whizz he misses while he wings those shots in he doesn't bring his hands back up slip and slide move the shots
00:30:59He walks in the shot after shot using his own momentum to actually hurt himself
00:31:04Reed has had hand problems in the past
00:31:08Trying to find out is he another henry wharton or is he better as we see a streak of blood from the right nostril of robin reed
00:31:16Not sure exactly where that's coming from stop, but it's on the right side of his face if it's coming from his
00:31:26Big guess it's coming from his nose
00:31:30Good lad, that's all right. How do you feel?
00:31:35Don't go on the outside, you're the person
00:31:37Don't go on the outside. You're loading up on your shots. You're trying to take them off the side
00:31:40You're looking for the knockout. It won't come on because you're looking for it
00:31:43But if you just let the grunties go, listen to me
00:31:45If you just let the grunties go
00:31:47Right Rob
00:31:49Don't look for it
00:31:51Stop looking for the knockout. You're looking for that one single big grunt
00:31:55You know you can- Close your eyes
00:31:57You know you've got the power
00:32:01Calm down now, calm down
00:32:03Just go back to the plan round the middle with him
00:32:06Right? Go round the middle of him all the time, pick him off
00:32:10You're getting involved with him all the time, Robby
00:32:12Don't get involved and pick him off
00:32:14Pick him off
00:32:16Right
00:32:18Pick him off, don't go wild, pick him off
00:32:20Round
00:32:22Round in a circle
00:32:26Here in London they don't allow for sound of the corners
00:32:28But we have miked
00:32:30The corner man, you heard long time trainer Brian Hughes
00:32:32In the face of Robin Reid explaining to his man
00:32:36Stick to the game plan, go down the middle
00:32:38Go down the middle against Giovanni Pretorius
00:32:40Let's see
00:32:42If he adheres to that advice
00:32:48They cleaned up the blood
00:32:50On the right side of Reid's face
00:32:52Here you see the pace taking a drastic turn
00:32:54Let him go Reid
00:32:56He's ready to rest a little bit there
00:32:58Hold him quite a bit
00:33:00Well up till now not much defense exhibited
00:33:02By either fighter but plenty of action
00:33:04But they're taking a little time off here now to recharge
00:33:08Not much time though
00:33:10Here we go again
00:33:12As Pretorius on the inside
00:33:14With the uppercut
00:33:16And now overhands
00:33:17And oh, he got stunned
00:33:18And Pretorius by a left hook
00:33:20You know he gets stunned, he fires right back
00:33:22And he caught Reid
00:33:23As Reid wound up to stun him again
00:33:25He got stunned a little himself
00:33:27That's a mauling brawling man, Pretorius
00:33:30That's the kind of career Ferdi that cannot go
00:33:3316, 17 years in
00:33:35I'm sorry
00:33:36Oh no
00:33:37Another hard left hook there
00:33:38By the champion Robin Reid
00:33:40Who covers up now
00:33:44A driving Giovanni Pretorius
00:33:46Giving everything from his repertoire
00:33:47Uppercuts, overhands, hooks
00:33:49But he's eating a lot as well
00:33:51Time, time
00:33:52And eating a lot of clean
00:33:53Now time being called by Lou Filippo
00:33:58And somebody's mouthpiece came out
00:34:00And it's Robin Reid
00:34:02Again
00:34:03Let's go
00:34:04Time to continue
00:34:05You know even when there's still a break there
00:34:06Pretorius was in the corner
00:34:07Bouncing around
00:34:08Using energy
00:34:09It's amazing to me
00:34:10How much energy he used
00:34:11Is an extra waste
00:34:12Wild swing and a miss by Pretorius
00:34:14And he almost went to the canvas
00:34:15Imagine how much that takes out of him
00:34:17Yeah, that was a Hail Mary
00:34:19And he's lucky that the other guy didn't hail him
00:34:22With a punch right in mid-arc there
00:34:24Because he was wide open
00:34:28Boy, Reid just got tagged with a left hook by Pretorius
00:34:30But it didn't seem to bother him
00:34:31Come on
00:34:32Get that arm out of there, Reid
00:34:35Boy, Pretorius again on the inside
00:34:38Continues to unleash
00:34:40But it's hard to say exactly how much is doing damage to Robin Reid
00:34:44Not much, apparently
00:34:45But it is a point building
00:34:47I mean, after all, he is carrying the action
00:34:49He is pushing Reid back
00:34:50He is chasing him around
00:34:51I mean, he does get nailed every once in a while by beautiful buds
00:34:54But he is out working Reid right now
00:34:56I mean, they're very close for rounds
00:34:58This infighting will win the rounds for Pretorius
00:35:00Yep
00:35:01And he continues to back the champion up
00:35:04Towards the ropes
00:35:06And keep in mind, if you're just joining us
00:35:09This is a guy
00:35:10Pretorius with the no mercy on the back of his trunks
00:35:13That was down in the first round
00:35:14And looked almost to be out
00:35:16He came back, showed tremendous guts and heart
00:35:19And now continues to be the vizier of the two
00:35:22And is taking a body pumping also
00:35:24Because Reid every once in a while
00:35:26Concentrates on the body
00:35:27Punches cleanly and hard
00:35:29I'll tell you what
00:35:30Some clean shots by Pretorius
00:35:32He is forcing Reid out of his pace
00:35:34Reid is not able to relax
00:35:35He's got Reid momentarily stunned
00:35:38As the bell sounds
00:35:40Well, you gotta admire Pretorius
00:35:42If detorius
00:35:52Careful
00:35:53Put it down the eye
00:35:54Put it on the eye
00:35:55Chief
00:35:56Hey, push it there
00:35:57Be careful
00:35:58Be careful with the big shots
00:35:59Okay?
00:36:00Okay
00:36:01Keep that head moving
00:36:02Stay close to him
00:36:03Over the top underneath
00:36:04Okay?
00:36:05He is right
00:36:07Left
00:36:08Hands
00:36:09Sir
00:36:11Let's take a look at a good jab. Pretorius gets in. I gave him that round. He just outworked Reed, even though he got clobbered. He gets a good jab in every once in a while, but he's getting reamed.
00:36:30You know, Reed looks like he's letting the tempo get away from him. He's letting his fight get away from him. This guy just keeps coming. He keeps falling back. The guy keeps getting braver. Tempo's changing.
00:36:57Yes, round five. It has been a fast pace up to this point for the most part.
00:37:02On the first round, Reed threw an enormous amount of punches, more than he ever throws, because he had his man hurt. Every time he gets his man hurt, he unloads, and he's not used to keeping that kind of pace.
00:37:11Something that's new to him, and this fight, if he goes long, is going to be one of attrition.
00:37:14Interesting. Reed told us yesterday. Pretorius down. Down. For the second time, it's going to be counted.
00:37:22Yeah, well, he got hit, and he went through the ropes. I think you've got to count him.
00:37:25Yeah, Filippo was looking over to pick up the count.
00:37:27Referee was in my way. I couldn't see it. No, he definitely got hit by a right hand.
00:37:31Plenty of time left in round five as the crowd sensing the urgency, and Robin Reed looking to do more damage.
00:37:38Two minutes to go on the fence. He's got a long way to survive. Pretorius trying to get his legs back under him.
00:37:43And he can't. He's just dancing a copper dance there.
00:37:46He's very wobbly. Will Reed let him off the hook again? Let's see.
00:37:51Well, there's a minute 46 left in a round. There's plenty of time.
00:37:55And right here, Reed is taking the rest because maybe he's a little fatigued, too.
00:38:00He should go in for the kill. This is his chance.
00:38:04So Pretorius, the challenger, put on the canvas for the second time of the fight.
00:38:08First in the first round, and then 39 seconds into round five.
00:38:12You know, Bobby, it hardly seems possible if the guy that lands two punches gets tired,
00:38:17and the guy that's getting the walloping keeps coming back like a timex.
00:38:20That means something's wrong here.
00:38:22Why doesn't Reed attack? Why doesn't he put him away? It's time.
00:38:25Nicky Duran said that part of Pretorius' entire game plan is that fast pace.
00:38:29That's the way they train. Reed obviously trains at a different pace.
00:38:32Therefore, he's fighting at a different pace.
00:38:33Reed told us he'd look to slow Pretorius down to his pace.
00:38:38But that has not been Pretorius' game plan.
00:38:41He has been very busy.
00:38:43But for a knockout puncher, once you know you can knock a guy out,
00:38:46and you have him in trouble as badly as he's had Pretorius in trouble,
00:38:49you'd think he'd attack, jump on him, don't you?
00:38:51And he doesn't. He has not.
00:38:53He stood back to admire his work and let him move.
00:38:56Meanwhile, this kid, Pretorius, has to be in tremendous condition.
00:38:59And big heart. Heart is big on this guy.
00:39:03There's a left block by Robin Reed, but it's one and done, Bobby.
00:39:06He didn't follow it up.
00:39:07You can see both his hands are down now, and he is a little tired.
00:39:10He is a little arm-weary.
00:39:12Still the better puncher of the two.
00:39:13Still the bigger, stronger fighter.
00:39:15But this, once again, this attrition-type fight is the guy
00:39:18who can maybe just bring extra to the table in the long haul
00:39:21if he can keep it close like Pretorius, and may just pull it out.
00:39:24You know who Pretorius reminds me of?
00:39:27In terms of heart?
00:39:28Shoot.
00:39:28Man sitting to my right, Bobby Ches.
00:39:30I thought you were going to say Jacob.
00:39:32Except I don't get hit that much.
00:39:33At least I hope I did.
00:39:34Okay, stop, stop.
00:39:35I'm trying to give you a compliment.
00:39:36I appreciate it.
00:39:44How are you feeling?
00:39:47In it out.
00:39:49Okay, in and out, big ones.
00:39:50I've got it.
00:39:51In and out.
00:39:51Here, he's giving some water to spit out.
00:39:53G, how are you feeling?
00:39:55He's running out of ideas, baby.
00:39:57He's running out of ideas, this boy.
00:39:59Okay?
00:40:00This is a world title, my man.
00:40:02Listen to me.
00:40:03All right, let's take a look at the knockdown on the right hand.
00:40:09Keep your eye on the right hand of the fighter.
00:40:12There you go.
00:40:15There's the right hand, and there he goes right through the ropes.
00:40:17Now, that was really not a legitimate big-time knockout.
00:40:20Yeah, that's not a big-time knockdown.
00:40:22You'll see.
00:40:23You'll see the back inside of his head.
00:40:25He hits him in the temple.
00:40:26He does.
00:40:26And it's half-balanced, half-rounded.
00:40:28When you get hit back there, it hurts.
00:40:30Trust me, I've been hit there.
00:40:31But he was off-balanced, leaning to the side as well.
00:40:33It wasn't as good as the first one.
00:40:36You may have heard, Dick Durant, tell this man, Giovanni Pretorius.
00:40:39He's running out of ideas.
00:40:42Well, we'll see if he's right.
00:40:43Round number six, Pretorius down 39 seconds into round five.
00:40:47There seems to be a cut around the right eye of Pretorius.
00:40:51I can't see if it's above or below.
00:40:52Reid just came out as a southpaw just a minute ago.
00:40:55Here he goes, back to switching to southpaw now.
00:40:57Maybe he is tired, or maybe he's just got a new look that he wants to try.
00:41:01As far as ideas are concerned, Nick Durant's crazy because the ideas are working.
00:41:05He's just getting tired of doing it.
00:41:06It's the strength, not the idea.
00:41:08It's the muscle, not the brain.
00:41:09It's the conditioning, correct.
00:41:10Right.
00:41:11You know, Bobby, I've never seen a fight a really better than changing style.
00:41:14I can't remember one fight that a guy really turned it around by changing style.
00:41:18He goes right back to the other style.
00:41:19Actually, I know one fighter who's done it very well, but we'll talk about that in a minute.
00:41:23Well, get ready for more of that later with Nassim Hamid.
00:41:26Punch out there.
00:41:27You're not tied up.
00:41:28Confusing and switching.
00:41:29Hold up.
00:41:29Oh, he got hit on his way down, and he staggers to his feet.
00:41:33Did Pretorius, and that eye starting to look bad.
00:41:36The right eye of Pretorius.
00:41:37There's blood underneath the right eye.
00:41:38The referee looked at the counter.
00:41:40The counter didn't count.
00:41:41He called it a no knockdown.
00:41:42That was actually a reach around from behind.
00:41:45Hit him in the jaw, knockdown.
00:41:46Very strange encounter.
00:41:47Wild swing and a miss by Pretorius.
00:41:49Lucky he didn't leave himself wide open for a counter.
00:41:54And he has been known to do that.
00:41:56He gets off balance, and he gets awkward.
00:41:58And Reid trying to take advantage.
00:42:01Maybe that's something that's confusing Reid a little bit.
00:42:04The awkward nature of Pretorius.
00:42:06See, very few fighters are equally effective at South 1 righty.
00:42:09Marvin Hegler was.
00:42:10A fighter young fighter named Derek Papi-Roland was.
00:42:13And I've seen both of those men switch and confuse men very badly and be effective.
00:42:18But you have to be almost really, truly ambidextrous to do it.
00:42:21Come on, Robbie. Let that arm go.
00:42:22Yeah, and you don't stick with it.
00:42:23You change it, and then you go right back to what you got.
00:42:25They got you there.
00:42:27Reid backing up and having his way with Pretorius here.
00:42:31You see, Reid's back to right.
00:42:32He's back to orthodox, and he's being effective.
00:42:34Don't fix something if it isn't broken.
00:42:38That's exactly the philosophy of Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
00:42:40We'll see if it follows through later.
00:42:43There's a left jab by Pretorius, but not doing much damage.
00:42:48As Reid comes right back with uppercuts, here's Pretorius again.
00:42:51Pretorius really beginning to look like a building that's about to collapse.
00:42:54His legs are not under him properly.
00:42:56They're doing all kind of tricks.
00:42:58That's why he falls, and he looks like he's on the way to go,
00:43:01but he's still, you know, he's got that guts to stay in there and fight.
00:43:04He's been down twice in the fight, first round and fifth.
00:43:08See, when you start getting tired now, it just takes one good timing shot
00:43:12to collapse and fill the entire building.
00:43:16We approach 20 seconds left in round six.
00:43:19Both fighters getting tired, as you can see.
00:43:23Excuse me, Steve, but if Robin Reid appeared a little more crisp,
00:43:25it would appear that it would be only a matter of time
00:43:28before he catches up and finally dismantles completely for Pretorius.
00:43:32But because he seems so fatigued,
00:43:34Pretorius gets a chance to recoup every time he gets hurt.
00:43:37For blood from the right nostril of Reid.
00:43:49It's gone.
00:43:50Deep breath.
00:43:50Jeep, Jeep.
00:43:51I'm giving you one more round to come right, OK?
00:43:54OK.
00:43:54I'm going to stop it, baby, OK?
00:43:56All right.
00:43:56We've got to put it together.
00:43:57OK.
00:43:58OK.
00:43:59We've got to put it together, OK?
00:44:02He's winning the fight.
00:44:03He's slowing down.
00:44:04He's slowing down.
00:44:05He's starting to win after this.
00:44:06But you're getting hit to it.
00:44:07He's looking just for one shot.
00:44:09Get your hit in here and stay close to it.
00:44:11OK, Jeep.
00:44:12All right.
00:44:12Let's decide whether this thing was a slip or was a knockdown.
00:44:17Now, you see, he's from behind.
00:44:19He really just hits him kind of on the back of the head,
00:44:21not really hard.
00:44:22And it's, I don't...
00:44:24Bobby.
00:44:26Yeah, you look at this from overhead.
00:44:28And he's kind of jumping in here.
00:44:30You see him lunging.
00:44:30He's kind of tripping forward already.
00:44:32He just gets smacked in the ear.
00:44:33Actually, I thought that originally Reid reached around a little further.
00:44:36to make it a clean shot.
00:44:37That was in the back of the head of the ear.
00:44:39That's not a good knockdown, so I'm betting it wasn't called.
00:44:41Yeah.
00:44:42See, his legs won't work.
00:44:44I mean, here he threw the punch, and his legs collapsed.
00:44:46You heard Nick Morant say that we're going to give you one more round,
00:44:51and then we're going to stop the fight.
00:44:52So he admits that he works.
00:44:53Now he goes down to one knee, and that's called a slip.
00:44:56That's exactly what I was saying.
00:44:57A building that's falling down.
00:44:59His legs are not together.
00:45:00He's just falling apart slowly like a building imploding.
00:45:04And excuse me for maybe jumping the gun, guys,
00:45:06but if I see a guy whose legs like that, who's falling over himself,
00:45:09I jump on him.
00:45:09I don't stand back like Robin Reid.
00:45:11Finish it, clean it up, get it done.
00:45:14He had a chance to finish up big at the finish had he attacked when he had him.
00:45:17He's got a chance right now.
00:45:18He better do this on his own, not let him stop it in the corner,
00:45:21because he's got a chance to get the headlines,
00:45:23and he's letting it fritter away.
00:45:25I'm speaking about Reid is letting it fritter away.
00:45:28He's not winning big like he should.
00:45:29Well, it looked like Reid is showing mercy right here
00:45:32towards the man called No Mercy, Giovanni Pretoria.
00:45:39Robin Reid also, as you know, he's got to be competing
00:45:42with Nassim Hamed and Steve Collins for the headlines
00:45:45in the London Papers.
00:45:46Of course, Nassim destined to get it.
00:45:55All right, stop.
00:45:58I think the scene is destined to get the headlines
00:46:00whether he wins or loses,
00:46:01but this guy is battling for second billing
00:46:03because Collins comes out looking good.
00:46:06Collins is going to get second billing right now.
00:46:08He has the chance, and he's got to seize it now
00:46:10and finish this guy.
00:46:11He's just not doing it.
00:46:12You know, Reid needs to just step back right now.
00:46:15Pretoria has set the pace.
00:46:16He's going to come walking in, set him up for the stiff jab,
00:46:19a two or a three jab combination with a right hand in the hook,
00:46:22and I'm telling you, this fight will be all but done.
00:46:25We approach the final minute ten of round number seven,
00:46:29and there's a left hook by Robin Reid
00:46:34and a wild swing and a miss by Pretorius,
00:46:37but Pretorius comes back.
00:46:39But Robin Reid, and down goes Pretorius for the third time.
00:46:42It was an excellent timing shot, Steve.
00:46:44He's not getting up from this one,
00:46:46and if he does, he shouldn't continue anyway.
00:46:48It was a great timing shot.
00:46:49Reid backed up, waited, sat on the right hand,
00:46:52and again, he's coming in slowly for Pretorius' bang, lights out.
00:46:56You can see it coming.
00:46:57He needed to do it to close the show properly,
00:47:00and he did.
00:47:01So Reid has done the work that he was supposed to do
00:47:04and finished in good style.
00:47:06And Reid knew it immediately.
00:47:08It felt right.
00:47:10That was a home run punch by Robin Reid,
00:47:14and he ends this fight here on the seventh round, unofficially 2-10.
00:47:18The knockout, Robin Reid retains his WBC Super Middleweight Championship
00:47:23in explosive fashion here with that punch in round number 7.
00:47:28So he finally got the job done
00:47:30after letting Pretorius off.
00:47:34Let's hope Pretorius is all right as they attend to him.
00:47:38He's still down on the canvas, but he's sitting up.
00:47:41His manager trainer, Nick Durant,
00:47:43with the long blonde hair there on the left of your screen.
00:47:45There he is.
00:47:47Very concerned, obviously, for his young fighter.
00:47:50That was a combination, that knockout, of speed
00:47:54combined with timing, fatigue, and a well-leveraged punch.
00:47:58All the elements.
00:47:59It had all the elements of a knockdown and a knockout.
00:48:01An opportunity, Bobby.
00:48:03Let's take a look at the knockdown, Bobby.
00:48:05Let's analyze what happened.
00:48:06I think you'll see just a perfect, perfect counterpunch
00:48:08with a guy on the hunt and an exhausted fighter looking to go.
00:48:12Let's take a look.
00:48:14There's a big miss, and now comes Reid on the hunt.
00:48:17He sees him.
00:48:18There's a left hook.
00:48:19There's a perfect right hand.
00:48:20Now, that's as good as it gets.
00:48:23Let's take another look at it.
00:48:24Bobby, you analyze it just a time ago.
00:48:26It can't get much better than that, Bobby.
00:48:27You know, and I can show you here
00:48:29where the punch was not delivered forward by Reid.
00:48:31You watch his right hand, and we don't have a teleprompter today,
00:48:33but you see his back.
00:48:35Telestrator, excuse me.
00:48:36You see him backed up, and he leans back,
00:48:38and he's back as he was leaning on the ropes.
00:48:40You can see it, but the timing was so perfect.
00:48:42He used Pretorius' momentum
00:48:43and landed it just perfectly.
00:48:46Let's take one more look because it's a perfect right hand.
00:48:52The miss.
00:48:53The left hook.
00:48:55Now, watch this.
00:48:57Right now, here it comes.
00:48:58That's the round of number seven.
00:49:00Our referee is charged.
00:49:02Lou Malipo stops the contest.
00:49:04He's with a high-weight technical knockout.
00:49:06Still undefeated,
00:49:08and still the WBC super middleweight champion of the world,
00:49:13the grim reaper, Robin Reeve.
00:49:18And you heard the reaction of the background while you guys were going over the replays.
00:49:23The hand for Giovanni Pretorius, who got up on his feet.
00:49:26Thank goodness.
00:49:27And he seems to be all right, handling things under his own power.
00:49:31There he is.
00:49:32Gets a back tap from the referee, Lou Filippo.
00:49:37Guts the effort here in defeat by the challenger, Pretorius.
00:49:41And there is the champion raising his hands in the tramp.
00:49:44Robin Reed remains undefeated, upping his record to 23-0-1 with 19 knockouts.
00:49:50His first defense of the title.
00:49:52And this is rather unusual because in the last year alone,
00:49:58there have been about four changes of the guard in the super middleweight division.
00:50:07For this particular title, the WBC version of it.
00:50:16And Robin Reed got it from Vincenzo Nardiello, who got it from Sugar Boy Malinga, who got it from Nigel Benn.
00:50:26We were here for that one.
00:50:27Afterwards, Nigel Benn announced his retirement in the ring to the crowd and then proposed to his fiancée.
00:50:34But, of course, that retirement soon ended as he came back.
00:50:41In fact, he fought Irish Steve Collins a couple of times, and Collins defeated him.
00:50:46We'll talk about Irish Steve Collins right here, because coming up, Irish Steve Collins versus Frenchman Frederick Sellier
00:50:54for the WBO super middleweight championship.
00:50:57Collins off back-to-back wins, as mentioned, over former WBC super middleweight champion Nigel Benn.
00:51:02And tonight, he makes his sixth defense in the title against the number one contender and former European champion.
00:51:08If Collins wins, it could set up a big unification showdown with WBA super middleweight champion Frankie Lyles.
00:51:14Meanwhile, Sellier is thinking upset.
00:51:17It's Collins versus Sellier for the WBO super middleweight title.
00:51:22Up next on Showtime championship boxing.
00:51:28All right.
00:51:28We're standing by right now here at the London Arena for the fight, Dr. Ferdi Pacheco, to have an interview with Robin Reed.
00:51:38In the meantime, Robin Reed is chatting away with our colleagues from BSkyB TV, our British counterparts here.
00:51:45What do you think, Robin Reed, doing the job, closing the show in the seventh round?
00:51:50He closed the show, and he closed it very well.
00:51:52He was tiring a little bit, but that's just not his fight, that hectic pace.
00:51:55Pretorius was a little sloppy with the pace.
00:51:56He needs to be a little more accurate, a little more proficient with his punches.
00:51:59And the thing here, too, we have a golden rule in boxing.
00:52:02The good little man moving up usually loses to the good big man.
00:52:05Let's take, Bobby Ches, another look at the knockdown.
00:52:08It came in round seven.
00:52:09This is the third knockdown.
00:52:10This is the one that ended the fight.
00:52:12Well, you'll see that Reed is kind of backing up, maybe setting him up, maybe just resting.
00:52:16And you see the big wild shots.
00:52:17But here he sits on a right hand.
00:52:18He leans out.
00:52:20And when he leans out right here, he catches Pretorius coming in, uses Pretorius' momentum against him.
00:52:26The shot was well leveraged.
00:52:29He wasn't completely forward.
00:52:30As we look at the second replay, an overhead.
00:52:32He wasn't completely forward into the punch, but the timing was so good that it doubles the impact.
00:52:37As you'll see, watch as Reed gets his back to the ropes.
00:52:40He is actually leaning back a little.
00:52:42You see his back leaning back?
00:52:43He's not leaning into the punch, but the timing was so good that it didn't matter.
00:52:47From what you saw here tonight of the champion, Robin Reed,
00:52:50is he ready to step up against an Irish Steve Collins or a Frankie Lyles?
00:52:55I think he needs a little more experience, Steve.
00:52:57I think he needs to see some more different looks, more different styles.
00:53:00Be in some crunch time situations and even the long distance.
00:53:04Could he handle the punching power?
00:53:06From what you saw of his chin here,
00:53:08could he handle the punching power of the southpaw, Frankie Lyles, the WBA champ?
00:53:13My best guess is that Frankie Lyles right now is a little too much for him.
00:53:16Maybe a lot too much for him.
00:53:18Pretorius, again, a junior middleweight moving up through middleweight to super middleweight.
00:53:21You have to question.
00:53:22He had all of those knockouts at much lower weights.
00:53:25You have to question.
00:53:26He didn't look like a very big puncher here.
00:53:27Even Reed himself doesn't look like a tremendous puncher.
00:53:30I think he had a smaller man, which had a question here.
00:53:33A lot of heart.
00:53:34Not discounting courage.
00:53:36But I'm not sure about his chin.
00:53:38Now, throughout all of this, we're talking about the super middleweight division.
00:53:42Got to mention the name Roy Jones,
00:53:44because even though he is the IBF super middleweight champion.
00:53:47He is the super middleweight division.
00:53:48Yeah, but he wants to move up and fight Virgil Hill, the WBA and IBF light heavyweight champion.
00:53:54Do you think that Jones, aside from looking for bigger and better things and greener pastures,
00:53:59is bored at 168 right now?
00:54:01I don't know.
00:54:02The offer has been made from Frank Warren and his people through a number of different channels
00:54:07for Jones to come, fight Collins.
00:54:09They want to fight.
00:54:10Collins is the type of fighter who can give Jones the trophy because he's got a great chin.
00:54:13He's a worker.
00:54:14He'll keep the pressure on.
00:54:16But at the same time, a guy like Frankie Lyles, a southpaw quick and smart, good counterpuncher.
00:54:20I heard a rumor that Frank Lyles knocked him out in the amateurs.
00:54:22He didn't know it's not a rumor.
00:54:23So, you know, that's one of those things where if he did it once, he can do it again.
00:54:28Well, Collins says if he fights Frankie Lyles, he says from the, as far as box office attraction,
00:54:34from the standpoint of showmanship and box office, he's not that excited about it
00:54:40because Frankie Lyles is only relatively known to the United States and not really known here in England.
00:54:45He's a glory hunter.
00:54:47He said it very clearly.
00:54:48He was a glory hunter and an attention craver.
00:54:51He wants the big name, the big fight, big marquee value, and, of course, the big money.
00:54:55He wants to do it in Boston where he lived and fought from 1986 through 1990.
00:54:59Bring that fight back between Collins and Jones and be interesting to see if that ever came about.
00:55:07It probably will not because of the fact that Jones is interested in moving up in weight.
00:55:12Yeah, and I'll tell you what, the Jones-Hill fight is a great fight for me, too.
00:55:14I like it.
00:55:15I've fought Virgil.
00:55:15I know Virgil very well.
00:55:17And that's a terrific fight.
00:55:19Virgil, one of the longest reigning champions and also one of the fighters that's unified it.
00:55:23All right, our colleagues, Bobby, from BSkyBTV are just about through.
00:55:28And let's go over to the fight.
00:55:29Dr. Purdy Pacheco is standing by with a special guest.
00:55:33Congratulations on a tough fight.
00:55:35One question immediately comes to my mind.
00:55:38You were in such control in that first round.
00:55:41I don't believe I've ever seen a fighter control a first round like that.
00:55:43You had him down four times.
00:55:45You should have gone down.
00:55:45With a puncher of your quality, and, well, you are a puncher, how come this guy hung in there?
00:55:51I mean, did you feel like, what do I got to do to get this guy out of here?
00:55:54Yeah, you know, like you say, I was catching him with some good punches.
00:55:56He took some solid punches going down in the first round.
00:56:00You know, but he was tough.
00:56:02You know, I got carried away with it for a bit.
00:56:05It was my first defense.
00:56:06I got involved with a fight, you know, with a scrap at times.
00:56:09But, you know, I dug deep.
00:56:10You know, he caught me some good punches, but he never had me worried.
00:56:13And then I had to revert to my boxing skills for the next couple of rounds,
00:56:15keep him on the end of the jab, and pick me punches, and that's what I did.
00:56:18And I knew I was going to wear him down.
00:56:20I knew he'd walk.
00:56:20You could tell his punches started to have no power behind him.
00:56:23And I knew I'd just wait five in time.
00:56:24I described him as a house looking like it was falling down a little bit at a time.
00:56:28It was only a question you got.
00:56:29But you caught him with such a perfect punch, and it's almost kind of like the end of the round.
00:56:33Did you anticipate that's about coming to an end?
00:56:35Let's finish this thing.
00:56:36No, he was, you know, I wasn't thinking about time.
00:56:39It was just keep him at the end of the punches.
00:56:41And, you know, I knew that he'd walk into one sooner or later.
00:56:45You know, he's what you call a face fighter.
00:56:47He leads with his face.
00:56:48He was taking a lot of punishment.
00:56:50It was just a case of biding my time, chip away, and bang, I caught him.
00:56:53Standing this close to you, I'm amazed at the number of black and blue marks on your shoulder here.
00:56:59There's a huge hematoma all over your face.
00:57:01It didn't look like you were taking that much punish, but it looked like the other guy.
00:57:04All right, here's a knockout.
00:57:05Now we've got the monitor set up.
00:57:06I want you to look at the knockout, and you'll watch what may be your best right hand you've ever thrown in your life.
00:57:11Here comes a misstep.
00:57:13Now watch this.
00:57:15Keep your hand on your right hand because here he comes.
00:57:17Here he comes.
00:57:18Bow!
00:57:19Is that not a perfect...
00:57:20Beautiful right hand.
00:57:21Yeah, it was like you say.
00:57:22It was coming on all the time.
00:57:24It was just, you know, I threw one early on, and it just missed.
00:57:28You see me just stepping back and stepping back.
00:57:29And he walked right on to it.
00:57:31Just a question of timing.
00:57:33Well, if there was any question about your excitement and not being an exciting fight, I think you can forget about that.
00:57:38You're one of the most exciting guys.
00:57:40That may be one of the best fights we see tonight.
00:57:42And, Frank, I know you want all three of them to be great, but you've got to be very happy with this man.
00:57:46And what comes next?
00:57:47Frank Warren, the British promoter.
00:57:49He's due to have a mandatory defense of his title, so when the WBC lets us know who the mandatory is, we'll get on with the fight.
00:57:54You know, it was good for him tonight.
00:57:56He made a bit of hard work a bit at times.
00:57:57I thought, you know, I thought he was going to stop him.
00:57:58But Pretorius has come in with a good record, and he certainly is a tough guy, and I think he won some defense tonight.
00:58:02But when it comes down to it, you know, the guy dug deep, and that right-handed himself is perfect.
00:58:06I must say, in the interview yesterday, I short-shirted you.
00:58:09I said, I didn't think there was much of that much of this fight.
00:58:12I didn't think it was that much exciting.
00:58:13And you looked at me like I was crazy.
00:58:14He said, wait a minute, wait until you see this guy fight.
00:58:17So I apologize to you.
00:58:18You were right.
00:58:19I was wrong.
00:58:19This is some exciting fighter.
00:58:21And so we go back to Steve Albert at ringside.
00:58:24Good night.
00:58:25All right, to Ferdy and Robin Reed thinking, as long as I keep this nose straight so I can continue to model.
00:58:30Coming up late, later, our main event, the IBF WBO featherweight championship.
00:58:35We go to the dressing room of IBF champ Tom Boom Boom Johnson making the long journey from Detroit.
00:58:39Despite his extended title reign, his clean life, his ambition to become the pastor of his own church, he's gone virtually unnoticed.
00:58:47When he returned to the Motor City after beating Manuel Medina for the title in France, there were no bands, no parades, no fanfare.
00:58:54No one even met him at the airport.
00:58:56He's lost two managers to murder, his longtime trainer Joey Fariello to a heart attack, his current trainer Robert Mitchell is ailing.
00:59:03A 1990 car accident has left Johnson with head scars.
00:59:06In fights, he's had his orbital bone fractured and his hand broken seven times.
00:59:11Yet through all the adversity, Johnson remains remarkably optimistic.
00:59:16When I'm running, I think about the fight itself.
00:59:30You know, from round to round, I think about what's going on.
00:59:36I'm visualizing a lot of things and a lot of tactics that I've seen him do in the past.
00:59:41Things that I can do to shield that and things that I can do to help enhance what I'm capable of.
00:59:54And I know two things for sure, it's fight.
00:59:56I've never fought a fighter like Nassim Hamer.
01:00:00And he's never fought a fighter like Tom Johnson.
01:00:04So it's going to be totally different from the Gopher.
01:00:06I'm very quiet, low-key.
01:00:10I'm methodical and I do what I have to do to win the fight.
01:00:13Never let this down, he goes.
01:00:15He won't get up on this one.
01:00:20My ultimate goal is basically to do what the Lord has me to do.
01:00:27And one thing I would like to do in my life is to pastor my own church.
01:00:33Introducing the prince, Maxine.
01:00:36He's going to be arrogant, he's going to be flashy, he's going to try to steal the show, he's going to try to do this, he's going to try to do that.
01:00:42I will let him do all of that.
01:00:45I have no problem with that.
01:00:47He's going to have to try to steal the fight.
01:00:51Because I'm not giving him the fight.
01:00:53I will give him the stage.
01:00:55But the overall performance, he's going to have to earn.
01:00:57They figure I'm getting old, I'm getting slow, I'm 32, I'm not up to part.
01:01:08You know, so now they feel I'm ripe to be picky.
01:01:11So he's going to rise to the occasion above his normal ability.
01:01:19He's going to do things in this fight that he's never done before.
01:01:24Would that be to his advantage?
01:01:27I don't know.
01:01:28Would that be to a disadvantage?
01:01:29He's a man and I'm a man.
01:01:36He's not going to fight an American when he gets in the ring.
01:01:39I'm not fighting an Englishman, I'm fighting Nassim Hamas.
01:01:44He's fighting Tom Jones.
01:01:46That's who you got to be.
01:01:48That's who I have to be.
01:01:50So there it is, the low key but to the point, Tom Boom Boom Johnson.
01:02:02Will this be an uphill task for a 32-year-old ring warrior who some feel is ripe for the taking?
01:02:08Does Boom Boom Johnson have the antidote for a slick 22-year-old speedster who says to realize his greatness,
01:02:14he has to beat American fighters?
01:02:16Later tonight, Nassim Hamad will get his chance here on his home turf in London.
01:02:22Right now, though, we take you into the dressing room of Irish Steve Collins making final preparations for his...
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