- 6/12/2025
Marvelous Marvin Hagler makes the 2nd defense of the WBC/WBA Middleweight Title against former champion Vito Antuofermo in a rematch on HBO
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00:00there is only one man in the world of boxing who holds an undisputed title on January 17 1981
00:11Marvin Hagler scored an 8th round technical knockout over Fulgencia Obelmajias to retain
00:17his middleweight crown but there was a time when Marvin Hagler was a number one contender
00:22and Vito Anzafermo held the WBA and WBC middleweight titles on November 30th of 1979
00:29they fought to a draw in one of boxing's most controversial fights tonight the long-awaited
00:35rematch
00:36HBO Sports presents
00:59the main event the undisputed middleweight champion Marvin Hagler takes
01:29live from Boston Garden in Boston Massachusetts HBO Sports presents world championship boxing
01:46first the scheduled 10-round middleweight fight between Tony Ciaverini and Mike Baker and then the
01:53main event a scheduled 15-round middleweight championship fight between the undisputed WBA
01:58WBC middleweight champion of the world Marvin Hagler and former middleweight champion Vito Anzafermo
02:05Hello everybody I'm Barry Tompkins and it's a pleasure to share these HBO microphones tonight with
02:11probably the biggest name in boxing refereeing right now Arthur Mercanti and of course our longtime
02:16cohort here on HBO Larry Merchant we've got Vito Anzafermo the former champion against the current
02:22champion Marvin Hagler diverse styles to be sure the good brawler against the good boxer I see it more
02:29as a fight between a contrast in the styles and a difference in styles Barry the reason for that
02:34is even though Hagler is a quicker man and a better boxer he likes to move forward when he fights and so
02:41does Anzafermo in their first fight 18 months ago Hagler had it all his way for six or seven rounds
02:47Anzafermo came on in the end by backing Hagler up if he can back Hagler up he has a chance to make a
02:53fight of it all important factor Arthur Mercanti and that of course is the fact that because
02:58Vito Anzafermo with the type of fighter he is it really puts the onus on the third man in the
03:03ring you have been there many many times tell us a little bit about how the referee controls the
03:07fight specifically this fight yes tonight will be a very very difficult fight for the referee we have
03:12a very competent referee in Davey Pearl from Las Vegas and it is the duty of the referee according to
03:17all athletic commissions throughout the the world the referee must break up clenches as quickly as
03:22possible at the least provocation and if he breaks up these clenches quickly it's definitely to
03:27haggler's advantage and if he breaks them up slowly it's definitely anzafermo's advantage
03:31all right so we've got an outstanding fight upcoming we've got Marvin Hagler Vito at the
03:36promo but before we get to the middleweight championship of the world we've got another
03:39pretty good one to tell you about too
03:40dressing room now and see if we can catch Vito there he is seems sort of relaxed I'm surprised
03:55Arthur that he's allowed to keep that beard yeah there was quite an awful lot of talk about that in
04:00the paper that's very unusual I've never seen it before it can only help him it can't help haggler
04:08and I don't recall seeing a fighter allowed to keep his beard either well it all depends on how bristly
04:13his beard is it might be a soft beard well he's a bristly fellow
04:20there's there's this cut man pretty brown
04:28I wonder if he's going to take a shave between now and the start of the fight
04:31well it's neatly trimmed I'll tell you that though it's not it doesn't look bad
04:35and now in a moment ladies and gentlemen we're going to see Marvin Hagler's door
04:42Marvin Hagler won't let us inside that room and I think I know why he's trying to grow a beard as
04:49fast as he can so that Antifermo won't have any edge on him number seven lucky seven that's a lucky
04:57number Antifermo had said that if they made him shave his beard he would have them make Marvin wear a wig
05:03we await the middleweight championship of the world that between Marvin Hagler and Vito Atifermo
05:09and the middleweight division in general Arthur I think has been one that has been not only had a lot of
05:13history but has had a lot of great champions champions that have gone on for a long period of time
05:17now it's time to look at the newest champion Marvin Hagler where do you put him amongst all the greats
05:22well I think that this fight will probably tell the tale I do think that Marvin Hagler is a very very good fighter
05:27and I think he is going to compare with the he will compare with the boxers of yesteryear
05:32this has been uh traditionally a very fine division they're strong and they're powerful
05:38and this is a fight that's uh pitting a slugger up against a boxer and it should make a very interesting
05:43fight well it's been a division of great champions it's been a division of great rivalries some
05:48champions have gone on for a long time the one thing about which there is no question and that is one that
05:53it has been wrought with history in the late 1940s Tony Zale and Rocky Graciato fought three times for the
05:59middleweight crown Zale won twice Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta fought five classic battles in their
06:05early years but Sugar Ray won their only title fight in 1951 between 57 and 61 Gene Fulmer handled Sugar Ray
06:13winning three of their four championship fights at the same time Sugar Ray battled Carmen Basilio for the title
06:19each winning a split decision and in the 70s Carlos Monzon dethroned Nino Benvenuti beating him twice
06:26and now the newest middleweight rivalry champion Marvin Hagler's rematch with former title holder Vito Antifermo
06:33live from the Boston Garden in Boston Massachusetts it's the main event a scheduled 15 round fight for the
06:49undisputed WBA and WBC middleweight championship of the world between middleweight title holder Marvin Hagler
06:56and former champion Vito Antifermo
07:02while we await the start of the middleweight championship Hagler and Antifermo and the first fight of course created
07:07all kinds of controversy Arthur and it puts the onus this time once again as we talked about at the top of the show
07:12on the third man in the ring now the first time it was a guy by the name of Mills Lane this time it'll be Davey Pearl
07:17you had a chance to talk to Mills Lane about what a job he had yes I spoke to Mills Lane earlier this week in Las Vegas
07:23and he said it was a very tough fight to handle particularly because of all the clinching
07:27but this is the this is the style of Rantifermo
07:30he has to get in and clinch and maul and push and pull and wear his opponent down
07:34whereas Hagler would rather have him off him and if the referee breaks quickly tonight of course
07:39Hagler will be at an advantage
07:40well Marvin Hagler and Vito Antifermo have had an episodic kind of rivalry
07:44it's been one fought not only with gloves but with words that first fight well that was one for the books
07:53the rivalry between Marvin Hagler and Vito Antifermo dates back to 1978
07:58and both men were top contenders for Hugo Coro's crown
08:01and when the title shot arrived in June of 1979
08:04it was Vito Antifermo who stepped forward and battered Hugo Coro to win the middleweight crown
08:09Marvin Hagler fought on the undercard of that main event
08:12and at a press conference the day before
08:14Hagler claimed it was he who deserved the shot at Coro's title
08:17the press found that Hagler's vengeance is much better copy than Vito's capturing the crown
08:22I was upset about the way how they was doing things and how this guy go around me and write him for a title shot
08:29I guess they both like a bunch of imagery and I remember the mark that I made and I said I can whoop them both in the same night
08:34since I was the champion and he started like taking away the publicity that I you know that I wanted
08:44I said you got to be the first guy I want to fight
08:47so five months later Vito Antifermo gave Marvin Hagler his long awaited shot
08:52Hagler's pre-fight barbs caused Antifermo to say I never hated a guy so much
08:57I remember you know that I said hey nowhere in the world this guy is going to whoop me
09:01you have to hype the fight out you know me with my little gimmicks about the mosquito and everything like this
09:06I felt as though that if I wasn't talking if I didn't have your little gimmicks or anything like that
09:11Marvin Hagler wouldn't be here today
09:13when he finally got a shot against Vito he said now is my chance
09:17this guy who refused to fight me before
09:19now this Vito the mosquito is going to get squatted like a fly
09:25Vito didn't listen instead they fought one of the most brutal and controversial championship fights in middleweight history
09:30when the decision was announced as a draw and Vito Antifermo retained the title
09:34Hagler was despondent
09:36to this day both camps insist that they were victorious
09:39most of the people that I've talked to
09:42they know I won the fight
09:44and they know the only guy that beat Hagler is me
09:47right now I just want to prove to the world that I won that fight
09:51but that's the fight that made Vito
09:53and that's the fight that made Hagler look bad for his mouth
09:58he just took his belts back you know what I mean that's the way they want to play it
10:02but I felt as though there should have been an automatic rematch between Antifermo and I
10:06but Jose Sullivan of the WBC insisted that Vito defend against number one ranked Alan Minter
10:12so the rematch between Hagler and Antifermo was shelved
10:15this time it was Vito who was on the short end of a controversial decision
10:18Marvin Hagler was forced to sit and wait
10:21Minter and Antifermo fought the first time
10:24and there was a split decision
10:26a controversial split decision but nevertheless a split decision not a draw
10:31they turned around and they had an immediate rematch
10:35and they forced Marvin to fight three other opponents
10:37and beat all three ranked in the top ten
10:40before he could have his promised second shot at the time
10:45so every time Marvin got the fast shuffle
10:48he got a little bit more determined
10:51and a little bit more angry at this Antifermo person
10:57Vito was given the rematch with Minter
10:59this time the bout took place in the new champions home London England
11:02and it was the task of Marvin to try to understand
11:04why Vito Antifermo was given a second chance to gain the middleweight title
11:08they know they can't whoop you
11:11so they gotta push you out of the picture
11:13and it just put me on a warpath
11:15I couldn't see how all of a sudden they went around me
11:18and right into Antifermo
11:21you know it shouldn't have been that way
11:23I just started destroying my opponents
11:25you know I want everything hard for me
11:27because when it's hard then it makes me work hard
11:29I don't like things that come easy to me
11:31finally on September 27th 1980
11:34it was Marvin's turn to try and take Minter's title
11:36Vito Antifermo was an interested observer
11:39so of course I was going for Hagler
11:42and I seen Hagler in the hotel and I told them what to expect
11:48I don't listen to this
11:49right now I have Minter on my mind
11:50I don't even want to look at Antifermo's face
11:52Marvin Hagler mauled Alan Minter
11:55the middleweight title was his
11:56still Vito Antifermo was not a believer
11:59anybody that he fought or he's going to fight
12:02he's going to destroy it
12:03because he's got that style
12:04as long as he fights this kind of guy
12:06he's going to look good
12:07until he fights me
12:09when he beat Alan Minter in the third round
12:12the first thing he wanted to do
12:14was to get back into the ring against Vito the Mosquito
12:18because that was the only blemish on Marvin Hagler's record
12:21which brings us to tonight
12:23the culmination of three years of a bitter rivalry
12:26Marvin Hagler and Vito Antifermo
12:30now he's got that chip on his shoulder
12:32it's just something that I have to prove to the people and to myself
12:40and he intends to make sure that the American public
12:44remembers Vito Antifermo as being a loser
12:50to Marvin Hagler
12:52Wayne Wright's I don't know
12:54he's I think he's a kook
13:01at this point right now
13:02I'm much better in shape than I ever was
13:05for the first act of a fight
13:06it's just that it just had to happen
13:08and I knew it would have to happen
13:10you know
13:11and just with time
13:20well where there is Vito Antifermo
13:22there is a brawler
13:23where there is a brawler
13:24there are cuts
13:25where there are cuts
13:26there is controversy
13:27and that is the subject of what Larry Merchant has to say right now
13:30Larry
13:31the controversy between these two fighters
13:34reached comic operetta proportion this week
13:37although with serious undertones
13:39the dispute came over the kind of salve
13:42that Antifermo can use over the cuts that inevitably come
13:46and usually over his eyes
13:48for his part Antifermo would use the strongest potion that anyone could make
13:53even if it was illegal and even if it could damage his eyes
13:57he let them use a blow torch or a soldering iron if it would extend the fight for a round or two
14:02or his career for a fight or two
14:04for their part the haggler people aren't necessarily worried about Antifermo's health
14:09they'd like to see him bleed like the Red Sea if it would end the fight as soon as possible
14:15well nobody ever said the Boston Garden was a rose garden
14:19in fact between their two fights just about six months ago
14:24Antifermo was operated on surgically to cut down on the bone over his eyes
14:30in the hopes that that would cut down the bleeding that he usually suffers
14:34the one fight he's had since then
14:36he did not suffer any cuts over there
14:38but he did spring leaks elsewhere
14:40and he was knocked down twice
14:42Antifermo has been a brave bull through his career
14:45strong very sturdy durable a tough man and spirited
14:50but tonight his real problem isn't the sob over his eyes
14:55so much as the bomb he'll need after his expected defeat
14:59now back to Barry
15:01well thank you Larry some astute observations I think
15:03since the surgery that Larry Merchant talked about
15:05Vito Antifermo has had only one fight
15:07he won that fight
15:08it was a decision over Mauricio Aldana
15:10and he did cut
15:12it did not cut in the area that he had the surgery however
15:15and the cut was caused not by any punches
15:17but rather by a butt
15:19he said it was one of the toughest fights of his career
15:21and he was something less than an impressive winner
15:24as Antifermo comes down now toward the ring apron
15:27and steps into the ring for his try
15:29yet another championship try
15:31against Marvin Hagler
15:33there is Vito Antifermo
15:34and I don't think there's any question
15:36who the public choice will be here in Boston
15:38listen to the crowd and listen to the reaction
15:46Antifermo looking all business
15:48there was another factor in that fight against Aldana
15:51and that was the fact that he was knocked down twice
15:53in the first round of that fight
15:55and that is the only two times
15:57that Vito Antifermo has been knocked off his feet in his career
16:00so whether or not that's a factor Larry Merchant
16:03remains to be seen
16:04he was quite cold at that time
16:06he was more concerned with his cuts than anything else
16:10but if this is his last hurrah
16:12he's going to be well paid
16:14he'll get $200,000 for this fight
16:17Hagler will get at least twice that
16:20possibly more depending on the gate
16:23Arthur Mercanti
16:24let's talk a little bit about strategies
16:26Vito Antifermo lost the first few rounds
16:28in his last fight against Marvin Hagler
16:29what does that mean?
16:30is he going to have to come out a little bit stronger
16:32than he did the last time?
16:33well the strategy
16:34Vito's strategy is
16:36the longer the fight goes on
16:38the better chances he has
16:39and that was indicated by their first fight
16:41that went to a draw
16:42because he came on very strong
16:43from the eighth and ninth round on
16:45he won on the practically all three officials
16:48unanimously agreed that he came on strong
16:50and won those latter rounds
16:52both fighters claim that they won that last fight
16:54and of course was voted a draw
16:56and probably one of the most controversial championship fights in history
17:00it screamed for immediate for an immediate rematch
17:02but that was not to be
17:04not to be until tonight
17:05June 13th 1980
17:07and this is the fight that everybody has been waiting for
17:10Vito Antifermo who has sprouted a new beard
17:13and incidentally we talked a little bit about the beard
17:15we thought perhaps there might be even more controversy
17:17and people asking him to shave the beard
17:19that has not been the case either
17:21no I uh
17:22it's the first time in all my experience in boxing
17:24and I've seen a boxer like Antifermo tonight with a beard
17:27but look
17:28but looking at his beard
17:30it seems to be kind of a soft bristle beard
17:32it's not an annoying tackle
17:34annoying
17:35I think the crowd now tells you what is happening outside the ring
17:39coming out of the locker room
17:40and making his way toward the ring now
17:42is the champion
17:43the undisputed middleweight champion
17:45and a man who right now
17:46could probably be elected mayor here in the city of Boston
17:49he is from just down the road in Brockton
17:51Marvin Hagler making his way into the ring
17:53used an old psychology on the challenge of Vito Antifermo
17:57he made him come in first and wait for him
18:00that was a great way
18:01coming down toward the ring now
18:02Marvin Hagler
18:07probably the most popular athlete
18:10in the state of Massachusetts right now
18:12and that is with all due respects
18:14but the likes of Carl Yuskler
18:15and Larry Bird
18:19walken seems to be producing some pretty good players
18:23it's interesting also to tell you when I'm from Brockton now
18:26originally born and raised in Brockton
18:29Fighters and great officials, it seems.
18:30Marvin Hagler comes into the ring amidst the chairs of the crowd here at the Boston Garden.
18:35A crowd that looks to be close to a full house.
18:38There was some discussion about the fact that maybe Marvin Hagler wasn't promoting this fight,
18:43selling tickets to this fight as well as he should have.
18:46Well, the end result has been a near full house.
18:49And we are just about set to go to the ring announcer now for the introduction of the fighters.
18:52Here's Nuno Cam.
18:53Nuno.
18:53Ladies and gentlemen, the feature attraction of the evening,
19:0115 rounds for the middleweight championship of the world.
19:08Promoted by top rank Bob Arum, New York, and Rip Valenti, Boston.
19:16This bout is under the supervision of the Massachusetts State Boxing Commission.
19:23Commissions are Jen Alcabias, John Leighani, and Jim McCarrett.
19:32Officials working for this part are judges,
19:38Tony Castellano of Jackson Heights, New York,
19:43Bob Roche, Denham, Massachusetts.
19:47Referee, Dan Cole, Las Vegas, Nevada.
19:53Timekeeper, James Rory, Brock and Mass.
19:58And counting for the knockdowns,
20:01George D. Philippo, Everett Mass.
20:04Attacking position at the ringside,
20:07Dr. William Feltman-Springfield,
20:10and Dr. A.P. Blumenthal,
20:14Hall of Fame Hospital.
20:16Boxing will now have their instructions from the referee.
20:24Davey Pearl calling the fighters together in the center of the ring.
20:28The inevitable stares going on.
20:31Both fighters seemingly very relaxed
20:33as we await the start of round one of the middleweight championship.
20:36Those are the shortest instructions I've ever seen.
20:38They know what this is about.
20:40That's right.
20:42I noticed that Hagler is sporting a beard also, isn't he?
20:46Here's the tail of the tape right here.
20:47Comparable numbers, as you see.
20:50Each man coming in right around 160 pounds.
20:53Hagler right out 160.
20:54Antifermo a pound and a quarter less.
20:56Little to choose between the two.
20:58Round one.
20:59Antifermo the challenger.
21:00He wants back what he once had.
21:02Marvin Hagler the champion.
21:03He has what Antifermo had and what he wants.
21:08Hagler will switch from lefty to righty.
21:12Antifermo, generally speaking, will bore in.
21:16Hagler, the aggressor early on, missed with those.
21:20Hagler's best bet in this fight is stay in long range
21:23and keep onto the firm on the outside.
21:25I think that's possibly what he's going to do.
21:26And right away, a butt, and on the first occasion,
21:31a butt has opened the forehead
21:33right below the hairline of Vito Antifermo.
21:36And it was Antifermo who instigated the butt.
21:39And so, 45 seconds into the first round,
21:41it can't have an effect.
21:43It is a nasty cut.
21:45A nasty cut.
21:47It cuts right at the top of the forehead,
21:49nothing to do with his surgery, however.
21:50Freddie Brown is yelling to the referee, Davey Pearl.
21:58Let's talk about that for a minute, Arthur.
21:59Now, what would he be saying?
22:01Well, he's telling Freddie Brown to sit down,
22:03not to come up on the ring apron,
22:04which is really illegal.
22:06It could create a fine situation.
22:08What did Brown want?
22:09What did Brown want?
22:09Brown wanted Davey Pearl to look for the head.
22:12He probably thinks it was the fault of Hagler on that butt.
22:16Now, Davey Pearl is going to have to make a decision
22:18on whether it was an accidental or an intentional butt.
22:20Is that not right?
22:20That's his decision to make.
22:21That's correct.
22:23And if the fight winds up being called
22:26because of an accidental butt,
22:27it is a technical draw,
22:29and Marvin Hagler will retain the championship.
22:32A very, very unfortunate thing early in the fight.
22:34We expected to see a bloody fight,
22:36but we did not expect to see it
22:38for the reasons that it was caused.
22:40That was certainly an accidental butt.
22:41It wasn't delivered on that part of anybody.
22:43It's just the style of Antifermo who comes in
22:45with his head down that way,
22:46and that's what started.
22:48Well, you hate to see a championship fight
22:50go like that this early.
22:52It happened 45 seconds into the first round.
22:55There has been not a serious punch thrown,
22:57not a punch that has done any damage.
22:59It was a butt on the first lunge, if you will,
23:02of the fight by Vito Antifermo.
23:03There's a lot of blood.
23:05I think that Hagler was equally as surprised
23:07as Antifermo when he came out and saw the blood.
23:10It's just a shame
23:11because whatever artistry there might have been
23:14in this fight will be for naught.
23:18Well, it might appear to be much worse
23:22than it really is.
23:23After Freddie Brown works,
23:24then he'll have a better determination.
23:26It will be a crannic one minute between rounds,
23:29between the first and second round.
23:30The first round, I must say,
23:32has been an interminable three minutes.
23:34There is a lot of blood right below the hairline
23:40of Vito Antifermo.
23:45The real question is whether the blood
23:47is getting into Antifermo's eyes.
23:50The blood, the cut is not a dangerous cut.
23:52It's whether the blood blinds Antifermo.
23:54And to this minute,
23:56you can't really say that it affected him.
23:59Let's take a look in the Vito Antifermo's motor now.
24:02It is going to be a crannic one minute.
24:04No question about it.
24:05Get out.
24:09Freddie Brown is going to have to get out
24:11the blowtorch on this one.
24:12Now, can they, let me ask you
24:17a rather technical question here, Arthur.
24:20Can Davey Pearl call what would be
24:22the equivalent of a timeout
24:23and give them time to reveal that
24:25because it was an accidental fight?
24:26No, no, he cannot do that.
24:27No, no.
24:29Freddie Brown has just got to do the best he can
24:31to stop that bleeding.
24:32And if he doesn't, he's going to interfere,
24:33as Larry says, with his sight.
24:36The doctor is sticking his nose in there
24:38and examining his eyes, as you can see.
24:42And there is a great discussion
24:45going on in the corner right now.
24:50Freddie Brown is saying,
24:51stop the fight.
24:52No fight.
24:56Freddie Brown is telling his man
24:57not to fight.
24:58Freddie Brown is saying,
24:59no fight.
25:08And as Panama Lewis in the ring,
25:10the crowd is booing.
25:12Freddie Brown is trying to tell the official
25:24that Hagler butted him.
25:27They're going over to Walter Byers,
25:29who's the chairman of the Massachusetts
25:31Boxing Commission,
25:32to plead their case
25:33and maybe to try to get some extra time
25:36for Hagler.
25:38Let's see if we can hear what's going on.
25:40I don't think the fight will be stopped.
25:47The official has said,
25:51the referee has said
25:53that he wants the fight to go on.
25:55Walter Byers has said
25:56the fight to go on.
25:58That means that if they don't
26:00let the fight go on,
26:01Anthony Breville will be declared the loser.
26:03That's right.
26:04That's right.
26:04That's right.
26:05But Freddie Brown is the one
26:07who insisted that the fight was over with.
26:10Anthony Breville wants to fight.
26:12Well, I think now
26:13what Davey Pearl should do
26:14is clear the ring,
26:15get Freddie Brown
26:16and get that trainer out of there
26:17and get the fight going.
26:18These two fighters might now,
26:20as you see them in the middle of the ring,
26:21start fighting.
26:25How did he get him out of the ring?
26:27He's not going to get this call
26:28and get the ball of the ring.
26:29Behind us,
26:35promoter Barb Arum
26:37is yelling at the referee
26:38to get them out of the ring
26:39or else their fighter
26:41will be disqualified.
26:44I don't know
26:45if Freddie Brown
26:47was trying to be clever
26:48and save his fighter
26:49a few minutes
26:50to give that cut a chance
26:52or not.
26:53Whether he was just excited
26:55and genuinely believed
26:56what he was arguing about.
26:57I do believe that's true.
27:01Well, he was pretty adamant about it.
27:02Round two.
27:04They have not been able
27:05to stem the flow of blood
27:06completely from Vito Antifermo.
27:07That certainly will change
27:08Antifermo's tactics.
27:10Antifermo's just going to have
27:11to go out there and get him.
27:13There is no further flood.
27:15You'll notice that Antifermo
27:16does lead with his head
27:17an awful lot.
27:17He's got his head up
27:18and he leads in first
27:19with his head.
27:19There was no question
27:20but that he lunged
27:21at Marvin Hackman.
27:24And when he came up,
27:25there was a nasty cut
27:26on the forehead.
27:27We then had about
27:29a two-minute debate
27:30at the start of round two
27:32and Hagler sticks in
27:33pretty good that time.
27:37And a right hand
27:38by Antifermo scores.
27:40Hagler trying to measure his man.
27:42Both fighters are going to have
27:43to get their concentration back.
27:45There had to be a lapse
27:45of concentration
27:46during that discussion.
27:51Antifermo is giving
27:52all that he can.
27:53He's just trying to do,
27:54just trying to knock him out
27:55with one punch
27:55which is really quite
27:56impossible for him.
27:59Hagler, of course,
27:59has not lost a fight
28:00since 1976.
28:02Ironically, the two fights
28:03he did lose in 1976,
28:04the only two fights
28:05he's lost in his career,
28:06he lost within
28:06a two-month period.
28:09And blood again shows,
28:10this time under the eye,
28:11actually,
28:12Antifermo.
28:12Antifermo.
28:12Antifermo, Hagler
28:13goes after him,
28:14hits a recombination.
28:15This has nothing to do
28:16with the butt
28:17in the first round.
28:18Another right hand
28:18scores against Antifermo
28:20who now leans in
28:21on Marvin Hagler,
28:22the champion.
28:24Antifermo is totally
28:25defenseless at this point
28:26and he's got another cut
28:27right under the left eye.
28:32And now the cut
28:33from the forehead
28:34again showing blood
28:35about halfway
28:37through round two.
28:42And Hagler continues
28:43to pepper the forehead now.
28:47His forehead is not
28:48spouting blood
28:49as seriously as it did
28:51in the first round.
28:52That's very important.
28:54Freddie Brown did
28:55an excellent job
28:56of starting with
28:57stopping the flow of blood.
28:58And again, Hagler
28:59sticking that right hand
29:00on the forehead
29:01of Vito Antifermo.
29:05But while it looks like
29:06there's a lot of blood,
29:07there is not as much blood
29:08certainly as there was
29:09in the first round.
29:12Vito keeps coming in
29:14continually if he would try
29:15and of course he can't
29:16because that's his style
29:17just to back up a little bit
29:18and get a little rest
29:19but he won't do it.
29:20Hagler effectively
29:21sticking that right hand
29:22in the face
29:22of a bloodied Vito Antifermo
29:24who comes back now
29:25with combinations
29:26to the head and body
29:27but not very effectively.
29:31Once again, Antifermo
29:32with two right hands.
29:35And a left hand
29:37by Hagler
29:37as he has Antifermo
29:38against the rope
29:39Antifermo spins away.
29:43And we come to the end
29:44of round two.
29:45Two fighters
29:46exchanging words.
29:50Well, this is what is known
29:52as a bloody war.
29:54Let's see what they're doing
29:55in there now
29:55if we can get under
29:57Freddie Brown's arm.
29:58He's applying all of the skill
30:00and while of a half a century
30:01in the ring
30:02he's standing the flow
30:04of that blood
30:05after that first round
30:07with that long delay
30:08he's back on top of it now.
30:12Now let's take a look
30:13at the butt
30:14that caused
30:15the bloody
30:16that bloody flood.
30:20There it right
30:20is right there
30:21as you saw Antifermo
30:22jump in
30:23he definitely jumped in
30:25you can see the blood
30:26starting to trickle
30:27over his left eye
30:28right now
30:28there's Antifermo
30:29going to it
30:30and he senses it.
30:31Very definitely
30:32as we earlier saw
30:34it was Antifermo
30:35leaping into Hagler.
30:38Guy was leading
30:39with his head
30:39not leading
30:40with his right or left.
30:41Should point out
30:41Larry Merchant
30:42always the fastest
30:43right here
30:43not to indicate
30:44this is a bloody fight
30:45but Larry folks
30:46is wearing a bib
30:47a lobster bib.
30:52Round three
30:53in the meantime
30:53see what a job
30:54Freddie Brown has done.
30:56good left hand
30:58that time
30:59by Hagler
30:59Antifermo
31:00also has a cut
31:01underneath
31:02the left eye
31:03Hagler's jab
31:06is very effective
31:06tonight
31:07and another good
31:08right hand
31:08right to the eye
31:09and again
31:10another jab
31:11always on the
31:12damaged area
31:13always on the
31:14damaged area
31:15it may not be
31:16a pretty scene
31:16but it is the job
31:17it seems that
31:19Hagler
31:19and there is a left hand
31:21that puts
31:21Antifermo down
31:22a left hand
31:23with a forehead
31:24by Marvin Hagler
31:25put him right
31:26on his backside
31:27didn't seem to hurt him
31:33seemed to stun him
31:34more than it did hurt him
31:35he didn't seem to know
31:36where he was
31:37for a moment
31:37that is only the third time
31:39in the career
31:40of Vito Antifermo
31:41that he has been
31:41knocked down
31:42twice in his last fight
31:44and again
31:59blood showing
32:00from the scalp
32:00of Vito Antifermo
32:01showing more
32:04in this round
32:04actually
32:05than it did
32:05in the last round
32:06Hagler
32:09just kind of
32:10measuring his
32:10a great left jab
32:14Hagler seems quite calm
32:15not excited at all
32:17and he's using
32:20a great left jab
32:21his jab is just great
32:22that right jab
32:23is just scoring
32:24at all times
32:25at that vulnerable cut
32:26Hagler who often
32:27will switch
32:28to a right hand style
32:29unlikely to do so
32:30in this case
32:30because all the damage
32:31is to the left side
32:32Vito Antifermo's face
32:35so you would have
32:35to think he would likely
32:36stay with that right jab
32:38and coming in
32:41underneath the defense
32:42that time
32:43and staggering
32:44Antifermo once again
32:45is Marvin Hagler
32:46again Antifermo
32:51coming at his man
32:52trying to smother him
32:52there is blood on Hagler
32:53now too
32:54but it is from
32:55Antifermo
32:55and Hagler again
32:57peppering his man
32:57two, three, four times
32:59to the face
33:00of Vito Antifermo
33:01it just seems to be
33:02too much head contact
33:03if you'll notice
33:04one on the inside
33:05and now blood flowing
33:08freely again
33:08from the forehead
33:09of Vito Antifermo
33:10and most of that
33:12really is still being
33:13done with the head
33:14not with the fists
33:15and Hagler that time
33:26hitting on the break
33:27apologizing to Marvin
33:29to Vito Antifermo
33:30to say that Vito Antifermo
33:35his game would be
33:35to make a great
33:36understatement
33:36yeah
33:37he is a mauling
33:39brawling type of fighter
33:40who never never gives up
33:41he's just very brave in that
33:42I think we mentioned earlier
33:43he has been cut
33:44in every fight
33:45that he's had
33:46with one exception
33:47and that was a fight
33:48that he lost
33:48in a 15 round decision
33:49going back to
33:53Antifermo's corner
33:54I don't think
33:55to
33:55let's take a look
33:56at the knockdown here
33:57after using his jab
33:59Hagler had
34:00had Antifermo
34:02very jab conscious
34:03and he came across
34:04with a left hand
34:04there's a jab
34:05right over the eye
34:06it's a good straight jab
34:08a right jab
34:09that one was a little bit
34:10lower under the eye
34:11and obviously Antifermo
34:13has to be very conscious
34:14and there was a left hand
34:15a short straight left hand
34:16as Antifermo
34:18was looking again
34:19for that right jab
34:20here it is
34:20from another angle
34:21I believe
34:21here's the right hand
34:23over the eye
34:24the right under the eye
34:25and now watch
34:26that left hand
34:27a straight left hand
34:28and I think
34:29having seen it now
34:30it looked like
34:31he caught
34:31Antifermo coming in
34:33and a little bit
34:34off balance
34:34it wasn't a devastating blow
34:36and obviously
34:37for the rest of the round
34:38there weren't any
34:39serious effects
34:40in Antifermo
34:41as we said
34:41it seemed to just
34:42stun him more
34:43than it did hurt him
34:43I don't think
34:44I've ever seen a fighter
34:45like Antifermo
34:46who went further
34:47with his will
34:49and so little skill
34:51I don't think
34:52there's any question
34:53about it
34:53the first round
34:55but of course
34:56having a profound effect
34:58on the fight
34:58although right at this
34:59juncture of the fight
34:59you would have to say
35:00that it's Marvin Hagler's
35:01fight regardless
35:01the blood really
35:02has not so much
35:03gotten in the eyes
35:03of Vito Antifermo
35:05and Marvin Hagler
35:08if you notice
35:08he's boxing a lot now
35:10he's from the outside
35:11coming in
35:12and as we said before
35:13jabbing and jabbing
35:14and coming across
35:14with that defective left
35:15looks as though
35:16there could be
35:16a little bit of a cut
35:17on the brow now
35:18the left eye
35:18of Vito Antifermo
35:19too although
35:20that may just be blood
35:21from the top of the head
35:21this fight is beginning
35:25to resemble a fight
35:26I saw many years ago
35:27the second Sugar Ray
35:28Robinson Basilio fight
35:29in which Basilio's left eye
35:32looked like a gargoyle
35:33it was closed early on
35:34but you saw that right hand
35:36by Marvin Hagler
35:37and Antifermo now is cut
35:39under the right eye
35:40Antifermo is being beaten
35:43to the punch at all times
35:44he just won't
35:51stay on the outside
35:53he must get on the inside
35:54and the blood really showing
35:57actually from under
35:57the right eye
35:58of Antifermo
35:59even more
35:59than the cut
36:00from the butt
36:01it is well
36:03under the right eye
36:03alongside the bridge
36:04of the nose actually
36:05Antifermo also has a swelling
36:13now around the right eye
36:14it's kind of black and blue
36:15down below
36:16you see it
36:16and bleeding from below that
36:18yeah
36:18what had happened
36:21before the operation
36:22with Antifermo
36:23was that he actually
36:23bled internally first
36:25and then of course
36:25the blood had no place to go
36:26so it cut much easier
36:28that was the reason
36:29he had that operation
36:30in the first place
36:31was to smooth out
36:32I think he's opened it now
36:34the supraorbital ridge
36:36above his eyes
36:37how's that for
36:38non-doctor
36:39you know your anatomy
36:45quite good
36:46don't you believe it
36:48I read books
36:49my mother still wants me
36:51to be a doctor
36:51not too late
36:53gotta have something
36:55to fall back on
36:55when you're in this business
36:56once again
37:00Marvin Hagler
37:01forcing the action here
37:02and really having it
37:03all his own way
37:04and now Antifermo
37:06comes back a little bit
37:07Antifermo fighting on guts
37:08there's no question
37:09and the most blood now
37:11ironically on Antifermo
37:12shows from the right side
37:13of his face
37:14which was not the side
37:15of his face
37:15that was damaged early on
37:16Antifermo takes so many punches
37:18just to get one to two in
37:19once again
37:23it looks like another head butt
37:24oh now Antifermo
37:27seemed to deliberately butt him
37:29and now Hagler
37:31gets the warning
37:32and more blood shows
37:34from now the right brow
37:35of Vito Antifermo
37:36it is not pretty
37:42end of round four
37:47looking at Antifermo
37:53very definitely
37:55the ridges over his eyes
37:58that used to spring
37:58leaks all the time
38:00have receded
38:01but as I said earlier
38:03he's now springing leaks
38:04from every place else
38:05although he does have a cut
38:07I can see right now
38:08he's got a three or four inch
38:10gash over his right eye
38:11and that's the cut
38:12that can end the fight
38:13right there
38:16you can see them
38:18trying to treat that cut
38:19over his right eye
38:20that's the one
38:22that can end the fight
38:23and once again
38:32there is a discussion
38:33raging
38:33Freddie Brown
38:34has been arguing
38:34with Davey Pearl
38:35and again
38:36Freddie Brown says
38:37the fight is over
38:38and Davey Pearl
38:39says the fight
38:39should go on
38:40Freddie Brown
38:41I heard him say
38:42disqualify him
38:43meaning Hagler
38:44disqualify Hagler
38:45leave it up to the fighter
38:46at this point
38:47and now you heard
38:51Davey Pearl
38:52said he quits
38:53Marvin Hagler's hand
38:54is raised
38:55Vito at Supermo
38:57does not like it
38:58and it is a fight
39:08once again
39:08there was controversy
39:09coming into the fight
39:10there was controversy
39:11after the fight
39:12there was a lot of
39:14bullying going on
39:15but it's just unfortunate
39:36that's the style
39:36of Vito
39:39coming in that way
39:39and it's going to happen
39:40I don't think there's
39:41any question
39:42but that the first
39:42but was an accidental
39:43but there's a little
39:44question about that
39:45there were a couple
39:46in this round
39:47that I guess
39:47could be open
39:48to interpretation
39:48but nonetheless
39:49it was the first one
39:50that really did the damage
39:51let's take a look again
39:54just 45 seconds
39:55into the fight
39:56here is what happened
39:57that's a promo
39:58on the right now
39:59he'll lunge
40:00and he'll hit the side
40:00of the head
40:01right there
40:01you can see him
40:02just jolt his head back
40:03and right there
40:05you can see the blood
40:05start to form already
40:06Vito feels it
40:08knows he's been cut
40:09puts the glove to the head
40:10and for all intent
40:11and purpose
40:12that was really
40:12the end of the fight
40:13you look at the winner
40:14Marvin Hagler
40:15it'll be interesting
40:16to see as Larry Merchant
40:17tries to fight his way
40:18in to talk with Marvin Hagler
40:22and we'll have the champion
40:23in just a moment
40:23to be able to see
40:24what he has to say
40:25I would not be a bit surprised
40:27if he would not be willing
40:30to give Vito at the promo
40:31yet another shot
40:32just based on the way
40:33this one
40:33no I don't think so
40:34I think that's quite final
40:35Marvin Hagler
40:39holding the championship
40:40felt high above his head
40:41Hagler
40:43they all have a little
40:44better security
40:45in the ring
40:45don't you think
40:46it is a mob scene
40:47in the ring right now
40:48but it's been a fight
40:49that has been
40:49as you mentioned
40:49wrought with controversy
40:50right from the beginning
40:51there was controversy
40:52before the fighters
40:53ever got into the ring
40:53there was controversy
40:54at the rules meeting
40:55yesterday
40:56there was controversy
40:57at the weigh-in today
40:58and we get to the fight
40:59itself and right away
41:00there is more controversy
41:01another great irony
41:02is the simple fact
41:03that at the rules meeting
41:03yesterday
41:04during which time
41:05there was all this
41:06discussion about
41:06just what could be used
41:07on the cuts
41:08Freddie Brown kept quiet
41:09tonight he was the guy
41:11that was doing the screaming
41:12right now let's go up
41:13to Larry Merchant
41:15who was with the winner
41:16Marvin Hagler
41:16okay Marvin
41:18how did you see
41:19what happened
41:20in the first round
41:21well you see
41:22in the first round
41:22the promo comes straight
41:23at me with his head
41:24that was his own fault
41:25he knows that he's
41:26vulnerable to cuts
41:29and everything like that
41:30seemed like he would
41:30try to keep away
41:31or whatever
41:32instead of ramming
41:33straight on
41:33with his head
41:34you're not suggesting
41:34that he did it deliberately
41:35he was just leading
41:37with his head
41:37no he was
41:38and in our first fight
41:39that's what he's done here
41:40but I'm glad that we had
41:40a great referee today
41:41that was very aware
41:43of everything
41:43and he watched the butts
41:45he watched the holdings
41:46and everything
41:47so I felt very confident
41:48there at least I had
41:49a good referee in there
41:50and I just wanted to
41:51I really wasn't
41:52loosened up yet
41:52I was just starting
41:53to put things together
41:54what did you think
41:55of all of the furor
41:57that was going on
41:58in his quarter
41:58with Freddie Brown
41:59Brown apparently wanted
42:00the fight stopped
42:01on a technicality
42:02and meanwhile
42:03he was giving
42:04Antifermo a chance
42:05to heal
42:05sure
42:06well you know
42:07I think that they did
42:08come in with some of that
42:09stuff on top of his head
42:10I don't know what they were
42:11using but it's kind of
42:12dangerous to another fighter
42:13because that stuff gets in my eyes
42:15in which it did
42:15I went back to my corner
42:16and he wiped it out of my eyes
42:18it's kind of bad
42:19it blinds a fighter
42:20once the fight continued
42:22were you deliberately
42:23going for that cut
42:24it did not appear
42:24to be in a dangerous place
42:26I was just putting
42:27my punches together
42:28which you see me
42:28just starting to loosen up
42:29putting my combinations together
42:31I felt like I was
42:32a little tight in the beginning
42:33but I knew that this guy
42:34wasn't the same fighter
42:35that I fought back there
42:36in 79
42:37because he was much
42:38too easy
42:39and he gave me
42:40I moved
42:40had a little bit more distance
42:42like I said
42:43after that fight
42:43there with Antifermo
42:44the first time
42:45I went back to school
42:46what did Antifermo
42:48say to you at the end
42:49first of all
42:50I just want to say
42:51that Antifermo
42:52helped me buy my mother
42:53right there
42:54a house
42:54and I want to say
42:56thank her
42:56it's her birthday
42:57June 17th
42:58and that house
42:59will be hers
42:59what did he say
43:00to you at the end
43:01well he wants another
43:02rematch or whatever
43:03like that
43:04hey it's not fair
43:05how things have to end
43:07that way
43:07but hey in this game
43:08everything counts
43:09so it wasn't fair
43:11the way they took it
43:12from me in the draw
43:12either
43:13where do you go
43:14from here
43:14is Hamshaw
43:15it seems to be
43:16the only middleweight
43:17who has earned
43:18a clear shot at you
43:19if we can make
43:20big money
43:20the way that I want
43:21to make the money
43:22a million dollars
43:22or more
43:23I know that
43:24gladly we'll take
43:24the fight
43:25what about all
43:27the welterweights
43:27that seem
43:28like they can't
43:29wait to get a shot
43:30at you
43:31Sugar Ray Leonard
43:31Tommy Hearns
43:32Wilfredo Benitez
43:33that's good
43:34if I was a weak champion
43:35they would have been
43:35on top of me sooner
43:36but I'm a strong champion
43:38I just want to
43:38concentrate on this division
43:39bring the respect
43:40back to the middleweight
43:41division
43:42and if Sugar Ray Leonard
43:43or Tommy Hearns
43:44want to move up
43:44into my division
43:45come on fella
43:46because I'm looking
43:46for a big payday
43:47when you were at
43:50ringside with us
43:51at HBO
43:51for the Sugar Ray Leonard
43:52fight
43:53you took a look
43:54at Leonard for four or five rounds
43:56and you said
43:56I think he should stay
43:57as a welterweight
43:58yeah I do feel that way
43:59I still feel that way
44:01I think that
44:02all the titles
44:03should be combined
44:04I am the true
44:05100% champion
44:06and I do like that
44:07because I have both belts
44:09and I feel very happy
44:11today Larry
44:11well unfortunately
44:12we wanted you to take
44:14a look
44:14at our
44:15at our monitor
44:16maybe we can bring up
44:17that headbutt
44:18if we can roll our tape
44:19here
44:20so that you can take
44:21a look at exactly
44:22what happened in the fight
44:24that butt was very
44:25accidental
44:26I remember that
44:26because I was going down
44:27looking for a body shot
44:28I think
44:29this is the second butt
44:30of the fight
44:31Marvin
44:31would you tell us
44:32what you see here
44:33I'm trying to use a straight
44:34there it is right there
44:35I was going down
44:35for a body
44:36which is a good combination
44:37you use a straight right jab
44:39and then you go under
44:40with the body shot
44:40and he was coming down
44:42at the same time I was
44:43and that's how
44:43the headbutt collided
44:44but at that time
44:45the official warned you
44:47let's take a look at it again
44:48yeah but you can see
44:49now we're going to
44:51now we're going to
44:52take a look at the knockdown
44:53you were jamming him
44:54just before the knockdown
44:55that was a beautiful shot
44:57there dead on the money
44:58he never knew what happened
44:59he was down on that one
45:00that came quick
45:02even myself
45:02I didn't know it was out there
45:03now came quick
45:05now in the first fight
45:06you dominated the first half
45:08of the fight
45:08and he came back later
45:09were you concerned
45:10I wasn't going to let that
45:10happen this time
45:11I wasn't going to let it happen
45:12I knew I could get him
45:13in the earlier rounds
45:14I was just starting
45:15to put things together
45:16I figured with a little bit
45:17more the referee had to
45:18stop this fight
45:19this is a very serious game
45:21if people get seriously hurt
45:22if the blood got in his eyes
45:24or something where he
45:24couldn't see
45:25I could have maybe damaged
45:26him real bad
45:27to myself I really didn't care
45:28because I want to swat
45:29that mosquito
45:30thank you very much
45:31Marvin Hagler
45:32and back to Barry
45:33at ringside
45:34okay thank you Larry
45:36and the middleweight champion
45:36still the middleweight champion
45:37Marvin Hagler
45:38let's get the official word
45:39right now from Nuno Cam
45:41ladies and gentlemen
45:42referee stops the boat
45:44the fifth round
45:45to win it by a TKO
45:47and still middleweight champion
45:50of the world
45:50marvelous Marvin Hagler
45:53all right it takes two sides
45:56to make every fight
45:57Larry Merchant right now
45:59is with the other side
46:00of this fight
46:00an unfortunate Vito Antifirma
46:02Larry
46:02Vito how did you see
46:05or feel what happened
46:06to you in the first round
46:07well the first round
46:09I might have believed
46:11that it was intentional
46:12butt
46:12because I got butt
46:13on top of the head
46:14so I might have been
46:15an intentional butt
46:16the referee warned both of us
46:18watch for the head
46:19but meanwhile
46:20I got to cut it in
46:21but the second time
46:22he butted me with his head
46:24and he right in the eye
46:25you can see it right there
46:26he got a point taken away
46:27I got a point taken away
46:28from intentional point
46:29there is no doubt
46:31about the second butt
46:32in which he lowered his head
46:33and did hit you
46:35but in the first but
46:35our replay showed definitely
46:38that in your leading to him
46:40that you did hit him
46:41let's take a look at it
46:42right here
46:42describe what you see
46:45okay I'm going here
46:47right there
46:48you see what he said
46:49you see what he said
46:50he butted it set down
46:50he put his head right in
46:51for him
46:51what are you doing
46:52well go back
46:53go back with it
46:54you can't play it again
46:56right there
46:57he's supposed to be stuck
46:57well there were two forces
46:59meeting there
47:00we'll try to roll that tape
47:02again and try to see it again
47:04it certainly was an accidental butt
47:06but let's take a look at it once again
47:08see who's moving forward
47:09okay have a little more
47:11yeah but he moved
47:12he moved too
47:13he set down
47:14he moved to set down
47:16what was Freddie Brown
47:17was he trying to stop the fight
47:18or just give you time
47:19for your wound to heal
47:21no no he was telling the referee
47:21that it should be disqualified
47:23but I didn't care
47:25the first time I didn't care
47:26I wanted to go on
47:26because I knew I could do it
47:28you know
47:29but then the second time
47:30he did it again
47:31that time I knew he was on purpose
47:32that was only the first time
47:34I didn't even notice
47:34until now
47:35but the second time
47:36it was definitely
47:38but
47:39intentional but
47:41Vito thank you very very much
47:43you're a brave fellow
47:44thank you
47:44just too much
47:45you gave just
47:46you gave just too much blood
47:47for your cause
47:48here's the second but
47:49there it is
47:49see what he said there
47:52I mean
47:52you know
47:52listen
47:53at that point
47:55the referee
47:56go back
47:56go back with him
47:57I'd like to go back with him
47:59it seemed that when you
48:01you both went down
48:02at that time
48:03he was going forward
48:04no but meanwhile
48:04he butted me with the top of the head
48:06watch this
48:06watch
48:07I'm going in with the right
48:10he put
48:10look at him
48:11what is that
48:12what is that
48:12okay
48:13down and up with it
48:14hey we gotta be blind
48:15it just looks like
48:16you just sprung too many leaks again
48:17Vito
48:18good try
48:19well
48:20I guess so
48:21but I think
48:22I think they should call it
48:23a draw
48:24will you fight again
48:26definitely
48:27if they give me a rematch
48:28definitely I will fight him again
48:30thank you very much Vito
48:31back to Barry and Arthur
48:33at ringside
48:33okay
48:34so you can see
48:35Vito Antifermo
48:36in his opinion at least
48:38has a very sound case
48:39now
48:39you're a referee
48:40Arthur Mercanti
48:41how do you see it
48:42what do you do
48:42do you call it a draw
48:43would you have called it a draw
48:44well it seems
48:45no I wouldn't have called it a draw
48:46it seems to me
48:47that they both collided
48:48simultaneously
48:48really
48:49it's the style
48:51it's the style
48:52of the match
48:53that created
48:53that those two butts
48:55Vito comes in with his head
48:58and Hagler also comes down
49:01with his head
49:01and there's a collision
49:02it's like two mules
49:03hitting one another
49:04and it's
49:05it's one
49:06and one is going to be
49:07the one at disadvantage
49:09and in this case
49:09it was Vito
49:10but this is the style
49:12of the fight
49:13they both collided together
49:14well of course
49:17the results were inevitable
49:18once again
49:19we talked about
49:20what a role
49:20the referee would play
49:21in this fight
49:22and certainly
49:22he was the pivotal character
49:23yeah it was
49:24it was a very
49:25very difficult fight
49:26for Davey to handle
49:27and Freddie Brown
49:29of course
49:29created an awful lot
49:31of consternation
49:32in there
49:32by coming into the ring
49:33he should have been
49:34taken out quickly
49:35well Jerry Cooney
49:38has joined us
49:39ringside here
49:40Jerry let me ask you
49:40first of all
49:41I feel like I should
49:42wear a face mask here
49:43I put Howard Cosell
49:44on the injured list yesterday
49:45but be that as it may
49:47let me ask you
49:48how you saw it
49:49what did you see
49:49in the butt
49:50how did you see
49:51this fight
49:51well I think that
49:52there was two great
49:53fighters fighting here today
49:54and I don't think
49:55it's the way
49:56Marvin wanted to keep
49:57this title
49:57and I'm sure
49:58that's not the way
49:59Vito wanted the fight
49:59to be stopped
50:00it's just an accident
50:02headbutt
50:02they had two headbutts
50:03and the cuts
50:05became severe
50:05it's just one of those
50:06things that I guess
50:07is the nature of the beast
50:08let's talk a little bit
50:09about what's going on
50:10with Jerry Cooney
50:10right now
50:11you were at the fight
50:11yesterday in Detroit
50:12how did you see that fight
50:13and let's talk about
50:14your own plans
50:15well Spinks came out
50:17and Larry Holmes
50:20who saw it all
50:22stopped him
50:22so he looked well
50:24I don't think that
50:25the fight should have
50:26been stopped
50:26I think that
50:27Michael Spinks
50:28jumping into the ring
50:29and throwing a towel
50:30and scared the referee
50:31a little bit
50:32and he stopped the fight
50:33I could see Vito's eyes
50:34I was taking pictures
50:35from ringside
50:36and he wasn't hurt
50:37I mean he was hurt
50:39but then he was coming
50:39too
50:40he was getting out of it
50:41and he stopped the fight
50:41but that's the breaks
50:42that's the fight game
50:43what did you learn
50:44in that fight
50:44just in watching the fight
50:45well you learn
50:47to watch the styles
50:48see the styles
50:48openings
50:49but right now
50:50I'm fighting Mike Weaver
50:51in October
50:51the WBA is not
50:53sanctioning the fight
50:54and I think it's a sad
50:55thing for boxing
50:56especially for me
50:58that I've been ranked
50:59number one for 15 months
51:00and they're taking
51:01the title away
51:02from the heavyweight
51:03champion Mike Weaver
51:04for fighting
51:04the number one contender
51:05I can't see how
51:06that can happen
51:07in boxing
51:07I think it was absolutely
51:09it's got to be
51:09very gratifying to you
51:10when you walked
51:11in here tonight
51:11the recognition
51:12that you're getting
51:13all of a sudden
51:14people are starting
51:14to notice Jerry Cooney
51:15and notice him
51:16not only just as an
51:17up-and-coming fighter
51:18but as a fighter
51:19who's there
51:19well I just want to
51:21be a fighter
51:21a clean fighter
51:22and do right
51:23for boxing
51:24and for myself
51:24and it's a great feeling
51:26coming here to Boston
51:26I've never been here before
51:27and getting such a reception
51:29it's a great feeling
51:30Jerry the popularity
51:31is just terrific
51:31thanks so much
51:32for stopping down
51:32taking the time
51:33to talk with us
51:33continued success to you
51:35let's go up the ring
51:36right now to Larry Merchant
51:37who has some thoughts
51:38Larry
51:38well as I said earlier
51:42this isn't a rose garden
51:43what happened here tonight
51:45comes under the heading
51:46of the fortunes of war
51:48and sometimes fights end
51:50this way
51:50because the stronger man
51:52sometimes is just stronger
51:54in his skin
51:55as well as in the other weapons
51:57that he brings to the fight
51:59right now it's our understanding
52:01that Marvin Hagler
52:02who is the only undisputed
52:04champion around
52:05maybe there just aren't enough
52:06middle good middleweights
52:07to have two champions
52:08will fight Mustafa Hamshio next
52:10probably in the fall
52:12and probably in Italy
52:13and after that
52:14all that big money he wants
52:16he can get shots at Benitez
52:18at Leonard and Hearns
52:19down the road
52:20if they want a piece of him
52:21and they can have him
52:23back to you
52:24Barry and Arthur
52:25okay well chosen words
52:27I think from Larry Merchant
52:28thank you for those comments
52:29Larry
52:29I don't think there was really
52:31any great question
52:31as to how the outcome
52:32was going to be
52:33it was Marvin Hagler's fight
52:35regardless of that
52:35accidental button out
52:36it's the kind of thing
52:37that in history
52:37you will look back on
52:38and say
52:39what an unfortunate thing
52:40to happen
52:40but you had the feeling
52:41you had to have the feeling
52:42that if these fighters
52:43fought 18, 20, 25 rounds
52:45the results would have been
52:46exactly the same
52:47I would agree with that
52:48it's just the peculiar style
52:50that Andrew Cranwell has
52:51that rushing in
52:51that boring in all the time
52:53anyone with a good
52:54crisp jab
52:55and a good crisp
52:55left hand or a right hand
52:57in Hagler's case
52:58he changes both ways
52:59he's vulnerable
53:00he's vulnerable
53:01let me ask you
53:02as a referee
53:03and again
53:03this is purely subjective
53:04but would you
53:06had you been in the ring
53:07have done anything different
53:08than Davey Pearl did tonight
53:09well the kind of thing
53:10that bothered me
53:11is to see the seconds
53:13come out into the ring
53:14that way
53:14I kind of think
53:15that was perhaps
53:16the first move to make
53:17is to clear the ring
53:18and then get the fight
53:19underway
53:20because both fighters
53:21were coming closer
53:22to one another
53:22and there was no one
53:23in there to separate them
53:24if they had decided
53:25to come on in and fight
53:26there would have been
53:27a fight between the fighters
53:28and then they want to create
53:29a little more commotion
53:30with the seconds
53:31and perhaps the seconds
53:32in the other corner
53:33and let me ask you again
53:34as a guy who's been around
53:35the sport for an awful long time
53:36and seen a lot of fighters
53:37come and a lot of fighters go
53:38would you have Vito
53:40Antefermo fight again
53:41well it's a very tough
53:43question to ask me
53:44as a referee
53:45I'm not a manager
53:47and I'm not in training
53:48of fighters
53:49but I think because
53:51and I'm saying this candidly
53:52I think because of his
53:53vulnerability
53:54and cutting so frequently
53:55it would be fair
53:56to advise Antefermo
53:57to retire really
53:59he cuts too easily
54:00let's look at the other
54:01side of the coin now
54:02and again this is
54:03a subjective opinion
54:04but as middleweight champions
54:05go and we said
54:06when they start going good
54:07they last a long time
54:08where do you put
54:09Marvin Hagler
54:10in the great scheme
54:10of the middleweight champions
54:11well I think Marvin Hagler
54:13is just at the beginning
54:14of his road
54:14I kind of think
54:15that he's going to make
54:16even a better
54:17a better fighter
54:18because he's strong
54:19he trains well
54:20he's determined
54:21and he's hungry
54:22and he trains hard
54:24and I do think
54:25he'll come on a lot stronger
54:26he did come on stronger
54:27along the way
54:28after his first fight
54:29with Antefermo
54:30so the winner
54:31and still the middleweight champion
54:33there was controversy
54:34there was controversy
54:35all throughout the proceedings
54:36to the fight
54:37and there was controversy
54:38in the fight itself
54:39the end result
54:39I think inevitable
54:40the middleweight champion
54:41Marvin Hagler
54:42is still the middleweight champion
54:43and that simply said
54:45is the story from here
54:46at Boston Gardens
54:47so for Arthur Mercanti
54:49and Larry Merchant
54:50I'm Barry Tompkins
54:51and we'll see you next time
54:52championship boxing returns
54:53the home box office
54:55be sure to tune in
54:56Monday June 22nd
54:57when HBO Sports
54:58begins two weeks
54:59of coverage
54:59of the most prestigious
55:00tennis tournament
55:01in the world
55:02Wimbledon 1981
55:03check your guide
55:04for local listings
55:05the executive producer
55:11for HBO Sports
55:12is Michael Fuchs
55:13this show is produced
55:14by Ross Greenberg
55:16directed by Mark Payton
55:18the assistant
55:20to the producer
55:21is Rick Bernstein
55:22and the production manager
55:24Melissa Hoffman
55:25preocupating
55:29it's at home
55:30so he could be
55:32in love
55:34in history
55:35of the home
55:39in the flying
55:42the forest
55:42saying
55:45nothing to say
55:48nothing to say
55:49I'm not afraid
55:51to put
55:53I want a mate
55:54This has been a presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
56:24This has been a presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
56:54This has been a presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
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