- 6/13/2025
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00:00and we'll soon find out if Bruce Sheldon's trademark jab which recently
00:06earned him the accolade of best boxer in the heavyweight division according to
00:09Ring Magazine has any kind of effect on Mike Tyson as we look forward to Sheldon
00:14versus Tyson for the WBA heavyweight championship on Saturday July 13th on
00:18pay-per-view right now we are closing in on our second bout of the evening the
00:23WBC strawweight championship hopefully you didn't blink just a moment ago it's
00:28longtime champion Ricardo Lopez versus Kitty Chai Preacher well Mexican fight
00:33fans still revere and respect Julio Cesar Chavez of course despite his recent loss
00:38to Oscar de la Hoya but is the pendulum swinging towards Ricardo Lopez as the
00:43Mexicans seek a new hero hurt your feelings well no question about it he's
00:46in line but he's in this long shadow of Chavez much like Holmes is under the
00:50shadow of Ali no matter how good Holmes was and he was good he was a great
00:54champion he never got the credit because he was under the shadow of Ali the same
00:57thing's gonna happen to this guy until he gets enough fights under his belt 60 70
01:01fights and enough time has elapsed to forget Chavez because this kid is really
01:05the good this kid is a great fighter and he doesn't deserve to be under the shadow
01:09of Chavez but that's the way it goes in boxing Chavez will go the people will
01:13forget and if this guy gets to 60 and 70 with an honorable career like Chavez
01:17says he will get his due well being the best fighter in the 10-year history of the
01:21strawweight division is sort of like being the best bobsledder in Jamaica that
01:26from Ring Magazine about Ricardo Lopez it's been difficult for Lopez to find
01:30quality opponents in this weight class or to verify the credentials of those who
01:34step forward tonight's opponent Preacher is totally unknown to us with only one
01:39or two recognizable names in his 18 and 2 record with eight knockouts and that
01:43record is in question so what options are open to Lopez Bobby your thoughts on that
01:48you know I think his options are so limited it's unbelievable he's a small
01:51guy the universe of fighters at his weight is so small and the universe of
01:54fighters at his level of talent is virtually non-existent he is a
01:58tremendous fighter who has mastered all the skills in each and every area of
02:01the sweet science he has to go up he has to find guys like Michael Carbajal and
02:05maybe even go up from there if he wants to be designated a great fighter in his
02:08own eyes even because he himself is so humble he doesn't think he's that great he
02:12named several fighters he thought were better than him and I just don't agree well a
02:15fight with Michael Carbajal may be in the works for January right now with that
02:19Bobby and Freddie let's take a look at the challenger kida chai preacher who at
02:25the challenger kida chai preacher who came all the way from Thailand just three
02:30days ago this sound familiar to fight a man many consider to be one of the best
02:34pound-for-pound fighters in the world tonight his first fight on American
02:38story
02:47okay let's go
03:08Coming through, folks, out of the way, please.
03:27Okay.
03:38Preacher trying to work his way through the crowd there.
03:42You can hear them yelling, coming through.
03:44They can't seem to be so small.
03:46Kenichai Preacher, not exactly a household name.
03:49He splits his time between boxing and kickboxing.
03:52Whether that's a help or a hindrance remains to be seen.
03:55Although most kickboxers rely more on their leg power as opposed to the arm strength and
04:00punching power, it may be all academic against the boxer the caliber of Lopez who's been
04:05known to surgically dissect his opponents.
04:07And now here's the champion, Ricardo Lopez, out of Mexico City, Mexico, the 28-year-old
04:22Lopez, an eye-popping record of 41-0, 31 knockouts, the longest undefeated streak among champions.
04:29Tonight, his 16th title defense, a title he's held since October of 1990.
04:35An actual defense, a title of the track, and we're in constantие beating cities
04:35around 32.
04:36We're Stefano Re сб inaugural to the çünkü
04:37of鄭 sustainability announced that there was a focus
04:39in shut down and then there was a movement in Gizardo's implementation, the
05:04Oh
05:34Oh
05:44As Lopez makes it to the
05:47Ring we want to put out viewers at home might be experiencing some problems with
05:52Reception and that is due to the intense heat that we are experiencing here in the desert
05:57But despite Lopez is set to the throne an undefeated record over an 11-year period he remains humble yet
06:03Quietly confident
06:05He's never tasted the beat as an amateur or as a pro 81 fights the fact that he's one of the supremely talented boxers in the world
06:12But doesn't receive the recognition he deserves somewhat troubling to him he says but he doesn't lose sleep over it
06:17He kiddingly told us the solution saying he needs to eat more and become a heavyweight
06:23All right, let's size them up as we check out the tail of the tape
06:26Lopez six years older than preacher who looks a lot younger than 22 doesn't he?
06:30Lopez is just over two inches taller than preacher the weight almost even the boxing minimum and
06:35And Lopez with the three-inch reach advantage
06:39WBC rules for this title fight. They'll use the ten-point must system three scoring judges no standing eight count
06:44No three knockdown rule the referee or doctor can stop the fight a fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round
06:50If an accidental foul occurs before the end of the third round, it's a technical draw after the completion of the third
06:56They go to the cards incomplete rounds you score
07:00So here at the fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California
07:03We are closing in on the WBC straw weight to the championship ricardo lopez and kenna chai freetcher
07:09Let's get the introductions from our ring announcer jimmy lennon jr
07:14Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to this our co-featured world title co-main event of the evening here at the beautiful fantasy
07:22springs casino all
07:24All brought to you by dawn king productions and la cerveza masfina corona beer
07:31This bat is sanctioned by the world boxing council the president for says suleiman
07:37Supervisor high good collegian along with the california state athletic commission the chairman william eastman our judges scoring this bout from ringside
07:46marty dinkin barbara pettis and jerry roff introducing to you our referee in charge of this bout we have dr james jenkin
07:59All right fans here we go with our co-main event of the evening the wbc strawweight championship of the world scheduled for 12 rounds of boxing
08:11Introducing to you first the challenger on my left fighting out in the blue corner
08:15He is wearing a black trunks and joining us all the way from knock on sea tamarat, thailand
08:22He weighed in at a ready 104 pounds
08:26His record stands at 18 wins two losses with eight wins coming by way of knockout
08:32And he is ranked number nine in the world by the wbc introducing tonight's challenger
08:37Tiki chai preacher
08:44And his opponent across the ring on my right fighting out of the red corners the defending world champion
08:51Wearing white trunks with green and red trim originally from cuernovaca morelos mexico now fighting out of distrito federal
09:00He weighed in at the strawweight limit of 105 pounds
09:06His outstanding record includes 41 wins no losses 31 big wins coming by way of knockout tonight
09:15He is making the unprecedented
09:1816th defense of his title
09:20Please welcome the undefeated wbc strawweight champion of the world introducing ricardo finito
09:36Once again, our referee in charge dr. James jenkin now to give instructions
09:42Okay, don't you don't i trump old blow here low blow here
09:57Low blow here trunks high
10:00Okay, obey my command. Let's go
10:05Well, james jenkin doesn't mince words as we get ready for the wbc strawweight championship
10:10Although lopez has never seen preacher fight. He told us he knows he's strong hits hard saying all fighters from thailand can take a punch
10:16That is probably simply boxing diplomacy by lopez in reality. This apparently has the ingredients of a huge mismatch
10:24Although given the general competition of the straw weights almost every lopez fight can be considered a mismatch
10:30And it's so hard to check those records everybody and they keep such crazy records
10:34This guy's also a kick fighter more than he is a regular boxer
10:36By the way, have you ever seen a boxer look younger than that you wonder whether his mother knows what he's out to
10:41Looks like he's cut glass to come here as you said earlier. Well
10:45Very very difficult to authenticate preacher. The interpreter said that preacher was going to come straight out try and stand inside
10:51crowd lopez
10:52He suddenly came out trying but it doesn't look like he has any pop in his punches doesn't look like he could hurt lopez
10:57Even if he wanted to well in our meeting with preacher yesterday
11:00He did not say one word even in his native tongue his translator did all the talking
11:06Aside from the possible mismatch
11:08We learned that preacher didn't arrive here from thailand until three days ago 18 hour trip
11:13That's just not enough time to acclimate on top of all the other problems against lopez and against the finest fighter in the world
11:20Well, what what's left is for the audience to watch a master boxer in action and see what happens
11:26Maybe preacher gets lucky you never and not to mention the fact it's over 120 degrees
11:30I think it's dropping now. The sun is coming down. It's a merciful hundreds of mine. Thank you
11:34You're on al roker. No furry my trainer. Tommy clark says no one ever gets lucky
11:39If he threw the punch he meant to hit you if you didn't block it, that's your problem
11:43That's a good philosophy
11:45Well, the translator said preacher has seen lopez fight on tv. That's it
11:49And his strategy would be to attack from the outset fight on the inside
11:54That preachers a good boxer his best punch is straight right. That's not a knockdown
12:00Well, he's certainly not scared of lopez. He's in there battling. He's going right at him. Yeah, give the kid credit
12:06They say his last three fights were chaos talking about preacher in the black trunk
12:10He's 18 and 2 8 knockouts. He has been down as birdie pointed out
12:15He has been a kickboxer 30 kickboxing fights 22 and 8. He actually
12:21Participates in what's called boy tie with a normal inspired very rugged
12:26Version of kickboxing that you would think that anybody who participates in muay thai has to be tough
12:31Has to be able to take punches elbows knees, etc. And the kid has
12:35Definitely has a fight face if you look at him
12:37But doesn't have any power with the right hand doesn't punch well like most kickboxers
12:41They have been able to master power
12:43Bobby for being in that many tough things his face is unmarked. I mean has no marks on it at all
12:48He's fighting on the inside is preacher
12:51Of course, the always elusive ricardo lopez able to spin away
12:56Preacher going a little bit with the elbows there getting the cautioning from the referee
13:02He's a fine technician as lopez he he criticizes himself when he throws a blow the wrong way
13:07And he's so precise and what he wants to do
13:09He sees what he wants to do he executes and if he doesn't he's upset with himself, so
13:13He's something to watch it. I mean, it's a thinking fighter and I think I can get a pin
13:18Well, at least we're going to get past the first round
13:22I'm going to go into the bottom which houses preacher and our translators somewhat
13:28Low in it now. We'll call him Sam for short
13:31He'll help us out
13:33Okay
13:36Nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing
13:38happened yet
13:49Put the body body fun more
13:51Yeah, it's a body body fun more
13:54Yeah, yeah, it should be one more to treat
13:56They want more body punching from the corner of Hidhi Chai.
14:23Preacher, Lopez is ready to roll into round two.
14:27If you watch Preacher's training, he almost didn't even need an interpreter.
14:30He's throwing body combinations and ripping uppercuts and hooks over the top.
14:33So he definitely wants him to be on the inside, not the tail end of Lopez's box.
14:37Universal language could have saved a lot of money on a translator.
14:40But everybody was talking to that corner.
14:42I saw, I heard more voices. Man, that was a confusing corner.
14:46Lopez usually brings the whole package, brilliantly displayed his wares in his last fight.
14:55Doubling up with the left uppercut, Lopez.
14:57That was against Filipino Southpaw a la Villamore.
15:00He's searching the light for once.
15:03He came off with fractured knuckles in both hands, ankle problems,
15:07which occurred in his previous fight with Andy LaVenice.
15:11Showing no signs of his problems since.
15:14He's a master of the uppercut. I mean, he really throws a beautiful uppercut.
15:18Which is a great weapon if you know how to throw it in a few boxes too.
15:22In his last fight, the win over Villamore, he slipped a jab and unleashed a vicious left uppercut
15:27that put the opponent on his back.
15:29He's so calm and he never really gets on nerves.
15:31He just waits. He takes his time. He has tremendous patience.
15:33He's never in a hurry. He never lets anything shake him.
15:36And Lopez is just doing what he feels like doing when he feels like doing.
15:40You see that little momentary defense and he just stepped aside just enough to miss all those.
15:45He barely had to block it with his gloves.
15:47It's just beautiful the way he, the balance of his legs and the way he moves.
15:51And with Lopez, every punch has a purpose, doesn't it?
15:54Yup. It's like a scheme that he's on.
15:57Even his combinations seem like in a moment he hatches a plan and throws three or four punches.
16:01See the uppercut it just threw as the guy came in?
16:03How many people do that?
16:05He's certainly not a one-punch knockout artist.
16:07He's very consistent and systematic.
16:09Wears people down with punches like we just saw.
16:12The combination.
16:13Well, I'll tell you what, Preacher's chin just got a chance to test him very well.
16:16He got hit with a clean right hand and uppercut behind it.
16:18Lopez spin him and hit him with another clean right.
16:21Chin ain't too bad.
16:23For that baby face, that's one little tough tiger there.
16:26That guy is tough.
16:27And you just saw the defense of Lopez also excellent.
16:31So elusive.
16:32He just does it at both ends to put it in basketball.
16:35He slips, he moves.
16:38And when he misses, he rarely leaves himself out of position to come back with a punch.
16:43Is that a description of Rodman you just did?
16:45I watch basketball.
16:47I just hope Lopez doesn't tie his hair.
16:50I don't think he needs to do anything but fight like this to be a legend in Mexico.
16:56He still idolizes Julio Cesar Chavez, but it was interesting.
17:00He told us Oscar de la Hoya came up to him, Lopez, and said, I think you're the best in the world.
17:06He really has everything perfect.
17:08He boxes well.
17:09He points well.
17:10He slips well.
17:11His defense has all the subtle nuances down pat.
17:15And if you had to compare him to a baseball player, compare him to Joe DiMaggio.
17:18He does everything and he's modest and quiet after the game.
17:21He's like a gentleman Joe.
17:23.
17:28.
17:40.
17:44.
17:49Yeah, no, because I got to put it off my side around the pool in which I love us. I was a kid. I
17:55Yeah, they're actually got a couple of them. They're actually got a couple of them. I can't hit him straight with it.
18:03Yeah, I'm not just over. That's why you can't do that. So straight up with the upper gun. Go to the liver.
18:10This is not an easy guy. This is a live guy. Nacho said that. Go after him. Look at the stance as Lopez is poised for round three.
18:22Lopez briefly accepts instructions between rounds from Ignacio Beresvain, who has trained several world champions.
18:31But Lopez for sure is his old man. Oftentimes Ignacio will ask Lopez if he agrees.
18:37Well, he is a student of his science. He really is. He studies films. He sees the great champions.
18:43And I don't think he can get anything from anybody. We can get something from him now.
18:47See, the first thing he did, too, he went to the body with the left foot, tried to take the right hand over the top, did Lopez.
18:52Right now, Preacher's showing to be a pretty durable young man.
18:56Not bad for a guy who just came over from Thailand a few days ago, banging tough against one of the best in the world.
19:03Lopez, who has fought in the shadow of Julio Cesar Chavez for years in Mexico.
19:10But in all due honesty, he now says that people in Mexico, the fans, the media now consider him the best Mexican fighter to do.
19:20I don't think there's anybody close to him. Look at this kid come on. He's fighting a gutty fight. He's coming on fighting a gutty fight. I like this kid.
19:29You know, he keeps kind of a tight defense, gets in like a little turtle shell kind of defense that jumps up out of here, winging wild for strike.
19:35Boy, he has no fear in his heart, I'll say that.
19:39Yes!
19:41Preacher, reportedly 18-2 with eight knockouts.
19:46Every once in a while, Bobby, he's getting clocked with right hands and uppercuts, and he takes them well.
19:53He has not been rattled yet.
19:55You know, you watch Lopez when he moves offensively and defensively. He's always on balance.
19:59Look at that. Oh, down he goes!
20:01There it is!
20:02Always on balance, has the leverage.
20:04Four!
20:05That's it. This kid is gone.
20:06He is out! Forget about it!
20:08Round three, it's over!
20:10That's almost a parallel of the fight we saw before. Everything is going along nice, and all of a sudden this guy pulls the trigger. Bang, bang, bang!
20:17You see, that's just it. That's what's so wonderful about him. He takes his time. He has patience. He never rushes himself or gets overexcited.
20:23He works, he works, he's respected upon it. He listens, he digests it, he goes out, does exactly what he needs to do to clean up.
20:30And the moment that that opportunity comes, he fires, Bobby. It's like a cannon. You just bang, off it goes, and that's it.
20:36And this kid was doing very well for himself.
20:38So, I mean, for all the oohs and ahs about a shaky record and just coming over, still, you've got to give the little kid credit.
20:45Boy, he was not scared. He gave it all he had, and he lost to the best fighter in the world, so I don't think he's got too much to be ashamed of.
20:51They have a pretty good accounting of himself, despite the fact that most thought it was going to be a colossal mismatch.
20:57This match, and now, Ricardo Lopez, with 16 of his 32 knockouts, coming in three rounds or less.
21:04Ricardo Lopez continues his six-year reign as WBC strawweight champ.
21:11Sixteenth title defense, a belt he's worn since 1990.
21:14Continues to have the longest undefeated streak among champions and imposing 42-0.
21:19He's one of the best I've ever seen to use a fighter's momentum coming in, timing him, and dropping him dead on one shot.
21:26Especially a little man like that with one punch power.
21:30As we take a look at some of the action.
21:35Here you see Lopez, always got his hands up, working that right hand with that left uppercut.
21:39Look at that left uppercut.
21:40The leverage, the bounce we were just talking about.
21:42He delivered that left uppercut right down the pipe.
21:45Set it up with the right hand first.
21:47Here you see another look.
21:48His hands always up once again.
21:50Throws a one-two.
21:51Steps under.
21:52Bang.
21:53Right in between.
21:54I mean, he split those gloves perfectly.
21:56And I guarantee you, Preacher never saw it coming.
22:00He may need a Preacher.
22:03The question remains now, where does Lopez go in terms of career challenges and self-gratification
22:09and the recognition that he so richly deserves?
22:14That all remains to be seen.
22:16Let's get the official time from our ring announcer, Jimmy Landon Jr.
22:21Ladies and gentlemen, we have a time of one minute, 46 seconds in round number three.
22:29Our referee in charge, Dr. James Jenkins, stops the contest.
22:33He's the winner by way of knockout.
22:35And still undefeated, still the WBC strongweight champion of the world,
22:41Ricardo.
22:42Ricardo Lopez.
22:51Well, those inside the sport and, of course, serious fans of boxing certainly have the utmost respect and admiration for Lopez's skills.
22:58But because of his weight class, he continues to fight an uphill battle for more public acclaim.
23:03That'll be a very frustrating situation.
23:05But apparently a junior flyweight title fight with Michael Carvajal is in the works, perhaps for January.
23:14So that would be great to see.
23:15So it's two down, one to go.
23:19Coming up next to our main event as we take you backstage into the dressing room of Englishman Henry Akinwande,
23:24making final preparations for the vacant WBO Heavyweight Championship.
23:28He's unbeaten at 29-0-1 with 17 KOs.
23:31Former European heavyweight champion, currently ranked number three by the WBO,
23:35number one by the WBA, number four by the IVF.
23:38Tonight he meets a late replacement.
23:40Instead of WBO, number one ranked Alexander Zulkin, who pulled out with a bad cut,
23:45he'll take on a totally different style in Jeremy Williams, who's rated number four by the WBO.
23:51That's coming up next, but right now we have post-fight interviews from our previous bout.
23:56Let's go up to the fight, Dr. Freddy Pacheco in the ring.
24:03I'm asking you, with that baby face, did you think he was going to be that tough?
24:08Do you think he was going to be that tough?
24:09Do you think he was going to be that tough?
24:10Well, I've never looked at my face.
24:13I prepared me very strong for this fight, as of all my defenses.
24:16I'm number 16.
24:18And I'm still as a world champion of the best organization in the World Council.
24:22And I thank you very much for Don Jose Sulaiman, who is here, let me know.
24:26Because he has helped me a lot in my private life.
24:28He has helped me a lot, like Julio Star Chavez,
24:30and all the boxers who are close to him.
24:33He said, he doesn't surprise him, that kid was so tough.
24:36He trains very well, and he trained very tough.
24:39He wants to thank Suleiman, who's right behind us, the head of the WBC,
24:42for the help he's given him in his personal life, as well as his ring life,
24:45as well as Julio Cesar Chavez, who's a close friend, and has worked with him.
24:49I mean, how are you going to expect a guy with three days of just coming over
25:03to resist the greatest fighter fighting in the world?
25:05He says, well, you take whoever they put in front of you.
25:24This kid gave him a good fight.
25:25He also wants to say he's grateful to Don King, who gave him an opportunity on this card,
25:29that he's going to be with him until the finish of his career.
25:32He may outlast you, you know.
25:33This guy may last for another 60 fight.
25:35He may outlast all of us.
25:37And so now we're going to see a replay, Don, of these two knockouts.
25:40Let's see how it turned out.
25:42You tell me what you see, because that's perfection.
25:44The left, tell me.
25:45It was a cross to the right, left to the right, and the upper,
25:49I couldn't reach him.
25:51It was a very strong upper.
25:53The uppercut was really strong.
25:55He said the right cross was good, but the uppercut was really strong,
25:58and he wasn't surprised that he went down.
26:00Let's see it again.
26:01Yes, that's it.
26:02The left, the right, and the upper at the top of the bar.
26:07It was fulminant.
26:08And he said, well, that's what it was, a combination of the kind that he throws.
26:12First, the left hand, as you saw, left jab, then the right cross,
26:15and then the uppercut.
26:16Picture perfect.
26:17We have been saying, Don, what a great uppercut he has,
26:20that he fights in such distinctive style.
26:23You have to go back to the 30s and 40s to see a guy throw an uppercut,
26:25like this guy does.
26:27I was going to say,
26:28we were saying that the uppercut you have to go to the 40s,
26:31to the 50s, to the boxers of that time,
26:33to see something as perfect as you throw it.
26:36Another thing, you listen very good to the corner.
26:40Yes, I try to obey, and as I see it in the fight,
26:44I do it little by little.
26:46He said, yes, he listens to Nacho in the corner,
26:48and as he sees the fight developing his Nacho predicts,
26:52then he does what he's told.
26:54So it's a perfection of the corner telling him the right thing,
26:56him being able to execute it,
26:58and then, unquestionably, the talent of this man
27:01may be the best fighter fighting today, Don.
27:03He's a great fighter.
27:04He's a tremendous asset to boxing and to myself personally.
27:08We wanted to move up now and fight the Carbohals in the 108 and 112 even.
27:12He's got to move up to 105 because they can't find the competition for him no more.
27:16You know what, I compared him, if this was a baseball player,
27:19I compared him to Joe DiMaggio for the courtesy and niceness that he has outside the ring
27:24and the brilliance that he's got inside the arena.
27:27He's like Joe DiMaggio, he used to be for the Yankees.
27:29He's a real charmer, Bernie.
27:31He has great class, sophistication and dignity, and he can fight,
27:35and he delivers punches and punches.
27:37You see the beautiful combination, the artistic style in which he delivers them.
27:41The Willie Peps and the guys of yesteryear,
27:44you see this type of combination coming up with this young kid here.
27:47I ask him, when does he want to fight?
27:53He says, whenever you say, he's ready to go.
27:55Is Tyson too soon?
27:56He's a great attraction.
27:57He's a great attraction.
27:58He's a great attraction.
27:59He's a great attraction.
28:00He's a great attraction.
28:01I'm the best boxer in the world.
28:02I'm the best boxer in the world.
28:04So, congratulations for everything.
28:07Congratulations, Don.
28:08Another good fight.
28:09That was a nice little...
28:10Well, the WBC has allowed him now to drop the gunlet to fight anybody.
28:14Don't give an organization.
28:15You drop organizational ties now.
28:17He can fight anybody.
28:18We like that.
28:19We like that.
28:20Naturally, WBC.
28:21Yeah, we like that.
28:22Let's go on to Steve Albert and Bobby Chez at ringside.
28:25All right, thank you very much, Bernie.
28:28He really is a modest, classy, humble guy.
28:32Talking about Ricardo, not Ferdi.
28:35Let's get real.
28:36But what do you think?
28:38I mean, against Michael Carbajal, which they're projecting in January,
28:42where do you see that fight?
28:43Lopez versus Carbajal.
28:44First time Lopez could finally get his name up in light, so to speak.
28:48He does everything so well, Steve.
28:49It's just so hard to say.
28:50Carbajal may be a little bigger and a little stronger,
28:52but this kick can use that against Carbajal.
28:54He can offset it.
28:55Great moves.
28:56Excellent defense.
28:57He doesn't get hit clean very often.
28:58Boxer takes his time.
28:59He shows incredible patience, excellent timing, and overall skills are superb.
29:04It really is a shame as he's throwing souvenirs into the crowd right now as Ricardo Lopez,
29:10a la soccer, throwing the hat into the crowd.
29:14Let's take a look at a graphic which will indicate current undefeated world champions.
29:20Of course, Ricardo Lopez right on top of the list.
29:23Now, Bobby at 42 and 0 as he holds on to the 105 pound crown.
29:29Look at those names.
29:30He's in pretty good company.
29:32Very, very good company and deservedly so.
29:34The kid can do everything perfectly.
29:36He does it all.
29:37There's nothing he's left out.
29:38He trained.
29:39Even when he comes out.
29:40Just watch how he comes out of the corner each round with his hands up and ready to fight.
29:44He just does it all so well.
29:46How much weight, though, do you think that Ricardo Lopez could carry?
29:50I don't think he could carry much more than 10 pounds if he put on another five.
29:54I don't know, you know, if he struggles to make 105 or if it just comes natural if that's what he is.
29:59Any lighter, he'll be a paperweight.
30:01Well, as great as Lopez is, can anybody ever replace the respectability, the reverence of Julio Cesar Chavez,
30:10even though he lost recently to Oscar de la Hoya?
30:13Part of that whole thing with Julio Cesar Chavez is that he had the opponents to fight.
30:17He had the Whitaker's, the Randall's, although he didn't beat Whitaker in my mind,
30:20and he didn't beat Randall either time in my eyes.
30:22He had those types of fighters throughout his entire career to fight.
30:25He had the guys with the names, the military tailors, et cetera, to help make him that great legend.
30:29If those same names, those types of fighters and styles and abilities were at 105, this kid would be equal.
30:35It's a good point because, as you know, great fighters, great champions need great fighters.
30:39They have to be great men.
30:41Right.
30:42We've seen that happen throughout the years.
30:45The weather is a major factor here tonight.
30:48Check out the thermometer right there.
30:51It is just about at the century mark, Bobby, 100 degrees.
30:56I really realize that it's down to 100, though.
30:59Yeah. Yeah. It started out at 121 degrees.
31:01It's now down to 100 degrees.
31:03It actually doesn't feel that bad.
31:04Of course, we're under the canopy.
31:07I'm almost back to cruiserweight already.
31:09And I'm pretty.
31:10By the end of the night, I'll be at the light heavy middle area.
31:12We predicted at the opening of the broadcast that by tomorrow you'd be campaigning as a lightweight.
31:18But that might have been.
31:19Yeah, it's a little extreme.
31:20I have a little Gatorade helping me out here.
31:22Yeah, that may have been exaggerating just a bit.
31:25Well, coming up next, of course, we're getting ready for our main event.
31:28Jeremy Williams and Akinwande, Henry Akinwande for the vacant WBO Heavyweight Championship.
31:33But we're going to go back and take a look.
31:35A little re-freeze, Bobby, and take a look at the knockout.
31:39Ricardo Lopez and unknown Kitty Chai Preacher.
31:43Check this out.
31:44This is action from round number three.
31:47As is always the case, his hands are up.
31:49His defense is aware.
31:51He's taking his time.
31:52He's using patience and just boxing.
31:54He's looking for the opening.
31:55He came out through that left underneath corner.
31:57I just told him, go to liver, go to the belly.
32:00Came out through it there through the right hand.
32:02Looking to set that left up underneath.
32:04And eventually it does come.
32:05Takes his time.
32:06He sees it.
32:07He parts the gloves right down the middle.
32:09He's just a super fighter.
32:12That's Lopez in the white.
32:14Preacher in the black trunks.
32:16Preacher just three days ago made the 18-hour trip all the way from Thailand
32:21to fight a man considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
32:26And as we mentioned, gave him a pretty good accounting of himself.
32:30That is, of course, until Lopez did his thing.
32:34You know, if you've been watching this round from the very beginning and paying attention,
32:37even though the youngster was trying and trying hard,
32:40you could see that the punch was starting to land.
32:42The right hand and the left underneath, that was what he was going to do.
32:45That was the plan.
32:46He threw it four or five times before the eventual coup de gras.
32:50I don't know.
32:51You spoke French.
32:52I don't.
32:54Again, you see that left hook.
32:59He's digging into the belly where he was told to dig it.
33:02And eventually, the fighter will get weary if those punches start landing and open up.
33:07And he does open up.
33:08And boy, does he get caught.
33:09There it is, midway through round number three.
33:14The WBC strawweight champion putting Preacher on with it.
33:17And there it is.
33:18That's just a great combination.
33:19A classic one, two, three.
33:20Instead of it being free to hook, it was the uppercut.
33:22Bang, bang, bang.
33:23One, two, three.
33:24And then one through 10.
33:25Absolutely.
33:26And you can tell by the way he was knocked down, he was not going to get up.
33:34So that's it.
33:35Third round stoppage for Ricardo Lopez goes to 42 and 0 and retains his WBC strawweight championship.
33:42We are getting ready for the main event.
33:44We've got a great card coming up July 13th, of course, featuring Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon
33:51for the WBA heavyweight championship.
33:53Of course, Mike Tyson, the WBC heavyweight champion, also on that card.
33:56And somebody who really has the capability of stealing the show, just as you did on the
34:01on the Tyson Bruno card back in March.
34:04And that is Christy Martin.
34:06Christy joins us to my immediate left right now.
34:08Christy, nice to see you again.
34:09Thank you very much.
34:10How you doing?
34:11It's good to be here.
34:12Now, I understand that you're not quite sure yet of who your opponent will be on July 13th.
34:18Is that true?
34:19Well, I think it's been settled.
34:20I think we're going to fight Julie Reed.
34:21She's 15 and three out of Ohio.
34:23And we've been training very hard.
34:24Of course, there's been a lot of media exposure since March 16th.
34:27But we're training number one.
34:29And we're going to be very prepared and ready to put on a great show.
34:32I understand that you recently made a trip to the Boxing Hall of Fame.
34:36What was that like?
34:37Oh, that was the most awesome thing I've done.
34:39I could actually say I could recommend that to any person that's interested in boxing,
34:43to go up to Canistota and do the Boxing Hall of Fame.
34:45I got to meet Willie Febb.
34:47Archie Moore went to the gym with me one day.
34:49He wanted to teach me to punch.
34:51He's never seen me fight before.
34:52Did you give them any tips?
34:53No.
34:54You could, you know.
34:55Now, how does it feel to go from a former substitute school teacher to the cover of Sports Illustrated article in People Magazine?
35:02You're all over the place right now.
35:04It's just unbelievable.
35:05Everything's been overwhelming.
35:06You know, Mike brought everyone there March 16th.
35:08And we just took advantage of being able to be on the same car with Mike Tyson.
35:11The media has just treated us terrific.
35:14The boxing fans have poured out with support to Showtime and to Don King.
35:17And I'm really grateful to both Showtime and Don King.
35:19Well, you stole the show with a very game.
35:22Deirdre Cogarty of Ireland the last time, I will recall.
35:24It was a war.
35:25It was a bruiser.
35:26How's the nose, by the way?
35:27Oh, it's in great shape.
35:28It looks great.
35:29It wasn't broken or anything.
35:30It was just bloody.
35:31All right.
35:32Well, listen, Christy, thanks so much.
35:33Good luck to you on July 13th.
35:34We'll see you there.
35:35Okay. Thank you.
35:36All right, Christy Martin.
35:37We settle in right now for our main event of the evening.
35:39Henry Akinwande versus...
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