- 6/17/2025
Azumah Nelson takes on Hector Cortez in a Featherweight fight on HBO.
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00:00First, second right featherweight, Azuma Nelson takes on Hector Cortez, and then the main event, Greg Payne.
00:06Whenever a major boxing championship is at stake, all attention descends on a little town in Nevada known as Las Vegas.
00:13At first, the dice roll and the cards are dealt, and then suddenly the gamblers become avid spectators, and boxing becomes the big game in town.
00:22And tonight, live from Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, HBO Sports presents World Championship Boxing.
00:31First, a critical ten-round featherweight fight between highly-ranked Azuma Nelson, who's eyeing a title shot, and the veteran Hector Cortez.
00:39And then the main event for the big cities, fights that span a state, fights that span an entire country, but we have got a featherweight fight coming up for you that spans the globe.
00:49Azuma Nelson and Hector Cortez collide in a critical ten-round featherweight fight.
00:56Hector Cortez is a cagey 33-year-old veteran who began his pro career back in 1974.
01:04In his most recent outing, the native of Ecuador fought WVA bantamweight champion Jeff Chandler on May 22nd of 1983.
01:12In a grueling ten-round non-title fight in the 122-pound super-bantamweight class, Cortez showed surprising quickness and had a degree of success against the champion.
01:22But in the end, Jeff Chandler escaped with a unanimous decision.
01:27And tonight, he faces the WBC's second-ranked featherweight contender, Azuma Nelson.
01:31This 25-year-old was born in Ghana, and after turning pro in 1979, he won 13 straight fights before his title fight with the late Salvador Sanchez.
01:43He gave the legendary Mexican champion fits.
01:47By the end of the 14th round, these two 126-pound punching dynamos were engaged in a brutal war.
01:53They fought on after the bell sounded.
01:56But late in the 15th, the game challenger had little else to give.
02:00Sanchez dropped Azuma Nelson in the last title defense before his untimely death.
02:05It was Nelson's first defeat and a major disappointment.
02:10But just three months later, he was back in the ring.
02:13On October 31st of 1982, Azuma caught up with Irving Mitchell in the fifth round and delivered a crushing right hand.
02:21Moments later, when the powerful featherweight pounced on Mitchell for a second beating, the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
02:28On September 23rd of 1983, Nelson took on Alberto Calazzo.
02:33Again, a relentless barrage by this little big man.
02:36Ended it in the second.
02:37And now, Azuma Nelson tries to take one more step to a second shot at the title.
02:41So it is Azuma Nelson and Hector Cortez.
02:48Cortez is another one of those unknown quantities, really, and we're just not going to know what we have in Hector Cortez until the first round.
02:54As a matter of fact, the last time that we talked about Azuma Nelson, we did have him on the card in Cleveland with Jerry Cotia.
03:00As you look at the record of Hector Cortez, 33 wins, 9 losses, he's had 3 draws.
03:05Not a particularly devastating puncher.
03:06He will wear you down.
03:07He's got 19 knockouts.
03:09Nelson was relatively unimpressive the last time we saw him, Ray.
03:13Well, he's gained experience every time he steps into the ring, Barrett.
03:16And this is going to be a very interesting fight for him.
03:19Here's his record, 18-1 and 1 with 14 knockouts.
03:23No draws.
03:23That loss, of course, to Salvador Sanchez.
03:25But he really extended Sanchez.
03:26He took him to 15 rounds.
03:28Well, anyone who steps in the ring with Sanchez has to be good.
03:32Azuma Nelson trying to become the sixth world champion out of Africa.
03:38Going all the way back to battling Siki and most recently with Cornelius Boza-Edwards.
03:43There is the tail of the tape.
03:45And Cortez, of course, 8 years older than Azuma Nelson and 3 inches taller than Azuma Nelson.
03:50He has a 3-inch reach advantage also.
03:53That is really a rather insignificant number at this weight.
03:55And now we take a look at the common opponents.
03:59Sanchez, of course, knocked both of these men out.
04:01And Ruiz was the other common opponent.
04:03He was commonly knocked out by both men.
04:05So little to choose in that respect.
04:07Nelson, of course, must be considered the favorite.
04:09Right now, let's go up to the ring announcer, Chuck Hall, for the pre-fight introductions.
04:12Ladies and gentlemen, the officials are signed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for the next bout of the evening.
04:20The judges are Dave Moretti, Dolby Shirley, and Hal Miller.
04:26The referee is Richard Steele.
04:29The next bout of the evening, ladies and gentlemen, 10 rounds of boxing in the featherweight division.
04:35Introducing, in the blue corner, fighting out of Los Angeles, California, weighing 126.5 pounds.
04:43His professional record consists of 33 wins, 9 defeats, 3 draws, with 20 KOs.
04:50Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Hector Cortez.
04:55And in the red corner, from Accra in Ghana, weighing in at 127.5 pounds.
05:07His professional record consists of 18 wins, 1 defeat, with 14 KOs.
05:13He is ranked number two in the world by the WBC, and producing, Azuma Nelson.
05:19So, Nelson, at 25 years old, from Accra, Ghana, hasn't been a champion from Ghana before.
05:30Most of the champions, as a matter of fact, are either from Uganda, oddly enough, or Nigeria.
05:35Dick Tiger, David Cote, from Nigeria.
05:39Ayu Kalule, you know him, of course.
05:42And Cornelius Boz Edwards, both Ugandan, but oddly enough, again, Kalule living in Denmark, and Edwards living in England.
05:49Remain there till I tell you to come out.
05:52Okay?
05:53Understand.
05:54Shake hands, good luck to both of you.
05:56Richard Steele, the referee, giving the instructions to both fighters.
05:59They've been in the ring for quite a while, and yet neither one of them is really warmed up here, Ray.
06:03Well, that could make something happen in the very first round, because normally fighters don't warm up, and they come out very cold.
06:14So, it's Azuma Nelson looking for a title shot here.
06:17He would like to find the winner of the Gomez-Laporte fight.
06:21And I would say he's got a pretty good shot at it, with a good showing here.
06:23So, he has something to gain by winning this fight.
06:25And, of course, Cortez, who is the decided underdog, definitely has something to gain by him.
06:31Cortez on the right of your screen.
06:32Nelson on the left.
06:33Nelson in the white trunks.
06:34Cortez the red.
06:35Cortez for sure, because he has a very frail-looking body, a very angular, long, rangy body.
06:41And he must utilize his left jab and keep Nelson at bay.
06:45Nelson's a very aggressive and pretty good puncher, especially when he gets inside.
06:52Nelson has really a very good fighter's body, good legs, good upper body, strong upper body.
07:03Nelson shaking his arms, kind of trying to get the kinks out.
07:06Nelson is the kind of fighter, normally actually will pace himself, but is always looking for the knockout.
07:34And he'll throw his punches in flurries, try to put them together in one portion of a round, and he'll move that around.
07:40It'll sometimes be at the end of the round, sometimes in the middle of the round, in fact, sometimes right at the bell.
07:45Generally speaking, he will start a little bit slowly.
07:48Well, by against Salvador Sanchez, Nelson went right at him, very aggressive and constantly punched.
07:53He's very tenacious.
07:55I think as the years went by, the experience that he was able to gain, he's more cautious now.
08:01He takes his time and pretty much picks his shot, but he has a very awkward style.
08:06Three-punch combination, all coming up short by Cortez.
08:23Cortez showing a healthy respect for Azuma Nelson here, staying very much at long range.
08:27Cortez counter-punched into the body, did a pretty good job there.
08:39It's pretty much a fill-out process for both fighters, because you notice that there is no perspiration on either fighter.
08:57They're a bit tight down there.
09:01That was not any kind of a punch that sent Cortez's legs scattering.
09:05Don't stay in touch with her.
09:07Don't stay in touch.
09:08Don't stay in touch with her.
09:11Don't stay in touch!
09:12Cortez from Guyacuil, Ecuador, end of the first round and it was a feeling out process.
09:16How you are.
09:17It's a feeling out.
09:19Yeah, don't leave it.
09:20Tell me, do you have to...
09:22I got it.
09:28You know Azuma Nelson, the other man has lost his arm.
09:30And if he was a ambassador, he was too major to his and his hands, he was good.
09:33He was a master of his room against him, and he was able to do it.
09:34He was a little bit late.
09:35I got it, Bill.
09:38Back of my hand.
09:45Centered by many to be about the third best
09:47brother weight in the world
09:49behind Laporte and Petrozza, the two champions.
09:51He's a fighter, and in fact, he's had a couple of years
10:05of college, now lives in Los Angeles.
10:13So this is the second round.
10:15First round, each man rather seeing what the other one had.
10:19Neither one really had too much in the first round.
10:22Cortez with the experience, Nelson with the reputation.
10:40That was a good left-hand counterpunch by Nelson.
10:43Nelson has been here in the United States from Ghana
10:45for quite a while, actually, training, working here
10:48in the United States.
10:49It's going to keep him up, keep him up.
10:51Richard Steele telling both fighters to keep him up.
10:53Nelson keeps his hand very high.
10:55The only mistake he makes, Barry, is when he's throwing
10:57his punches, he starts to telegram.
10:59He puts his body behind, but you can see his punches
11:02coming a mile away.
11:04And for Cortez, all he needs to do is time his man.
11:07That left jab may come up with the right hand.
11:10Let him go.
11:10Cortez is very active.
11:19Left hand is a little short by Cortez, backed himself up.
11:30Another mistake that Nelson makes is the fact he comes up
11:32on the ball with his left foot.
11:34You notice there, he doesn't really have that much balance
11:36as he comes up.
11:37Cortez can make this fight pretty easy with the use of that
12:01left jab.
12:02He keeps Nelson at bay and just lateral movement.
12:05Cortez, as we mentioned, more experienced than the two.
12:12He's been in there against some pretty good boys.
12:14One of them, Rolando Navarrete, now considered the number
12:17one super featherweight contender.
12:20Cortez was on the long end of that one.
12:23You see what happens with Nelson.
12:25He actually falls when he throws himself off balance
12:28when he throws his punches.
12:31What Cortez is doing is pretty much being a counter puncher.
12:34And he's doing a pretty good job.
12:38Nelson just kind of stalks his man.
12:39And Cortez being very active, cutting the ring off on him,
12:42not really giving him a chance to get untracked here.
12:44And Cortez is really throwing punches and really moving
12:46side to side.
12:47His only problem, he lacks power.
12:49Spin him, Hector.
12:50Great, step back.
12:55Watch your head.
12:56Watch your head.
12:56Richard Steele telling Nelson to watch his head.
13:03Nelson wants one shot.
13:05And Cortez with a pretty good right hook that time.
13:07Didn't really hurt, but nonetheless, it made Nelson aware
13:09of the fact that he was there.
13:13Cortez definitely outmaneuvered Nelson in both of those rounds.
13:17And Nelson is wandering around in the ring up until now,
13:24a little frustrated with himself.
13:30Take a deep breath up.
13:31Nelson is in that position where he has a lot more to lose
13:47than to win in a fight like this.
13:49Cortez, I understand, had to lose a lot of weight in a hurry
14:02before he fought Chandler, the bantamweight champion.
14:08And he may be, although not as strong as Nelson,
14:11stronger and more comfortable at the featherweight limit
14:13than he was when he fought Chandler.
14:17So this is the third round.
14:19So far, little to choose between these two featherweights,
14:21each looking for a title shot.
14:23Could be the last hurrah for Hector Cortez.
14:29We have a replay of Styles, the way that the strategy
14:32that Nelson is using against Cortez,
14:34trying to walk him down, knowing fully well
14:36he's not able to hurt him.
14:38But he could make a mistake because it's an accumulation
14:40of punches that normally takes its toll against fighters.
14:45Nelson, as he did the last time we saw it,
14:49just kind of stalking his man, and fighting his time,
14:52and not throwing a lot of punches.
14:54He almost waited too long the last time.
14:56Step back, step back, step back was great.
14:58Well, it could also cost him a fight because what's happening,
15:01Cortez has really scored points because he's jabbing,
15:05and he's hitting without getting hit.
15:15The only problem that Cortez can make is that he get
15:18into an exchange of punches with a puncher like Nelson.
15:23Nelson with the 14 knockouts.
15:26So, he can't go get his man if he has to.
15:43Cortez kind of ducking in and out.
15:45Don't hold him, don't hold him.
15:46He's not throwing punches in combination.
15:48You know, but it appears to me that Cortez,
16:03his cut, he's adjusting because his string is dangling down.
16:06That could be presented a few problems there.
16:09That could be very distracting, I would think, to a fighter.
16:12a fighter but he's still i mean he's able to he's still moving around
16:19cortez the right hand counter punch off the right hand lead by nelson
16:25it's just as frustrating for nelson because he's being hit by the light of puncher uh cortez
16:30and he's not able to retaliate after being hit i think you may be able to see the tables turn
16:37if nelson is able to hurt cortez so far neither man has been hurt it's been a fast tempo fight here
16:51nelson very impassive in the ring he shows virtually no emotion at all all business
16:57missed that right hand
16:58cortez kind of a powder puff right hand
17:10cortez ray really provides a tough target because of his movement yes cortez is fighting practically
17:17a perfect fighter for 33 years of age he can continue this for another seven rounds he can
17:23pull off a big upset i don't think nelson has hit him yet in that round let's listen to nelson's
17:30corner on the right
17:34he's gonna give you water he's gonna give you water too bill
17:46wait wait second time you didn't you didn't get the water you didn't get none
17:52here we go
17:55you gotta get your hands off you don't stand there and play games with this guy okay and you waiting for
18:00him to get off you get off first let's go operating behind the jail oh come on
18:08nelson has been trying too much for one big shot to hurt his opponent and then try to swarm him
18:14this corner is telling him function behind the jab
18:21but down to basics so we're in the fourth round and nelson tried to pick up the pace a little bit
18:28here and get after his man a little bit
18:32that's sticking his face out saying here i am going to hit me
18:36cortez isn't but neither is nelson we have more movement from nelson
18:44although i don't think he's really qualified to do that he's so susceptible to being hit by a counter
18:49punch but maybe he's okay because of the uh the lack of punching power of cortez
18:57nelson missed two punches and cortez scored with the right hand so nelson very active but it's
19:01cortez who's really doing the scoring here you see what's happening with cortez's punches
19:11the arm the arm punches and also he's pretty much especially the right hand with the inside of the
19:16glove and again cortez getting the better of that there's a right hand by nelson
19:21it might have been the first punch of the fight that nelson has really scored with
19:32i would really agree with uh what uh nelson is doing now he's picked the tempo he picked
19:38he's picked the pace up and uh he's he's made a fight out of this
19:44he's trying to make cortez fight his fight
19:52that was a good right hand by nelson that caught cortez and cortez is hurt
20:05he's blocking a lot of those punches there
20:10nelson is just so stiff all his punches are stiff except that right hand was a very good
20:15green punch but nelson's punches are so they're telegraphed so much and they're
20:20and they're pretty much arm punches now out of all that fury of activity there might have been one
20:25punch come on guys that really did any kind of damage and that was the one that drove it into
20:29the corner in the first place nelson's being very wild if cortez is going to remain in the corner he
20:36should really cover up a little more well if not just get out the corner move around like he's doing now
20:50there was a left hand that one did get in there
20:55then go front great great
21:01cortez has been hurt in this round
21:04it's human else's best round now we're in the locker room with tim with a spoon
21:22looks relaxed we have to remember that although he doesn't have the experience at page day that he has
21:29been in a big heavyweight championship fight and that could count for something
21:34tim with a spoon
21:43azuma nelson what a great name azuma nelson
21:49give me the water let's take a look at his best combination in the corner
21:52although he didn't get much of that stuff in clean he was playing with a good craftsman there's the
21:59right hand but he rolled with the punch
22:03azuma nelson is yet to really hurt his opponent but you'll notice that he did his best work after
22:09his corner told to go back to the fundamentals and start with the jab
22:13so we come to the fifth round
22:18really it was a punch prior to the ones that we saw that put nelson into the corner that really did the
22:23most damage i'm going to put cortez into the corner i should say meanwhile we're in the fifth round
22:39okay
22:46that's very good movement by a cortez
22:50because every time he steps from side to side he throws nelson off
22:57the problem is whether or not he can maintain this pace
22:59nelson's not doing anything but that that jab of his is really just floating out there he's actually
23:14pushing his jab
23:14he's got a couple of shots actually bouncing off the road now he's back in the corner again
23:24and again rolling with a lot of those punches
23:27you can see the experience of cortez because he rides with a lot of the blows he kicks him on his
23:32shoulders he pulls away the express really shows in cortez
23:38he's going to the ropes with purpose
23:42what's on necessity when you very watch the the uh the feet of nelson as he gets his man against the
23:48ropes he puts both of his feet together and starts to punch he's capable of being knocked down or knocked
23:53off balance that was a good right hand and that's done cortez no question about it cortez hurt now
23:59working working enough working enough and it's still a little bit shaky
24:13all right don't push don't push don't spin
24:19and again a right hand but this time cortez gets out of there and cortez seems to be going to the ropes
24:29with cause here
24:33what's happened that the temporal fight has caused cortez to start to fight nelson's fight
24:38which is not really in his best interest because punch for punch nelson is a stronger puncher
24:43another mistake there is the fact that cortez is moving directly back he's not giving a lateral movement
24:51he's giving nelson momentum now took a left hand although it was almost as much push as it was punch
25:06come on punch again
25:13hector cortez a little wearier after that punishment by nelson and there is greg page
25:30was it a boot it's a boot i think he's trying to drink some imaginary champagne
25:34there's a right hand which was nelson's best punch and appeared to slow down cortez let's take an overhead
25:47look at that
25:52imposing his youth and strength on the very very crafty
25:56ecuadorian ecuadorian at this point now cortez does appear to be tired the pace is
26:06very upbeat keep going for a 33 year old featherweight 33 years old is about 2 000 years old
26:16in the smaller divisions very very few fighters have excelled in the smaller divisions at this age because
26:22quickness is so important now even if this handshake is not as upbeat as it was early on
26:30cortez i think very much a tired fighter as larry pointed out but what he can do bar is use that
26:37experience that he has and stay on the move because if not he's going to get into an exchange again
26:43and fosby gets stunned once again by uh nelson
26:57this is the sixth round don't hold it don't hold it just punch it get out
27:16that's not fighting and cortez drawing a warning and apologizing you know this excuse me guy you
27:23know this uh referee still uh constantly tells the guys to punch and get out that means no holding
27:29and what the cortez is doing again he's tying this man up that was a good shot by nelson and cortez legs
27:37really start to go that looping right hand of nelson is starting to land
27:43cortez was a punch away from going down he's still a little bit wobbly here nelson this is a wild left
27:49watch your hands watch your head well cortez mountain starting to open now to show sign of fatigue
27:55another good straight right hand cortez very wobbly here doesn't look like it would take much
28:01you don't see too much uh strength in his legs cortez legs now which is another sign of fatigue
28:16for a young aggressive fighter like nelson they can sense instinctively they can sense
28:22when another fighter's tired now you see signs of desperation and i think that's what nelson
28:28is actually seen in uh cortez and another good chopping right hand and down goes cortez right on
28:35the seat of his pants he says no it wasn't a knockdown it was a push and so does richard steel no
28:41knockdown nelson apologizes a lot of good sportsmanship in this spike well one of the reasons why
28:48cortez hit the canvas was because there's so much water there was another right hand snapped his head back
28:53there was a low blow nelson's really put a lot of power behind his punches
29:00good uppercut and a right hand cortez about out on his feet
29:06nelson pounding him trying to give him room to fall but cortez gets his legs back under him somehow
29:11into the round good round good round
29:17well we want to remind you that on friday march the 30th championship boxing returns to hbo
29:32marvelous marvin hagler who incidentally is watching this fight from his training camp in palm springs
29:36california by its one roll down he's a very tough customer from argentina 10 o'clock eastern time
29:42that's live only on hbo and there's another observer watching ringside here who we will be watching
29:50on friday may 11th the return of sugar ray leonard that's not budweiser sugar ray leonard
29:54just sugar ray leonard thanks versus kevin howard friday may 11th 10 o'clock eastern that's live
30:00from worcester massachusetts and that's azuma nelson from las vegas nevada
30:07putting some real hurt on this ancient and noble veteran
30:19so they come out and touch gloves for the seventh round and one has the feeling this could be the last
30:22round of this fight cortez tired and i'm not too sure what the need is still feel the effects of that
30:29rally at the end of the last round by azuma nelson nelson is pretty much just walking cortez down now
30:38the six round was a very big round
30:43and now i see that nelson's really starting to gain momentum and it's a lot of confidence
30:48and fairly he had a lot of frustration on his face because of the movement
30:51of cortez but now he's settled
31:00seems to be almost a question of time here catch up with cortez for a combination of punches
31:05seems apparent that one punch is not going to put cortez down
31:08the ropes covering up trying to fight out of there it's quite difficult to hit cortez in the head
31:17because he's riding out those punches what uh nelson needs to do is hit that body slow his movement down
31:27combination again by nelson cortez sinks into the ropes
31:31and another right hand cortez still back to the ropes
31:38uppercut the right hand behind it caught for the gloves of cortez there's a left hand up on the side of the head
31:46cortez is still here
31:50you see what's happening with cortez he's blocking all those punches with his elbows
31:54he's riding the right hand catching on his shoulder he's moving away i think what he's trying to do really
32:00is trying to let nelson out uh punch himself out
32:05nelson really is throwing wild arm punches right at the moment too not very effective punches by nelson
32:11punching it out punching it out the mistake that cortez could be doing as far as thinking that uh
32:18nelson's gonna punch himself out it's a mistake because against sanchez it took sanchez 15 rounds
32:23before he was able to put nelson away i think cortez really is almost more tired than hurt really there's
32:28a right hand bounces him off the ropes again
32:33cortez down on the bottom strand of ropes all right step back step back i really do i really
32:40believe cortez is more tired than he is hurt i would agree barry there is more signs of for
32:47fatigue than it is as far as him being hurt
32:54there's a right hand that was pretty good punch by nelson and again cortez ducking down on the ropes
32:59puncher get out puncher get out don't hold him
33:03cortez seems content to stay on the ropes here
33:06doesn't have anything left in his punches at all
33:13well nelson seems unable to put him away
33:15there he is louisville fats
33:27break page
33:29there's a zoom in nelson who is now a zoom in command of this fight
33:45you don't know
34:02an overhand shot of nelson as he pounds away on cortez
34:07and there's the big right it must be a wonderful feeling for nelson to know that nothing his opponent
34:12can do can do can hurt him i'd like that he really did say a zoom in control of the fight i thought
34:20i heard that who
34:24this is the eighth round and cortez may have a bonus clause in his contract here
34:42he's going to be able to try nelson out but if he does tire him out what's he going to be able to
34:51do about it well i think you know fighting the lord uh weight categories and like a heavyweight
34:57you must have a punch or speed and good legs
35:01cortez remember 33 years old he's been around a while
35:1445 fights as a professional and 130 fights as an amateur which incidentally only lost one of
35:22cortez has gained a second win as far as his legs are concerned but his hands just punches
35:26really this thing has totally gone out of him he has to rely now on movement good right hand
35:33but he has to rely most on movement
35:37cortez going side to side when he does that he's been effective
35:40very powder puff punches coming from hector cortez
35:53okay
36:05elson meanwhile just kind of plodding along here hands high but
36:09unable to do anything about putting his man away
36:11don't push don't push work i get out this is what nelson wants to have
36:21cortez against the ropes in the corner so you can rail away at him
36:31there was a right hand by nelson and it bounced cortez back against the ropes
36:36yeah there's another one and another one and the left hand behind it cortez again sits down
36:42on the bottom strand bounces back up again like one of those pop-up dolls
36:48all right wait step back don't spin don't spin
36:56there's another right hand by nelson
36:58cortez again breathing through his mouth sign of a tired fighter coming down toward the end of the
37:07round here and cortez caught another right hand right as we head toward the bell cortez a very tired
37:14fight there's tim witherspoon again terrible tim witherspoon muhammad ali gave him the name terrible
37:33meaning terrible as in tough we'll find out if he's terrible as in tough or terrible as in terrible
37:39tonight
37:46i knew another philadelphia fighter who was called terrible and he was
37:56and there's a bona fide heavyweight champion wba heavyweight champion jerry coxia behind the man in
38:03the blue coat
38:13zuma nelson going about his work now in a workmanlike fashion as he has done for eight rounds and we now
38:20start the ninth round
38:23i know it's very at the side of each bill they touch gloves i do it once that's when we set a contract
38:36that friendship only goes so far
38:38cortez up on his bicycle again here it seems to have his legs under him at least for the moment
38:49he definitely did not at the end of the eighth round
38:55that's always found a good stiff right hand at the face as a tendency to take your legs away well the jab
39:01thrown by uh cortez it's really bothering nelson because it's keeping him off balance
39:07but what happens his lack of power nelson just walks through just walked completely through uh cortez
39:14and he loads up with the overhand right step back in the wide watch your head watch your head
39:21again richard steel saying watch your head azuma nelson and hector cortez touch clubs
39:25there's a left hand actually on top of the head that sent cortez back to the ropes nelson now is
39:35going to the body throwing jabs and right hands to the body he should have been doing this earlier
39:39he could have slowed his man down a lot sooner there's a right hand a long right hand but you're
39:44right ray that nelson doesn't really seem to always be on balance when he throws his punches well he's so
39:49stiff and he's so tight and his style doesn't uh permit him to do to really
39:55be relaxed he's so tight again a long a reaching right hand almost but physically i think you have
40:05to be really impressed with his uh strength yeah he has a very classic style really straight up and
40:12down kind of fighter keeps his gloves high
40:25and again they're pawing right hand it does score points for him but it's not really a devastating kind
40:40of punch you have the feeling that cortez should have been out of here a while ago well you notice
40:44um when cortez doesn't throw his jab or throws through a punch but nelson just rips right through him
40:51coming down toward the 22nd mark remaining here in the ninth round great stomach
40:59cortez continues to be a tired fighter there is a little blood from the right eye now of hector cortez
41:03you've got to let your hands move you've got to let your hands move you've got to let your hands move all
41:31the time take it you cannot stand out this is the 10th round you take him out of there
41:39go on fight like a chair take him out of there
41:45in an earlier fight tonight carlos de leon the wbc cruiserweight champion won a unanimous decision over
41:52anthony davis who had been ranked second a long tough fight for de leon over an outclassed opponent
42:06and there in the middle muhammad ali
42:12incidentally muhammad ali weighed in today at 223 pounds i'm told about 17 pounds less than greg page
42:23meanwhile we have a couple of 126 pounders in there
42:27hector cortez and azuma nelson and you heard nelson's corner say take this guy out of there
42:34and larry holmes just entered the ring so we have here jerry coachia larry holmes
42:39two heavyweight champions muhammad ali full of heavyweight champions we've got pretenders we've got
42:46champions we got former champions well nelson's trying to be a champion out here he's going all out
42:51against cortez
42:58trying to do what his corner said but so far unable to do it his problem there is the fact
43:02he's trying to load up six punches in a row there and he would never be able to land one big punch
43:07he doesn't take his time lead up with the jab and uh he's making a mistake of just rushing running in
43:13with his head still blood from the right eye of hector cortez watch your hands it's alongside the eye
43:20and below the eye at this late date it won't have an appreciable effect if one of those right hands
43:27really if one of those right hands were laying against cortez really clean right
43:32cortez could go down because his legs are they look as though he's shot now
43:38his legs have been rather like that for about the last four or five rounds six rounds maybe
43:43they're working it out
43:47all right break step back step back step back
43:54where his legs are right at the moment he can walk down a bowling alley and they would have to stop the game
44:00just like my legs watch your hand come on don't hold break step back don't hold
44:13there's a good combination by nelson and that forces cortez to hang on here
44:18step back here hold him come on
44:25that's that right hand
44:27and once again nelson right on top of his man tries to step away and let cortez fall but
44:31cortez holds on he's ready to go bear one more right hand like this
44:35he's got about a canvas got about 40 seconds still to go
44:41and cortez is in deep trouble here
44:45richard steel takes a good long look inside of 30. cortez just trying to weather it get out of it
44:50don't hold it and listen to the decision if he can hear it come on
44:53it's just trying to hold on richard steel saying he can't do that
45:10we're gonna get out five seconds remaining this one just about over and cortez will finish it on his
45:14feet there's the bell hector cortez is a very skilled veteran a very difficult opponent to look good
45:22against but having said that i have to say that azuma nelson for all the hard work he put into this
45:30still wasn't all that impressive
45:34frankly i've yet to see him really be impressive probably the most impressive he was is when he
45:38fought for the championship and lost to salvador sanchez
45:48so we will await the official decision here ray but i think it's fair criticism to say it was
45:54not a very overwhelming victory by any stretch of the imagination at least from an impressive
45:59point of view for azuma nelson well barry styles make fights and the style that cortez possesses gave
46:05uh nelson a lot of problems with his movement and his craftiness against the ropes nelson of course
46:11looking for a title shot against the winner of the gomez laporte fight and he would be in some pretty
46:16high cotton if he got in there against either one of those guys oh it'd be tough because it was obvious
46:22right from the outset that hector cortez was not about to hurt azuma nelson and of course that allows
46:27you to take a lot more chances well i'll tell you one thing about cortez the fact that he takes advantage
46:32of his movement and his experience but he lacks so much power and that's why nelson just walked through
46:38azuma nelson throwing a lot of wild punches really rather wasting the punches and right now let's go
46:44up to the ring announcer chuck hall we'll get the official decision ladies and gentlemen here is the
46:50decision of the judges judge dave moretti scores 97 93. judge dolby shirley scores 97 93.
47:00and judge hal miller scores 98 92 for the winner by unanimous decision azuma nelson
47:14there is a look at larry holmes he of course perhaps the public's champion even though he stepped
47:37aside and greg page and tim witherspoon will be fighting for his championship
47:44we talk about the fact there are champions everywhere here tonight man on my right of course no small
47:50example sugar ray leonard is here muhammad ali is here larry holmes is here jerry cotzia the wba champion
48:00is here there is talk of course of a larry holmes jerry cotzia fight upcoming and ray we heard the
48:08decision here and azuma nelson coming up a rather easy winner and really didn't really work up too
48:13much of a sweat it wasn't really anything i don't think as we mentioned he's going to want to take
48:16home and write to mama about well i think that the fact he won the fight uh pretty much speaks for
48:21itself cortez was just a tough guy to fight his style uh present a lot of problems for nelson well you know
48:27there's always a very special feeling in the air when there is a championship of any sort and in
48:32this case like so many we know before the first punch is thrown there'll be a new champion crown tonight
48:44this has been a presentation of hbo sports the network of champions
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