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Gerald McCllean defends his WBC Middleweight title against Gilbert Baptist on Showtime Boxing
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00:00I'm Grand Garden in Las Vegas, the main event, Gerald McClellan versus Gilbert Baptist for the WBC Middleweight Championship.
00:09Well, as we close in on McClellan and Baptist, once again another case where an opponent has bound out because of injury at the last minute.
00:17McClellan was all set to fight number one contender Lamar Parks, but he was shelled by an injured shoulder.
00:22So, McClellan has to suddenly gear up for a different opponent.
00:26And as if that weren't enough, down the road, a very short road, he's got a rematch with former champion Julian the Hawk Jackson in early May.
00:34Now, all of these factors could prove distracting.
00:36It'll be interesting to see how McClellan handles it.
00:40As we go backstage into the private quarters of Gerald McClellan, moments away from his second defense of the WBC Middleweight title.
00:47The explosive McClellan won the title back in May of 93 with a stirring fifth round knockout of Julian Jackson.
00:54McClellan has proven without a doubt that he is one of the hardest punching middleweight champions in the world.
01:08It was a hard fight from the beginning.
01:11It was like a real emotional fight.
01:14I had a hard punch.
01:15On the fifth round, man, he was telling me the fight was dead even before the fifth round began.
01:19When Gerald McClellan, a 28-year-old from Freeport, Illinois, knocked out Julian Jackson, he not only won the WBC Middleweight Championship,
01:32he became the heir apparent to Jackson's unofficial title of boxing's hardest hitter, pound for pound.
01:38It's a scary feeling when you hit somebody and knock them out, knock them unconscious.
01:42And you could tell before the person falls that he's on his way down.
01:45When I land on a good side, a right hand or a left hook, you know, it's a good feeling.
01:51You know, it's like, to me, knocking somebody out is like, it's like having sex, you know what I mean?
01:56It's a good feeling.
01:58Trained in Detroit's fabled cronk gym, McClellan earned his reputation as a knockout artist by ending all 29 of his wins early,
02:0725 of them before the end of the third round.
02:10Yet, unlike many sluggers, he systematically sets up his opponents with combinations,
02:16often ending with his favorite punch, a left hook in between the solar plexus and the kidney.
02:21You can hit with a shot like that, you know, round the money, pitch it perfect, you'll go down anybody with it.
02:27And in his first title defense, it was this left hook that wrote McClellan into the history books.
02:33One shot!
02:33It's got to be a record!
02:35Unbelievable!
02:35The minute it landed, I knew it was over, because I seen when I hit him, I kind of like, took a step backwards and I seen him just fall.
02:43Boxing's most dramatic, most exciting moment is that split second when a fighter is separated from his senses.
02:50And while McClellan's punching power overshadows his considerable boxing skills,
02:55he knows that any of his fights, including this one, his second title defense, can end ever so quickly.
03:00I don't see the fight going on more than three rounds.
03:03You know, could three rounds give me enough time to block, give me enough time to punch, figure the guy out, defense?
03:10You know, three rounds is enough for any fight to make.
03:12All right, on the subject of last-minute changes, did a last-minute change of opponents ever affect you, Bobby?
03:25Not in any drastic fashion, but I always asked for, or more accurately demanded, a videotape.
03:30Because I'd spent so much time guiding my mind and my body to react to a certain opponent.
03:35If it's a jabber right hand that I always want to work on, slipping or a counter.
03:38And to have a new opponent thrust at me, not know anything about him, would absolutely drive me crazy.
03:42So, I don't think it'd ever affect me because I got the video.
03:45Yeah.
03:45Is Gerald McClellan focused enough so that the change of opponents won't affect him this evening?
03:51Gerald McClellan's a good and talented champion.
03:53And not only is he a good and talented champion, but he has a trainer who has been around forever.
03:57And much like my trainer, Tom Parks, is a strategic genius.
04:01They will be able to solve whatever they have to here tonight.
04:03I believe that they will do it.
04:04And, Ferdy, does Baptist have what it takes to stop a guy like Gerald McClellan?
04:09That's very difficult.
04:10There are two different class of fighters.
04:12McClellan's right at the top of the heap.
04:14And because of his weight problems and things,
04:17Baptist has a chance if he survives and stays awake after past five rounds.
04:23McClellan, on the other hand, you've heard him say he'll get him out in three.
04:26Well, those kind of little predictions backfire on you if you don't get him out.
04:29So that's about what we're going to look at.
04:31Can he get him out in enough time, or will he wear out if he doesn't get him out and tries?
04:35As far as the difference between the two,
04:37you've got to admit that Gerald McClellan's head and shoulders above Baptist's intelligence.
04:42All right.
04:42With that, let's take our first glimpse at 30-year-old Gilbert Baptist, born in New Jersey,
04:47lives in San Diego.
04:49Baptist, a record of 28 and 16 with 12 knockouts.
04:52It comes off a 10-round decision over Armando Compass in Verona, California,
04:57back on November 17, 1993.
06:05Gilbert Baptist getting his second crack at a world title.
06:09His first shot came in November 91 when he lost via decision to Gianfranco Rossi for
06:15the IBF Junior Middleweight Championship in Italy.
06:20And now here is the champion, 26-year-old Gerald McClellan with a record of 29-2, 27 KOs,
06:26won the WBC Middleweight title with a stunning fifth-round TKO over long-time champion Julian
06:32Jackson in May of 93.
06:34Tonight he makes his second defense of the title.
06:37The winner is the champion of theζδ½.
06:44And he is the champion of the great Depression in the country.
06:45They are a try to do the best.
06:47Now, let's go.
06:48Let's go.
06:48Let's go.
06:49Let's go.
06:49And what do we do?
06:49Let's go.
06:50Let's go.
06:51Let's go.
06:51Let's go.
06:52Let's go.
06:52Let's go.
06:53I'm the type of girl that's down for my nigga, I love for my nigga, feelin' down for my nigga, see, he don't mind me purkin', he stands like a stunt, he's in this all, but he's a girl, what the hell we're gonna call her, they just don't need him, I got you get him, I got you, I got you, he got you, he got me, he got me on, I'm out of there, it's a guy, he got me right back, all right, all right, come on, my nigga get picked up, you ain't see me, they think you're gonna go checkin', coming on inside of two straight rackin', got me a damn girl on my
07:23The Bonnie and Clyde thing.
07:53Come on, Rose.
07:54Gerald McClellan off his first title defense back in August,
07:57making quick work of J. Bell,
07:59knocking him out with a body shot 30 seconds into the first round
08:02and buy him on Puerto Rico.
08:0418 of McClellan's 29 victories have come by way of first-round knockout.
08:10Time now to check the numbers.
08:12Let's go to the tail of the tape at age 30.
08:14Baptist is four years older than McClellan.
08:16The 4 1β2-inch height advantage for McClellan.
08:19The weight nearly even.
08:21And a big 7 1β2-inch reach advantage for McClellan.
08:26And to the WBC rules for this championship bout,
08:2810-point must system, three scoring judges,
08:31no standing eight count, no three knockdown rule.
08:34Only the referee can stop the fight,
08:35and a fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round.
08:39So coming up here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas,
08:45it's Gerald McClellan and Gilbert Baptist for the WBC Middleweight Championship.
08:50We are set for the official introductions.
08:52Let's go up to our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon, Jr.
08:55Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to Grand Garden,
09:08here at the world's largest hotel, casino, and seating park
09:12for our featured bout of the evening, Global Warfare,
09:16brought to you by Don King Productions,
09:18the MGM Grand, and Corona Beer.
09:21This map is sanctioned by the World Boxing Council,
09:25the President, Jose Suleiman,
09:27Supervisor at Ringside, Bobby Lee,
09:30along with the Nevada State Athletic Commission,
09:32the Chairman, Dr. Elias Garnham,
09:34Commissioners Matt Carasali, Bruce Lane,
09:36Luther Mack, and Dr. James May,
09:38the Executive Director, Mark Ratner.
09:41Physicians at Ringside, Dr. Philip Monsky,
09:44Dr. William Berliner, Dr. Al Capanna.
09:46Time, keepers at the bell, also keeping count of the knockdowns,
09:50we have James Cavan and Mike LaSella.
09:53Introducing to you the judges as appointed,
09:56Herbert Min, Dave Moretti, and Barbara Pettis.
10:02All right, fans, here we go,
10:04with the main event of the evening,
10:06and now, ladies and gentlemen in attendance,
10:08and boxing fans joining us around the world,
10:11it's showtime!
10:13The WBC middleweight championship of the world,
10:18scheduled for 12 rounds of boxing,
10:20the referee in charge of this match of the instructions,
10:23after the introductions,
10:25Richard Green, Steele, Richard Steele.
10:28I'm as introducing to you first,
10:31the challenger on my left,
10:33fighting out of the blue corner.
10:36He is the ring wearing white trunks with blue trim,
10:38he is representing the Mongoose Boxing Club in San Diego, California.
10:44He weighed in at a ready 158 and one-half pounds,
10:48and his record includes 28 wins,
10:5116 losses,
10:52with 12 wins coming by way of knockout.
10:55Introducing the challenger,
10:57known as the sweet sensation,
11:00Gilbert Baptist.
11:01And his opponent across the ring,
11:08on my right,
11:08is the defending champion fighting out of the red corner.
11:12He enters the ring,
11:13wearing green trunks with white trim,
11:15and fighting out of Freeports, Illinois.
11:18He weighed in at 159 pounds,
11:21and his record includes 29 wins.
11:24Two losses,
11:25with 27 big wins coming by way of knockout.
11:28Tonight, he is making his second defensivist title.
11:31Please welcome the hard-hitting WBC middleweight champion of the world,
11:36known as the G-Man.
11:38Introducing,
11:39Gerald McClellan.
11:43Once again,
11:44here's your referee in charge,
11:45Richard Steele,
11:46now to give instructions.
11:4812 rounds scheduled now.
11:50Okay, I spoke to both fighters in the dress here.
11:52I'll pass you again,
11:54obey my commands at all the time.
11:56Shake hands, good luck.
11:58My apologies.
11:59I looked over at your shirt.
12:04And the first thing,
12:05Purdy,
12:05we notice is that
12:06no Emanuel Stewart
12:07in the corner of Gerald McClellan.
12:08We understand there was a disagreement
12:10between Stewart and McClellan
12:11over strategy
12:12for tonight going into the fight.
12:14Apparently,
12:15there was a split.
12:16Boy,
12:16it's been a tough year for Stewart.
12:17Losing Evander Holyfield.
12:19He just got back to it with Tommy Hurst.
12:20But this is the news
12:21coming into this fight.
12:22Yeah,
12:23I talked to him yesterday.
12:25He's disappointed
12:25at his attitude
12:26and not losing weight
12:29like he wants him to
12:29and just the strategy.
12:31He doesn't want him
12:31to come out here
12:32and bomb
12:33about this.
12:34He wants him to box him,
12:35of course.
12:36McClellan's idea
12:37is I'm going to get him
12:37out of there
12:38in three-way side train hard.
12:39There's the first good hard punch.
12:40McClellan said he wants
12:43the early knockout.
12:46Heavy-handed,
12:47explosive,
12:48lightning click
12:48going for the thunder there.
12:50Looking to end it
12:51in the first minute.
12:53There goes
12:54Baptist down.
12:56Three,
12:56troubling to the deck.
12:58And he's in bad shape.
13:00The prices of McClellan
13:01are really rock hard.
13:04Look at him.
13:04He looks like an Olympic starter.
13:06A sprinter trying to get in there.
13:07And he comes back
13:08to finish it off.
13:09Baptist
13:10is direthrowing.
13:15A swarming
13:16gentleman's love
13:17and something
13:18left on the left.
13:19Smugging out.
13:20Baptist with punches.
13:22Go on it, baby.
13:23Go on it, though.
13:24Baptist goes down
13:26to his back.
13:27Two,
13:28three,
13:29one,
13:30one.
13:30His body
13:31stops his head.
13:32Look at him.
13:32He doesn't know
13:32where he's even at.
13:34Richard Cook.
13:35You okay?
13:36He's going to let him.
13:37You okay?
13:37Come on now.
13:38Let me see.
13:39Come on.
13:39Let me see you.
13:40You okay?
13:43He wants a response
13:44from Baptist
13:44and he finally gets one.
13:47Richard trying not
13:48to make a mistake.
13:50And that is it.
13:51No, it's not.
13:52He's not going to count on the point.
13:53But see his eyes?
13:54His eyes aren't there.
13:55His eyes aren't there.
13:56That's it.
13:57Richard did the right thing.
13:58The towel comes in,
14:01although the towel
14:01has nothing to do with it.
14:03Richard did the right thing.
14:04Steele,
14:05who has been in the middle
14:06of controversy
14:07because he stopped it early.
14:08He doesn't exactly
14:09did the right thing.
14:10He let him go
14:11when he responded,
14:12but then when he looked
14:13in his eyes,
14:13it's all over.
14:14Well, with it.
14:15Well, without Emanuel Stewart,
14:17Gerald McClellan goes right out there
14:18and ends this thing
14:20in the first round
14:21just as he had predicted.
14:22Well, and as a follow-up
14:24to that,
14:25I think that's one
14:27of those temporary
14:27lover's facts
14:28that happens
14:29between managers
14:29and fighters.
14:30I don't think
14:31Emanuel Stewart
14:31is in any way out.
14:33I think they will make it up.
14:35Well, the same thing
14:36happened with Tommy Hearns
14:38and he came back
14:38to Tommy Hearns.
14:44We understand
14:44that Bobby says
14:45he's standing by
14:47with Emanuel Stewart.
14:49And we're going to go
14:50to Bobby right now
14:51to get further explanation.
14:52Chappie?
14:53Thank you, Steve.
14:53I'm here with Emanuel Stewart,
14:54the renowned trainer
14:55of the Cronk Gym
14:56and also Gerald McClellan's trainer.
14:57I was just talking
14:58about how you would be
14:59in his corner
14:59and take care of anything
15:00that he might need
15:00and you're not in the corner.
15:01What was the story with that?
15:03Well, you know,
15:03I'm also the manager
15:04and trainer.
15:05And in particular case,
15:05I've been so busy
15:06with other fights,
15:07as you know,
15:08a couple of weeks ago
15:08and I haven't had the time
15:09to really train him
15:10and I didn't think
15:11that this fight
15:12particularly was going
15:12to be that difficult.
15:13So I just let the guys
15:14who've been working
15:14with him and training
15:15get a chance
15:16to be exposed
15:17until he's been working
15:17with him.
15:18But the relationship
15:18is still solid
15:19and everything's fine
15:19between you and Gerald?
15:20Yeah, there's a manager
15:21right now.
15:21Next time,
15:22if I have time
15:22to train him,
15:23I'm fine.
15:23But for this particular fight,
15:24I didn't have time
15:24to really train him properly.
15:25Okay, well,
15:26I can understand.
15:26I've seen many fighters
15:27who have trainers
15:28and the fighters get mad.
15:30You know,
15:30they get upset.
15:31I know Livingston Bramble
15:32and Tommy Parks,
15:33you know,
15:34Tommy was training him.
15:35Tommy was training me.
15:36One day,
15:36you know,
15:37Livingston told him by mail,
15:39you're just not my training
15:40more because you went
15:40with Bobby to training camp
15:41and it becomes difficult.
15:42I'm sure you have to have
15:43a lot of dissension
15:44from time to time.
15:44you're going to always have
15:45that when you have
15:45a big stable fighter.
15:46In the last few weeks,
15:47I've been very busy.
15:48You know,
15:48Tommy's fought twice
15:49and there's some other fights
15:51I've been working on
15:51and this particular fight
15:52and particularly after
15:53I found out what was happening
15:54related to Lamar Parks,
15:56the original opponent.
15:57So the guys that have worked
15:58with him have been
15:58doing a good job with him
15:59and they've been training
16:00like eight weeks,
16:01which I didn't have
16:01that kind of time
16:02to spend in Las Vegas
16:03and it was very difficult
16:04to train back in the East
16:05because of the extremely
16:06bad one of them we've had.
16:08Well, I know in the amateurs,
16:09you were the only one
16:09to beat me
16:10and they beat me
16:10in the pros
16:11as the trainer of the fighter.
16:12So I hope me and Tommy
16:13get the table
16:13so I can get one back from you.
16:15Well, I think the way
16:15is looking.
16:16We better do that real soon.
16:17We don't need any more
16:17two notes between you two.
16:19We're going to be working
16:19with Don King.
16:21He's trying to put together
16:21hopefully where you and Tommy
16:22can be fighting
16:23probably in the next 80 days
16:24for some kind of a title.
16:26Okay, now who's next?
16:27Who are you training next
16:27and where are you going
16:28with the stable?
16:29I know the gym
16:30has always produced
16:30tremendous fighters
16:31and I credit a lot of that to you.
16:33Well, we've got
16:33Leon Zababa right now,
16:34WBO Light Heavyweight Champion
16:36but the main thing
16:37that we're really focusing
16:38a lot on particularly
16:39is really getting Thomas
16:40ready for the big fight
16:41with you.
16:42Well, I'm excited about it.
16:43Everybody knows at home
16:44that I think it's a fight
16:45that I thought should have
16:46happened back in the late 80s.
16:47It's a great fight
16:48and something I'm looking for
16:49but I appreciate you
16:50stopping and talking with us.
16:51I'm going to throw it back
16:52to Steve Albert at ringside.
16:54All right, Bobby.
16:54That may be the first time
16:55a fighter negotiated
16:56a fight for himself
16:57during an interview.
16:58Unbelievable.
16:59But Emanuel Stewart
17:00has called
17:03Gerald McClellan
17:04his best all-around fighter.
17:06We're set for the official
17:08decision,
17:09the official word
17:10from Jimmy Lennon Jr.
17:14Ladies and gentlemen,
17:15this bout has been stopped
17:17at 1 minute 37 seconds
17:19at round number 1
17:21the winner by way
17:22of technical knockout
17:23and still champion
17:24the G-Man
17:26Gerald McClellan.
17:29So apparently
17:34much ado about nothing
17:35as far as
17:36Emanuel Stewart was concerned
17:38as he discussed
17:38with Bobby Chez.
17:40There is not a split.
17:42He just felt
17:42he was too busy
17:43to be in the corner
17:45of Gerald McClellan
17:46and should be back
17:47in the corner
17:47when McClellan
17:48has his rematch
17:49with Julian Jackson
17:50on May the 7th.
17:55So,
17:56Gerald McClellan
17:58makes easy work
17:59of Gerald
17:59of Gilbert Baptist
18:01and the fight doctor
18:03is standing by
18:05in the ring.
18:11That easy?
18:13You thought it was
18:14going to be that easy?
18:15Well, I worked hard.
18:16It's the hardest I've ever trained,
18:17the longest I've ever trained.
18:18Seven and a half weeks.
18:19Everybody thought
18:20I had a problem
18:20making weight
18:21but I got it off
18:22like two weeks ago
18:23real easy
18:23and I feel real good
18:25out there strong.
18:26You know,
18:27thanks to my man
18:27right here,
18:27Willie Brown
18:28for sticking with me
18:29and putting up
18:29with my attitude
18:30for the whole time
18:31and it was good.
18:32Well, maybe that's why
18:33you're such a tough fighter.
18:34You got a tough attitude.
18:35Well, you know,
18:36this is a rough sport.
18:37You know,
18:37rough game.
18:38You got to be tough.
18:39The good guys
18:39don't make it in this game.
18:40All right.
18:41Do you think
18:41you were looking
18:42the question was
18:43were you looking past
18:44this guy
18:45to Julian Jackson?
18:46Well, if you were,
18:46there was no evidence of it.
18:47I got the press conference.
18:48Me and Julian
18:48had a few words.
18:50I was telling Julian
18:50if he respected me
18:51like he said he do,
18:52you know,
18:53get off my case
18:53about that fight
18:54because I have
18:55a tough fight
18:55in front of me
18:56and take it
18:56one step at a time.
18:58So you are ready
18:59for Julian Jackson?
19:00I'm ready for Julian Jackson.
19:01Anybody out there
19:02want Julian Jackson,
19:03James, Tony, Roy Jones,
19:04all the big name guys
19:05because my name is big too
19:07so I don't know
19:07if we can make
19:08a big pay to get together.
19:09Well, the last little thing
19:09we got to say
19:10is that Emmanuel Stewart
19:12who wasn't in your corner
19:13has just been interviewed there
19:14and said,
19:15listen,
19:15we're still managing
19:16manager and fighter.
19:17We're still friends
19:17and we're going to be
19:18working together
19:18in the future.
19:19Have you got anything
19:20to add to that?
19:21Well, I don't want to say
19:21anything about that.
19:22You know,
19:22Emmanuel know what he did
19:23and I'm not going
19:24to criticize nobody
19:25on national television
19:26because I'm a better man
19:27than that.
19:27But, you know,
19:28if it's up to Emmanuel,
19:29we work things out.
19:30If not,
19:30I'll keep doing
19:31what I did tonight.
19:32All right.
19:33And on that note,
19:34we go back to Steve
19:35at ringside.
19:37All right.
19:37Thank you very much for
19:38your championship.
19:44All right.
19:44Thank you very much,
19:45Ferdie.
19:45And based on what
19:46Gerald McClellan
19:48just said,
19:50you get the feeling
19:51that we should read
19:53more into the situation,
19:55even though Emmanuel
19:56Stewart kind of poo-pooed
19:58the whole deal.
20:00Well, I know fighters
20:01and they all have
20:01attitudes and they all
20:02have tremendous egos,
20:03so sometimes if a trainer's
20:04not in that training camp
20:05the whole time,
20:06they get mad
20:06and temper's flair.
20:08All right, Bobby,
20:09let's take a look at the
20:10action from this very short
20:12fight as Gerald McClellan
20:13makes quick work of Baptist.
20:14Well, he came right out
20:15and wanted to establish
20:16that I'm the puncher,
20:17and I'm going to run through
20:17you, and you're going to have
20:18to defend against this,
20:19and now.
20:20And Gerald threw everything
20:21he had at him,
20:21and Baptist had a problem.
20:23And, you know,
20:24it's incredible because I know
20:25Baptist for,
20:25I haven't seen him for 18 years,
20:27and I was really hoping he
20:28would put on a better show
20:29for himself because he's a
20:30nice young kid,
20:31but Gerald is just so strong,
20:33and we know how when he weighs
20:34in at 160 days before the fight,
20:36he's 175 day of the fight,
20:37and when you have that kind of
20:38power coming at you,
20:39not giving back something
20:40to take a little steam out of it,
20:42it's going to steamroll you.
20:44Well, yes, indeed.
20:45Well, got him in trouble
20:46on the ropes here again.
20:47Gilbert Baptist will go back
20:48to being a probation officer
20:50in San Diego, works with kids,
20:52and you're right, he's a
20:53gentleman.
20:54Yes, he stays on the ropes
20:55instead and tries to block
20:57the punches roll with him.
20:57That's good, but it's not the
20:59best thing he could have done.
21:01He should have used his legs,
21:02move, just try to throw
21:03something out there,
21:04maybe a jab or something,
21:05deflect some punches.
21:06And here at the end of the
21:07fight, again, his back is on
21:09the ropes and he's getting
21:10pounded, and the referee, you
21:11know, he's basically seen
21:12enough.
21:12He knows where it's headed.
21:14No sense in letting the young
21:15man get hurt.
21:16He's a nice fella, and Joe
21:18Cortez knows his job.
21:20Well, in this case, Richard
21:21Steele, and I'm sorry, that's
21:22all right.
21:22Baptist was nearly beheaded
21:24in this fight by the
21:27awesome power of Gerald
21:28McClellan, taking a page from
21:31the body snatcher in our
21:32earlier fight.
21:33Yeah, I stand corrected.
21:34That's quite all right.
21:35There's Richard Steele
21:36checking.
21:36At this point, he's trying to
21:38get, elicit a response from
21:40Gilbert Baptist.
21:40Baptist took his time and
21:42finally is saying, I'm okay,
21:43and then they pressed on once
21:45again, but he should have stayed
21:46away.
21:47They pressed on for a minute and
21:48Baptist really didn't get hit.
21:49He just kind of collapsed into
21:51Jackson, and the bat was over.
21:54He asked him two or three times,
21:55you're okay, and he said, let me
21:56see you step forward, step to me.
21:58You know, let me see that you're
21:58okay.
21:59And with the criticism coming from
22:01Mildred Taylor, you know, he's
22:03going to check on those boys now.
22:04All right, so Gerald McClellan
22:06making easy work of Gilbert
22:08Baptist, and one final thought on
22:10the earlier fight, the body
22:11snatcher Mike McCallum with that
22:13awesome barrage of Randall
22:15Yonker ending the fight at 255
22:17of round five.
22:18Well, when you have that type of
22:18talent, it can just go to show
22:20you that age can sometimes beat
22:22the youth with the experience he's
22:23had and that much talent.
22:25He's just a superior fighter and
22:26again, Yonker couldn't do it.
22:28All right, Bobby, we had you
22:29hopping around tonight.
22:30You were a busy guy.
22:31Nice job.
22:32Let's take a look at the final
22:33results as we recap tonight right
22:36here, Mike McCallum, defeating
22:37Randall Yonker, a TKO in round
22:40number five.
22:44And in the main event, Gerald
22:46McClellan hangs on to his WBC
22:48middleweight championship,
22:49defeating Gilbert Baptist with a
22:51TKO in round number one.
22:53That is a recap of tonight's
22:55boxing program here at the MGM
22:57Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
22:58Right now, let's go back to the
23:00fight, Dr. Ferdy Pacheco in the
23:02ring.
23:02Don, you're looking like the
23:06cat that ate the canary because
23:07this guy, Gerald McClellan, is, I
23:10mean, his fight with Julian
23:11Jackson's got to be one of the
23:13top fights of that magnificent
23:14card we got for May.
23:16It certainly is.
23:16This is going to be a barn
23:17burner by every stretch of the
23:19imagination.
23:20This is a vendetta type fight.
23:21It's a revenge of the champions.
23:23Julian Jackson has a lot of
23:24enmity, a lot of hostility, you
23:26know, a lot of anxiety.
23:27He's ready to go out there and
23:28try to get into Gerald right now.
23:30And so Gerald's saying, you're not
23:32going to take this from me, although
23:33I took it from you, I'm going to
23:34keep it.
23:34So each one feels the others taking
23:36something away from him.
23:37It's going to be one terrific
23:38fight.
23:38Don't you feel that's kind of a
23:39fight like the first one that lands
23:41real good is going to take it
23:42because these two guys are
23:43devastating punches.
23:45They certainly are.
23:45They're the hardest punches in
23:46the business.
23:47As you know, Julian Jackson is the
23:49world's knockout artist, and this
23:51young man is right behind him, but
23:53he got his blow in before Julian
23:55got his in.
23:56So Julian wants the opportunity to
23:57do it again.
23:58So on May 7th, they're going to
23:59meet in the center of the ring here
24:01at the MGM and do it again.
24:03That's a blockbuster in itself.
24:04Yeah, but on May 7th, we also have
24:06Azuma Nelson trying to even the
24:07score with Leah because he won the
24:09fight, they took it away, they made
24:10it a draw.
24:10Now, that's a very good fight.
24:12Well, he's very angry, too.
24:13And he said he's going to retire the
24:14young boy.
24:15But Jesse James Leahy, I feel that
24:16he's going to come back and take it
24:17and take it from Azuma.
24:19So you got revenge, revenge, revenge,
24:21hostility.
24:21But no bigger revenge.
24:22No bigger revenge than Simon Brown
24:25and Terry Norris.
24:26Oh, terrible Terry Norris is the man
24:27who everyone feared.
24:29He had the fame, acclaim, and the
24:30affluence of saying, I'm the pomp of
24:31the best fight in the world.
24:33And then Simple Simon, a little
24:34small-minded voice, a little high-voiced
24:36guy, comes in and destroys him.
24:39So now he's embarrassed.
24:41You know, he feels that he has to
24:42vindicate himself.
24:44He is really angry.
24:45You can look at him out there in the
24:46audience, you'll see he is full of
24:47hostility.
24:48So Simon and him will meet on the
24:507th, and they will...
24:51And we're still not talking about the
24:52main event.
24:53And the main event is North and South
24:55America looking at what was the most
24:57impossible upset of the decade.
25:00And that's little Frankie Randall coming
25:01out of nowhere to defeat maybe the best
25:04pound-for-pound fighter we've seen in the
25:05last 10 years, Julio Cesar Chavez.
25:07Yesterday's nobody, tomorrow's somebody.
25:09Frankie Randall is the exemplification of
25:11that, what he's done, and 91 times Julio went to the post, 90 times that he came out without
25:18losing, and the 91st time he ends up having a loss.
25:2289 times guys went out just like he went out on his 90th trip into the ring.
25:26And I think there's going to be one of the greatest fights ever because he, too, took this young
25:31man too lightly, and Randall performed brilliantly.
25:35He was just sensational.
25:36And so all of Mexico will be coming from the hills, the valleys, by wagon, by train, by plane,
25:41by boat, by walking, by borough.
25:44So any way they can emulate to get here, they're going to be here to see their hero vindicate
25:49himself, and the young kid from Memphis, not only Elvis came from there, Frankie Randall
25:55came from there, and they're going to be fighting.
25:56This year, which is a spectacular year for you.
25:59You've said the best with the best, and that's what we have in those four fights.
26:03But sometimes in boxing, we're left with a court of law, much to our own amazement.
26:08In this Yonker McCallum controversy where he was going to fight Harding for the title,
26:14here comes an order of law, they can't, they don't fight.
26:17It's all in the court.
26:19Explain it as closely, as simply as you can.
26:22What happened?
26:22Simply put, Duval's a troublemaker.
26:24Him and his friends feel that they're above the law.
26:25But this wonderful country that was dug out of the wells of democracy by the Founding Fathers
26:30has a way of correcting itself.
26:32This, too, will pass.
26:33It will be corrected because we are the greatest country in the world, bar none.
26:38And our Jewish prudent system have a deep abiding faith in that regardless of some time
26:42if it aberrated or be derailed, it would be put back on the track again.
26:46And this will happen.
26:47So Duval, again, has tried one of his skullduggery moves and, at the moment, is successful.
26:52But this decision won't last.
26:54All right.
26:54The end of it, even if they go to court, what's the bottom line?
26:57Does Harding fight who and what is the bottom line of all that?
27:00Well, we'll wait and see because, you know, we have a court order not to talk about it.
27:05You know what I mean?
27:05So we just let it pass.
27:06It's just one of those things.
27:07But it was a great fight.
27:08It was a great fight.
27:10And, you know, it's something that Rock Newman, quoting him, he said,
27:12if Don King did what Duval did, they would have him in jail.
27:16You know what I mean?
27:16So, I mean, it just goes on to say, but it jumps on me, but it looked the other way with Duval.
27:19That may be the first time you quote Rock Newman in anything.
27:23And now back to Steve at ringside.
27:24Showtime championship boxing is number one.
27:26That's what really counts.
27:27All right.
27:28Thanks very much, Ferdy.
27:29I think we should get Judge Wapner into this.
27:31He'll straighten it out.
27:32Thanks, Ferdy.
27:33A May 7th should be an outstanding night of boxing as King Vision and Showtime event television
27:37present four world championship rematches.
27:40Headlining this quadruple header will be WBC super lightweight champion Frankie Rantle against
27:45Julio Cesar Chavez.
27:47Rantle, the only man who ever defeat the five-time world champion from Mexico.
27:51Terrible Terry Norris will seek to regain the WBC super lightweight championship from Simon Brown.
27:58Gerald McClellan will defend the middleweight title he won from Julian Jackson
28:01in a showdown of knockout artists.
28:04And WBC super featherweight champion Azuma Nelson will rematch with Jesse James Leha.
28:09Last year, these two fought to a controversial draw as Nelson retained the crown.
28:14Saturday, May 7th will be a night of rematches.
28:17Will it be a repeat or revenge as eight fighters square off in four world championship fights?
28:23See it live on pay-per-view Saturday, May 7th.
28:26Tomorrow, Showtime Championship Boxing presents two world championship fights.
28:32WBA Cruiserweight Champion Orlin Norris makes his first title defense against number one contender King Arthur Williams.
28:40And IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Gianfranco Rossi, one of boxing's longest reigning title holders,
28:45will defend his crown against Vincent Pettway.
28:47Two world title fights tomorrow on Showtime at 3 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
28:54So that'll do it from the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
28:58Hope you enjoyed it.
28:59For the fight doctor, Ferdi Pacheco, Bobby Chez, our entire crew,
29:02this is Steve Albert saying so long for Showtime Championship Boxing.
31:06It was supposed to be the perfect summer.
31:14Rain and the surf.
31:15Kind of birds.
31:16But there was something not quite right.
31:18Superman, Aquaman, Underdog, Spider-Man.
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