- 7/2/2025
William Guthrie defends his IBF Light Heavyweight Champion against former WBA Middleweight Champion Reggie Johnson on HBO Boxing After Dark.
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LearningTranscript
00:00All right, we're going to go to another fighter who Roy Jones is very, very familiar with,
00:05William Guthrie and Reggie Johnson.
00:08William Guthrie has one of the more unusual backgrounds of any fighter we have shown on
00:13Boxing After Dark.
00:14He probably had to take a cut in salary to become a fighter.
00:18When he was 22 years old, he was making millions of dollars a year, owned five Mercedes Benzes,
00:24had seven homes, one worth $7 million, owned nightclubs, owned restaurants at the age of 22.
00:32And then he took nearly three years off at the encouragement of the United States government.
00:40He was found guilty of selling dope.
00:43He was, in fact, a drug kingpin in his native St. Louis.
00:48But he's made the best of his career.
00:50He has been trained in part, Roy, by your dad, as has Reggie Johnson.
00:58How did that happen?
01:00Well, Reggie, earlier in my amateur days, somehow got led to Pensacola.
01:04In fact, I think the guy, I forget the guy's name who brought him there, Harold Smith,
01:08had something to do with him.
01:09He brought him there.
01:10And my father kind of got a short stint with him.
01:13Then, after he left, I went ahead and came to be what I was.
01:17I did my thing.
01:18And later, Guthrie went back there to train with my father because I guess he wanted to figure out how to be down,
01:24how to be a better fighter.
01:25I don't know what happened with him.
01:26I don't know what went on communication-wise.
01:28It was none of my business, and I had nothing to do with it.
01:30All right.
01:30Last week, we saw Bernard Hopkins, a middleweight champion, fight a smaller man and an older man in Simon Brown
01:39and take him apart in five rounds.
01:43Is that necessarily what we're going to see with Guthrie fighting a muscled-up former middleweight in Reggie Johnson?
01:51No, because of two different reasons.
01:52Number one, I think Reggie has put the weight on very well.
01:55He's put it on good.
01:56It looks good on him.
01:57And I think he did it the right way.
01:58Number two, Simon is at the end of his career.
02:01Simon has been losing and winning and winning and losing.
02:04Reggie has just been off.
02:05He hasn't been winning or losing.
02:07He just has been inactive.
02:08He'll have to first get over this rush period from being inactive.
02:12Then we'll find out what Reggie brings to the table.
02:14Reggie is Southpaw.
02:15William is Southpaw.
02:17Therefore, we could be in for a surprising night.
02:21Okay.
02:22I think I just heard Roy Jones say we have the possibility of an upset here.
02:27Let's take a look at our tale of the tape for these two light heavyweights.
02:32As you can see, Reggie Johnson has beefed up from 160 to 172 pounds.
02:39Guthrie is a very strong at 174 pounds.
02:46One other thing I have to say here about this tale of the tape is,
02:49remember, Guthrie and Reggie are the same age.
02:51Therefore, you won't see a lot of difference in the way these guys fight.
02:55However, Hopkins is a little younger in the ring than Simon Brown is.
03:00Good point, Roy.
03:01And now to Harold Letterman for the rules of the fight.
03:03Once again, the William Grothery-Reggie Johnson fight is scheduled for 12 rounds.
03:08There is no standing eight count, no three-knockdown rule.
03:11Only the referee can stop the fight,
03:13and you cannot be saved by the bell in any round,
03:15including the 12th and final round.
03:17Larry.
03:18Now let's take a closer look.
03:35Somewhere back in this crowd, Reggie Johnson is making his way to the ring,
03:40and here he is.
03:43Reggie Johnson comes from the same neighborhood of Houston as George Foreman,
03:48who told us that his father played football with George,
03:52that George once came to his grandmother's house when he was a young boy,
03:57and ate him out of house and home even then.
03:59I wonder if he's pulling the cars around Houston like George does.
04:06He fought an outstanding fight against James Toney
04:10when Toney was regarded as the best middleweight in the world,
04:13knocked Toney down, lost a very close decision.
04:16So here's a closer look at Reggie Johnson.
04:24He's taken off nearly two years
04:26because of managerial and promotional problems, he says.
04:31This is only his fifth fight in four years,
04:34just one fight in the last couple of years
04:36in which he's scored a 22-second knockout.
04:40William Guthrie, already has lived a couple of lifetimes.
05:01And coming toward the ring like he wants to be there.
05:10Here's a closer look at Reggie Johnson.
05:40William Guthrie says he's had maybe 500 amateur fights
05:45starting when he was four years old
05:47in the same neighborhood of St. Louis
05:49that produced the Spinks Brothers,
05:53like Michael Spinks,
05:54and Archie Moore, who also came from St. Louis,
05:58another light heavyweight belt holder.
06:01And you can see he's been trained
06:03by some of the better trainers around.
06:06And now to ring announcer Thomas Triber.
06:09Ladies and gentlemen, from the Mohegan Sun,
06:13here in Unkisville, Connecticut,
06:15America presents and Cedric Kushner promotions
06:18in association with the undisputed,
06:21undefeated king of beers, Budweiser,
06:24proudly present to you our featured bout.
06:26It is scheduled for 12 rounds,
06:28and it is for the IBF Light Heavyweight Championship
06:30of the World.
06:32It is sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation.
06:34President is Robert W. Lee, Sr.
06:37Supervisor is Walter R. Stone.
06:39Along with the Department of Consumer Protection
06:41for the state of Connecticut,
06:43Commissioner is Mark Schifrin.
06:45And the Executive Director is John Burns.
06:48Also in cooperation with the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut,
06:51Chairman is Roland Harris.
06:52The matchmakers are Tom Brown and Bill Benton.
06:55The physicians at ringside are Dr. Michael Schwartz
06:58and Dr. Walter Iolache.
07:01The timekeeper is Lou Dell,
07:03and the three judges assigned scoring on a 10-point must system are
07:07Leroy Brown, Don O'Neill, and Clark Sammartino.
07:12When the bell rings,
07:13the referee in charge of the action will be Steve Smoger.
07:20Introducing to you first the challenger.
07:22Fighting out of the blue corner,
07:23he's wearing white trunks with blue trim
07:25and weighed in at 172 and a quarter pounds.
07:29Hailing from Houston, Texas,
07:31he has a professional record of 36 wins,
07:34five losses, one draw.
07:36With 23 wins coming by way of knockout.
07:39Ladies and gentlemen,
07:40introducing the former WBA middleweight champion of the world,
07:45Reggie Sweet Johnson.
07:47And his opponent fighting directly across from him
07:54out of the red corner tonight.
07:56He's wearing white trunks with brown trim
07:58and weighed in at 174 pounds.
08:01Fighting out of Wilmington, Delaware,
08:03he is undefeated with 24 wins
08:05and 21 of them coming by way of knockout.
08:08Ladies and gentlemen,
08:09introducing the current IBF light heavyweight champion of the world,
08:13and William Kid Chocolate Guthrie.
08:19Once again, your referee in charge,
08:21Steve Smoger, to give the instructions.
08:23Reg.
08:25William.
08:28Come on, William.
08:30All right, gentlemen,
08:31you were given your instructions at the way,
08:32and I want you to obey my commands at all times.
08:34Respect the belt in the above hole.
08:35Protect yourself at all times.
08:36Touch them up.
08:37Touch them up.
08:38God bless.
08:38All right.
08:39So, two southpaws
08:44fighting for a light heavyweight belt.
08:50Guthrie, the bigger man, obviously.
08:52But as you'll soon see,
08:54Reggie Johnson is the quicker,
08:56better schooled boxer.
09:00Which makes for an interesting event.
09:02Reggie Johnson believes that Guthrie has never been in a long, tough fight,
09:13and he's been in a number of them.
09:15The question is whether he can put enough pressure on him,
09:18throw enough punches to get to Guthrie later in the round,
09:22later in the fight.
09:23Well, you're starting out with some good body shots,
09:25Reggie Johnson is.
09:32Johnson's first fight heavyweight fight,
09:34as I noted earlier, went 22 seconds.
09:36This one has already gone longer.
09:38Ha, ha, ha.
09:49Push off.
09:49Push off, William.
09:50Push off.
09:51Now, Roy, explain something to me.
09:54Why would two southpaws fight each other
09:56any differently than two conventional fighters
09:59would fight each other?
10:00Actually, they wouldn't,
10:01but they are so used to seeing right-handed,
10:04conventional fighters, as we call them,
10:06until they don't know how to fight another southpaw either.
10:08Ha, ha, ha.
10:18Reggie Johnson's showing
10:20that he is willing to try to muscle up
10:22with the bigger man.
10:27He believes he's quicker,
10:30and so far he's giving indications that he is.
10:34Yep, and he seems quicker,
10:36but Guthrie's not concerned about his quickness.
10:38Guthrie comes out there with the attitude
10:39as though he wants to get Reggie out of there.
10:41And another thing I must add,
10:44Guthrie hasn't thrown a single left hand yet.
10:46He's waiting for that direct time
10:48that he knows he can land that big left hand
10:50before he lets it go.
10:53He's going right hand by both fighters.
10:57Both punches landed.
11:00Don't punch, don't punch.
11:01Both guys are throwing punches
11:02with real bad intent here.
11:04Hey, Reg, Reg,
11:05let go when I say let go.
11:07Okay.
11:13This is a hard feeling out round
11:15and not fooling out.
11:17No, and there was that big left hand
11:18that I told you was coming.
11:19You know, Reg, Reg,
11:31you know.
11:33Johnson's thrown some good body shots
11:34in this fight early.
11:43Hey, Reg, Reg, step, step back.
11:46You get the sense
11:47that William Guthrie is trying to impose his bigger size and strength on Johnson so far
11:55he's been unable to do it move your shoulder move your shoulders get my jab keep the jab going
12:14keep the jab going forward a little bit more and close the gap a little bit closer after your jab move
12:18forward move forward you're doing fine you're doing fine okay but just pick it up a little bit
12:22more in that body all right till the referee tells you to stop baby I love it you know his
12:28mouth's starting to open up when you go to the body where do you finish at right back to the head
12:32all right and then come back with your jabs keep touching him with the jab don't load up with it
12:36you're hitting him you're dropping that head back when you do kick that left hook in there right
12:40hook right hook all right you look real nice don't force it be relaxed let those shoulders jump
12:46okay talk to me Reggie with those hands talk to me baby talk to me don't go too fast don't try to go
12:53too fast that's Jesse Reed he's trained him on and off for 12 or 13 years every time he's been in his
13:03corner eight times in all Johnson is one good sneak left hand lands flush on the jaw of Guthrie
13:10yeah because Gus is Guthrie is standing straight up giving him a still target and Jesse Reed is a
13:15superb trainer
13:16Guthrie the more upright fighter Johnson crouching moving
13:24Guthrie should fake at him a little bit more he fakes that and he'll make Reggie show him what he wants
13:34to do but he's not really thinking about boxing right now he's just trying to impose his will like
13:39you said don't punch don't punch I think Reggie may have hurt him with that straight left hand
13:45he's just trying to pick his punches I don't think he's worried about the power that Johnson's been
14:13with some powerful punches before
14:15pull out will you pull out
14:27break don't punch don't punch you guys are both holding
14:31Reggie Johnson seems very comfortable staying close to Guthrie moving about picking his shots
14:58break don't punch don't punch don't punch because he's smothering most of Guthrie's punches
15:03Guthrie wants the big punches but he can't land them because Johnson's so close to him
15:06hey time time that's a warning I was a boulder here now take it easy next one's a point
15:14let's go let's go let's go well I thought that one was the point right yeah I thought it was too
15:33but giving him another next one yeah but Guthrie's pulling his head down too so it's hard for Reggie not
15:38to throw no blows now we see Guthrie going into a crouch trying to get inside on Johnson good good good
16:01and here's a look at the top light heavyweights in the world until Roy Jones does move up into the heavyweight ranks he's on top there's a German fighter named Darius Michael Shefsky
16:08Michael Shefsky who is very very well regarded in the boxing world and there you see William Guthrie I heard he's pretty tough too Larry
16:15he's on top there's a German fighter named Darius Michael Shefsky who is very very well regarded in the boxing world and there you see William Guthrie I heard he's pretty tough too Larry
16:35I heard he was a pretty tough guy to deal with just touching down there right now so you don't get in the habit of touching that body okay you look good son
16:42I want to see one and two there's that almost leaping half uppercut half hook that rocked Guthrie a bit early in the round
16:57early in the round
16:59early in the round
17:00early in the round
17:02early in the round
17:04early in the round
17:06early in the round
17:11first two rounds Johnson outlanded Guthrie 53 punches to 32 according to punch stat
17:24here
17:26right
17:27don't punch don't punch don't punch
17:31here
17:34don't punch don't punch don't punch
17:37don't punch don't punch
17:38don't punch
17:45here
17:46sense a little bit of desperation now and Guthrie
17:49trying to turn on his aggression.
17:53Yeah, I think he's rushing.
17:54He's been rushing himself,
17:54trying to overpower Johnson all night,
17:56and I don't think that's working.
17:57So now he has to look for some other avenue to follow.
18:15Hands are loose in there.
18:16Punch out.
18:16That's it.
18:19Johnson seems to be a little bit more aware in close quarters.
18:25He's not as strong as Guthrie, obviously,
18:28but he seems to be a little bit more aware, just like that.
18:32Yeah, but I told you, Johnson's been in with better opponents.
18:34Hands are loose. Your hands are loose.
18:35He's been in with better opponents,
18:36and he has more experience of doing this.
18:38Guthrie came in right away and went right to the top
18:40and got a title shot,
18:41but he hasn't faced the competition that Johnson has faced.
18:45Even though it's been in the middleweight division,
18:46you think that's important?
18:47Yeah, the experience doesn't matter where it comes.
18:50Look at Roberto Duran.
18:50He got good experience as a lightweight.
18:52But the fact was that he had the experience.
18:54Now it's Johnson on the attack as Guthrie seems to be searching for some way to deal with his quickness.
19:16Yeah, because he came in here with one plan.
19:18He came in with the plan of overpowering Johnson.
19:20For sure. For sure.
19:21That's not working.
19:21So now he's kind of in shock.
19:23He isn't sure of what to do yet,
19:24but I'm sure he'll come together with a second plan.
19:27He needs to come with a plan B pretty quickly here
19:29because he's getting out of his fight.
19:39Reggie Johnson told us that one of his good right followed by a left by Johnson.
19:46Guthrie right back in his face.
19:48Now that's one thing Johnson used to be good at.
19:56He always was good defensively.
19:58Come on.
19:59Which came in very handy at that moment.
20:07He can't handle the pressure.
20:08He can't handle the pressure.
20:09How do you feel?
20:10How do you feel?
20:11He can't take that pressure.
20:12You just keep it on him just like that.
20:13Keep your jab going just like y'all.
20:14You okay?
20:15Yeah, good.
20:15Let's try him out a little bit.
20:18Yeah, all right.
20:19You'll be fine, man.
20:20You just keep your pressure on him all the time, right?
20:23Look, when you're inside, when you're inside,
20:25you've got to throw more punches.
20:27You've got to throw him.
20:28He's sitting up there and you're just letting him throw.
20:29You're letting him work and you're not working.
20:31I want you working, okay?
20:32Pick your pressure up.
20:36I want that head on both sides.
20:38Make him come to you, baby.
20:40His mouth's starting to open up, all right?
20:42Get his head up in the air and drop that right hook on him.
20:45And good night, baby, I'm telling you, all right?
20:48Show it to me now, Reggie.
20:49Show it to me.
20:50Well, you see the right hook on him right here from Johnson.
20:55Thanks.
20:57And they believe, obviously,
20:59that Guthrie hasn't had to fight a fight at this pace
21:02and they think he might be getting tired.
21:05And this could be true.
21:07Or it could be wishful thinking.
21:08Bring this hand up.
21:12Throw it to him right here.
21:13Let him out.
21:15Ho, ho.
21:16Ho, ho, ho.
21:17Come on, come on.
21:26Take him off.
21:27Take him off.
21:28Take him off.
21:28Reggie Charles is throwing
21:29some tremendous body shots on Guthrie.
21:31He's got nothing.
21:34Particularly the right by the shot.
21:40Looking at Johnson, Roy, you would never guess that he had been a genuine middleweight
21:46for most of his career.
21:48Because he has put on the weight intelligently, apparently.
21:52Very intelligently.
21:58Smart left hand.
22:01Winning all the exchanges, Reggie Johnson.
22:04Yeah, he sat there. He logged Guthrie to sleep just then.
22:06Then he snuck a quick one-two right down the pipe on Guthrie.
22:09Stay up, Reggie, stay up.
22:11Believe me, though, Larry, his body work is supposed to make it all this available to us.
22:18Reggie Johnson is beginning to dominate this fight.
22:23Guthrie beginning to flounder a little bit.
22:26He's not quite determined but not quite sure how to attack his supposedly smaller opponent.
22:33And Johnson just missed Guthrie with the overhand right a few seconds ago.
22:37Overhand left, I mean, a few seconds ago that may have put Seth Guthrie out.
22:40Because Guthrie was definitely not ready for that punch.
22:43He's just trying to walk in and overpower a guy who can box much too well for this.
22:48Two right hands from Guthrie.
22:58Another borderline punch by Johnson.
23:02Another borderline punch by Johnson.
23:05Those body blows are getting in.
23:07Yes, they are.
23:08They are doing him very good.
23:09You're landing up with those, and he's going to chop Guthrie down to his side.
23:14Oh, that was a low blow.
23:15Definitely a low blow.
23:16That's it.
23:17I gave you all a shot.
23:18One point low blow.
23:19One point low blow.
23:20One point low blow.
23:21One point low blow.
23:22One point low blow.
23:23One point low blow Johnson.
23:25Come on, Reg.
23:26Let's go, let's go.
23:27Keep him up, Reg.
23:41Reg.
23:42And Reggie Johnson is still doing tremendous bodywork here
23:51late in this fight, Larry.
23:52Well, he hasn't been intimidated
23:56by losing a point, obviously.
23:58That was a borderline, that was a borderline.
24:08He's got to bend his knees a little bit.
24:11Reggie, bend your knees and dig that belly.
24:14Don't stop digging it, but keep it up.
24:16Keep it under the chest, all right?
24:17Listen to me.
24:19Inside, Reggie, inside.
24:20Look at me now.
24:21Look at me.
24:22Inside, you've got to be busier.
24:24I mean, start turning them shoulders like I told you.
24:26Let them babies jump.
24:27You take charge.
24:29You let him back into the fight that round.
24:31Don't let him back in with loading up.
24:32Keep busy.
24:35Here's the blow that caused Johnson a point.
24:39It was low.
24:41And there again, shoulder to shoulder, when they come out,
24:56Johnson is the quicker puncher.
24:58And he is putting his punches together well.
25:01Reggie Johnson told us that one of his favorite books is Tun Tzu's Ancient, The Art of War,
25:11which tells him to know the opposition and to create doubt in him.
25:15And he has sure created some doubt in William Guthrie.
25:19Harold Letterman, how do you have the fight through four rounds?
25:21Larry, Reggie Johnson by one point, 38-37.
25:25It becomes 2-1-1.
25:27Let me explain it.
25:28In the fourth round, Reggie Johnson won the round with the body shots with the right
25:32hooks.
25:33He loses a point on the score cards because Smokin' deducted a point for a low blow.
25:37So the net total becomes 9-9.
25:40Therefore, 38 points for Johnson, 37 for Guthrie Johnson by one point.
25:45Larry, I can't understand why William Guthrie wants to stand in toe-to-toe with this guy.
25:49He's not using his height.
25:50He's not using his reach.
25:51And certainly, Johnson's outpunching him in close.
25:54Reggie should be winning 3-1.
25:55But that low blow cost him.
25:58I have Johnson winning the first three rounds and the last round for the reasons you mentioned
26:04even.
26:05I already knew you had one evens, and that was your round.
26:11I think what Guthrie's really trying to do here is to overpower Johnson, to wear Johnson
26:14down.
26:15I guess he feels as though he's the better conditioned of the two fighters.
26:18And he probably feels like that because Johnson has been off and hasn't been active at all.
26:24Good left hand up the middle by Johnson, but now Guthrie seems to be coming on and really
26:44pouring on his size and strength.
26:46Yeah, I think he senses that Johnson's getting tired, but I think Guthrie also has a scroll
26:51above his right eye.
26:52Oh, that'll finish him.
26:54A big right hand, and the champion is down seven.
26:59He will not get up.
27:01And he isn't getting up.
27:02He will not get up.
27:03We have a new belt holder in the light heavyweight division, former middleweight champion Reggie
27:12Johnson.
27:13I called it early in the show, Larry.
27:15You said it sounded like I was saying we're looking for an upset.
27:20They call Reggie Johnson sweet.
27:23This has been a sugar shane and a sweet Reggie night.
27:27Yes, it has indeed.
27:29And William Guthrie is still flat on his back while Reggie Johnson is on his knees in
27:42his legs.
27:43And he should be.
27:44But I tell you, the body shots are really what wore William Guthrie down.
27:48Reggie Johnson did a superb job of beating his body.
27:51He knew he was in against a bigger fighter.
27:53He had to do something to nullify this.
27:55He used the body shots brilliantly to nullify the size differential, and then he went to
28:00work.
28:01Nice job done by Reggie Johnson.
28:03William Guthrie still on his back being examined by the ring physician.
28:09Reggie Johnson overcome weeping because of what he has just achieved.
28:17Reggie, the right hook, baby.
28:20The better fighter, not the bigger fighter, won this fight.
28:26Reggie Johnson.
28:35I know that Scrappie.
28:36Hey, give me that high�..
28:40This is what happens when you get a guy, and they rush him to the top so quick, he
28:43doesn't get a chance to go through the experience to get the experience of being a real champion.
28:46Yeah, but he's 31 years old, and that's why they had to make their move quickly.
28:50And-and-and it turns out, he was a paper champion, one of those champions...
28:53those champions who took a punch right there that made him an ex-champion reggie johnson was
29:06continually beating them to the punch when they backed away from each other inside and that ended
29:13the fight a terrific performance by a class fighter reggie johnson
29:20let's now go to ring announcer thomas triber for the official decision
29:34ladies and gentlemen we have the official time one minute 58 seconds of the fifth round
29:39referee in charge steve smoger waves off the count of ten with your winner by way of knockout
29:44and new ibf light heavyweight champion of the world reggie sweet johnson
29:58man right yeah let me stay with him
30:06huh yeah you got it yeah you're okay you're okay yeah you're all right
30:11you're okay yeah make some nice deep breaths all right you're okay
30:17uh
30:24william guthrie is still being tended to in the ring he may be in some trouble we ought to keep
30:31an eye on him he hasn't moved it looks as though they're giving him some oxygen it's hard to say
30:39from where we are at ringside exactly what the problem is let's keep an eye on this situation
30:49my name's jake i'm here to help you
30:53roy this is the kind of thing you've always been concerned about in boxing yeah this is why i'm not
30:58ever really eager to go in there unless it's really worth my while because you never know
31:03how you're going to end up you always hear roy always talks about money roy wants more money
31:07roy wants money because roy knows that that anytime you go in that ring it may be your last time
31:21all right we have reggie johnson sweet johnson master of the art of war
31:28and now adding another title to his collection reggie
31:35it seemed that you just had him figured out from the very start what was the key for you well
31:41first of all i want to thank my creator i want to thank my sponsor mko uh my trainers uh and everybody
31:46i just knew that you know i knew where william guthrie was a gutty fighter but i knew that he hadn't
31:50been through what i've been through i knew that he hadn't faced opposition i faced and you know the whole
31:54thing was you know they was banking on me being off for two years but reggie johnson stayed true to
31:58the game uh those two years i was off i wasn't off by choice it was a promotional and uh managerial
32:04disputes but you know i stayed true to the game stayed in the gym and came back and got the title
32:08that they took from me i never lost my title man it was a political thing were were you concerned with his
32:16size and strength he's a much bigger guy than you have ever fought before a much stronger guy than
32:22you've ever fought before is it just the better guy that won the bigger guy doesn't make any difference
32:28well i think the better guy won not only the better guy but the guy with the uh the more experienced
32:32i'm for a better opposition as i said earlier uh william guthrie you know that i was at that at
32:37that stage where he was once upon a time when i fought james tony uh you know he just you know i
32:41hate to give my man the first loss we're friends man i love him uh you got two ghetto boys doing
32:46something positive fighting on hbo but it seems to me you're fighting in a different way than you used
32:51to that when you were younger you were a sticker and a mover and as you've gotten older you've sat down
32:57on your punches you've become a more crowd-pleasing fighter because you actually took the fight to the
33:04bigger man and the champion well well first of all you got to give the people what they want you
33:08know my main thing is boxing i can always revert to that i'm not a one i'm a two-dimensional fighter
33:13i've been boxing i can slug now i should have moved up a long time ago uh my last fight fighting castro
33:17at 60 i lost 28 pounds so i was gonna move up to 68 uh my first fight back i fought at 73 and i came
33:23in for this fight at 72 i'm strong i got tim hall mark uh the same guy evander i got my guy curtis man i got
33:29a larry muscle man i got a hell of a team and i took it a step further because i knew i was on a different
33:33level on hbo i brought in jesse reed and i got to give praises to my my my chief trainer manuel
33:39thank you very very much and congratulations again i want to thank kushner for giving me the
33:44opportunity he's my new promoter all right what's up baby how you doing all right now let's take a look
33:49and see cedric guthrie is being uh taken out of the ring i can't see from my vantage point if he is
33:57upright or if he is
34:03all right he's on a stretcher but he is moving and hopefully he will recover shortly
34:09and now we have a man who may have really earned the title sugar tonight you everybody can call
34:18themselves sugar but you got to earn that in the ring congratulations was that the kind of performance
34:24you were hoping to put on yes but before i said i would like to thank god i think my mother my father
34:31i think carl can i what i'm wearing uh ea electronic arts sports you know they had come out with a game
34:37we don't have commercials here on hbo i'm sorry okay okay can you repeat the question for me well was
34:44this the kind of performance you think you needed not so much for us but for yourself to prove that when
34:51you got to the top level of boxing you could do the things you were celebrated for since you were a
34:56teenager yeah i believe you know that i had the time all the time and you know it was a good fight he
35:02was a great fighter he came to fight and um he was strong and i did what i had to do
35:09you hit him with everything that's standing in promona california and it looked it looked like
35:17nothing was going to make him go away did you think this is just one of those nights when you're
35:22going to have to just stick it out stick it out stick it out and that he wasn't going away well you
35:28know i prepare myself if they go the distance if they can handle what i can throw at them then you
35:32know i make an exciting fight and keep hitting them as hard as i can and and it's just a good tough fight
35:37but you know i weakened them in the fourth round with body shots and then in the eighth round i turned around
35:41and uh finished it let's take a look at the knockout and shane you described what you saw in front of
35:48you how weak was he by this time well he was already drained with a lot of body shots that i was hitting
35:54him with and that right hand flushed right on the chin but it was the body shots that did earlier that
35:58weakened him and then i just chased him down uh found my mark and that was a nice little body shot uh
36:05in the solo plexus and just kept working him until he fell because i knew he had no more left he was tired
36:10the fact that he had come in at three pounds over the weight and had to work two hours to get it off
36:14yesterday were you mindful of that in going to his body well yeah you know actually i had to lose a
36:20little bit of weight myself so he he didn't uh look at the scale he didn't go away himself so that's
36:26his problem uh i went early i weighed myself and then i was a little over so i sweated mine off and
36:31jumped on the scale i was 35 he'd wait till last minute jumped on the scale 38 and he had to go
36:35later on and weigh yourself so um you know you have to be more professional when you're uh fighting a
36:41title fight as his first title fight thank you very much shane you were nothing if not professional
36:46tonight thank you larry and thank you roy for backing up this left fielder playing shortstop tonight no
36:53problem at all appreciate your health i always i always come through when it's time for roy jones to be
36:58there and really come through roy jones is going to come through all right i just want to say one word
37:03two years ago we started an experiment called boxing after dark with kennedy mckinney fighting marco antonio
37:12barrera it turned out to be a wonderful fight and led to a series of wonderful fights i've said once in a
37:21while in the long career i've had with hbo this fight is as good as it gets we've not only had some
37:27fights as good as they get we've often had fights even better than they get and tonight we saw two
37:35superior craftsmen with heart with know-how and with skill become champions or stay champions
37:44thank you everybody for all the help in getting me through this
37:53we have just gotten word that william guthrie is going to the hospital for a precautionary measure
38:03all right later this month tune in for the hbo return of oscar de la hoya
38:07who will be fighting a frenchman patrick charpentier and also on the card junior middleweight champion
38:14keith mulling who recently upset terry norris and in march boxing after dark will be back
38:22with welterweight junior welterweight vince phillips fighting alfonso sanchez and then featherweight
38:28freddie norwood and genaro rios and finally on march 28th lennox lewis will defend his fraction of
38:38the heavyweight championship against shannon briggs coming up immediately following our show please
38:46stay tuned for arliss followed by hbo comedy hour with eddie griffin so for roy jones and harold
38:56letterman this is larry merchant saying so long from connecticut the executive producer of hbo sports
39:14is ross greenberg tonight's show was produced by dave harman and directed by mark payton associate
39:22producers brian mcdonald and greg backer assistant to the producer lisa bennett the production manager
39:29was mark hayden the technical supervisor bob hunter good night
39:52so
39:59so
40:01so
40:03This has been a presentation
40:33of HBO Sports,
40:35the network of champions.
40:41Oscar De La Hoya.
40:44Angel.
40:45The face of an angel.
40:48But you wouldn't want a face
40:50is wrath.
40:54De La Hoya vs. Charpentier.
40:56Live Saturday, February 28th
40:58on HBO.
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