- 7/5/2025
Rising Heavyweight contender Derrick Jefferson faces David Izon from Radio City Music Hall in NYC on HBO
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00:00:00The wait is almost over.
00:00:03Where can you find boxing's greatest hits?
00:00:05HBO.com.
00:00:07Be a part of the fight with round-by-round interactive voting.
00:00:10Check out live photos and expert commentary at the end of each exciting round.
00:00:15Then, get inside the corner with experts in fighters and video Q&A.
00:00:19Take a jab at weekly boxing trivia questions.
00:00:22Check out fan chat and much, much more.
00:00:25Climb into the ring with the champions.
00:00:27HBO.com.
00:00:29The greatest hits aren't always thrown in the ring.
00:00:33Tonight, it's on HBO.
00:00:36At 6.45, a live World Championship Boxing Doubleheader featuring Roy Jones Jr. versus David Telesco.
00:00:42At 9.15, a new movie every Saturday night.
00:00:45Alec Baldwin, Andre Brouwer, Thick as Thieves.
00:00:47And at 11, Dames, Fellas, and Coppers.
00:00:50Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe, L.A. Confidential.
00:00:54World Championship Boxing Doubleheader.
00:00:56Thick as Thieves, Thick as Thieves, and L.A. Confidential.
00:00:59HBO is on tonight.
00:01:03Exhilarating.
00:01:04Hard-hitting.
00:01:05Unbeatable.
00:01:07HBO Sports.
00:01:08And now, the HBO Sports presentation, World Championship Boxing.
00:01:18Ladies and gentlemen, from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, HBO Sports presents World Championship Boxing.
00:01:38All right, people, listen up.
00:01:44This is it.
00:01:45This is our big night.
00:01:46And nobody said this was going to be easy.
00:01:48But if you do what I tell you, I guarantee you, we're going to knock them out the box.
00:01:53All right?
00:01:54Gamer, you've got to stick and move.
00:01:57No matter what.
00:01:58You're long, you're rangy, stick and move.
00:02:00Nelson, stay on your toes at all times.
00:02:03You're a good fast fighter.
00:02:05Rodriguez, stay loose.
00:02:08Don't tighten up on me.
00:02:09I need you to be loose.
00:02:10Okay?
00:02:11All of you, you have to use your legs.
00:02:14You must use your legs at all times.
00:02:16Okay?
00:02:17Everybody got that?
00:02:18All right, people, let's huddle up.
00:02:19All right, this is it.
00:02:22This is our big moment.
00:02:23Okay?
00:02:23One, two, three.
00:02:25Yes!
00:02:25Yes!
00:02:25Yes!
00:02:49Okay.
00:02:56Okay.
00:02:56You're a big moment.
00:02:57You're a big moment.
00:02:58You're a big moment.
00:02:58You're a big moment.
00:03:01Thanks, Rob.
00:03:06Thanks, Rob.
00:03:06And I'll see you next time.
00:03:19Hello, I'm Rudy Giuliani, mayor of the city of New York.
00:03:37I'd like to welcome Roy Jones Jr. as he fights in Radio City Music Hall,
00:03:41this historic occasion in the capital of the world, New York City.
00:03:45Since Radio City Music Hall first opened its doors back in 1932,
00:03:51more than 300 million have witnessed concerts, theatrical performances, and the Rockettes on the great stage.
00:04:00Tonight, when its curtain goes up, the performer who attempts to bring the crowd to his feet
00:04:04is Roy Jones, boxing's undisputed light heavyweight champion.
00:04:09Ladies and gentlemen, Roy Jones!
00:04:15Never before has Radio City played host to a sports event,
00:04:19and at this historic premiere, thousands in attendance anticipate Roy Jones
00:04:24delivering a performance of unmatched hand speed and devastating knockout power.
00:04:30Roy Jones utterly destroying an opponent who had never previously been knocked out.
00:04:36The best entertainers of the past decade have raced this 144-foot-wide stage the length of a city block.
00:04:44Moments from now, its star-studded history grows even richer
00:04:47when Roy Jones appears at one of New York City's most famous landmarks.
00:04:53Ron Lipton watching as Roy Jones tattoos Brandon.
00:04:57And then Jones says, look, you want more?
00:04:59Okay.
00:05:02After a seven-month restoration, the theater recently reopened,
00:05:06bringing back its beautiful art deco designs of decades ago.
00:05:10Shortly, when all eyes focus on stage,
00:05:12the spotlight falls on a solo artist who, in his 11-year career,
00:05:16has treated breathless, sold-out crowds to unforgettably spectacular performances.
00:05:21And that's that!
00:05:23Jones gets his vindication via a first-round knockout!
00:05:30Roy Jones and Radio City Musical,
00:05:33the world's greatest fighter on the entertainment world's most hallowed stage.
00:05:37Tonight, they come together to make history.
00:05:40Okay, New York, it's time for the big show.
00:05:51We'll be back again.
00:06:18Tonight, live from Radio City Music Hall
00:06:41on a bone-chilling night in New York City,
00:06:43HBO Sports presents World Championship Boxing.
00:06:47Every year, more than two million people walk through the doors
00:06:50of this historic national landmark.
00:06:53Yet tonight, they enter as the first spectators ever to witness
00:06:56not only a World Championship fight, but the very first sports event
00:07:00ever to take place on this hallowed stage of Radio City Music Hall.
00:07:04As Roy Jones Jr., undisputed light heavyweight champion,
00:07:07the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport today,
00:07:10defends his crown against New York's David Telesco.
00:07:13Also featured, heavyweight Derek Jefferson,
00:07:16the victor in 1999's most exciting heavyweight fight,
00:07:20takes on the highly regarded David Izon.
00:07:23An interior look at the world's most spectacular entertainment auditorium,
00:07:30recently renovated and brought back to its original state of pristine beauty
00:07:35for tonight's first-ever sports event.
00:07:38And hello again, everybody. I'm Jim Lampley.
00:07:41We welcome you to this special edition of HBO's World Championship Boxing.
00:07:45Special because later tonight you'll hear the great Whitney Houston
00:07:49singing America the Beautiful.
00:07:51Special because we're in Radio City Music Hall for the very first time
00:07:55and the very first sports event ever here.
00:07:57Special because it's the latest appearance of the world's best fighter,
00:08:00Roy Jones Jr.
00:08:01Fitting that here on stage with me as we get ready for this evening
00:08:05is the two-time heavyweight champion and one of the great entertainers of the modern era,
00:08:09George Foreman.
00:08:10And George, right across town, 19,000-seat Madison Square Garden is empty tonight.
00:08:16Roy Jones fights here before a sold-out house of 6,000.
00:08:20Bad for the sport because Roy's not fighting in the big house
00:08:23or great for the sport because we're venturing into new and classy territory.
00:08:27Well, where you find Roy Jones Jr., you find the big house.
00:08:30He is the big house.
00:08:31The garden will always have its great splendor.
00:08:33But tonight is a wonderful occasion to introduce boxing
00:08:36to the great spectacle of Radio City.
00:08:39I love it. I love it. I love it.
00:08:40And so do we.
00:08:41Jones-Telesco, the main event to take place later on this evening.
00:08:44Meanwhile, we get ready with a heavyweight showcase
00:08:47that should, Larry Merchant, be a sensational fight
00:08:49or at least sensationally exciting because it's another chance
00:08:52to see Derek Jefferson who burst on the scene so spectacularly in November
00:08:56against a hard puncher who gives and takes no quarter, David Aizon.
00:09:00What kind of an opening warm-up act can we expect on this great stage from Jefferson and Aizon?
00:09:06Jim, this is a fight that should be staged on a rough waterfront or in a smoky arena,
00:09:12not in an art deco palace like Radio City Music Hall.
00:09:16Because David Aizon and Derek Jefferson are the types of fighters who can be hit,
00:09:21who can be hurt, but who can't be discouraged.
00:09:25They are the types of fighters of a heavyweight Arturo Gatti, the drama king.
00:09:29Radio City Music Hall in the old days was known for its family entertainment.
00:09:34They might have to hide the women and children for this one, Jim.
00:09:38Well, we mentioned Derek Jefferson's spectacular HBO debut.
00:09:42It was November 6th, one week before the second Evander Holyfield-Lenox Lewis fight,
00:09:47when Jefferson met the better known and by some people more highly regarded Maurice Harris
00:09:53in Atlantic City in what was to be an unforgettable war.
00:10:03Oh, a sizzling left hook by Jefferson.
00:10:12Uppercut landed, Harris goes down again.
00:10:15And on goes Jefferson!
00:10:22Right hand shot, Lance for Harris, while Jefferson keeps on coming.
00:10:38Oh, he's uppercut!
00:10:41This is uppercut!
00:10:42And now Jefferson wobbles again!
00:10:44And Jefferson come down!
00:10:45And he stayed on his feet!
00:10:47Oh!
00:10:48Oh!
00:10:49Oh!
00:10:50Oh!
00:10:51Oh!
00:10:52Oh!
00:10:53What a left hook shot!
00:10:54Oh!
00:10:55Oh!
00:10:56Oh!
00:10:57Oh!
00:10:58Oh!
00:10:59Oh!
00:11:00Oh!
00:11:01Oh!
00:11:02Oh!
00:11:03Oh!
00:11:04Oh!
00:11:05Oh!
00:11:06Oh!
00:11:07Oh!
00:11:08Oh!
00:11:09Oh!
00:11:10Oh!
00:11:11Oh!
00:11:12Oh!
00:11:13Oh!
00:11:14Oh!
00:11:15Oh!
00:11:16Oh my gosh!
00:11:19Oh my gosh!
00:11:20A common opponent as Maurice Harris defeated David Izon back in 1996,
00:11:26a few years before the knockout loss to Jefferson.
00:11:29Tale of the tape for the heavyweight fight between Derick Jefferson and David Izon,
00:11:32they're both 31 years old, Jefferson six feet, five inches tall,
00:11:35two inches taller than Izon, 11 pounds,
00:11:36two inches taller than Izon, 11 pounds heavier at .243.
00:11:40They are tail of the tape for the heavyweight fight
00:11:42between Derek Jefferson and David Izon.
00:11:44They're both 31 years old.
00:11:46Jefferson, six feet, five inches tall,
00:11:48two inches taller than Izon, 11 pounds heavier at .243.
00:11:52They are equal in reach.
00:11:54Punch stat numbers, Larry.
00:11:57Here's a picture of their activity.
00:11:59Izon is a more active fighter.
00:12:03Harris throws bigger punches more often.
00:12:06And here's why.
00:12:0943 power punches around for Jefferson.
00:12:14That's his ticket to the big time.
00:12:17Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
00:12:21The Derek Jefferson, David Izon fight is scheduled for 10 rounds
00:12:24using the rules of the New York State Athletic Commission.
00:12:27And listen up, Jim, because they're a little different.
00:12:30The standing eight count is in effect.
00:12:32The three knockdown rule is in effect.
00:12:35The doctor or the referee can stop the fight.
00:12:38And you cannot be saved by the bell in any round of grooming the 10th and final round.
00:12:42Jim.
00:12:42All right, Harold, the fighters will be snaking down a staircase and into the stage area,
00:12:49leaving behind the dressing rooms they've used tonight and which have been used in the past
00:12:54by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland
00:12:57and the great names of entertainment who have graced this auditorium since first it opened December 27, 1932 at the height of the depression.
00:13:08Izon won a silver medal in the heavyweight division in the 92 Olympics representing Nigeria.
00:13:15He's what you might call a gatekeeper of a heavyweight.
00:13:22If you're going to move into the elite levels of the game, you ought to have to fight a David Izon to see if you're worthy or not.
00:13:32Apropos of that, besides the loss to Harris, his other two losses to Michael Grant and David Tua,
00:13:39the top two heavyweight contenders in the game today.
00:13:42Yes, and he has had some good wins, some spectacular wins, most notably against Lou Savarese.
00:13:51Recently, life and death battles as he appeared out on his feet against both Darryl Wilson and Terrence Lewis
00:13:59and came back to knock his opponents out in those fights, two of the 20 KOs on his record.
00:14:07Come here, man.
00:14:08And now, as the former David Izonrezé waits in his corner, shortened to Izon for American Consumption,
00:14:23here comes Detroit's Derek Jefferson.
00:14:29One-time high school basketball star in Detroit, went to a college called Cumberland College on a basketball scholarship.
00:14:36He was home on vacation when he was shot in the leg in a convenience store misunderstanding.
00:14:42That ended his basketball career.
00:14:44Later, he took a job in a YMCA where the boxing instructor said,
00:14:47Hey, why don't you try this?
00:14:50And what makes Jefferson different than the other giants who are entering the heavyweight division
00:14:56is that unlike them, he doesn't try to use his size and reach to fend off opponents.
00:15:04He wants to fight.
00:15:06Jefferson, a happy-go-lucky guy who says the last opponent to knock him out
00:15:19was his sister, Frinchetta, with a right hand when she was 15 years old.
00:15:2322 wins, no losses, one technical draw as a professional.
00:15:27The 18 KOs, 11 in the first round, testimony to his power.
00:15:39Now, while you're watching the upcoming heavyweight bout between Derek Jefferson and David Izon,
00:15:44you can also log on to www.hbo.com slash boxing to chat and score every round of tonight's action.
00:15:50And while at the website, we invite your opinion on tonight's poll question.
00:15:55Whom would you like to see Roy Jones select as his next opponent, assuming a victory over the heavy underdog David Telesco tonight?
00:16:02Middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, Gratiana Rakhijani, or Darius Mikulszewski,
00:16:07the two light heavyweight stars, both of whom fight out of Germany?
00:16:11Or former middleweight champion Michael Nunn, who's gravitated to the light-heavy division
00:16:15late in his 54-win, four-loss career?
00:16:18Pick one of the four and vote for which one you'd like to see Roy fight as his next opponent.
00:16:22Or write in a candidate and let us know whom you prefer.
00:16:25Following tonight's main event, you can participate in a live chat with boxing journalist Steve Farhood.
00:16:31Now let's go up to ring announcer Michael Buffer for the official intros.
00:16:35Ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome to Radio City Music Hall here in New York, New York,
00:16:43where tonight, Murad Muhammad's M&M Sports with Jordan Brand, Square Ring Incorporated,
00:16:50Madison Square Garden, Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City,
00:16:52and the Grand Casinos of Mississippi, the first fight only in association with Cedric Kushner and Fight Night,
00:16:59present an evening of world championship boxing for your entertainment on HBO.
00:17:05Sanctioned by the New York State Athletic Commission, Chairman Mel Southerd,
00:17:09First Assistant Chairman Jim Pozinello,
00:17:11Commissioners Mark Kornstein and Rose Trentman,
00:17:14Executive Director Tony Russo,
00:17:16Director of Boxing Bob Duffy,
00:17:18Deputy Commissioner Steve Acunto,
00:17:20Chief Physician at Ringside, Dr. Billy Latham,
00:17:23Physicians at Ringside, Dr. Robin Scolata,
00:17:26Dr. Rufus Sadler,
00:17:28and Dr. Richard Estrico,
00:17:29Timekeeper at the bell and counting for the knockdown seconds,
00:17:32Kathy Paolillo.
00:17:35The three judges scoring this first bout
00:17:38on a ten-point must system will be
00:17:40Joe Dwyer,
00:17:42Fred Ucci,
00:17:43and Steve Weisfeld.
00:17:44And when the bell rings,
00:17:46your referee in charge of the action,
00:17:48Arthur Mercanti Jr.
00:17:50I got a job to do.
00:17:51You have a job.
00:17:52And now, ladies and gentlemen,
00:17:53before we continue,
00:17:55last week,
00:17:56the world of boxing lost
00:17:57one of its greatest treasures
00:17:59as an elite member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame
00:18:02passed away.
00:18:03Please remain silent
00:18:05as we told the final memorial count of ten
00:18:08for the man who was,
00:18:11is,
00:18:12and will always be known as
00:18:14the greatest matchmaker in boxing history,
00:18:17Teddy Brenner.
00:18:18God bless you, Teddy.
00:18:48We all love you.
00:18:52Now, ladies and gentlemen,
00:18:54a special feature before our main event,
00:18:56ten rounds of boxing in the heavyweight division.
00:19:03Introducing first,
00:19:04fighting out of the blue corner,
00:19:06wearing black,
00:19:07trimmed with purple,
00:19:09six feet three,
00:19:09and weighs in at 232 pounds,
00:19:12and brings an excellent record to the ring.
00:19:1424 victories,
00:19:16including 20 knockouts,
00:19:17and only three defeats.
00:19:19Fighting out of Penzacola, Florida,
00:19:21ladies and gentlemen,
00:19:23here is David Izzo.
00:19:31And his opponent across the ring,
00:19:33fighting out of the red corner,
00:19:35wearing black,
00:19:36trimmed with gold,
00:19:36he stands six feet five,
00:19:38and weighs in at 243 pounds.
00:19:41His professional record,
00:19:4322 victories,
00:19:44including 18 knockouts,
00:19:45and one draw.
00:19:47Without a loss,
00:19:49from the Motor City,
00:19:50Detroit, Michigan,
00:19:51presenting the undefeated,
00:19:53Derrick Jefferson.
00:19:56Let's go, champs.
00:20:02Let's go, champs.
00:20:03Let's go, champs.
00:20:05Good evening, Derrick.
00:20:06Good evening, David.
00:20:07You received the rules early in the night
00:20:09by the New York State Athletic Commission.
00:20:10Let's have a nice, clean fight,
00:20:12touch gloves,
00:20:13good luck to the both of you.
00:20:13And Derrick Jefferson says
00:20:16that when a man comes home for work,
00:20:20turns on the TV,
00:20:21and wants to see a fight,
00:20:23he deserves to see a fight.
00:20:26Give it his way.
00:20:27We will see a fight.
00:20:29Judge ready here.
00:20:31Judge ready.
00:20:31Jefferson said he knew
00:20:32he had scored a big win
00:20:34in his knockout of Maurice Harris
00:20:36when the fellow behind the counter
00:20:38at Lefkowski's Deli in Detroit
00:20:40gave him a free corned beef sandwich
00:20:42the following week.
00:20:43He said, I've been paying
00:20:44for that corned beef for years.
00:20:47Round one begins.
00:20:49You saw Jefferson come out
00:20:50and try to land the big left hand
00:20:51right off the bat.
00:20:54Now, Izone should keep Jefferson jabbing.
00:20:56Make a boxer out of him.
00:20:58He'll stay around a lot longer,
00:20:59and you get a chance to counter
00:21:00every now and then.
00:21:02Keep him boxing.
00:21:03He doesn't like to box.
00:21:04He want to mix it up.
00:21:07Jefferson's job to make this Izone
00:21:09start trying to mix it up
00:21:10so he can get in a bigger punch.
00:21:12Izone believes that he must somehow
00:21:14get inside of Jefferson's long jab
00:21:16and punching range.
00:21:18Izone has been taking a lot of punishment
00:21:20in his recent fights.
00:21:21Watch him often with your heart
00:21:23in your throat,
00:21:24but he's come back to win
00:21:25from some impossible circumstances.
00:21:27Oh, hard body shot by Derek Jefferson.
00:21:32Jefferson's showing a good jab
00:21:34and some good body work early here.
00:21:36Izone has to go and jab to the chest,
00:21:39jab to the body,
00:21:40take a lot of the power out of the young opponent
00:21:42or the stronger opponent.
00:21:43Get that power away from him
00:21:44in case the fight goes on and on.
00:21:47Yeah, we think of Jefferson as young
00:21:48because we haven't seen that much of him.
00:21:50Even though he's 31 years old,
00:21:52but he came to boxing relatively late.
00:21:54Didn't start until he was in his 20s.
00:21:56Kind of similar to Michael Grant.
00:21:58In fact, the only man to have beaten Grant
00:22:00as a professional or an amateur
00:22:02is the man in front of you,
00:22:04Derek Jefferson,
00:22:05who beat him in the amateurs.
00:22:08Izone with a quick right hand inside
00:22:10as Jefferson backed away.
00:22:13And now Jefferson goes back
00:22:14to hammering the body.
00:22:17Those body punches are very important
00:22:19in the early part of the round
00:22:20when you're fighting heavyweights.
00:22:21Take that power away from your guy.
00:22:25George, whenever we see
00:22:26a big athletic heavyweight,
00:22:29it's fascinating to hear
00:22:30your assessment of him.
00:22:32Derek Jefferson, athletically,
00:22:34has a lot of tools.
00:22:36Yeah, but they can be taken away
00:22:37if you skillfully go about doing it
00:22:38in a skillful manner.
00:22:40Jab into the chest,
00:22:41around the side.
00:22:42Make him jab.
00:22:43Throw away all that power.
00:22:44And certainly Izone
00:22:45with his decorated amateur career,
00:22:47as Larry told you,
00:22:48silver medal at the Barcelona Games
00:22:49in 1992
00:22:50is the more experienced
00:22:51of the two fighters.
00:22:54You want the big punches.
00:22:56You want to make them throw shots.
00:22:58Don't try to make them not throw shots.
00:23:01Make them throw that power away.
00:23:03Quick chopping right by Izone inside
00:23:05after Jefferson landed
00:23:07a long right up the middle.
00:23:11It's safe to say
00:23:12that the stage
00:23:13of Radio City Music Hall
00:23:15has never seen anything
00:23:16quite like this.
00:23:18I don't even think
00:23:19they used to show
00:23:21any fight films here, George.
00:23:22Yes, and while our memories
00:23:26will tell us
00:23:27that the first sports event here
00:23:28was a Roy Jones
00:23:30versus David Telesco
00:23:31light heavyweight championship
00:23:32fight in total reality,
00:23:34the first sports event
00:23:35to take place on the stage
00:23:36at Radio City Music Hall
00:23:37was Billy Lewis
00:23:38versus Leslie Stewart,
00:23:40preliminary light heavyweights.
00:23:43That's great.
00:23:44Good.
00:23:44What are you doing?
00:23:45You know what you're doing?
00:23:46Breathe deep.
00:23:46Breathe deep.
00:23:46Breathe deep.
00:23:47Breathe deep.
00:23:48We need to keep him
00:23:50on the end of the jab.
00:23:51See what he's talking about?
00:23:52Keep him on the end of the jab.
00:23:55That was earlier tonight,
00:23:56the beginning of this undercard.
00:23:57Look at the hook
00:23:57at the head right now.
00:23:59Keep the body shots on him.
00:24:01Let's wear him down.
00:24:02When he starts to bring him,
00:24:03he'll bring him down.
00:24:03He'll bring him up
00:24:04because he's going to come in the play.
00:24:05Let's wear him down a little bit.
00:24:06Let's wear him down a little bit.
00:24:07Stay back on the end of the jab
00:24:09still, man.
00:24:10But look here.
00:24:11I need you to fan.
00:24:12Freeze him a little bit.
00:24:13Okay.
00:24:14Half step back.
00:24:15Remember that.
00:24:16Then the right hand,
00:24:17left hook.
00:24:18In order to hit him
00:24:19with the left hook,
00:24:20you're going to have to
00:24:20work on two and three point combinations.
00:24:23And don't forget the body.
00:24:25Work that body.
00:24:25It'll work for you.
00:24:26Okay?
00:24:27Take deep breath.
00:24:28Short of the hand.
00:24:29Okay?
00:24:30Coming in.
00:24:30He's coming right in for a short of hand.
00:24:32All right.
00:24:33Let's go.
00:24:37The man you heard
00:24:38talking to Derek Jefferson
00:24:39from right in front of him
00:24:41is Claude Strickland,
00:24:42who has been his trainer
00:24:44ever since his first experiences
00:24:47in boxing in the YMCA
00:24:48where he went to work
00:24:49after his leg got shot.
00:24:50But standing outside the ring
00:24:52and talking into Jefferson's ear
00:24:54was the venerable Bill Miller
00:24:55who used to train James Toney
00:24:57and has had about 50 years
00:24:59of solid experience
00:25:01training fighters.
00:25:04Now, Izona's got to make sure
00:25:05if he's backing away,
00:25:07keep us close,
00:25:08just as backing away.
00:25:09If you're going forward,
00:25:11keep the same distance.
00:25:13This guy needs range.
00:25:14He left hook landed for Jefferson
00:25:16and backed Izon up.
00:25:19Izon takes a pop pretty well,
00:25:21but he's been hit
00:25:22with a lot of them recently.
00:25:24Izon trying to work
00:25:25the body in close.
00:25:28And Jefferson with two hard shots
00:25:30to the belly.
00:25:34Here's a guy
00:25:35that likes to throw hooks.
00:25:36Jefferson,
00:25:36you want to make sure
00:25:37all your punches
00:25:38are straight down the belly.
00:25:39Don't hook with a hooker.
00:25:43The guy's a left hooker.
00:25:44Don't you throw left hooker.
00:25:45You know,
00:25:45we're seeing a really
00:25:46sophisticated arsenal
00:25:47of punches from Jefferson
00:25:49given his experience,
00:25:50George.
00:25:50He's seeing jabs,
00:25:52uppercuts,
00:25:53right crosses,
00:25:54body shots,
00:25:54left hooks.
00:25:56All of those shots
00:25:58are delivered
00:25:58from a range of distance.
00:26:00When you get close,
00:26:01everything stops.
00:26:02So you want to stay close.
00:26:03Make him stop.
00:26:04You're saying Izon
00:26:06should be inside his range?
00:26:07No,
00:26:08you stay close to him
00:26:09because whenever you get away,
00:26:10this guy loads up
00:26:11and throws two or three bombs.
00:26:14Now he's close.
00:26:15You see,
00:26:16nothing happens.
00:26:18Stay close to him.
00:26:20That's what Izon told us
00:26:21he felt he should do.
00:26:22Get inside of Jefferson's range
00:26:24and stay close.
00:26:26And he lands a hard
00:26:28right-hand shot in there.
00:26:30He's got to make certain
00:26:31all his shots are straight
00:26:32because Jefferson
00:26:33is a hooker.
00:26:35I'm pushing.
00:26:35Even throws it right
00:26:36in a hook fashion.
00:26:37Well,
00:26:38anybody who did
00:26:39the kind of spectacular
00:26:39work he did
00:26:40with his left hook
00:26:41against Maurice Harris
00:26:43in November
00:26:44is likely to go
00:26:45a little left hook crazy
00:26:46for a while.
00:26:47And Miller and Strickland,
00:26:49Jefferson's handlers,
00:26:51acknowledged to us
00:26:51that they felt
00:26:52their job was to remind him
00:26:54that boxing is his skill,
00:26:56boxing is where
00:26:56he's put in the work,
00:26:58and boxing is what
00:26:58will carry him over the top.
00:27:00Oh, you're great defense
00:27:03against good left hookers.
00:27:04You never throw
00:27:05left hooks yourself.
00:27:06Everything is straight.
00:27:08Yeah, but he's throwing
00:27:10more than left hooks here,
00:27:11George.
00:27:12Right to the body,
00:27:13uppercuts.
00:27:14He's had some great teaching.
00:27:15You know, he sat down
00:27:16with Archie Moore
00:27:17years back.
00:27:18in San Diego.
00:27:19Good right hand.
00:27:21Big right hand by Jefferson.
00:27:22Izon momentarily stunned.
00:27:24Jefferson goes to the body
00:27:25with the left
00:27:26and then tries to sneak
00:27:27in another right.
00:27:32Now Izon gets a right hand
00:27:34across and lands
00:27:35a right hand solidly
00:27:36as Jefferson
00:27:37tries to unleash his left.
00:27:40You can always land
00:27:41straight shots against him.
00:27:42Time!
00:27:42David Izon
00:27:44with four good
00:27:44counter shots
00:27:45down the stretch
00:27:46of that round
00:27:46as he caught Jefferson
00:27:49in a little bit
00:27:49of a flat spot
00:27:50and made solid work of it.
00:27:52You move your hands
00:27:53and throw punches.
00:27:55He's throwing more punches
00:27:56than you.
00:27:56I don't want that.
00:27:57You can land
00:27:58a bigger shot.
00:27:58You stay close.
00:27:59This guy hitting you
00:28:00to the inside.
00:28:01If this guy's hitting
00:28:02to the outside,
00:28:02you've got to come off
00:28:03on the inside
00:28:04with the shot.
00:28:05Okay?
00:28:06Keep them body shots
00:28:07rolling on him.
00:28:09I don't want you
00:28:09having to come back
00:28:10up on him as much.
00:28:11You've got the right hand
00:28:13over the jab
00:28:14but you've got to
00:28:15feign him a little bit.
00:28:16He's trying to let it
00:28:17go long.
00:28:19Keep them body shots
00:28:20so he's not there.
00:28:21Trying to show
00:28:22Jefferson that he's
00:28:23not just a one-handed
00:28:24puncher,
00:28:25left-handed puncher.
00:28:26You see him wing
00:28:27the right hand
00:28:28in there as well.
00:28:30Izon presumably
00:28:31prepared for the left.
00:28:35Can you prepare
00:28:36for everything?
00:28:40One thing I noticed,
00:28:41George, is that
00:28:42Jefferson is throwing
00:28:43everything hard.
00:28:45Hard.
00:28:46That can wear a fighter
00:28:47out.
00:28:48Yeah, that's why
00:28:49you want to make sure
00:28:49that you stay real close
00:28:50with your defense set.
00:28:52The only big guys
00:28:53have got the same
00:28:54size heart as middleweights.
00:28:56Make them throw
00:28:56those heavy shots.
00:28:57Stay close to them
00:28:58because they've got
00:28:58to come up for air
00:28:59sometimes.
00:29:00And that's when
00:29:00you get them.
00:29:03Already it's a
00:29:04power punch extravaganza.
00:29:0580 punches were landed
00:29:06in the fight
00:29:07in the first two rounds
00:29:08by the two fighters.
00:29:0860 of those 80
00:29:09were power shots.
00:29:11Oh, a good body shot
00:29:12by Jefferson that time.
00:29:13Right hand to the body.
00:29:14I like Jefferson's
00:29:15work to the body.
00:29:16He has been disciplined
00:29:16about it the first
00:29:17couple of rounds.
00:29:19You want to make
00:29:20the big guys
00:29:21throw five shots
00:29:22because then they
00:29:23stop you,
00:29:23take a breather,
00:29:25then you go crazy.
00:29:26Get back quick.
00:29:28And you heard
00:29:28Alton Merkerson
00:29:29telling David Izon
00:29:31between rounds
00:29:32he's throwing
00:29:32more punches than you.
00:29:33I don't want that.
00:29:34but I need you
00:29:34to throw more
00:29:35punches than him.
00:29:37So Izon
00:29:38looking to step
00:29:39up the activity level
00:29:40but Jefferson
00:29:41continues
00:29:42to gain the
00:29:43initiative in there.
00:29:57Izon once again
00:29:58gives them
00:29:58too much range.
00:29:59Don't let one
00:29:59to stand out.
00:30:00Let him stand out
00:30:01but then think
00:30:02get close to him
00:30:03and hit him
00:30:03with something.
00:30:05You know you see
00:30:05few of the giant
00:30:07heavyweights
00:30:08throwing three
00:30:09punch combinations
00:30:10as we're seeing
00:30:11Jefferson throw
00:30:12here sometimes
00:30:12George.
00:30:13And that's what
00:30:13you want the big
00:30:14guys to do.
00:30:15Throw the big
00:30:15combination
00:30:15because let me
00:30:16tell you something
00:30:17it takes a lot
00:30:18of recovery time.
00:30:19It's like
00:30:19sprinting for
00:30:20100 yard dash.
00:30:22Now look at there.
00:30:22Two left hooks,
00:30:23a couple of light
00:30:24jabs, a shot
00:30:25to the body.
00:30:26But a lot of
00:30:26those are slaps
00:30:27when they're landing
00:30:28on the side
00:30:28the side of the glove.
00:30:30That doesn't bother
00:30:31Izan landing
00:30:35a right hand inside
00:30:37and there's Jefferson
00:30:37as George points out
00:30:38winging wide
00:30:40to the body
00:30:40but there's a good
00:30:41crisp right uppercut
00:30:42by Jefferson.
00:30:47There's a three
00:30:47punch combination
00:30:48for Izan.
00:30:50You see with the
00:30:51taller guys
00:30:51you tell all the
00:30:52fighters
00:30:53keep your hands up
00:30:54at all the time
00:30:54and protect yourself
00:30:55but when you're
00:30:56the shorter opponent
00:30:57you got to the
00:30:57advantage
00:30:57because the taller
00:30:58guy has to drop
00:30:59his hands
00:31:00to throw shots.
00:31:01that's when
00:31:01you can just
00:31:02key in.
00:31:02Well also
00:31:03he's a bigger target
00:31:04he's got a bigger
00:31:05strike.
00:31:05Yeah but they drop
00:31:06you have to drop
00:31:07your hand
00:31:07to throw a hook
00:31:08you have to drop
00:31:09your hand
00:31:09to go body shots
00:31:10and the shorter
00:31:11guy has the
00:31:11advantage
00:31:12you got to
00:31:12take advantage
00:31:13of it.
00:31:13Jefferson carries his
00:31:24left hand right there
00:31:25near his stomach
00:31:26right hand all day
00:31:29for Izan if he wants.
00:31:30three good right hands
00:31:31by Izan.
00:31:33David Izan showing his
00:31:35grit and determination
00:31:36won't take no for an
00:31:39answer even against
00:31:40the best opponents
00:31:41that's what's earned
00:31:42him the right to be
00:31:43here.
00:31:44Just want to keep
00:31:45jabbing.
00:31:47We are live at Radio
00:31:49City Music Hall in
00:31:51Rockefeller Center in
00:31:52New York City.
00:31:53The very first sports
00:31:54event ever to take
00:31:54place on this legendary
00:31:56stage and David
00:31:57Telesco who grew up
00:31:59up the road in
00:32:00Port Chester New York
00:32:01tonight makes his
00:32:02first visit ever to
00:32:04Radio City Music Hall
00:32:06and gets to appear on
00:32:07the stage in his
00:32:08light heavyweight
00:32:09championship fight
00:32:10against Roy Jones.
00:32:13And that stage which
00:32:14tonight has been
00:32:15lowered 18 inches
00:32:17via the spectacular
00:32:19engineering system
00:32:20here in order to
00:32:21allow for visibility
00:32:23of the ring
00:32:24by all of the
00:32:25patrons in the
00:32:26nearly 6,000 seats
00:32:28that are all full.
00:32:31They say they could
00:32:32have sold how many
00:32:32more Larry?
00:32:33Well they say they
00:32:34could have sold
00:32:35another 5,000 seats.
00:32:38Perhaps a little
00:32:39exaggeration there.
00:32:41Promoters entitled
00:32:42to feel good about
00:32:43filling any arena.
00:32:47David Izan
00:32:48averaged 70
00:32:49punches per round
00:32:51by CompuBox
00:32:52estimation against
00:32:52David Tua.
00:32:53He threw 37
00:32:55punches in round
00:32:56three and has
00:32:57averaged under 40
00:32:58punches per round
00:32:59tonight.
00:33:00Not the activity
00:33:01level that Izan was
00:33:02looking for against
00:33:03Jefferson who's
00:33:04throwing close to 70
00:33:05punches per round.
00:33:06So Harold, how'd you
00:33:07score the first three?
00:33:08Jim, so far I think
00:33:09we got a no-brainer.
00:33:1030 to 27, 3 to nothing
00:33:12Derek Jefferson.
00:33:14Jim, I gotta tell you,
00:33:15I hate to say this to
00:33:16George, but I keep
00:33:17saying the same thing
00:33:17Larry called in round
00:33:18three combinations,
00:33:20combinations, and more
00:33:21combinations.
00:33:22Derek Jefferson
00:33:23winning it with real
00:33:23beautiful combination.
00:33:25Hard uppercut by
00:33:26Jefferson, snaps Izan's
00:33:28head back, and Izan
00:33:30stops punching for the
00:33:31moment.
00:33:32Jefferson trying to
00:33:33attack with the left
00:33:34hook.
00:33:34Hard right hand shot
00:33:35to the body.
00:33:37Great.
00:33:37That right hand to the
00:33:38body was probably more
00:33:40important than any punch
00:33:41Jefferson have thrown.
00:33:43And here comes Izan.
00:33:44Both of these fighters
00:33:45when they're hurt, they
00:33:47move forward.
00:33:50And Izan rips Jefferson
00:33:52with a left hook.
00:33:53He was successful with
00:33:54that left hook, but you
00:33:55don't want to get into a
00:33:56hooking match with
00:33:57Jefferson.
00:33:58Keep your hand up, stay
00:34:00close, there's a safety
00:34:01zone, stay in it.
00:34:04This guy's throwing big
00:34:05hooks, but a lot of them
00:34:06are with the side of the
00:34:07gloves, and they only sting
00:34:09a little bit.
00:34:09You're hard pressed to
00:34:10convince the layman there's
00:34:11any safety zone in there.
00:34:13There is a safety zone.
00:34:15There's a safety zone.
00:34:16Even with all these
00:34:17fireworks, huh?
00:34:18Yep, there's a safety
00:34:18zone.
00:34:19You stay close, the shots
00:34:20from outside, they sting,
00:34:24but there's a hurting that
00:34:25goes along with the sting,
00:34:26and you can miss that
00:34:27hurting.
00:34:33There's the left hand by
00:34:34Jefferson.
00:34:35Oh, again.
00:34:36Izan.
00:34:37Oh, hard right hand shot
00:34:39by Jefferson.
00:34:40I'm not sure you'd want to
00:34:41see him go in and commit
00:34:43to every punch this way
00:34:44against a Lennox Lewis.
00:34:46But it is so exciting to
00:34:48see a fighter who really
00:34:49believes that he can knock
00:34:51a man out with any punch
00:34:52he throws.
00:34:54Izan is doing the wrong
00:34:55thing, stepping back,
00:34:57hooking.
00:34:57He gets caught in the
00:34:58exchange.
00:34:59There's going to be some
00:35:00danger to him.
00:35:02Shock!
00:35:05If a fighter keeps
00:35:07jabbing, keep his left
00:35:08jab working, there are all
00:35:09kinds of possibilities.
00:35:11Once you stop jabbing,
00:35:13anything can happen to you.
00:35:19What we're seeing so far,
00:35:20Jeff, is the arc of two
00:35:23fighters' careers going in
00:35:25opposite directions as they
00:35:27collide.
00:35:28Jefferson is a live fighter.
00:35:30He's anxious.
00:35:30He's eager.
00:35:32He wants to make a name for
00:35:33himself.
00:35:34Izan has had some
00:35:35disappointments in his life,
00:35:37although he's giving
00:35:38everything he has, he
00:35:40doesn't seem to have the
00:35:41energy and hunger that
00:35:43Jefferson has.
00:35:45Well, he's taking some
00:35:46power for hard shots.
00:35:48That'll take your energy and
00:35:49desire away.
00:35:51There's something about the
00:35:53acoustics here that makes
00:35:54every shot, even the body
00:35:56shots, sound big.
00:35:58Let's come back and do more
00:35:59fights here.
00:35:59What did I tell you to do
00:36:00to him?
00:36:02I want you to tie him up,
00:36:03David.
00:36:04He's tying you up.
00:36:05Once you throw the shot,
00:36:06tie him up.
00:36:07Turn him.
00:36:08He got some sweat on his
00:36:08left eye, man.
00:36:10Take deep breath.
00:36:11You hear me?
00:36:13You okay?
00:36:13You okay?
00:36:16All I want you to do.
00:36:20Here's Jefferson coming up
00:36:22with a right uppercut, and
00:36:24later in the round, Izan
00:36:26comes back with a big left
00:36:29hand, neither fighter, trying
00:36:34to get away from the other
00:36:36fighter.
00:36:48CompuBox numbers through the
00:36:50first four rounds.
00:36:51Jefferson 99 connects out of
00:36:52265 punches.
00:36:54Izan landing nearly half his
00:36:55punches at 79 out of 161, and
00:36:59Izan had his biggest round in
00:37:01the fourth, throwing 54 punches,
00:37:02but Harold Letterman still sees it
00:37:04as a light loss for Jefferson.
00:37:09Jefferson has a good right,
00:37:10straight right hand.
00:37:11He doesn't use it for some
00:37:12reason, but he has an excellent
00:37:13right hand.
00:37:17Yeah, in fact, before the Harris
00:37:19fight and all those left hook
00:37:21fireworks, he was described to us
00:37:23as a big right-hand punter.
00:37:25Boxes, he has a good left jab,
00:37:27but he finds himself getting as low
00:37:29as your opponent.
00:37:30Makes it an even match.
00:37:42That's what you do.
00:37:43Once the bigger guy hits you with
00:37:45four shots, you get right back on
00:37:46him because he needs some oxygen.
00:37:49Don't let him get any, though.
00:37:50You've got to stay right on it.
00:37:52Jefferson tends, it seems, to tire
00:37:54in the middle of rounds.
00:37:56You can see him sometimes opening
00:37:58his mouth and gulping for air,
00:38:00trying to replenish himself.
00:38:04Part of that is because even when
00:38:06he's tired, his instinct is to
00:38:08throw punches in bunches.
00:38:09He seldom throws one or two shots
00:38:11at a time.
00:38:11And he likes to finish up with the
00:38:13left hook.
00:38:25Rising that Aizan is getting the
00:38:27better of the left jab.
00:38:28Time!
00:38:30Time.
00:38:31Go there.
00:38:32Come on, come on, hurry up!
00:38:35Mouthpiece for Jefferson.
00:38:36Let's go, come on.
00:38:40Time in.
00:38:41Aizan walks to the neutral corner
00:38:43and now goes about his business.
00:38:45Jefferson with the lead right hand.
00:38:50Aizan, incidentally, is managed
00:38:52by a fellow named Roy Jones.
00:38:56Dang it!
00:38:58Break!
00:39:00Aizan is really absorbing a lot of
00:39:02punching.
00:39:02David Aizan is a fine gentleman.
00:39:12Lived in Paris for a while after
00:39:14leaving Nigeria.
00:39:15Married a lovely French gal.
00:39:17Their second child is on the way
00:39:18right now.
00:39:20He has found a home in Pensacola,
00:39:22Florida.
00:39:24In the Roy Jones
00:39:25circle of fighters.
00:39:27He had his fighters, Jones,
00:39:33spend New Year's Eve,
00:39:35the stroke of 12 o'clock,
00:39:37working out in the gym.
00:39:41How about that for dedication,
00:39:42George?
00:39:43Start the year off right.
00:39:46And if David Aizan decides
00:39:47to throw straight right hands,
00:39:49sure he could hit this guy
00:39:50all night long.
00:39:53Aizan trying to step up
00:39:54into that pocket
00:39:55as George described it.
00:39:56Good luck took by Aizan.
00:40:00Back Jefferson up into the ropes.
00:40:04And join us Monday, January 24th
00:40:07for the premiere of Real Sports
00:40:08with Bryant Gumbel.
00:40:09One of the stories you'll see.
00:40:10The rise and fall
00:40:11of Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam
00:40:14in 1990 or 74.
00:40:15He became the first African American
00:40:17to begin a season
00:40:17as an NFL starting quarterback.
00:40:19By season's end,
00:40:21drug abuse would result
00:40:22in Gilliam's loss of his job,
00:40:24his home,
00:40:25and his freedom.
00:40:25Find out where he is now
00:40:27on Real Sports
00:40:28where nothing is out of bounds.
00:40:30I need to see you back
00:40:38on the end of the day.
00:40:39Just get it into the middle
00:40:40of the ring, okay?
00:40:41I know it looks like
00:40:42there's some problems right now.
00:40:43Get it in the middle of the ring
00:40:44and let's get regrouped.
00:40:46Let's get regrouped.
00:40:47He don't even have the power
00:40:48to even hit you with right now.
00:40:49You hear that there?
00:40:50He don't even have it.
00:40:51Go out here and show me now.
00:40:52Come on now.
00:40:53Over 80% of Derek Jefferson's
00:40:59landed punches here.
00:41:00Power shots.
00:41:02That number was 94%
00:41:04against Maurice Harris.
00:41:05He's got a pretty good jab.
00:41:07He just tends to dispense with it
00:41:09when he throws all the combinations
00:41:10because he lands his power shots.
00:41:14And by power shots, incidentally,
00:41:15we mean anything that's not a jab.
00:41:17An uppercut, uppercut,
00:41:19a cross, a hook, a body shot.
00:41:22They don't have to be viciously thrown
00:41:24to be classified as power shots.
00:41:26Well, those two last jabs that he threw
00:41:28look like power jabs, George.
00:41:31All Aizan has to do
00:41:32is just put his right hand
00:41:33on top of the left hand
00:41:35to keep it height-wise
00:41:37above Jefferson's left hand.
00:41:39And he can throw right hands all night.
00:41:41He just raise it above.
00:41:43He keeps it too low.
00:41:45He has to pick it up
00:41:46and bring it all the way up
00:41:47and throw it every time.
00:41:49Oh, but the body punches a jump.
00:41:53You think he's too conscious
00:41:54of that left hook
00:41:55to throw the right hand?
00:41:59Aizan needs to throw
00:42:00the straight right hand.
00:42:01He's absorbing a lot of punishment.
00:42:02It's hard to think
00:42:03in those situations.
00:42:06Oh, good right hand again.
00:42:08And a good uppercut by Jefferson.
00:42:10Jefferson just applying
00:42:11a lot of punishment
00:42:12to David Aizan.
00:42:14Aizan, sturdy, resolute,
00:42:16good chin,
00:42:17hanging in there
00:42:18and taking it.
00:42:21But Aizan's activity level
00:42:23receded again in round five.
00:42:25And he would have to create a storm,
00:42:27it would appear,
00:42:28down the stretch
00:42:28to upset Jefferson's apple cart here.
00:42:31If he just points his left hand,
00:42:33Jefferson can't miss it.
00:42:34Aizan can't miss it.
00:42:36Now Aizan is dropping his left hand.
00:42:37Could be because of the side,
00:42:39his left side is hurting
00:42:40from the body shot.
00:42:44Aizan looking worn down.
00:42:46Determined, but worn down.
00:42:48Jefferson tags him
00:42:49with an uppercut
00:42:50as he comes in.
00:42:50And then another hard
00:42:51right hand to the body.
00:42:55Aizan demonstrating
00:42:56exactly what George says.
00:42:57If he just throws
00:42:58the straight left hand,
00:42:59it lands for him.
00:42:59Can't miss.
00:43:00Just stick it out.
00:43:01Just point it at the guy.
00:43:02Straight shots up the middle
00:43:07of there.
00:43:08But Aizan able
00:43:09to throw too few of them
00:43:11as he tries to defend himself
00:43:14against the constant onslaught
00:43:16of Derek Jefferson.
00:43:19Jefferson get hit unnecessarily.
00:43:21Why would a big, strong guy
00:43:23get hit by a shorter opponent?
00:43:28George, they have the same reach.
00:43:29Jefferson is the aggressor.
00:43:33He shoots his punches.
00:43:34Occasionally, he's going
00:43:35to get a hit.
00:43:36They don't have
00:43:37the same reach, Larry.
00:43:38Once you point that lead,
00:43:39the Utahla comes down
00:43:41like a pitcher off a mound.
00:43:45Differentiate right there.
00:43:48Very first trip
00:43:49to New York City
00:43:50for Derek Jefferson.
00:43:52The Detroit native says,
00:43:53if you can get across
00:43:54the street in traffic here,
00:43:56you can make it.
00:43:56That he regarded
00:44:00as the biggest challenge.
00:44:02He says,
00:44:03red must mean go
00:44:04and green must mean stop.
00:44:09You're fine.
00:44:10You're fine.
00:44:11No, Derek.
00:44:12Green means go faster.
00:44:13Don't quit on me now.
00:44:14Don't quit on me now.
00:44:15Get your head up.
00:44:16Come on now.
00:44:16Let's breathe deep.
00:44:17Let's breathe deep.
00:44:18Get your arms down.
00:44:19Get your arms down.
00:44:20What we going to do?
00:44:22We hit a win.
00:44:23We ain't going one way back.
00:44:24It ain't but one way in
00:44:26and one way out of here.
00:44:27Can you give me
00:44:28one way in
00:44:28and one way out?
00:44:29Nine more minutes.
00:44:31Come on now.
00:44:31Breathe deep for me.
00:44:32All I want is nine more minutes.
00:44:34And we got this right.
00:44:35One.
00:44:36Swallow this.
00:44:37Don't cut off.
00:44:37Swallow that.
00:44:39Don't cut off.
00:44:39Let's get back
00:44:40in the middle again.
00:44:41Okay?
00:44:43You got to throw more punches.
00:44:44All right?
00:44:44You got to.
00:44:46In order to knock him out.
00:44:47He's finished.
00:44:48Short right hand,
00:44:49left hook.
00:44:50Okay?
00:44:50All right.
00:44:51Then you will catch him.
00:44:52Okay?
00:44:52Fast with him.
00:44:53If you catch him in the hook,
00:44:55you come back
00:44:56with another right hand.
00:45:04Jefferson's corner
00:45:06asked him for nine more minutes.
00:45:08That'll take him
00:45:09to the 10th round.
00:45:10Another three minutes.
00:45:14Aizan's got everything
00:45:15but desires.
00:45:17Got to have a desire to win.
00:45:19It has to be
00:45:19above everything else.
00:45:21Oh, he's got reach.
00:45:22No, you desire to win.
00:45:23You don't want to get out there,
00:45:25sit down in the stew
00:45:26to help people
00:45:26give you a talk
00:45:27and a fight.
00:45:28Get out there.
00:45:30Help your corner up.
00:45:33Harold,
00:45:33how do you have it through six?
00:45:34You know, Jim,
00:45:35at every single round,
00:45:36I'm amazed.
00:45:36David Aizan gets in
00:45:37two or three good shots
00:45:38but he's getting out
00:45:39punched so badly.
00:45:40Six to nothing.
00:45:4160 to 54.
00:45:43Derek Jefferson,
00:45:44he's way too busy
00:45:45to lose any of these rounds,
00:45:46Jim.
00:45:46Just keeps peppering
00:45:47him with combinations.
00:45:48He's winning on activity,
00:45:49constant punching,
00:45:50combination punching.
00:45:58There's a three-punch combination
00:46:00for Aizan.
00:46:01You heard Mario Francis
00:46:02telling Aizan
00:46:04between rounds
00:46:04that Jefferson's so tired
00:46:06he's susceptible
00:46:06to a knockout.
00:46:08Aizan didn't look
00:46:09as though he believed it.
00:46:10Got to believe.
00:46:12Got to believe
00:46:13his desire.
00:46:15Ten-round fight.
00:46:17The main event
00:46:18is scheduled for 12.
00:46:27Jefferson just keeps
00:46:28bringing the troops.
00:46:34Those shots hurt.
00:46:36Aizan may be hurt now.
00:46:40David Aizan's body
00:46:43has never hit the canvas.
00:46:46David Tua got a TKO
00:46:47against him.
00:46:48Aizan was still standing.
00:46:50Oh, really?
00:46:50Go ahead.
00:46:52This is available
00:46:53for a stoppage
00:46:54any time.
00:46:55Aizan is maybe
00:46:56too brave,
00:46:57maybe too crazy
00:46:58to go down.
00:46:59But Jefferson
00:47:00is sled-hammering him there
00:47:01and Arthur McKinney Jr.
00:47:03is getting a close look.
00:47:04Jefferson looked
00:47:05at referee Arthur
00:47:06McKinney Jr.
00:47:08saying to him,
00:47:08why don't you stop
00:47:10this slaughter
00:47:11and the fight
00:47:12should be stopped.
00:47:13David Aizan
00:47:14is just taking
00:47:15too much punishment.
00:47:18And now Jefferson
00:47:19hires
00:47:19from wearing Aizan
00:47:21out with the assault
00:47:22and comes back
00:47:23with another wild left.
00:47:25What should Derek
00:47:25do to finish, George?
00:47:27Well, he doesn't have
00:47:28a good left jab.
00:47:29He's waiting on one hook
00:47:30to do it.
00:47:31That's going to be
00:47:31a difficult task
00:47:32because he's not
00:47:33standing back
00:47:34far enough
00:47:35to really set it up
00:47:36with a jab.
00:47:37What about going
00:47:37back to the body?
00:47:39It's not going to happen.
00:47:40You don't discourage
00:47:41yourself.
00:47:41You're winning a fight
00:47:42with a guy like Aizan.
00:47:44Hitting the flow
00:47:44is not in his game.
00:47:46So just keep
00:47:47pouring it on.
00:47:48The only evidence
00:47:49is that, hey,
00:47:50he's not doing
00:47:50anything to you.
00:47:51So just wait
00:47:52for the referee
00:47:52to do his job.
00:47:53That's right.
00:47:54This guy just
00:47:55doesn't go down.
00:47:56Arthur McKinney
00:47:57Jr. has a reputation
00:48:00for being a brave referee.
00:48:02I think he's being
00:48:03a little too brave here.
00:48:05New York has
00:48:06standing eight counts
00:48:08and Mercanti
00:48:09could use it
00:48:10if he wanted to
00:48:12but did not.
00:48:14And Aizan makes
00:48:15it out of the round
00:48:15perhaps to his
00:48:17ultimate detriment.
00:48:19I think his corner
00:48:20should stop it
00:48:21if the referee didn't.
00:48:23I agree.
00:48:23If they have any regard
00:48:24for their fighter.
00:48:26When you're a brave fighter,
00:48:27you don't want to stop
00:48:28because I quit.
00:48:28It's true, baby.
00:48:30Here my hands.
00:48:31Okay.
00:48:31Wipe this nose, y'all.
00:48:33Baby, it's true, baby.
00:48:35It's finished.
00:48:36This is your fight.
00:48:38You's the strongest one.
00:48:41Okay?
00:48:42Keep your hands up, too, baby.
00:48:43Okay?
00:48:43Bring your hands back.
00:48:44Come on, baby.
00:48:45Keep your hands up.
00:48:45Bring them back.
00:48:46What's right?
00:48:47Short over hand, right.
00:48:48Left hook, baby.
00:48:49You hear me?
00:48:51This fight.
00:48:52We ain't got to worry
00:48:53about it.
00:48:53You trying to stop him?
00:48:54Look, we ain't worried
00:48:55about that.
00:48:56If it come, it come.
00:48:57If it come, it come.
00:48:58All I want you to do
00:48:59is come on back out,
00:49:00get back on it,
00:49:01and look for your right hand.
00:49:03Look for it.
00:49:04I don't want the six minutes.
00:49:05That is it.
00:49:06Fight down deep for me, baby.
00:49:08Three, two, three, two.
00:49:09Check it out.
00:49:10You'll be first.
00:49:11Round seven was this fight's version
00:49:13of the Jacksonville-Miami
00:49:15playoff game today.
00:49:17Jefferson landed 38 out of 74 punches,
00:49:19almost all of them power shots.
00:49:21Izan, 11 of 34, in token opposition.
00:49:25Izan's cornermen are accustomed
00:49:27to seeing him coming back
00:49:29from circumstances like that,
00:49:30pulling miracles against Darryl Wilson
00:49:33and Terrence Lewis.
00:49:36But Jefferson isn't one of those guys,
00:49:39although Jefferson goes wobbling
00:49:40into the ropes off her right hand
00:49:42by Izan there.
00:49:43That's what the referee
00:49:44has been looking at.
00:49:45Jefferson does well,
00:49:46but then he seems to tie,
00:49:48and Izan gets him one.
00:49:50That's why he didn't stop it early on.
00:49:52And this time, as Izan came in,
00:49:54Jefferson nailed him
00:49:54with a lead left hook.
00:50:02Jefferson appeared to be
00:50:03exhausted and out on his feet
00:50:05just moments before
00:50:06he anesthetized Harris
00:50:07with that landmark left hook
00:50:09in Atlantic City.
00:50:11So he can be deceptive.
00:50:12It's like pushing a big wheelbarrow
00:50:16off a long heel
00:50:17when you're a heavyweight
00:50:18throwing the kind of power
00:50:19that Jefferson is doing.
00:50:20Takes all of your breath.
00:50:21Come on.
00:50:29Izan landing a left
00:50:30that backs Jefferson up.
00:50:34Another perhaps too courageous
00:50:36performance from the former
00:50:38Nigerian amateur star.
00:50:40Another big left hook
00:50:41by Jefferson.
00:50:42And Jefferson just bombing away
00:50:45as he tries to finish
00:50:46Izan off again.
00:50:51But they're in the same condition.
00:50:54That's why the referee
00:50:54is not coming to the rescue.
00:50:57One is tired almost
00:50:59to drop in the other
00:50:59and the other's been beaten down.
00:51:02Jefferson is so exhausted
00:51:04he looks as though
00:51:06he's in danger of dropping
00:51:07from his own exertion.
00:51:08Meanwhile he continues to fire
00:51:11wild shots
00:51:12and a lot of them land.
00:51:14Only Izan just stays close.
00:51:17Throw all your punches
00:51:19from close range
00:51:20stay out of danger.
00:51:21stay out of the hook and match.
00:51:28And Jefferson goes down
00:51:31from sheer exhaustion.
00:51:35Second time in his career
00:51:37that Jefferson's been knocked down.
00:51:38He's in trouble here.
00:51:42Did you see a punch?
00:51:43I didn't see a punch.
00:51:43No, let's go.
00:51:46He's completely dominated the fight
00:51:48but he's out on his feet
00:51:49from exhaustion.
00:51:51And Izan's got a shot.
00:51:52Oh, but the good body punching
00:51:56that Jefferson was able
00:51:58to land early on
00:51:59takes the power away
00:52:00from Izan as well.
00:52:04Jefferson needs to stand up
00:52:05seven more seconds
00:52:06to make it out of the round.
00:52:09Izan knocks his mouthpiece out
00:52:11and the foul saves Jefferson
00:52:14at the end of the round
00:52:15as he lands a shot
00:52:16on Mercante Jr.
00:52:17critical that he is.
00:52:21The fight's not over.
00:52:22Critical between rounds.
00:52:23Jefferson doesn't know
00:52:24where he is.
00:52:24You got it, George.
00:52:25You're exactly right here.
00:52:26Where are you on city, man?
00:52:27Reef deep.
00:52:28Reef deep.
00:52:29Well, no sooner than I say
00:52:31you're going to step the fight.
00:52:33I don't care.
00:52:35I don't care.
00:52:36Let him breathe.
00:52:37Let him breathe.
00:52:38Give me a time.
00:52:40The arm's down.
00:52:45Come on, now.
00:52:46You ain't got but a round of gold.
00:52:47Give me a round, Freeman.
00:52:48Give me a round.
00:52:49Come on, Conchis,
00:52:50and he's done.
00:52:51You can push him in your four.
00:52:53Okay, David?
00:52:55All right.
00:52:56Now you're going to see
00:52:57that Jefferson actually went down
00:52:59from exhaustion.
00:53:00There was a light tap
00:53:02with the right hand.
00:53:05And there,
00:53:06at the end of the round,
00:53:08Izan is coming back.
00:53:10So,
00:53:11let me give the props
00:53:13to the referee
00:53:14and to the corner.
00:53:15They were right about Izan.
00:53:17Meanwhile,
00:53:20you heard Jefferson's corner
00:53:21telling him he's got
00:53:21one round to go
00:53:22and, of course,
00:53:23he's got two
00:53:24and Mercanti
00:53:26stops the fight.
00:53:29Upset victory
00:53:30for Izan
00:53:31in a fight
00:53:32in which he had been
00:53:33thoroughly dominated
00:53:34as Derek Jefferson
00:53:35dramatically runs out of gas.
00:53:38I find myself wondering
00:53:39why the referee
00:53:41stopped the fight
00:53:42at that point
00:53:43and he didn't stop it
00:53:45a round and a half earlier.
00:53:47Yeah, because Jefferson
00:53:48almost died
00:53:49leaning on the ropes
00:53:50after the bail run.
00:53:51I'm talking when he had him
00:53:52on the other corner,
00:53:53George,
00:53:54and he was counting him.
00:53:55He was showing himself
00:53:55in the same condition
00:53:56as Izan was.
00:53:58After he hit him
00:53:59with a few shots,
00:53:59he'd almost gasped by him.
00:54:01You remember earlier
00:54:02in the fight
00:54:03we were talking about
00:54:04how many hard punches
00:54:05that Jefferson throws
00:54:07and, in a sense,
00:54:09he wore himself out.
00:54:10That's true.
00:54:11The referee helped him out,
00:54:12no doubt about it.
00:54:13And for the third time
00:54:15in the last year and a half,
00:54:16David Izan
00:54:17has a miracle win
00:54:18in a fight
00:54:19in which he appeared
00:54:20to be totally out
00:54:22on his feet
00:54:22and gone.
00:54:23Did it against
00:54:24Darrell Wilson,
00:54:25did it against
00:54:26Terrence Lewis,
00:54:26and tonight,
00:54:27astonishingly,
00:54:29does it against
00:54:30Derrick Jefferson.
00:54:31No corn beef sandwich
00:54:32for Derrick Jefferson.
00:54:34Here's the end
00:54:35of the fight.
00:54:38Izan punches
00:54:39Jefferson
00:54:39into the ropes.
00:54:42Now,
00:54:42and Mercanti
00:54:43steps in.
00:54:45Well,
00:54:45you explain that to me.
00:54:47I mean,
00:54:47I think Jefferson
00:54:48was very,
00:54:49very tired.
00:54:50I don't know
00:54:50if he could have
00:54:50gone on 15
00:54:51or 20 seconds,
00:54:52but I don't see
00:54:53that he's deadly
00:54:54hurt here.
00:54:56I think the referee
00:54:57is more afraid
00:54:58of what he'll do
00:54:59to himself
00:54:59as far as being
00:55:00out of gas.
00:55:01Very first
00:55:02professional loss
00:55:03for Jefferson.
00:55:05A win that
00:55:06keeps Izan's
00:55:07career going
00:55:08and once again
00:55:11shuffles the deck
00:55:12in the heavyweight
00:55:13division.
00:55:16Let's go to
00:55:17Michael Buffer
00:55:18for the official
00:55:18particulars
00:55:19on this one.
00:55:21Ladies and gentlemen,
00:55:22referee
00:55:23Arthur Mercanti, Jr.
00:55:25calls a halt
00:55:25to this bout.
00:55:26The official time,
00:55:2811 seconds
00:55:29of round number
00:55:30nine.
00:55:31Your winner
00:55:32by TKO victory,
00:55:34David
00:55:34Aizel.
00:55:38The lead
00:55:38contender.
00:55:39You look at
00:55:54the spectacular
00:55:54Radio City stage
00:55:56which Roxy Rathafel
00:55:59conceived
00:55:59as a sunset.
00:56:02The sun setting
00:56:03into a sea
00:56:04of red velvet
00:56:05seats.
00:56:07And on that
00:56:08stage,
00:56:09David Aizel
00:56:10has just scored
00:56:11a dramatic
00:56:12theatrical victory
00:56:13over Derek Jefferson.
00:56:15Larry Merchants
00:56:15with him right now.
00:56:16Thank you, Jim.
00:56:17Congratulations, David.
00:56:19David, you looked
00:56:20like you were really
00:56:21hurting
00:56:21in the middle
00:56:22of that fight.
00:56:23I was,
00:56:23but I endured it.
00:56:25I endured it.
00:56:26Boxing is endurance.
00:56:27You see,
00:56:28I endured all
00:56:29what he gave.
00:56:30I said earlier
00:56:31in the interview,
00:56:32if I can take his,
00:56:34can he take mine?
00:56:36He couldn't take mine.
00:56:38There looked
00:56:38like a moment
00:56:39there on the ropes
00:56:40when the referee
00:56:41might stop the fight.
00:56:42Were you aware
00:56:43of that?
00:56:43I was aware
00:56:43of it.
00:56:44I was even
00:56:45thinking of kneeling
00:56:45down.
00:56:46You were?
00:56:47You were that hurt?
00:56:48Yeah, it hurt.
00:56:49I was thinking
00:56:49of kneeling down,
00:56:50but I said,
00:56:51no, I'm going
00:56:51to go for it.
00:56:52This guy's going
00:56:53to get tired
00:56:53and I'll get him later.
00:56:54When you say
00:56:55kneeling down,
00:56:56do you mean
00:56:56end the fight
00:56:57or just take a break?
00:56:58Take a break.
00:56:59Take a break.
00:57:00Eight seconds count.
00:57:02When can you sense
00:57:03that he was getting
00:57:04so fatigued
00:57:06that even in your state
00:57:07you were still
00:57:08going to be able
00:57:09to get to him?
00:57:10I knew I had stamina.
00:57:12I trained hard
00:57:13for this fight.
00:57:14You see,
00:57:14I trained with
00:57:15a guy from Australia,
00:57:17Jim Swarton
00:57:18and Ezra Sellers.
00:57:20They gave me a tough time.
00:57:21What did you see
00:57:22in him
00:57:22that gave away
00:57:23the fact
00:57:24that maybe
00:57:24he couldn't carry
00:57:25this pace
00:57:26through the entire fight?
00:57:27When I saw
00:57:28the last fight
00:57:28he fought
00:57:29with Maurice Harris,
00:57:30I knew he was getting tired.
00:57:32But Maurice was careless.
00:57:33That's why he got caught.
00:57:35I knew I was going
00:57:35to get him
00:57:36when he got tired.
00:57:37And I knew it
00:57:38from the eighth round
00:57:39that he was getting tired.
00:57:41Thank you very much.
00:57:42Terrific fight, David.
00:57:43Let me say thanks
00:57:44to everybody
00:57:45that is associated
00:57:47with me.
00:57:48My wife,
00:57:49we're expecting a boy,
00:57:50you know.
00:57:50I told you the other day
00:57:51that we're expecting
00:57:52a child.
00:57:53We're expecting a boy.
00:57:54And I want to thank
00:57:55my wife for standing
00:57:56beside me
00:57:57all the way through.
00:57:58I want to thank
00:57:58all those guys
00:58:00who are in my house
00:58:01right now,
00:58:02the doctors
00:58:03who took care of me
00:58:04and my promoter
00:58:05and Roy Jones.
00:58:07Thank you very much, David.
00:58:08Now I have to
00:58:09get to you, Derek.
00:58:11Derek,
00:58:12it was all going your way.
00:58:15What happened?
00:58:17Yeah, well,
00:58:17coming up to Maurice Harris,
00:58:18right,
00:58:19the promoters
00:58:19did a good job.
00:58:20Let's bring a guy in there
00:58:21who got experience
00:58:23going around
00:58:23and let's stay
00:58:24on top of him.
00:58:25And he did
00:58:26what I did to Marcus.
00:58:28It's just that,
00:58:29you know,
00:58:31he got to me
00:58:31a little more
00:58:32in the last couple rounds
00:58:33and take my hat off
00:58:34to him.
00:58:34It was a war.
00:58:35We were straight in punches
00:58:36and he trained
00:58:37a little more than me.
00:58:38But you had the best of it.
00:58:39That was my first round, yeah.
00:58:40When you had him
00:58:42in the seventh round
00:58:43on the ropes
00:58:43and you were pounding him,
00:58:45did you think
00:58:45that they were going
00:58:46to stop the fight?
00:58:47Yeah, I thought
00:58:47they were going to stop it
00:58:48because I was thinking
00:58:49about Michael Gramp
00:58:50put all the punches
00:58:51on me quick.
00:58:52So, you know,
00:58:53that's my inexperience.
00:58:54Are you saying
00:58:55your inexperience
00:58:56is that you didn't
00:58:57pace yourself?
00:58:58Not in the later rounds
00:58:59I didn't.
00:58:59I was going for the knockout.
00:59:01It was my first loss
00:59:01since I started boxing.
00:59:03So, I can't get
00:59:04too down to myself.
00:59:05I'm going to the gym.
00:59:06I'm working even harder.
00:59:07I'm going back.
00:59:08I'm going back
00:59:09to my community
00:59:10and I'm coming back
00:59:11because I don't believe
00:59:11in giving up.
00:59:12And all the kids
00:59:13and people out there
00:59:13know I ain't giving up.
00:59:14I'm coming back.
00:59:15Thank you very much, Derek.
00:59:17Jim?
00:59:19Wow.
00:59:20A couple of fun guys.
00:59:21And let's take a look
00:59:22at the judges' scorecards.
00:59:23Not surprisingly,
00:59:24Jefferson
00:59:25was commandingly ahead
00:59:26on all three cards.
00:59:2778-74, 78-73,
00:59:2978-72
00:59:30to all intents and purposes.
00:59:32He had the fight won
00:59:33if he could have stood up
00:59:34the rest of the way.
00:59:35Why was he so far ahead?
00:59:36Well, we told you about
00:59:37CompuBox punch stat numbers
00:59:39throughout the fight
00:59:40and those numbers
00:59:41demonstrated
00:59:42Jefferson's dominance
00:59:43both in punches thrown
00:59:44and punches landed.
00:59:46Landing 56 more,
00:59:48throwing 195 more,
00:59:50landing at almost
00:59:51as high a percentage,
00:59:53dominating the power punch category.
00:59:55And as Jefferson said,
00:59:56it was a war.
00:59:57They were trading power shots.
00:59:59Jefferson landing 47 more,
01:00:01throwing 137 more,
01:00:03landing at almost
01:00:04as high a percentage.
01:00:05But, George,
01:00:06I talked about how
01:00:07Derek Jefferson commits
01:00:08to every punch.
01:00:10That exhaustion
01:00:11that we saw at the end,
01:00:12maybe that's the reason
01:00:13you don't want to do that, huh?
01:00:14You know,
01:00:15this guy was throwing
01:00:15big shots,
01:00:16but at the same time,
01:00:17Izon came out
01:00:18touching him in the chest
01:00:19and thereabout.
01:00:20The bigger guys,
01:00:21it's like sprinting.
01:00:22I said it all along.
01:00:23You just can't recover
01:00:24that quick.
01:00:25Stay right on them.
01:00:26They'll pass out themselves.
01:00:27Maybe a lesson.
01:00:28I've been there,
01:00:29done that.
01:00:29Yes, I remember
01:00:31a particular night.
01:00:32And maybe that's the lesson
01:00:34that Derek Jefferson
01:00:35will take away
01:00:36from this one.
01:00:37Meanwhile,
01:00:37still to come tonight,
01:00:39the main event,
01:00:40which matches
01:00:40Roy Jones Jr.
01:00:42against Port Chester,
01:00:43New York's
01:00:43David Telesco.
01:00:45Jones' three
01:00:46World Light Heavyweight
01:00:47Championship belts
01:00:48at stake in that one.
01:00:49That'll be coming up
01:00:50after a word
01:00:51about upcoming programs
01:00:52on HBO.
01:00:53For boxing,
01:00:56mark these dates
01:00:57on your calendar.
01:00:58Next Saturday night
01:00:59when former lightweight
01:00:59champ Shane Mosley
01:01:00continues his welterweight campaign
01:01:02as he takes on
01:01:03Willie Wise.
01:01:04February 19th
01:01:05when Super Madamweight
01:01:06champion Eric Morales
01:01:07faces fellow Mexican
01:01:08and former junior
01:01:09featherweight champ
01:01:10Marco Antonio Barrera.
01:01:12And February 26th,
01:01:14we'll bring you
01:01:14live coverage
01:01:15from Madison Square Garden
01:01:16of Oscar De La Hoya
01:01:17against Daryl Coley.
01:01:19HBO,
01:01:20the heart and soul
01:01:21of boxing.
01:01:22On Monday,
01:01:23January...
01:01:23On Monday,
01:01:24January...
01:01:24...
01:01:24...
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4:05
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