- 3 days ago
Gregorio Vargas defends his WBC Featherweight Title against undefeated No 1. Contender Kevin Kelley on HBO Boxing.
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00:00:00A boxing doubleheader. First featherweight Kevin Kelly looks to capture his first world championship.
00:00:06Then hard-hitting heavyweight contender Michael Moorer takes on Mike Evans.
00:00:09Vargas vs. Kelly, the featherweights. Moorer vs. Evans, the heavyweights. Next.
00:00:15If Variety makes a horse race, then eight giants of boxing.
00:00:19We not only captured an Emmy, we learned something.
00:00:23Being a giant has nothing to do with size.
00:00:30Now, HBO explores six more legends.
00:00:35From Sugar Ray to Sugar Ray.
00:00:37Pound for pound, they're every bit as awesome as the heavyweights.
00:00:46Join host Jim Lampley for another rare glimpse outside the ring.
00:00:52Moments you've never seen before.
00:00:55In this corner, boxing's Little Giants.
00:00:58Premieres Tuesday night at 10.15, only on HBO.
00:01:03See what makes a champion bigger than life.
00:01:06If he was your...
00:01:09Get it off!
00:01:14On an uppercut!
00:01:15Down goes Tyson!
00:01:16How do you like it?
00:01:17Leonard fighting off the ropes!
00:01:19Right hand by Holyfield!
00:01:21Doesn't get much better than that!
00:01:23Vander stops punching!
00:01:24George gets a chance!
00:01:26He's out again!
00:01:28And in serious trouble!
00:01:29The following is a special presentation of HBO Sports.
00:01:36Celebrating 20 years of world championship boxing.
00:01:45Perfection.
00:01:46An unimpeachable level of excellence and effectiveness.
00:01:49A fitting goal for this evening's fighters, Kevin Kelly and Michael Moorer.
00:01:53Hey Kevin, I'm the top heavyweight contender around.
00:01:57I've never lost.
00:01:58Hey Michael, I hate to bust your bubble, but neither have I.
00:02:02I'm 33-0, 30 by knockout.
00:02:04Not bad, but check this out.
00:02:06I'm 36-0 with 26 knockouts, and I'm a featherweight.
00:02:10Man, that's a pretty good record for a little guy.
00:02:12I'd say we both know how to get the job done.
00:02:14Let's show them.
00:02:15Let's get it on.
00:02:15The featherweights are the most exciting division in boxing.
00:02:21We got power.
00:02:25Speed.
00:02:26And we know how to get the job done.
00:02:30Tonight, Kevin Kelly, the number one-ranked featherweight in the world,
00:02:34looks to capture his first championship.
00:02:36And then, Michael Moorer, hard-hitting heavyweight,
00:02:40moves one step closer to a title shot.
00:02:42And Moorer scores twice with the uppercut, and Stewart is down again.
00:02:46Boy, that's a knockout.
00:02:56Heavyweight Michael Moorer and featherweight Kevin Kelly,
00:02:59both on personal world championship missions.
00:03:02...of Argus defends his title against the hard-hitting and undefeated Kevin Kelly.
00:03:12And then undefeated heavyweight contender Michael Moorer
00:03:15continues his marks toward a title shot
00:03:17as he takes on Mike Evans in about scheduled for 10 rounds.
00:03:21They call it the biggest little city in the world.
00:03:24And tonight in the Reno Spark Convention Center,
00:03:26two diametrically opposite fighters get ready to strut their stuff.
00:03:29One, a 125-pound featherweight, the other, a 216-pound heavyweight.
00:03:35Moorer and Kelly both promise electricity amid the Reno neon,
00:03:39both of them bent on becoming world champions.
00:03:44And hello again, everybody. I'm Jim Lafley.
00:03:46We welcome you to an evening on HBO's World Championship Boxing
00:03:49on which you'll see two significant fights
00:03:52and not a lot of nonsense to go with it.
00:03:54In the first, a featherweight championship battle,
00:03:57American Kevin Kelly, in his 37th fight,
00:03:59tries to earn his first world championship.
00:04:02He has labored long and hard to get the shot.
00:04:04And in the second, Michael Moorer tries to take another step
00:04:07toward a heavyweight title shot, which may be down the road for him.
00:04:11With me, as always, former heavyweight champion
00:04:13and HBO boxing analyst George Foreman.
00:04:15George, in the last year, we've seen three heavyweights,
00:04:17Alex Garcia, Ray Mercer, and Tommy Morrison,
00:04:20all one fight away from seven-figure paydays and title shots.
00:04:24All of them got stopped short of that plateau.
00:04:26Could Moorer join them on the sidelines?
00:04:28Well, the days of promoters protecting boxers are gone.
00:04:32They've got too many contracts and options,
00:04:35and there's no need to protect one over another today.
00:04:38Michael Moore getting whipped by this gentleman today
00:04:41would not be an upset at all.
00:04:43Can this big guy get upset and go out there and take charge?
00:04:46Mike Evans has everything to do with it.
00:04:48It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone if he whips Michael Moore.
00:04:51Moorer's a knockout punter.
00:04:52Evans is a tough guy to knock out.
00:04:54It could be an interesting equation for him.
00:04:56But before we see the heavyweight fight,
00:04:58the featherweight championship fight,
00:04:59with me, of course, is HBO analyst Larry Merchants.
00:05:02And, Larry, it's been years
00:05:04since we have visited the featherweight division.
00:05:06Why does this fight bring us back?
00:05:08Kevin Kelly, in two words,
00:05:11an American hotshot, undefeated challenger
00:05:14for the featherweight championship.
00:05:15When's the last time that happened?
00:05:17Let's face it.
00:05:18We're in a heavyweight country,
00:05:20and when the heavyweights are rumbling,
00:05:22as they have been lately and will again later tonight,
00:05:25they blot out all but the most elite, smaller fighters.
00:05:30Kevin Kelly may become an elite, smaller fighter,
00:05:35but here's the proof of what I've just said.
00:05:37Although he is extremely popular
00:05:39in his hometown, New York City,
00:05:42not a single New York writer
00:05:45has come to cover this fight.
00:05:47The Mexico City media is here
00:05:50to cover its hometown boy,
00:05:52Gregorio Vargas, the champion.
00:05:55And I'm glad we're here, Jim,
00:05:57because these two kids can really fight,
00:06:00and at the very least, it should be a good one.
00:06:02Yeah, and in meeting Kevin Kelly,
00:06:04we got a chance to spend time
00:06:06with one of the most fascinating conversationalists
00:06:08in the sport.
00:06:09You like a fighter with personality
00:06:11who can sell his case via the spoken word?
00:06:14Here is your guy, Kevin Kelly,
00:06:17who was on a nonstop talking mission
00:06:19in our meeting yesterday,
00:06:20giving us, as Larry told him
00:06:22at the end of 30 minutes,
00:06:23an hour and a half's worth of material
00:06:25in a 30-minute face-to-face session.
00:06:28Groomed at Madison Square Garden,
00:06:30he had the honor of fighting
00:06:31in the last main event at the Garden
00:06:33this past July,
00:06:34before that storied arena
00:06:36gave up its commitment to the sport of boxing.
00:06:39He has also been showcased in Europe.
00:06:41But now, after 36 fights and 26 knockouts,
00:06:45he finally gets his title shot.
00:06:50Because Kelly is a southpaw,
00:06:53like Pernell Whitaker,
00:06:54some people have compared this fight
00:06:58to the Whitaker-Chevez fight,
00:07:01the champion being a Mexican.
00:07:03But Kevin Kelly is not as slick
00:07:06as Pernell Whitaker.
00:07:08Nobody is.
00:07:09But he will go head-to-head,
00:07:12toe-to-toe,
00:07:13and his opponent is more of a boxer,
00:07:16puncher, than a pure aggressor.
00:07:20And let's take a look at the record
00:07:21for Kevin Kelly.
00:07:22Of the 36 wins,
00:07:23the most significant
00:07:24took place February 18 of 1992,
00:07:28when he beat Troy Dorsey
00:07:29in 12 furious rounds
00:07:31to retain a WBC Continental
00:07:34America's featherweight title
00:07:35and really take the biggest step yet
00:07:36toward this ultimate plateau
00:07:39in his career,
00:07:40the title shot.
00:07:46And if Kelly is to be surprised tonight,
00:07:48maybe he should have done more research
00:07:50because this guy, Gregorio Vargas,
00:07:53is at least as good on paper.
00:07:55Getting ready to make the first defense
00:07:57of the WBC featherweight championship
00:07:59he won in Ireland.
00:08:01It's his first fight
00:08:02in the United States of America,
00:08:03only the second time in his career
00:08:05that he has fought outside of Mexico.
00:08:08But make no mistake,
00:08:09this guy is not the stereotypical
00:08:12blood-and-guts Mexican fighter, Larry.
00:08:15No, he's a true boxer puncher,
00:08:19and there's an interesting story behind it.
00:08:21His father was a fighter.
00:08:22His father fought an American,
00:08:25in fact,
00:08:25fought an American who later
00:08:28became featherweight champion,
00:08:29Indian Red Lopez.
00:08:31And he didn't want his son
00:08:33to be the kind of brawler that he was.
00:08:36He wanted him to be more of a boxer,
00:08:38and he's got him.
00:08:44Gregorio Vargas,
00:08:45second eldest of seven children.
00:08:47It was a heart-warming session
00:08:49that we spent with him yesterday
00:08:51as his father stood shoulder-to-shoulder
00:08:53with him throughout
00:08:54our 30-minute conversation.
00:08:55The love between them
00:08:56was manifest in that room,
00:08:59and he is inspired to perform well
00:09:02to honor the memory
00:09:03of his father's career in the sport.
00:09:07And there's a look at the record,
00:09:08the last blemish
00:09:09among those three losses in one draw,
00:09:11the draw more than three years ago.
00:09:13Since then,
00:09:1410 consecutive victories,
00:09:15the last four of them by knockout.
00:09:25As Vargas and Kelly
00:09:26tried to stay warm in the ring,
00:09:29we get ready to look
00:09:30at the tail of the tape,
00:09:32in which you will see that
00:09:33Kelly weighed in at 125.
00:09:35Vargas had to sweat a little bit
00:09:36to make it down to 126.
00:09:38It's a three-year age difference.
00:09:39Kelly is the older of the two.
00:09:41A one-inch reach difference,
00:09:43the biggest physical difference
00:09:44between the two fighters.
00:09:46As Larry has mentioned earlier,
00:09:47Kevin Kelly is a southpaw.
00:09:50On stat numbers, Larry.
00:09:52Here are numbers.
00:09:53Both of these fighters
00:09:55produce these numbers
00:09:56against very aggressive fighters,
00:09:58so they may not obtain for this fight,
00:10:00but you can see what they do.
00:10:05More importantly here,
00:10:06Kelly will throw more jabs,
00:10:08but Vargas, I believe,
00:10:10throws a harder jab.
00:10:12Rules of the bout
00:10:13from our unofficial ringside.
00:10:15Scorer, Harold Gladdener.
00:10:16Goya Vargas and Kevin Kelly
00:10:18will box tonight
00:10:19using the rules
00:10:20of the World Boxing Council.
00:10:2112 rounds.
00:10:23There is no standing eight count.
00:10:24No three-knockdown rule.
00:10:26You can be saved by the bell
00:10:27in the last round only.
00:10:29Only the referee can stop the fight.
00:10:31And in case a cut is paused
00:10:32by an accidental headbutt,
00:10:34and that cut causes the fight
00:10:35to be stopped,
00:10:36we'll go to the scorecards
00:10:37if the three rounds
00:10:38have been completed.
00:10:39Before that,
00:10:40it's a technical draw.
00:10:41Jim.
00:10:42All right, Harold.
00:10:43Let's go up to the ring announcer,
00:10:44Michael Buffer,
00:10:45for our pre-fight introductions.
00:10:49Buffer!
00:10:51Ladies and gentlemen,
00:10:52good evening,
00:10:53and welcome to Reno, Nevada,
00:10:55where tonight,
00:10:56main events in association
00:10:57with the Reno Sparks
00:10:58Convention and Visitors Authority,
00:11:01along with the undisputed,
00:11:02undefeated king of beers,
00:11:04Budweiser,
00:11:05proud to be your Bud,
00:11:07present an evening
00:11:07of professional boxing
00:11:08for your entertainment.
00:11:10All these bouts
00:11:11are sanctioned
00:11:11by the Nevada State Athletic Commission,
00:11:13Chairman Dr. Elias Ghanom,
00:11:15Commissioners,
00:11:16Nat Karasali,
00:11:17Bruce Wayne,
00:11:18Luther Mack,
00:11:19and Dr. James Nave,
00:11:20Executive Director,
00:11:21Mark Ratner,
00:11:22Supervisor for the World Boxing Council
00:11:24at Rigside,
00:11:25Bobby Lee,
00:11:26Physicians in Attendance,
00:11:27Dr. James McLennan,
00:11:29Dr. Craig Goodmanson,
00:11:30Dr. Joseph Heflin,
00:11:32and Dr. John Wickman.
00:11:33The timekeepers are
00:11:34John Rogers and Jim Carpenter.
00:11:38The scoring for this bout
00:11:38will be done on a 10-point must system,
00:11:41and the three judges assigned at ringside
00:11:43are David Chung,
00:11:44Omar Mintun,
00:11:46and Doug Tucker.
00:11:49And when the bell rings,
00:11:50the men in charge of the action
00:11:51working for the 92nd time
00:11:53in a world title bout,
00:11:54referee Richard Steele.
00:12:00Now, ladies and gentlemen,
00:12:02let's get things started tonight.
00:12:0312 rounds of boxing
00:12:05for the WBC
00:12:06Featherweight Championship
00:12:08of the World.
00:12:10Introducing first,
00:12:12fighting out of the blue corner,
00:12:14wearing the teal trunks
00:12:15with gold trim,
00:12:16weighing in at 125 pounds.
00:12:19His professional record,
00:12:2036-0,
00:12:2226 KOs.
00:12:24He's from Flushing, New York.
00:12:26Ladies and gentlemen,
00:12:27presenting
00:12:27the number one ranked
00:12:29challenger in the world,
00:12:32the Flushing Flash,
00:12:34Kevin Pell!
00:12:36Flushing Flash,
00:12:37Kelly!
00:12:44Fighting out of the red corner,
00:12:46wearing the white trunks
00:12:47with black trim,
00:12:48weighing in
00:12:49at an even 126 pounds.
00:12:5129 victories,
00:12:5320 by KO
00:12:54against only three defeats
00:12:56with one draw.
00:12:57Ladies and gentlemen,
00:12:59presenting
00:12:59the WBC
00:13:01featherweight
00:13:02champion of the world,
00:13:04Coach
00:13:05in North America,
00:13:08Gregorio
00:13:09Berga!
00:13:16Hi, Kelly.
00:13:18Focus.
00:13:24Look at his eye.
00:13:26Okay, I spoke to both fighters
00:13:30in addressing you.
00:13:31I'm cautioning again,
00:13:33obey my commands
00:13:34at all times.
00:13:35Shake hands.
00:13:35Good luck.
00:13:37Jim,
00:13:38we have an American,
00:13:40a Mexican,
00:13:40and a Korean
00:13:41judging this fight.
00:13:42In the culture
00:13:43of Mexican
00:13:44and Korean
00:13:45boxing,
00:13:46aggression,
00:13:47even when it isn't
00:13:48effective aggression,
00:13:49is very highly valued.
00:13:52So it's conceivable
00:13:53that we have a situation
00:13:54much like
00:13:55the Whitaker-Chavez fight
00:13:57in which
00:13:58the fighter
00:13:58who is more
00:13:59of the boxer,
00:14:00which is Kelly,
00:14:00might have to win
00:14:02more rounds
00:14:03to win the fight
00:14:05than just
00:14:06six or seven.
00:14:07More rounds
00:14:08to win the fight
00:14:09than just
00:14:11six or seven.
00:14:12So it will be
00:14:13fascinating in the early
00:14:14rounds
00:14:14to see which fighter
00:14:15is intent on being
00:14:17the aggressor.
00:14:18In the fights
00:14:19which we watched
00:14:20on videotape,
00:14:21both fighters
00:14:22were comfortable
00:14:22backing up
00:14:23or moving to the side,
00:14:24particularly Vargas,
00:14:25George,
00:14:26who likes to glide
00:14:27circularly around the ring.
00:14:28That's exactly correct.
00:14:30So Kelly can have
00:14:31early problems.
00:14:32He does not like
00:14:33reaching out
00:14:34trying to find
00:14:34that opponent.
00:14:36Spread have been dropped.
00:14:38So you can see
00:14:39a lot of faking tonight.
00:14:40A lot of fakes.
00:14:41Yep.
00:14:42Both fighters
00:14:42keeping their distance
00:14:43in the first 30 seconds.
00:14:46Vargas takes
00:14:47a measured approach.
00:14:48As you pointed out
00:14:49this morning, George,
00:14:50he likes to fight
00:14:51somewhat like a heavyweight,
00:14:52setting up power shots.
00:14:53That's right.
00:14:54But in this kind of fight,
00:14:55you've got to remember
00:14:56it takes two to tango
00:14:57to make the proper matchup,
00:14:59but if two fighters
00:15:00are accustomed
00:15:01to being chased
00:15:02and circled,
00:15:03it's hard to get
00:15:04one to chase the other.
00:15:06Good right hand,
00:15:08led with the right
00:15:09by Vargas.
00:15:10He claims he has
00:15:11fought against
00:15:12six southpaws
00:15:13in Mexico,
00:15:14knocked out four of them
00:15:15and decision two.
00:15:18And Kelly will be
00:15:20trying the old
00:15:20I hit you
00:15:21and get out of the way.
00:15:23And if you're going to hit me,
00:15:24you've got to come
00:15:24and get me.
00:15:26Kelly landed a right,
00:15:28took a right hand
00:15:28and returned from Vargas.
00:15:31And a hard left hand
00:15:32by Kevin Kelly
00:15:33countering as Vargas came in.
00:15:36Fighting,
00:15:36in these cases,
00:15:37the fight always goes
00:15:39to the quicker of the two.
00:15:43Not to the power.
00:15:51A relatively cautious
00:15:53first round.
00:15:55Less leather
00:15:55than we might have expected
00:15:56between these two.
00:15:59Burgers is accustomed
00:16:00to throwing one
00:16:01and two punches
00:16:01at a time,
00:16:02so he's going to
00:16:03have a whole night
00:16:04of reaching out,
00:16:05stumbling and falling
00:16:06into this guy.
00:16:07He stung Kelly
00:16:08with that left hook.
00:16:09Kevin was temporarily
00:16:10off balance.
00:16:15And early on,
00:16:17you suspect that Kelly
00:16:18has had a surprising taste
00:16:19of Vargas' punching power.
00:16:28The old instructions,
00:16:29stay alert,
00:16:30stay alert.
00:16:31Sometimes when a guy
00:16:31is not chasing you,
00:16:33you get comfortable
00:16:34and he tags you.
00:16:35Exchange of punches
00:16:36in centering
00:16:37and Kelly's left hand
00:16:38punctuated that.
00:16:41Another good straight left
00:16:43inside by Kelly.
00:16:45Vargas a little easier
00:16:47to hit in round one
00:16:48than he might like to be.
00:16:49He's depending on power
00:16:52too early in a fight.
00:16:53That's where you get behind
00:16:54on the point system.
00:16:56You've got to get out there
00:16:57and lay in lighter punches
00:16:58in the lighter weight.
00:17:00Final ten seconds
00:17:01of round number one.
00:17:03A feeling out process
00:17:05for both fighters.
00:17:10In the matchup
00:17:12of quickness,
00:17:12we saw there
00:17:14that Kelly
00:17:15is just a hair quicker.
00:17:20In Gregorio Vargas' corner,
00:17:22our Spanish interpreter
00:17:23is Hector Garcia.
00:17:27Keep throwing the right hand.
00:17:29Just be careful.
00:17:31You go first.
00:17:33Don't let him work.
00:17:34You do it.
00:17:35Take care of this
00:17:42and drop your right shoulder.
00:17:44Okay, because I want you
00:17:45to go back to that right side.
00:17:45Here's the left.
00:17:45That Vargas landed
00:17:46in that fight.
00:17:47It was a leaping left.
00:17:48Not a lot of power on it.
00:17:50Got Kelly off balance.
00:17:53There you can see
00:17:54the quickness of Kelly.
00:17:55The right followed
00:17:56by two lefts.
00:17:57I don't want no tenant
00:18:00in this.
00:18:01Pull it out.
00:18:01Got me, Cheryl?
00:18:03Okay.
00:18:04Kelly's manager,
00:18:05Bill Borgia,
00:18:06with the last word
00:18:07to his fighter.
00:18:08They've been together
00:18:09since Kelly's amateur career.
00:18:15Actually, for 11 years,
00:18:17Kevin first met Borgia
00:18:18when he was 15 years old.
00:18:19And Borgia has been
00:18:20his guiding light
00:18:21in the ring ever since.
00:18:25Seems that Kelly
00:18:26was listening to
00:18:26Verga's trainer
00:18:27met corner.
00:18:28When they told him
00:18:29to get out there
00:18:30and take charge,
00:18:31Kelly came up
00:18:32and took charge.
00:18:36Yeah, the instructions
00:18:37to Vargas
00:18:37were to get off first,
00:18:39but he hasn't done it yet.
00:18:41Vargas is accustomed
00:18:42to landing power punches,
00:18:43and he's just not able
00:18:44to hit a target
00:18:45at this point.
00:18:45It could be kind
00:18:46of frustrating for him.
00:18:54Should it take Vargas
00:18:55two or three rounds
00:18:56to adjust to Kelly's
00:18:57softball stance?
00:19:00Vargas really wants
00:19:01to move to his left
00:19:02and in a circle of fashion.
00:19:04He's not able to do that,
00:19:05so he's off rhythm.
00:19:06It may take him
00:19:07all night to get rhythm.
00:19:09And it's hard to throw
00:19:10the left jab
00:19:11while moving to the right,
00:19:12isn't it?
00:19:12And nothing is happening
00:19:14for Vargas.
00:19:15He needs to move to his left.
00:19:16So when things like this
00:19:18happen, sometimes
00:19:18you just got to dive in there
00:19:20and make a fight
00:19:21out of it.
00:19:24Great left hand
00:19:25by Kelly.
00:19:29Vargas lunging back.
00:19:33And now Gregorio lands
00:19:34a jab
00:19:35and tries
00:19:35an uppercut inside.
00:19:36For the first time,
00:19:38he's able to land
00:19:38a powerful left jab,
00:19:40which may make him
00:19:41at home a little now.
00:19:42He saw the right uppercut there.
00:19:43We noticed in videotape,
00:19:45George,
00:19:45that he has a bad habit
00:19:46of reaching
00:19:46for that right uppercut.
00:19:48Yeah,
00:19:48and with a quick
00:19:50opponent like this,
00:19:51they catch you reaching.
00:19:52They may not hurt you,
00:19:53but they can sure cut you.
00:20:03Gregorio Vargas
00:20:04of Mexico City,
00:20:05the champion,
00:20:06Kevin Kelly
00:20:06of Flushing, New York,
00:20:08the challenge.
00:20:08crowd getting excited
00:20:18about a Kelly left,
00:20:19which was more
00:20:19of a glancing bloke.
00:20:24Kelly is having
00:20:24a night of his life.
00:20:25He didn't expect
00:20:26to get a knockout,
00:20:27so if this could go on
00:20:28round after round for him,
00:20:29he'll be very comfortable.
00:20:31Vargas is in trouble now.
00:20:33He needs to have
00:20:33a little staggering
00:20:34going on to help him.
00:20:36The early tempo of the fight
00:20:37operates to Kelly's advantage.
00:20:38He lands a solid
00:20:39left in close.
00:20:40Vargas done,
00:20:41trying to fight back
00:20:42with aggression.
00:20:43May leave himself
00:20:44too open.
00:20:56So far,
00:20:57it has been largely
00:20:58duck soup
00:20:58for Kevin Kelly
00:20:59as Gregorio Vargas
00:21:02has trouble getting started
00:21:03in defense
00:21:04of his championships.
00:21:08You know,
00:21:09I said before the fight
00:21:10that I thought Vargas
00:21:12threw the harder jab,
00:21:14but Kelly is throwing
00:21:15a very stiff,
00:21:17hard jab,
00:21:17and that's setting up
00:21:18his other punches.
00:21:19Relax, relax, relax.
00:21:20What are we supposed
00:21:20to be focusing on right now?
00:21:22Chee up for me.
00:21:23Chee up for me.
00:21:24I'll give you whatever you want,
00:21:25but you give me
00:21:25what I want first,
00:21:26baby dog.
00:21:27Again.
00:21:28I got it.
00:21:31You cheer up for me.
00:21:32Okay,
00:21:32where's that inner strength?
00:21:33Where's that inner strength?
00:21:35Show me then.
00:21:37Pay close attention to me.
00:21:39I want you enjoying your work.
00:21:42Here's the flurry by Kelly.
00:21:44You can see the quickness
00:21:45with that very straight left
00:21:46followed by a left hook.
00:21:49And all of this is being set up
00:21:50by a very stiff jab
00:21:52that has to keep Vargas
00:21:53on his toes.
00:21:55You saw that stiff jab
00:21:56following it up.
00:21:57We have one American superstar
00:22:03in the lower weights,
00:22:04Michael Carbajal,
00:22:06a mini star you might call him.
00:22:08Kevin Kelly might be another.
00:22:11There is an American world champion
00:22:13at the featherweight class,
00:22:15Tom Johnson.
00:22:16He is not as well known yet
00:22:18as Kelly,
00:22:19certainly not as well known
00:22:20as Carbajal,
00:22:21or Oscar De La Hoya,
00:22:22or some of the other
00:22:23leading American likes
00:22:24in the lower weight classes.
00:22:25But Kelly himself is a fan
00:22:27of Tom Johnson,
00:22:28says he's an excellent fighter
00:22:29who deserves his championship.
00:22:38Through the first two rounds,
00:22:40Kevin Kelly threw the jab
00:22:4164 times
00:22:42to only 16
00:22:44for Gregorio Vargas.
00:22:47And Vargas is starting
00:22:48to do what he's supposed
00:22:49to do now,
00:22:50just throw punches,
00:22:51never mind if they land,
00:22:52just try to get out there
00:22:54and make things happen.
00:22:54Shouldn't he try to go
00:22:55to the body, George,
00:22:56to get something going?
00:22:57Yeah, at this point,
00:22:58he shouldn't try anything
00:22:59but everything.
00:23:00Kitchen sink.
00:23:01Yeah, just like a shotgun,
00:23:03just shoot everything.
00:23:05And pretty soon,
00:23:06you'll find that target
00:23:07that you weren't able
00:23:07to hit early on
00:23:08is there for you.
00:23:09The saddest thing
00:23:18for a champion
00:23:19who trains hard
00:23:19and has the proper strength
00:23:21sparring by this.
00:23:22Then he gets into the room
00:23:23and realizes,
00:23:24I got to fight.
00:23:25Vargas got the best
00:23:26of that exchange
00:23:27as he begins
00:23:28to establish himself
00:23:29now in round number three.
00:23:35Kelly's still landing
00:23:36hitting the sharp jab.
00:23:43If Vargas is going
00:23:44to turn this fight around,
00:23:45he's going to have
00:23:45to start fighting.
00:23:47Kelly getting very aggressive
00:23:48and there's a risk factor
00:23:49there for him, George.
00:23:52And the good thing
00:23:53about this,
00:23:53Kelly's getting a little
00:23:54too overconfident,
00:23:56not realizing
00:23:57that he's in
00:23:57with a puncher.
00:23:58You can get too brave.
00:24:06The old Joe Louis,
00:24:07Billy Conn deal.
00:24:08Well, Kelly regards
00:24:09himself as a puncher too.
00:24:11See, he thinks it's,
00:24:12he thinks it's Vargas
00:24:13who's going to be surprised
00:24:14by his power.
00:24:15No, Vargas has tasted
00:24:17his power already.
00:24:18Let me tell you,
00:24:19he's just frustrated
00:24:21that he can't hit him back.
00:24:22Doesn't hurt as much.
00:24:25Good sharp right hand
00:24:26inside by Vargas.
00:24:27In that exchange.
00:24:30Kelly goes back
00:24:31to the jab.
00:24:34Vargas lands an uppercut.
00:24:35Kelly comes back
00:24:36with a right.
00:24:39Sharp right hand
00:24:40by Vargas.
00:24:41Good left by Kelly.
00:24:44Spirited round.
00:24:50Now Vargas
00:24:51is getting the idea
00:24:52I've got to fight
00:24:53to keep my title.
00:24:53I'm not going to win
00:24:54at my boxing.
00:24:57And he's doing a lot
00:25:00better with this.
00:25:02I think he heard you
00:25:03on that kitchen sink tip.
00:25:06When you fight a quick guy,
00:25:08you just can't wait
00:25:09for one punch.
00:25:09You have to take care of your face.
00:25:24Don't lower the hand.
00:25:26Keep those hands up.
00:25:29Just keep them up.
00:25:31Breathe in.
00:25:33Do it again.
00:25:33Vince.
00:25:36Welcome to Johnson.
00:25:39Vince, I'll give you your key.
00:25:40No, you're not showing him
00:25:41too much respect.
00:25:42You're fighting smart.
00:25:43Okay?
00:25:44Stop.
00:25:45Three things again, right?
00:25:47I don't want you to load
00:25:47that left hand
00:25:48when you're coming out.
00:25:49You know how when you're
00:25:50getting into that
00:25:50little maneuver
00:25:51and then you're looking
00:25:52to catch him big?
00:25:53I don't want it big.
00:25:54I want it smooth.
00:25:55Smooth, Kevin.
00:25:56Why'd they call you
00:25:57the Flash?
00:25:58Show me that.
00:25:59You got me?
00:26:00His eye is getting slowly.
00:26:01I want that pop.
00:26:03Turn more inside
00:26:04without more respect.
00:26:05You got me?
00:26:06You got that?
00:26:08I don't know
00:26:09what was whispered
00:26:10to Kelly at that moment.
00:26:11I thought he was whispering
00:26:12to him to get more inside.
00:26:16He gave him proper advice
00:26:17this time.
00:26:18Don't try to put power
00:26:19into it.
00:26:19You're going to get count.
00:26:20Just make it quick and smooth.
00:26:24And maybe you got
00:26:25a little sense there
00:26:26of the extraordinary
00:26:27intimacy that exists
00:26:28between Kelly and Phil Gorgia.
00:26:31They have a little routine
00:26:32where they put their
00:26:32foreheads together
00:26:33and recite
00:26:34I am you
00:26:35and you are me.
00:26:36We are one together.
00:26:39Right hand by Kelly Lance.
00:26:42Good sharp jab.
00:26:43Left hand over the top.
00:26:48Don't fight with it, Jim.
00:26:49Don't fight with it.
00:26:50Bargis has intended to throw
00:26:59that uppercut
00:27:00no matter what.
00:27:06First time in the fight
00:27:07that Bargis has effectively
00:27:08gotten Kelly against the ropes.
00:27:11When he gets tired,
00:27:12Kelly has a habit
00:27:13of going back
00:27:14against the ropes
00:27:14and giving his opponent
00:27:15opportunities.
00:27:16It happened a lot
00:27:17against Troy Dorsey.
00:27:18Here he has stayed
00:27:19in the middle of the ring
00:27:20and much to his advantage.
00:27:24And to Bargis' disadvantage,
00:27:25he should never have allowed
00:27:26this fight to stay
00:27:27on the outside like that.
00:27:28Get him up against the corner.
00:27:29He's finished.
00:27:31Now Kelly backs Bargis up
00:27:38and does some damage
00:27:40with body shots.
00:27:41Now Bargis turns him around.
00:27:42Let's see what he can do here.
00:27:43Kelly gets away.
00:27:57Solid left by Kevin Kelly.
00:28:01Using his footwork
00:28:04to great advantage.
00:28:07A lot of the things
00:28:08that Kelly is doing
00:28:09is strictly by quick
00:28:11reach at Flex.
00:28:12He doesn't even know
00:28:13what he's going to do
00:28:13next himself.
00:28:15These fighters are hard
00:28:16to defend yourself against.
00:28:17Come on.
00:28:18Come on.
00:28:18Come on.
00:28:31Another good right hand
00:28:38inside by Kelly.
00:28:41Bargis doing a lot
00:28:42of chasing now.
00:28:44Which is what should have
00:28:45happened in the first round.
00:28:47Chase this guy.
00:28:47Get right on
00:28:48and make him fight.
00:28:49The only long
00:29:04inactive period
00:29:05of Kevin Kelly's career
00:29:06was brought about
00:29:07in 1990
00:29:08when he broke
00:29:09his left hand
00:29:10in a fight in Europe.
00:29:12Now sometimes
00:29:13broken hands recur.
00:29:14Yes, my baby.
00:29:19Can you get a quick
00:29:20and skip?
00:29:21Come on, man.
00:29:22We've only got a little time.
00:29:25You all right?
00:29:26Now listen to me.
00:29:26Listen to me.
00:29:30I want bears on his lips, too.
00:29:32Say, I'll give you a cue.
00:29:33Let's get easy.
00:29:34All right, now.
00:29:34I'm sorry, baby.
00:29:35They're good.
00:29:36They're good.
00:29:37They're good.
00:29:37They're good.
00:29:37They're good.
00:29:37They're good.
00:29:37They're good.
00:29:38Carol Letterman,
00:29:39how have you scored
00:29:40the fight so far?
00:29:41Larry, three rounds to one,
00:29:4339-37, Kevin Kelly.
00:29:46Larry, I think he's beautiful
00:29:47to this point.
00:29:48He's boxing beautifully.
00:29:49Beautiful ring generalship.
00:29:51Nice movement.
00:29:52Good right hand.
00:29:52He's popping him
00:29:53with the left.
00:29:54I'll tell you,
00:29:55Kevin Kelly is in control
00:29:56of this fight.
00:29:57He's keeping Vargas
00:29:57off balance,
00:29:58winning on clean punching,
00:30:00ring generalship,
00:30:01and gorgeous defense.
00:30:02Kevin Kelly so far.
00:30:04I agree with you, Harold.
00:30:05We disagreed on the last fight,
00:30:08but on this one,
00:30:09we're right in lockstep.
00:30:11Kevin Kelly is the personification
00:30:13of the New York Minute,
00:30:15quick and intense.
00:30:21Come on, Kevin!
00:30:26Well, if a power bouncer
00:30:27is supposed to jab his way in
00:30:30to set up power shots,
00:30:31that's one thing Vargas
00:30:32isn't doing.
00:30:34Only 27 jabs
00:30:36in the first four rounds.
00:30:37Kelly, on the other hand,
00:30:39has thrown 100 more of them.
00:30:41125.
00:30:43That, I think,
00:30:43is one of the big differences
00:30:44in the fight.
00:30:49I think you have to credit
00:30:50Kevin Kelly for that
00:30:52because he's so quick,
00:30:53he makes him pay
00:30:54every time he sticks
00:30:55that left hand out.
00:30:56He's reluctant to throw it.
00:30:58Kelly has a tendency to move out of the way
00:31:06and still hit you.
00:31:09Kind of like Pernell Whitaker.
00:31:11And that's one similarity.
00:31:13Pernell Whitaker seems to look
00:31:14at what he's doing.
00:31:15Kelly, it just happened.
00:31:17Kelly with a solid left.
00:31:29Vargas spits in the ring.
00:31:30Now, Kelly is moving left and right
00:31:43and coming back in position.
00:31:45That means a lot of confidence.
00:31:46trying to load up
00:31:55a left-hand power shot,
00:31:56though, George,
00:31:56and that's not a good idea.
00:31:58No, Vargas is the puncher.
00:31:59There's no doubt about it.
00:32:00If he gets one stagger,
00:32:02he could finish this guy out.
00:32:07Of course,
00:32:08Kevin's never been knocked out.
00:32:09He's 36 and go.
00:32:20Vargas going to the body
00:32:21and Ripley's deal says too low.
00:32:23Get it up.
00:32:23Sometimes that happens
00:32:24when you're fighting style, Paul.
00:32:26The hands get out of control.
00:32:27You aim one place
00:32:28and they go another.
00:32:30Should be a lot of that
00:32:31in this fight.
00:32:32No hits, no hits.
00:32:37Round five coming to a close.
00:32:39Gregorio Vargas
00:32:40looking just a little frustrated
00:32:42in there.
00:32:44Reaching, lunging,
00:32:46hitting below the belt.
00:32:48Can't seem to find any rhythm.
00:32:57It's all Kevin Kelly right now.
00:33:01But one thing he was not able to do
00:33:02early was laying body punches.
00:33:04Kelly is starting to go to the body now.
00:33:06That's insurance for the little rounds
00:33:08that he doesn't get knocked out.
00:33:24Still to come,
00:33:25the heavyweight battle,
00:33:2610 rounds between Michael Moorer,
00:33:28number one ranked heavyweight contender
00:33:30in the world,
00:33:31and Mike Evans,
00:33:32a veteran out of Chicago
00:33:33who has not been knocked out
00:33:35in 10 years.
00:33:41He's the slowest guy in the world.
00:33:44When he knocks out that jab,
00:33:46his lazy jab,
00:33:47what do we throw over there?
00:33:48When he throws that right hand,
00:33:49I haven't seen that one move
00:33:50that we work on.
00:33:51What did you hurt Paul with?
00:33:53I want to see that.
00:33:55And stop admiring your work.
00:33:57Three things.
00:33:57Take the key.
00:34:01Do you want to stand me?
00:34:05Here's Kelly with that quick hand in this.
00:34:08And you heard his trainer tell him
00:34:09when you get this done,
00:34:11don't stand back and admire it.
00:34:13Do more.
00:34:14Marcus again spits on the ring
00:34:30at the rules meeting.
00:34:32Kelly's camp complained vehemently
00:34:34about Marcus's habit
00:34:35of spinning in the ring
00:34:36and said,
00:34:37if we slip on it,
00:34:38we don't want to be penalized for it.
00:34:40This place is going to look like
00:34:42nearby Lake Tahoe
00:34:43before this fight is over.
00:34:47Think about Marcus,
00:34:49he gets hit
00:34:49effective shots
00:34:51when he moves straight back.
00:34:53Every time he hits
00:34:55and goes in the straight line,
00:34:57Kelly has a tendency
00:34:58to land two shots.
00:34:59And he doesn't follow up
00:35:00because he knows
00:35:00that there are shots
00:35:01that are off-balance.
00:35:05Not intended shot.
00:35:06Excellent counterpunch by Kelly.
00:35:20Now the uppercut garage from Vargas.
00:35:24Trying to lure Kelly into a ball.
00:35:27Going to take a lot of energy
00:35:28for him to accomplish that.
00:35:29The thing about Kelly,
00:35:32he hasn't landed enough body punches
00:35:34to take the steam out of Vargas punches
00:35:35in the latter round.
00:35:37So the fight,
00:35:38if it continues to toe-to-toe,
00:35:40can go to Vargas easy
00:35:41by way of a knockout.
00:35:44Solid left hand by Vargas.
00:35:45This has been his best round so far.
00:35:51Punching it out,
00:35:52punching it out.
00:36:03Good left inside by Kelly.
00:36:07Kelly has been exceptionally adept
00:36:12at taking away
00:36:13what Vargas wants to do
00:36:14via counterpunching.
00:36:15Whatever he hits him with,
00:36:16he hits him back
00:36:17no matter what.
00:36:18The hurts or not,
00:36:19Kelly has been real good at that.
00:36:21There's another example.
00:36:22I'll be back.
00:36:22The left of the body
00:36:23and Kelly comes over the top
00:36:24with the right.
00:36:27That's when you throw
00:36:28five or six shots at a time.
00:36:30Take the power off of them.
00:36:32Punching it out.
00:36:34And be smooth
00:36:35as Borja told him to do.
00:36:42Good right hand
00:36:43by Gregorio Vargas.
00:36:45He was taking an uppercut
00:36:47in return,
00:36:47but he landed flush.
00:36:52Kelly better understand
00:36:53that he's in
00:36:54with a champion of the world.
00:36:55They don't give up titles
00:36:56just by handing them to you.
00:36:58They fight for them.
00:36:59Well, he's learning it now
00:37:00in round six
00:37:00as Gregorio Vargas
00:37:02tries to mount
00:37:03the beginnings of a comeback
00:37:04in defense of his world
00:37:06featherweight championship.
00:37:07with a punch.
00:37:20Great start.
00:37:21But that's punch you have to you have to start punching a little faster
00:37:40breathe in breathe in hard and then you're forgetting to move your head when you're
00:37:56done what makes you slip why they call you to flash so you can stand right there you see
00:38:06Vargas on the aggression on the aggression there Kelly countering but he didn't do enough
00:38:12of that in that round Vargas landed a higher percentage of his punches in round six according
00:38:18to our punch stat numbers and definitely stepped up the pace and intensity of his effort see
00:38:26if it carries over now into round seven
00:38:28fighters are told in the amateur when you're fighting the southpaw don't think about what
00:38:36you're going to do just do it Vargas eating two smooth right hands from Kelly in that exchange
00:38:49more counter punching lightning from Kevin Kelly as he tries to make Gregoria Vargas pay for the new
00:38:57level of aggression
00:39:08whenever Vargas step forward two or three punches and stay forward nothing happens to him
00:39:13only when he makes this step backwards he gets out
00:39:18boys that's good by the punch enough hook to the bottom of my bargain
00:39:21he's turning this around with sheer physical intensity George
00:39:29like he's punching a heavy bag he knows he needs to turn it into a war and he's willing to take
00:39:35punishment to do it and now it starts to go very much Vargas's way as he backs Kelly up against the ropes and pounds it
00:39:43nothing happens to him when he goes forward
00:39:51what's your hand
00:39:53now the uppercut is starting to get in which he was having a difficult time getting in
00:40:00he gets close and the uppercut happened
00:40:03and if there was any remaining doubt about Gregorio Vargas's edge in punching power
00:40:11it's happening with the left hook to the body
00:40:14those punches hurt
00:40:15Kevin Kelly slowing down dramatically now as Gregorio Vargas begins to make it into a war
00:40:34this is why you've got to land a certain amount of body punches even when you win in a fight the other
00:40:39guy still has this power though he's losing
00:40:44and Kelly backs up against the ropes of his own volition he's acting like he has something in his
00:40:49body that's hurt bad Kelly has
00:40:56right uppercut landed for Vargas
00:40:58Kelly shots not quite as sharp now
00:41:06Vargas has taken a breather he shouldn't be allowed by Kelly to take that breather
00:41:10another left hook to the body punctuates the round for Gregorio Vargas the champion
00:41:19i don't want to see that no all right that's a fake guy i don't want to see the macho
00:41:23you got his eye really messed up over there you hear me look at me you got his eye messed up look
00:41:35at me why are you getting macho on me why are you fighting this fight we don't look for a knockout
00:41:41we work for a knockout you got me push light up quicker all right why are you going on the ropes
00:41:46you're up five rounds to two right now you're up five rounds to two here
00:41:50you're up five rounds to two and why do i give him that round here's Vargas and one thing you'll
00:42:01notice in this fight now he's holding his hands in front of his chin and then and attacking
00:42:07kelly and then letting go now
00:42:11and more importantly nothing has happened good for him in the middle of the ring round seven was a
00:42:17spectacular round for Gregorio Vargas you heard the challenge from bill borges stay away from the
00:42:23macho stuff
00:42:26awfully hard to do if you're a fighter at heart not only that he's been hit with some vicious
00:42:32love hooks to the body you just can't get away anymore you just gotta hit and stay there it hurts
00:42:37to move and Gregorio Vargas's right eye he's closing at the corner so kelly goes back on the attack
00:42:44what has happened that burgers really spilled a lot of energy that time and he's just trying to
00:42:51suck up some energy so kelly did not get too overconfident yeah he began taking the rest toward
00:42:56the end of round seven and it continues for now
00:43:00bargers is only breathing and resting right now coasting
00:43:03it's going to take some spectacular corner work from gregorio vargas's people to keep that right eye
00:43:14open if this fight goes the distance
00:43:16now kelly is starting to go to the body which could be the best thing while
00:43:34bargers is trying to rest hit him in this body forget about his head
00:43:39suddenly the fight turns around again
00:43:42kelly reestablishing a boxing match bargas again in the middle of the ring where he hasn't done much good
00:43:54no one can say it better
00:43:58bragas has a bloody nose now as well jim
00:44:05kelly should not get overconfident because of this blood because boxing is a bloody sport
00:44:13well he's got a little of his own as we saw in the corner between rounds
00:44:16so both fighters have had the trickle from the nose
00:44:20kelly's left eye was worth looking at the cut man out gavin
00:44:23vargas's right eye is closing fast
00:44:33good left hand over the top for kelly
00:44:35in the middle of the ring he is supreme
00:44:45even when vargas steps up and just go forward without
00:44:48punches he's in charge only when he backs up trouble happening
00:44:58dramatic turnaround round seven was all vargas round eight has seen kelly re-establish his dominance
00:45:05and this fight is turning out every bit as good as we had hoped and anticipated
00:45:26do you have to go
00:45:47you have to go you have to go a little harder only three rounds left George is
00:45:59one ice cube gonna do any good with that I well what I said earlier boxing
00:46:04is about swollen eyes there's only small things you can do once you start
00:46:07getting over hit over and over with these punches only a price writer can
00:46:13look like that and say he's okay here's how much the eye helped to affect the
00:46:19fight in round seven Vargas through ninety-nine punches in round eight he
00:46:24threw 24 a difference of 75 punches from round to round in Vargas's output
00:46:33Carol Letterman give us your scorecard quickly Larry 77 75 five rounds to three
00:46:39Kevin Kelly a tremendous eighth round to Kelly he's taking control of the fight
00:46:46four rounds to go obviously if Harold's scorecard is on the mark this bike can
00:46:51still go either way good spit by Vargas yep he's a master at that
00:47:10the point of the fight he's trying to do what plant his body uh-huh grips the
00:47:23floor with this right foot and throw the part as he can with his life he was not
00:47:29able to do that in the letter in the first year well it means he's confident that
00:47:32he's not going to take anything in return right he's trying to land a couple of
00:47:35hard shots you know you do it like a shot putter grab the floor and throw it with
00:47:42all your might
00:47:50pretty shortly from now Vargas won't be able to see out of that right eye if he
00:47:54can see anything out of it now that's gonna make it easier for Kelly to land the
00:47:58jab and everything that comes behind it
00:48:00down goes Kevin Kelly on a short right hand by Gregorio Barca might have gotten a
00:48:07little overconfident this could call a challenger his chance to take the shot title
00:48:13he's actually holding so that must have been some damage done
00:48:21well this should bring Vargas his energy level back he had been coasting for a round
00:48:31and a half now here he comes he presses Kelly up against the rope and whenever
00:48:37they're backed up against the ropes it's all Vargas
00:48:39Vargas have he has to plan on that left hook he just can't throw his right hand and look for it
00:48:44he just can't throw his right hand and look for it he has to plan on that left hook he just can't throw his right hand and look for it
00:49:02just one two three he'll give him another knock down and we have three corners on the way home
00:49:09in the WBC World Featherweight Championship well he told his corner he was okay and I guess he didn't know that he was okay
00:49:17let's go let's go
00:49:27we're going to take a look at this knockdown Vargas his hero was the great late Salvatore Sanchez featherweight champion in the early 80s who died tragically in an automobile crash he was a boxer puncher and he would be proud of what Vargas did right here
00:49:55around ten
00:50:02Kevin Kelly's never been beyond ten
00:50:24he's been beyond ten rounds neither has Gregorio Vargas who won this championship in his last outing on a seventh round TKO Paul
00:50:31Heighton
00:50:33in the earlier round when Kelly would land his good shot when this guy was back when Vargas was going back with he never try to follow it up this time he did and he got caught
00:50:47and let me correct myself quickly both fighters have been beyond ten rounds though not in world championship fights
00:50:54they've been beyond ten in regional and national championship fights
00:51:01they've been beyond ten in regional and national championship fights
00:51:08double love hope
00:51:15let's hurt Kelly this time
00:51:17keep pushing to get out
00:51:19now it's Kelly who pounds Vargas against the ropes momentarily
00:51:23Kelly would love to get a knockdown to even that score
00:51:30as George pointed out when the champion knocks down the challenger it weighs very heavily on the scorecard
00:51:38left hand winging over the top by Kelly
00:51:45Vargas in the middle of the ring will not throw three shots
00:51:53Vargas
00:52:00maybe the biggest punch of the battle
00:52:02here comes Kelly
00:52:03there's a three-point combination he can never go wrong three punches
00:52:14now Vargas is spitting blood
00:52:16now Kelly should move to work to the side that eyes closed and stay on that side
00:52:21that way went there let's see if he comes around again
00:52:24he should keep giving Vargas that angle
00:52:42now Kelly has a low sleep
00:52:43round ten coming to a close
00:52:50both fighters have had their moments in this round
00:52:53Vargas had the one huge left hook over the top
00:52:56at the end of the three-punch combination as George pointed out
00:52:59have to be three for Vargas must be one at a time now
00:53:14a pitch battle into the championship round
00:53:17put water on his head
00:53:22good luck
00:53:29that was a strong
00:53:35he's a Japanese face and keep that left hand up
00:53:37alright when you're hearing that turnover move
00:53:39he can't see out of that eye
00:53:41alright and what can go
00:53:43still to come the heavyweight battle between that man Michael Moore
00:53:50number one ranked heavyweight contender in the world
00:53:52and yes he's a southpaw
00:53:54they are rare in the heavyweight division
00:53:56there you see two of the three governing bodies rank in number one
00:53:59and the third the WBC ranks in number three
00:54:02behind Oliver McCall
00:54:04the WBC's number one
00:54:06and that doesn't raise eyebrows on the sport
00:54:09I don't know what would
00:54:10I'm a little surprised here
00:54:13how little
00:54:15that Vargas's corner has done for his eye
00:54:18they are not taking care of business as far as I can see
00:54:23and that is again shown by the fact here
00:54:25that they didn't have his mouthpiece ready
00:54:28and they don't seem to have an inswell in that corner
00:54:31the last corner we saw without one of those vital pieces of equipment
00:54:35is Mike Tyson in Tokyo
00:54:37February 10, 1990 against Buster Douglas
00:54:43Kelly's corner has told him to keep your jab up and move
00:54:46you can't take a title that way
00:54:48you can never trust how the judges are going to score these fights
00:54:53by trying to protect the league
00:54:54Vargas takes three moves to the right
00:55:10and then he comes back with a left hook
00:55:1211th of a scheduled 12
00:55:34right hand solid for Kelly and the left that follows
00:55:36Marcus trying to come back easy prey for Kevin as long as they're in the middle of the ring
00:55:42and a closed eye can affect among other things George
00:55:46your willingness to throw combinations to throw punches in bunches
00:55:50because you're never sure what's coming back
00:55:52good left hand inside by Kelly
00:55:59reasserting himself for the moment
00:56:01Kelly is starting to change position
00:56:14switching
00:56:16and then flow shifting tides of fortune
00:56:21one moment Vargas presses forward
00:56:24another moment Kelly makes him pay
00:56:26two reaching left by Kelly
00:56:35Marcus coming back to the body
00:56:40trying to set something up up top
00:56:43two reaching left by Kelly
00:56:48Marcus coming back to the body
00:56:52He's coming back to the body, trying to set something up up top.
00:56:58But Kelly gets away.
00:57:15I think Barker has found that Kelly's a little stronger
00:57:17in the lateral rounds than he had prepared for.
00:57:22I think they're both going to leave the ring with a ton of respect for one another.
00:57:38The last round, Goyo.
00:57:40Is this the last one?
00:57:44This is the last round. You have to go for it.
00:57:47This is the last round. You have to go for it.
00:57:52I'm going to get some reason.
00:57:53I want you to look at me, Kelly.
00:57:54Kevin, don't be dumb now.
00:57:55I want you to listen to me.
00:57:56You have to be fearless in this way.
00:57:58This place is honest.
00:58:00I don't want you to just dance.
00:58:01I don't want God to see him, brother.
00:58:03You're going to be smart.
00:58:04Alright?
00:58:05When the opportunity is there, you strike.
00:58:07When you feel him, you got to read him.
00:58:09When you see him, he's in.
00:58:10Remember, he's desperate right now.
00:58:11The boy is desperate.
00:58:12Only thing he's dialed is a knockout.
00:58:14We love you.
00:58:15We love you.
00:58:16We love you.
00:58:17Let's go, Bill.
00:58:18One time.
00:58:19One time.
00:58:20Let's go.
00:58:21Harold Letterman, how do you have it going into the last round?
00:58:26Larry, seven rounds to four.
00:58:28105-103.
00:58:29Kevin Kelly.
00:58:30If Kevin can hang on in the 12th round, he's the new champion.
00:58:32Kevin showing his beautiful head movement, good hand speed, outpunching Vargas and winning
00:58:41the title.
00:58:42I have the same card as you do, Harold, but let's recall that Vargas did have a knockdown
00:58:49and that two of these judges love any kind of aggression.
00:58:54Certainly, Vargas hasn't left them any aggression not too low.
00:58:59And they are WBC judges imported from Korea and Mexico.
00:59:03Total punch output through 11 rounds.
00:59:06According to our punch stat numbers, Kelly has thrown far more blows.
00:59:10Vargas has landed more and has landed at a higher rate.
00:59:14The last time we saw that equation, the guy who landed at a higher percentage, Evander Holyfield,
00:59:19won the fight.
00:59:21Vargas landed some important shots, but his eyes will not allow him to finish up now.
00:59:26Vargas bringing everything he's got.
00:59:41Vargas gets a chance for a straight right hand and he waits and threw us over top.
01:00:06There are at this moment seven American title holders in the weight classes below welterweight.
01:00:23Kevin Kelly tries to become the eighth.
01:00:26He's put on a great show tonight.
01:00:28He's done everything that you're supposed to do when you're a champion.
01:00:33And the other guy who holds the title is no slouch either.
01:00:39The thing is, when you're a challenger, you can't fight like that.
01:00:43The whole house on its feet now, applauding the effort of both fighters in the last 30 seconds of what has been a tremendous 12 round battle.
01:01:06The hardest part of the round.
01:01:31that celebration could be premature.
01:01:39That celebration could be premature, but the celebration outside the ring by a crowd enthralled
01:02:03with the effort of both fighters was entirely appropriate.
01:02:09Harold, how'd you score it?
01:02:10Larry, seven rounds to five, 114, 113, Kevin Kelly.
01:02:16I think Kevin Kelly is the new WBC featherweight champion of the world in an absolutely sensational
01:02:22fight.
01:02:23I don't think Gregorio Vargas can win this fight if he owns a condo and Coolia can.
01:02:27I absolutely believe that Kevin Kelly was the slicker boxer, landed more punches, moved
01:02:33shoulders, great generalship, stayed in control of the fight, and even though Vargas made it
01:02:38close in the last round, I think Kevin still deserves the victory.
01:02:41Those are very strong words, Harold, for a one-point margin on your scorecard.
01:02:45Even still.
01:02:46And you did give the 12th round to Vargas, which if the other judges see it slightly differently,
01:02:52could be pivotal.
01:02:53Even still, Jim, it was a 10-8 round for the knockdown.
01:02:57You had to call it a 10-8 because of the fact that Kelly went down on the end of a punch,
01:03:01but I want to tell you something.
01:03:02I honestly believe he had a wet spot, but Vargas chased him around throughout most of
01:03:06the fight.
01:03:07Vargas did come into the fight with two guns, but he couldn't pull a trigger.
01:03:10And Vargas had a big edge in power shots because he couldn't get the jab going, so he
01:03:16went to the kitchen sink as George suggested he would.
01:03:19I think it's an awfully close fight.
01:03:21Let's go up to our ring announcer, Michael Buffett, for the official decision.
01:03:25Ladies and gentlemen, before we go to the scorecards, how about a round of applause for
01:03:30these two featherweights that put on a great show here in Reno, Nevada tonight.
01:03:34Let's hear it for Kevin Kelly and Gregorio Vargas.
01:03:38We go to the scorecards.
01:03:41Doug Tucker scores about 115 to 112.
01:03:45Omar Mintun scores it, 116 to 111.
01:03:51And David Chung scores it, 115 to 112 for the winner by unanimous decision.
01:03:56And new counterweight champion of the world, from Flushing New York, the Flushing Flash Kevin
01:04:10Kelly.
01:04:11Well, who would have thunk it?
01:04:20All three WBC judges saw it a little bit more one-sidedly than did Harold.
01:04:25Let's take a look at final punch stat numbers in the bout.
01:04:29And they'll show the contrast between Kelly's dabs and Vargas's power punches.
01:04:36Overall, you can see that Kelly threw more punches.
01:04:39Vargas landed more.
01:04:40Vargas landed at the higher rate.
01:04:42And indeed, he landed a higher percentage while throwing more power punches.
01:04:47So that's an unusual equation for which to Kelly win, for which, for which, for Kelly to win
01:04:53the fight.
01:04:54I'll spit it out.
01:04:55You can see there, total power punches.
01:04:57That's almost all Vargas threw.
01:04:58And he landed nearly 50% of them.
01:05:00And still, Kevin won the fight, which goes to show you how much the judges liked his strategy
01:05:06and tactics in the ring, George.
01:05:08And, too, they looked at that eye all swollen up, so it doesn't have matters.
01:05:12Let's go to Larry Merchant in the ring.
01:05:14All right, Kevin, congratulations.
01:05:18When you were knocked down, did you think that that would blow the fight for you because
01:05:24he was the champion?
01:05:25No.
01:05:26I was so far ahead of the scorecard, and I fell off balance, kind of.
01:05:29It was like a flash knockdown, but I was, like, turned the wrong way when he hit me.
01:05:32You could see I wasn't hurt when I went down.
01:05:33It wasn't a shot that hurt me.
01:05:34It was basically that I was off balance, and I had to recover, and my heart kicked in.
01:05:39What helped me a lot was that he is very strong.
01:05:42He is very strong, and it's one of the hardest punches I've been in the ring with.
01:05:45But you could see that I took his best shot, and he took some of my mind, but he was hurt
01:05:49a few times, too.
01:05:50I just was very cautious today.
01:05:51You know, the magnitude, the excitement, my first world title fight, all this has so built.
01:05:56You know, I was just hoping to get this fight through it.
01:05:58Every round, I was going to meet my trainer.
01:06:00What round is it?
01:06:01What round is it?
01:06:02All I want to do is get this thing over with.
01:06:04Was he a better fighter than you anticipated, and why were you able to win the fight in
01:06:09your judgment?
01:06:10Because, basically, I stuck the game plan.
01:06:12Phil told me, keep the jab on him.
01:06:14That was the key weapon.
01:06:15The jab on my speed.
01:06:16He couldn't overcome the speed that I was hitting him with.
01:06:18I was hitting him very quick.
01:06:19Bad combination.
01:06:20His eye was closing from the middle of the fight on.
01:06:23That gave me a break.
01:06:24Did you feel that that affected him after that?
01:06:27Yes, because he'd never been bruised like that, as far as I know.
01:06:31And I started closing his eye, and my shots were hurting him.
01:06:33I had his nose busted.
01:06:34I had him cut under the other eye, and he wasn't doing the damage that I was doing to
01:06:38him.
01:06:39He was trying to get me to the body, but being on the southpaw, I'm able to get away from
01:06:42his body shots.
01:06:43A few of them caught me in there, but I proved I was tough.
01:06:45I was not trying to do it.
01:06:46I was a tough man.
01:06:47My trainer Phil Borgia, I want to give it to Phil Borgia.
01:06:50Well, sometimes, when you're fighting a good champion, you have to prove you're tough
01:06:54as well as slick, and you did tonight, Kevin Kelly.
01:06:57Congratulations again.
01:06:58The champion is the champion.
01:06:59Back to ringside.
01:07:00All right.
01:07:01Thanks very much, Larry.
01:07:02Well, George, we heard him talk.
01:07:04We saw him fight.
01:07:05He's a star, right?
01:07:06No doubt about it.
01:07:07I'm so happy for New York to get him a world champion.
01:07:10They need one more.
01:07:11And he upholds the tradition of glory of boxing at Madison Square Garden over all those years.
01:07:16It's nice to have his identity as the world champion.
01:07:18He was developed at Madison Square Garden, so that's awfully important.
01:07:21As far as I'm concerned.
01:07:22We'll see him again.
01:07:23Kevin Kelly, brand new featherweight champion of the world.
01:07:25So that completes the first half.
01:07:27The first half.
01:07:28The first half.
01:07:29The first half.
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