- today
Tim Austin defends his IBF Bantamweight Title against No 1. contender Andrian Kaspari on Showtime Boxing. Plus interviews with Roberto Duran and Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield
Category
🦄
CreativityTranscript
00:00When Laurent Budwani met Guillermo Jones for the WBA junior middleweight title almost four
00:08months ago, it was a battle of contrasting styles. Jones extremely tall. That long, long reach has
00:17certainly become a factor. Budwani is swarming and Jones doesn't know what to do about it.
00:21Well, I got it dead even. And a struggle of opposing strategies. Guillermo Jones' right
00:27eye is almost closed. Budwani's eye, red and ugly. They're landing, both of them. We knew this was
00:32going to be a good fight. But after 12 rounds, their war was still unfinished. The decision is a
00:39majority decision. Tonight, the hostilities continue as Laurent Budwani and Guillermo Jones go at it again.
00:57Here we go.
01:27We're just off the famous Las Vegas trip at the Las Vegas Hilton, home to the Star Trek experience these days.
01:43Tonight, it's the place to experience Showtime Championship boxing.
01:47We welcome you to a world championship doubleheader.
01:51In our main event, it's the rematch between Laurent Baudouane and number one contender Guillermo Jones to settle once and for all the WBA junior middleweight title.
02:05And in our co-feature, a battle of undefeateds, as talented Tim Austin puts his IBF bantamweight belt on the line against number one challenger, Andrean Kaspari.
02:14Boxing makes its return to the theater at the Las Vegas Hilton.
02:20Prior to this weekend, the last fight involved former undisputed heavyweight champ Sonny Liston, who performed in this room back in 1969.
02:29Others have performed here, too, like Bill Cosby and, yes, even the king himself, Elvis Presley.
02:34Tonight, boxing is back, and it takes center stage at the theater.
02:38Hello again, everybody.
02:42I'm Steve Albert.
02:43Thanks for joining us as two world champions face their number one contenders.
02:47Our main event features the rematch of a very controversial first fight, which nobody won.
02:52A highly disputed draw between Frenchman Laurent Baudouane and the number two contender Guillermo Jones of Panama.
02:58Jones used his superior jab and height to keep Baudouane off balance throughout their original meeting.
03:03Many of the 13,000 at the pit in Albuquerque booed loudly as the draw was announced, feeling that Jones, who prevailed on one of the judges' scorecards, had done enough to earn the victory.
03:14Even though Baudouane retained his title tonight, a chance for some retribution.
03:19Now, at this point, I usually bring on my ringside partners, but Bobby Chez, unable to be with us tonight as he is in training for an upcoming fight.
03:26That leaves the fight doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, who is not in training for a fight, at least as far as we know.
03:31What did you think of that first fight between Baudouane and Jones?
03:35Did you go along with the majority and think Jones won?
03:36No, I thought it was a horrible decision. I thought Jones won, clearly.
03:40It took Baudouane too long to get started, and he finished big, but too late.
03:45And so I thought I was with the people booing.
03:48I thought Jones absolutely won it, a disgrace to make that a draw.
03:51But tonight will settle the issue.
03:53What about tonight? Do you look for another close, competitive fight, or has Baudouane learned his lesson, so to speak, with Mr. Jones?
03:59Well, Jones' advantage was he's too tall, and he's got too long an arm span and his jab gongs.
04:05He is still tall. He's still got long arms. He can still jab.
04:09So the key to this is for Baudouane to show the strength that he did at the end, to attack relentlessly, Marciano style.
04:16Keep on coming in, boring in past that jab, taking the punishment and landing.
04:20If he starts early, which he certainly did not last time, he blew the first five rounds in sleepwalking,
04:26he has a chance to pull this out and keep his title.
04:29If he's not fully concentrated, this guy may steal the title again.
04:33All right, this has been some run for the French.
04:35Laurent Baudouane, one of five world champions from France, and he'd like to keep it that way tonight.
04:40Right now, for more on the main event, let's go to the well-traveled and ubiquitous Jim Gray.
04:45Jim?
04:46Thank you very much, Steve. Good to be with you.
04:48We're outside the locker room of the champion, Baudouane.
04:50You know, a lot of people were very upset with the decision, the draw.
04:54I was one of those people at ringside, felt that Jones had won the fight.
04:57Baudouane now has a chance tonight for a little bit of redemption.
05:00He can regain, not his title because he still owns it, but he can regain some respect.
05:04And that respect had been lost a little bit.
05:06And for Jones, it's a chance tonight to prove that what happened back in February really was not a fluke,
05:11and to take the title outright.
05:13We'll have some more as the evening goes on.
05:14Back outside to you, Steve.
05:16All right, Jim, thanks very much.
05:18Here's something really special for you Showtime subscribers with Internet access.
05:22We once again invite you to judge every round of both fights online.
05:27Log on to ShowtimeOnline.com, link to the boxing area.
05:30Once there, you can vote for the fighter who you think is winning the round.
05:33Your entry will be added to those of other participants and instantly update the scoring web page.
05:38The results will also be announced and shown right here live on Showtime during the event.
05:43Due to time zone considerations, tonight's voting will only be available to Showtime subscribers
05:47viewing our East Coast live feed.
05:49Of course, your voting is for entertainment purposes only and will not influence the outcome of the fight.
05:54Once again, the web address is ShowtimeOnline.com.
05:59As we get ready for our first bout of the evening here at the Las Vegas Hilton Theater,
06:03the IBF Bantamweight Championship featuring undefeated Tim Austin versus unbeaten number one contender Andrian Kaspari.
06:11And let's take a look at the challenger, Andrian Kaspari, all the way from Indonesia.
06:17His American debut, number one contender, but unrated by the WBA and BC.
06:22Getting his first world title shot in only his 10th professional fight,
06:26although he claims he's 22-0 with 20 knockouts.
06:29Our records indicate 9-0 with 9 KOs.
06:32No recognizable names on his record.
06:35So Kaspari's somewhat of a mystery, yet, Ferdy, the word on him is don't be misled.
06:41He could be a surprise.
06:43He's 22-0 in fights and 25-0 in amateur.
06:46This guy's been in almost 50 fights.
06:48Don't let that 9-0 jive fool you.
06:50And he knocks everybody out.
06:51I don't care if he's knocking out water buffaloes.
06:53That 20 knockouts out of 22 fights is big-time knockouts.
06:57So this guy's dangerous.
06:58He is a dangerous puncher.
07:00All right, let's take a look at the man he'll be fighting,
07:03the champion undefeated southpaw Tim Austin.
07:06The Cincinnati kid won the belt in July of 97.
07:09Broke his jaw in the first round against the tough Bolelo Bottilli,
07:13but hung in and stopped Bottilli in round eight.
07:15Made his first defense in March with a second round TKO over Paul Lloyd in England.
07:20Sparkling amateur career kept by the bronze medal at the 92 Summer Games in Barcelona.
07:25He's on a six-fight KO streak.
07:26And I think, Ferdy, his main attributes, speed, range, and smarts.
07:32And experience, if that's what you call smarts.
07:34As far as his chin, let's address that.
07:36It was broken in two places.
07:37He's got two steel plates.
07:39If ever there's a guy who had an iron jaw, it's this guy.
07:42I don't look for him to be hurt.
07:43He's built much better.
07:44He's much faster and has much more experience.
07:47Let's see if that shows underneath the heavy punching of our Indonesian friend.
07:53Also, great heart, as we saw against Bottilli.
07:56Let's size him up now as we check out the tail of the tape.
07:58The biggest disparity in reach.
08:00The age is almost even.
08:01One and a half inch height advantage.
08:03Kaspari, Austin, right at the weight limit.
08:05Kaspari just under.
08:06But the champ, Austin, with the four and a half inch reach advantage.
08:10That's a big one.
08:11And the key rules for this championship fight.
08:13There is no standing eight count.
08:15No three knockdown rule.
08:16A fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round.
08:18If an accidental headbutt occurs before the end of the fourth round, then the fight is ruled a technical draw.
08:24And if it happens after the end of round four, they go to the scorecards.
08:28So here at the Las Vegas Hilton, we're closing in on the IBF Bantamweight Championship.
08:32Tim Austin versus Adrian Kaspari.
08:35Let's get the formal introductions from our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr.
08:40Ladies and gentlemen, a very good evening to you.
08:44And we welcome you to the Las Vegas Hilton here in Las Vegas, Nevada.
08:47As we present a big night of action coming away.
08:50It's all brought to you by Don King Productions in association with the Las Vegas Hilton and Budweiser, the undisputed, undefeated king of beers.
09:01This world championship bout coming away is sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation, the president, Robert Lee Sr., supervisor, Robert Lee Jr., in conjunction with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
09:14The chairman is Dr. Elias Ghanem, executive director, Mark Ratner.
09:18Introducing to you our judges scoring this bout from ringside, Bill Graham, Jacob Limehelu, and Dave Moretti.
09:26Now introducing to you our referee in charge of this bout.
09:30He'll be giving instructions after the introductions, Mills Lane.
09:35All right, fans, here we go.
09:37Twelve rounds of boxing for the IBF Bantamweight Championship of the World.
09:44Introducing to you first the challenger on my right, fighting out of the blue corner, wearing green trunks with gold trim,
09:51hailing from and representing his home of Surabaya, Indonesia.
09:57He weighed in at a trim and ready 117 pounds.
10:01He is undefeated with nine wins, no losses.
10:05All nine wins coming by way of knockout.
10:08Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the IBF number one ranked Bantamweight contender in the world.
10:14Here is the undefeated, Andrian Kaspari.
10:23And his opponent across the ring, the defending world champion.
10:28On my left, fighting out of the red corner, wearing red trunks with white trim, hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio.
10:36He weighed in at a Bantamweight limit, 118 pounds.
10:39He also is undefeated in his campaign to the ring with 17 wins, no losses, one draw with 16 wins coming by way of knockout.
10:50Tonight he is making the second defense of his title.
10:53Please welcome the undefeated IBF Bantamweight champion of the world, known as the Cincinnati Kid.
11:01Introducing Tim Austin.
11:05Once again, our referee in charge.
11:12Now to give instructions, Mills Lane.
11:15All right, gentlemen, we've been through the instructions right here.
11:21Aaron, if he goes right there, hold on.
11:24If he goes right there, I'm not going to call him up, all right?
11:26If he goes right there, he's going to be all right now.
11:29If he goes right there, he's going to be all right now.
11:30I expect a tough, clean fight, protect yourself at all times, in equations of the challenges.
11:38The champion, let's get it on!
11:39The court is now in session.
11:47Judge Mills Lane, Justice You Can Trust.
11:50That's the name of his new syndicated talk show coming up.
11:52There's Tim Austin, speedy, but don't underestimate the power in both hands.
11:56Ten of his 16 knockouts have come in the first round.
11:58And Adrian Kaspari listed at 9-0 with nine knockouts.
12:04Three of those nine KOs in the first round.
12:06Seven of his nine in three rounds or less.
12:08He reached the 10th only once, a stoppage in that round.
12:11So we'll see what happens here as he has to try to deal with the southpaw.
12:16Tim Austin, who comes right out fast.
12:20Beautiful combination to the head by Austin right out of the gate.
12:24And he is pounding away.
12:26He wanted to get this thing over with because he realizes he saw the punching power that's
12:32in front of him.
12:32He doesn't want to take any chances.
12:34He wants to get this guy out.
12:38A lot of action here in the opening round, but it's coming mostly from the fists of the
12:42man in the red trunks, the champion, Tim Austin.
12:46He's got the speed, he's got the intelligence, and he knows how to place those punches.
12:49He's got to do his homework now, and he's doing it very well.
12:52A highly skilled boxer, lightning quick jab, tremendous hand speed, as you can see.
13:00Drilling shots to the midsection and to the head.
13:03The book on Kasperi is his big knockout punches a right uppercut after he punches to the body,
13:08but it didn't look like he's going to get any chance to punch to the body without getting
13:11creamed.
13:11There was a glimpse of the right uppercut, but it was partially deflected by Austin.
13:19Austin does not want to stand still and get punched to the body, because that's when the
13:23uppercut follows.
13:27Kasperi, lots of amateur experience.
13:31He has never lost, never been down, and never been caught.
13:34As Ferdy pointed out, the book on him, he can bang with both hands, but tries to go to the body
13:40with winging hooks and a right uppercut up the middle.
13:44Austin said he's seen Kasperi fight three times.
13:46Kasperi, he weathered that early storm here in the first round.
13:50Winging and missing, the good defense by Austin.
13:53Oh, and now he's connecting.
13:54Kasperi with combination to the head.
13:56In many combinations, he has landed several very hard shots, but we do know this about
14:02Austin.
14:02He's got a hard, hard chin.
14:05He literally has an iron jaw.
14:08Combination to the head of Kasperi.
14:10Taking a lot of punishment here in the opening round.
14:13Less than a minute remaining, but Kasperi is game.
14:15He comes back.
14:17Kasperi wants him up against the ropes, he said.
14:19He wants him in the corner, and that's where he does his best work.
14:22Austin's determined not to get on the ropes.
14:24Austin landing often.
14:29Austin's speed evident.
14:31His superior boxing skill evident.
14:33But this guy's here to fight, and he can punch.
14:37Kasperi out of Syrabaya in Egypt, where most of his fights have taken place.
14:51Well, right off the bat, you can certainly tell
14:54that Kasperi can take a punch.
14:55He's taken some really good shots, and Austin can bang.
15:01Final seconds of round one, and after a big onslaught by Tim Austin, Kasperi survives.
15:08Get your spit bucket, have a seat, relax.
15:13Hey, Tim, you see every time you jab, see where he keeps ducking his head, ducking his head?
15:18Then spring in and come back out and turn it back over.
15:21All right?
15:21See how you jab, he keeps ducking his head.
15:23You keep finding that shot now.
15:25You got him ducking where you want it.
15:26Now send it on and back over, but re-tuck your hand.
15:29Give him a rinse.
15:31All right?
15:31Good round.
15:31You won that round now.
15:33All right?
15:33Just don't get careless on him.
15:34When you come out, keep your hands a little tighter to your head, okay?
15:37Come on now.
15:39Just keep your hands a little tighter to your feet.
15:41Mario Lumicog, in the corner of Andrian Kasperi.
15:51You know, they say the whole nation has stopped for this.
15:55Now, we've been in the Philippines.
15:56We've fought in Indonesia.
15:58They're right.
15:58The whole country quits whatever they're doing to listen to the fight.
16:01So he's got a big audience here.
16:03Kasperi, very aware that this is being televised worldwide and on radio throughout Indonesia
16:08where there is much interest in this fight.
16:10Of course, his native land, unfortunately, the scene is so much unrest recently in the economic crisis.
16:17As we head into round number two, the champion, Tim Austin, in the red trunks found out rather quickly in the opening round
16:22that he could score nearly at will with straight lefts connecting several times in the first few seconds.
16:29However, Kasperi has already shown that he's ready to fire right back.
16:35He's ducking his head to duck the jab, and that's what Snowwell is referring to.
16:39He wants him to come back when he does that.
16:41Right now, he's standing straight up and down.
16:43He's Kasperi.
16:44Whoa, whoa.
16:45Come on.
16:45Let's knock him back and let's go.
16:47A little frisky.
16:48Aaron Snowwell has trained several world champions.
16:52And the instructions to Austin.
16:55There's the jab, the right jab.
16:57Looking to set up that lift just there.
16:59He's got a hammering overhand left, but right up the top of his head.
17:04He's got a quick right hand as Austin.
17:06Even in retreat, he threw a nice little nifty punch in retreat.
17:09And very elusive.
17:10There goes a round piece of Kasperi.
17:13Came flying out.
17:14It's knocked out of there by Mage Lang.
17:16And as soon as there is some kind of a stoppage, he'll hold the fight to get it back in there.
17:22I don't think so.
17:22The way he did find it.
17:24There it is.
17:25Over here.
17:26Now let's go.
17:28Trying to put Austin in the neutral corner at Kasperi.
17:31Regains the gum shield, as they say, over in England.
17:34Round two continues midway through.
17:39That's a pleasure to watch a pro like Mills Langwood.
17:42He really commends the fight.
17:44Of course, the referee for Holyfield Tyson II, the air-biting incident in which he was vallyhooed, commended.
17:52He got a book deal out of that.
17:53He ends up calling the book.
17:54Let's get it on.
17:56Should be a good book.
17:58Kasperi just winging wildly and missing.
18:03Uh-oh.
18:03He landed high on Austin's head.
18:06It looked like his legs buckled a little bit on him.
18:09There's no question this guy can bang.
18:13Left uppercuts by Austin.
18:15The first one landed.
18:16The second one missed.
18:17Kasperi just bouncing off the ropes.
18:20He's not getting hit flush.
18:22He's getting hit, though, is Kasperi.
18:24Oh, he got hit there.
18:25And that's a nice, nice thudding uppercut.
18:28Right uppercut by Austin.
18:30Right on the nose of Kasperi.
18:31Kasperi, and that doesn't look like he was paying attention to the fact that he's fighting a left-hander.
18:36Beautiful straight left hand by Austin that landed cleanly to the jaw of Kasperi.
18:42That was a solid punch.
18:47Final seconds of round two.
18:52Kasperi refuses to back-bell.
18:54He just keeps coming forward despite the punishment.
18:57He can take it.
19:02As we head for the bell, Kasperi continues to miss.
19:07He's bringing out boxes.
19:08What's happening?
19:08Hey, Tim, you're doing a good job.
19:19Now, all you have to do is just hold your hands a little tighter.
19:23Step in just a little bit more.
19:25All right?
19:25When you jab and you fire that shot.
19:27Body shots.
19:28Now send that right hook here and then back up.
19:30Let's take a look at this overhand right.
19:33Keep your eyes on the right hand.
19:36Actually, it was a left hand.
19:38An overhand left that landed crunchingly on the side of the head of Kasperi,
19:43but without any kind of effect.
19:44He just keeps right on coming.
19:45This guy is a little ticking machine here.
19:48There might be a bad cut on the face of Kasperi in the blue corner.
19:53We want to get a look.
19:54There it is.
19:55It's near the right eye.
19:59Just over the right eye, near the bridge of the nose.
20:02And we'll keep a close watch on that.
20:03He is not known for cutting.
20:05There it is.
20:06You can see it.
20:08The cut man, Dr. Eddie Harmon, working feverishly on the corner,
20:11has a lot of gook on it right now.
20:13Round three.
20:14I'm not sure if that was a result of a butt or a punch.
20:20That was a butt right there.
20:21It looked like now they're being notified it was a punch.
20:25Oh, Kasperi walked right into one there.
20:29Kasperi doesn't seem to mind getting hit.
20:32I mean, he's coming right in,
20:33and he's willing to pay the price in order to land something.
20:37But he is in over his head as far as boxing ability is concerned.
20:42Austin continues.
20:44The punch with both hands.
20:46He has power in both hands, moving forward and backward.
20:49Very mobile.
20:53Oh, nice shot.
20:55Nice right-hand hook by Kasperi.
20:57But being answered by countering shots by Tim Austin.
21:02It was a countering right hook that ended things for the championship
21:05against Botelli in round eight.
21:09This guy wants to fight every second of every second here.
21:12He's not going to quit just because they break him up.
21:15He's happy to be inside fighting and landing.
21:18A good right hand went right through Tim's guard.
21:22And another one.
21:27Austin, to the head of Kasperi, who just keeps coming forward despite it.
21:32And he's throwing hard punches.
21:34Those aren't lollipops.
21:35He's throwing hard punches.
21:36Kasperi missing, and he gives Austin an opportunity to counter once again.
21:42And I'll tell you, Austin makes Kasperi pay when Kasperi misses.
21:46But he doesn't need to go toe-to-toe.
21:48He's getting hit toe-to-toe.
21:49There's a good left hand by Kasperi down.
21:51Goes Kasperi with a left hand.
21:54A left hand to the face.
21:56And a strong, beautiful shot.
21:58He got stuck.
21:58I don't know if he can continue.
22:00So Wadley.
22:01No, no, no, no, no.
22:01Bill Flayne stops the fight, and Tim Austin retains his title.
22:06Beautiful shot.
22:07Just perfect shot.
22:08Well timed.
22:10Boy, that was a tough kid.
22:11That was a tough guy.
22:13Well, he's never been down, he's never been out, and now he's been both.
22:17Down, out, and cut.
22:18He's a trifecta.
22:20He could have skipped, he's a triple, as they're saying, in your basketball world.
22:25He could have skipped this fight instead of Indonesia.
22:28Well, Sam Austin chalks up another W.
22:33Retains his IVF Bantleweight title.
22:35157 on officially round three at TKO as Mills Lane puts a stop to it.
22:40What a blistering left hand that was that put Kasperi down,
22:44and then when he got up, he was on wobbly legs.
22:46Well, it was a perfectly thrown punch, as we will see when we get the replay,
22:50because we've caught it in two different angles,
22:53and I think you'll see it just perfectly.
22:55It's the kind of thing that Austin is so, so excellent in, placing the punches.
22:59He's ducking, he sees his opening, and fires up.
23:04There, there you go.
23:05It's a good, good, good right hand.
23:08Left hand.
23:09Sorry, we can turn it around.
23:12Here it comes.
23:13Now, as he sees the opening here, he's squaring off to be able now to land the punch,
23:22which just absolutely knocked him off his feet and knocks his senses out of,
23:26and he did not know where he was when he got up.
23:28He stopped it very, very, very well.
23:30And so you do 100% agree with that stuff?
23:33Yeah, he is.
23:34He's definitely now the Cincinnati Kid, or he could take over what Ezra Charles was called in the old days,
23:40Cincinnati Cobra.
23:41Oh.
23:42That was the old days.
23:43Instead of Tommy Hearns, Detroit Cobra, he was a Cincinnati Cobra.
23:46Well, Austin, his second title defense, now 3-0 in world title fights.
23:50Overall improves to 18-0-1 now with 17 knockouts.
23:55Another impressive performance by the Cincinnati Kid.
23:59Meantime, Andrean Kaspari suffers his first defeat on 9-1,
24:03unsuccessful in his first shot in a world title.
24:06Getting that shot in only his 10th fight as a pro,
24:08although he claimed he had many more fights.
24:11Wouldn't it be nice if he fights Johnny Tapia?
24:13That's what he wants to do.
24:14He wants to fight Johnny Tapia.
24:15What a sizzler that would be.
24:17If they could agree on a weight, he'd love it.
24:19Tapia IVF and WBO Junior Bantaway Champion meets unrated Carlos Hernandez
24:24June 6th at Madison Square Garden underneath Holyfield-Aconwande, a week from tonight.
24:28I think the whole state around Albuquerque would show up for that one.
24:32Wow.
24:32What a fight.
24:34All right, we're set for the official time announcement.
24:37Let's get it over to our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr.
24:42Ladies and gentlemen,
24:43we have the time here at the Las Vegas Hilton of 1 minute 57 seconds in round number three.
24:49A referee in charge, Mills Lane, stops the contest.
24:54The winner by way of technical knockout, still undefeated,
24:58and still the IBF Bantamweight Champion of the world,
25:02the Cincinnati Kid, Tim Austin.
25:11All right, let's see how the viewers online saw it.
25:14And no surprise here as Austin, just like the judges, saw things here.
25:19Three zip, Tim Austin, a TKO on round three at 1.57 in very convincing fashion over the number one contender from Indonesia,
25:31Andrean Kaspari.
25:32And coming up next from the Las Vegas Hilton, our main event, the WBA Junior Middleweight Championship.
25:40It's the rematch between Laurent Budwani and Guillermo Jones.
25:45Bill, thanks.
25:46They want to take you backstage here at the Hilton Theater to the dressing room of the champion, Laurent Budwani,
25:52from Silent Shea, France.
25:56There he is making final preparations for his third defense of the title.
26:01He comes off the highly controversial majority decision draw with Guillermo Jones losing on one of the judges' scorecards,
26:06but still retaining the title by a whisker.
26:09Tonight, a chance to silence his critics and prove that the first fight was an aberration.
26:14Jones, who was number two when he met Budwani back in February, now number one.
26:18So Budwani Jones, two, coming up next.
26:22Right now, we're set to throw it over to Jim Gray in the ring for post-fight reaction from our opening bout.
26:29So, Jim, take it away.
26:32Well, first, the news from Flip Pomansky, the attending ring physician, is that Adrian Kaspari is okay.
26:36He's been taken back to his locker room.
26:38We're now with the champion, Tim Austin.
26:39Tim, it looked like you came out real strong, were in control of the fight,
26:42and then he caught you a couple of times.
26:44Did he surprise you a little bit?
26:45Well, you know, I was just trying to get my rhythm down and everything.
26:48And once I found my rhythm and, you know, see the shots that I wanted to throw,
26:52I know that I'd be able to land my shots.
26:54And then you caught him clean with that one in the third round.
26:56Tell us about it.
26:57Well, it was hard training that got me here for the beginning.
27:01And I just stick with the basics, and I landed the shots that I wanted.
27:04What's next for you?
27:05You're screaming to the camera, bring on Johnny Tapia.
27:07Is that what you'd like to have?
27:08I like Johnny Tapia.
27:10He move up.
27:11I heard he's moving up.
27:12You just come on with it.
27:13And I'm just ready, you know, whoever they bring forward.
27:16Johnny Tapia, I'm looking forward to fight him.
27:20That's who's in your sights.
27:21Anybody else?
27:22Nana Kanandu.
27:23He's also the WBA champion.
27:25I'm looking forward to all of them.
27:27All right, Tim.
27:28Congratulations.
27:29The Cincinnati kid comes up big tonight.
27:30I'd like to give thanks to my trainer, Aaron Snowwell,
27:33and also my manager, Carl King.
27:35And thank you, Showtime, Don King Production.
27:38Cincinnati, everybody at home, you know, thanks for support.
27:41You're welcome.
27:42You're welcome for all of that.
27:42All right, Timmy.
27:43Let's send it back now to Steve Albert.
27:45All right, Jim.
27:46Thanks very much.
27:47Tim Austin now with the fourth highest ranked KO percentage
27:49among world champions as he goes to 18-on-1 with 17 knockouts.
27:54Third round stoppage over number one contender, Andrean Kaspari.
27:58Well, we move on to some other business now.
28:00One week from tonight on pay-per-view,
28:02the scene shifts from the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada,
28:05to the mecca of boxing Madison Square Garden in New York.
28:08As Evander, the real deal Holyfield,
28:10will defend his WBA and IVF heavyweight titles against former WBO heavyweight champion Henry Akinwande
28:16at 6'7", the tallest champion in boxing history.
28:19Evander Holyfield is a battle-tested warrior.
28:24He's the heavyweight champion of the world.
28:26He's beaten everyone from George Foreman to Riddick Bowe to Mike Tyson.
28:30But now the heavyweight of the 90s has got another war on his hands
28:34with 6'7", Henry Akinwande.
28:36Akinwande is the number one contender, a former champion who wants to be champion again.
28:42His opponents rarely go past the fourth round,
28:44and his lethal right hand could make Holyfield an ex-champ with just one punch.
28:50The battle lines are drawn.
28:52Holyfield versus Akinwande,
28:53plus WBA middleweight champion William Joppy puts his title on the line
28:57against Roberto Duran's legendary Hands of Stone.
29:00Colorful, undefeated Johnny Tapia defends his WBO and IVF junior bantamweight belts,
29:06and female fighting sensation Christy Martin is out to teach another painful lesson.
29:11D-Day at the Garden, Saturday, June 6th, live on Pay-Per-View.
29:22So, as always, a lot of energy and tremendous fun whenever there's a championship fight,
29:27and in this case, a heavyweight championship fight
29:30at the Mecca of Boxing Madison Square Garden.
29:32One week from tonight, in the heart of New York City,
29:37it should be very electrifying, exciting,
29:39as Evander Holyfield puts his heavyweight titles on the line
29:43against 6'7", Henry Akinwande.
29:45And as mentioned also on the card,
29:47the legendary four-time world champion Roberto Hands of Stone Duran.
29:52Almost 48 now.
29:53Duran will meet William Joppy, about 20 years his junior,
29:56for the WBA middleweight title.
29:58Roberto Duran is with the fight, Dr. Ferdie.
30:01Robert, they say that you've taken this fight just for the money,
30:05that you're too old, that you might get hurt.
30:07The New York press says it shouldn't even be licensed.
30:10Why in the world did you take this fight?
30:12I'm going to translate that.
30:14Dicen que eres muy viejo, que te vas a humillar,
30:17que es posible que te lastime, que no debe estar en el boxeo,
30:20que la gente de Nueva York dice que ni te debe tener licencia.
30:23¿Cómo tú respondes?
30:24Bueno, Nico, lo puedes decir que yo no le tengo miedo a nadie,
30:26a Joppy no le tengo miedo,
30:27y todas esas palabras la gente se va a engañar
30:29cuando va a ver un Roberto Gran Distinto.
30:32Joppy no me va a lastimar a mÃ,
30:33no me va a hacer nada,
30:34porque estoy preparado para Joppy.
30:35He said, people are always underestimating,
30:38they're always telling him that.
30:39He is ready for Joppy.
30:41The people will eat their words
30:42when they see the real Roberto Duran in there.
30:44He's ready for Joppy.
30:45¿Cuántas libras tuviste que perder para esto?
30:49¿Cómo empezaste?
30:50¿Y cuánto tiempo te has entrenado?
30:53¿Cuánto tiempo te ha llevado a llegar a este peso?
30:56¿Cuánto peso te perdiste?
30:58¿Dónde empezaste?
30:58Bueno, yo estoy entrenando de que...
31:02de México, estoy entrenando yo cuando peleó Chávez allá.
31:06Me estaba entrenando y he bajado...
31:09estaba en...
31:10estaba en 180 libras
31:11y ya ahora mismo estoy en el peso, 160 libras,
31:14no tengo ningún problema.
31:15Yo voy a sorprender a la gente.
31:18All right, he is started at 180 plus pounds in Mexico,
31:22has reduced down to 160.
31:24He is absolutely ready to fight.
31:26One last question.
31:28Why are you in boxing?
31:29¿Aren't you bored, Banano?
31:30¿Estás horrible en el boxeo?
31:31No, a mà me encanta el boxeo.
31:33Y olvÃdate, a mÃ, Joppy no me va a hacer nada.
31:35Yo estoy...
31:35Si yo tengo que morir en River Rim,
31:37pues muer en River Rim.
31:37Pero Joppy no es el hombre que puede matar Roberto Duran.
31:39He said, he said,
31:40I've never met a guy that could kill Roberto Duran
31:43if he's going to get killed.
31:45He'd rather do it in the ring
31:46and he invites you to come watch him June the 6th
31:49because this should be another hard,
31:52hands of stone battle.
31:53This guy doesn't know anything but punching hard
31:56and fighting.
31:57You'll get a good, honest fight out of this man.
32:01All right, thanks very much, Doc.
32:03While Duran will go down as one of the all-time greats,
32:05many are saying no muss.
32:08Duran asked yesterday at the press conference
32:09in Los Angeles when he'll retire.
32:12Roberto said in the year 3,000,
32:14when I trip over my beard.
32:16He jokes, but Duran's health is no laughing matter.
32:18The marquee fight is Holyfield-Aconwande.
32:22As you know, heavyweight championships
32:23in Madison Square Garden have made
32:25for a compelling combination over the years.
32:27In the case of June 6th,
32:28will the extraordinary height and wingspan
32:30of Aconwande pose a legitimate threat
32:32to Holyfield's heavyweight crowns,
32:34or is that more hype than reality?
32:36Well, earlier I spoke with Evander Holyfield
32:38about his upcoming fight and more.
32:40After Alconwande's hold-a-thon
32:44against Lennox Lewis,
32:46why should the public even believe for a second
32:49that he has any possible chance against you?
32:52Well, the only thing I can do
32:54is speak on my behalf
32:55how I didn't fight too good a fight
32:57with Bobby Chess.
32:58If people helped me to that,
33:00then I would be the person that I am today.
33:03And just as the Michael Moore fight,
33:05people wouldn't think it would be an exciting fight,
33:08but Michael Moore came to fight,
33:10and it's hard to tell a man
33:12that you're getting a golden opportunity
33:14to be the very best
33:17and for him not to prepare himself
33:19to be the very best.
33:21And I think that he will.
33:23And I'm not the type of individual
33:25to take anything for granted.
33:27I don't want to be the guy that he wins against.
33:30Do you think we could see a repeat
33:31of Louis Aconwande with Holyfield Aconwande
33:35come June 6th,
33:36where he goes into the clutching
33:37and the grabbing, the holding again?
33:38I don't think so.
33:40I think what you may get is a fight
33:43that's a little bit more exciting
33:45than the Michael Moore and Holyfield fight.
33:48And I think the people
33:49probably need to really tune in
33:51and see a great fight.
33:53The fight people want after June 6th,
33:57of course,
33:57is Holyfield versus Lennox Lewis.
34:00But lots of bickering,
34:02lots of conflict,
34:03promoters, etc., etc.
34:04So much of the business side
34:06enters into a situation like this.
34:08Is it going to happen, though,
34:09in your estimation?
34:10Well, there's no doubt.
34:11I truly believe that it will happen.
34:15And I guess
34:16it may even get two cracks.
34:19You know,
34:19you get a crack with Henry,
34:22you get a crack with Lennox.
34:24Now, if Mike Tyson
34:26is relicensed
34:28in July,
34:30will we see
34:30a Holyfield versus
34:31Tyson 3?
34:33Well, the chances
34:34are slim.
34:36I truly believe
34:37as soon as the Lennox fight
34:39is over,
34:39it wouldn't be a reason.
34:41The only way that I think
34:42that a fight can ever
34:44conceivably happen
34:45is the fight
34:47don't come on
34:47between Lennox
34:48and the time that
34:49Mike is ready to fight.
34:51Well, obviously,
34:53you have nothing left
34:53to prove against
34:54Mike Tyson,
34:55but monetarily,
34:56financially,
34:57might that be
34:58an incentive
34:59motivation for you?
35:01Well, you know,
35:02I'm a professional fighter
35:04and this is what
35:05I do for a living.
35:06But, like I said,
35:07if it don't come,
35:09if the fight
35:09don't come
35:10between the Lennox fight,
35:13then I know
35:13that I won't fight him.
35:15Have you talked
35:16to him recently, Tyson?
35:18Well, at a basketball game
35:19we spoke.
35:20That was at a Knick game
35:21at Madison Square Garden
35:23and he shook your hand.
35:25Do you think
35:25that was his way
35:26of saying,
35:27I'm sorry?
35:28He didn't have
35:29no reason to
35:30shake my hand
35:31if he wasn't,
35:32I guess,
35:33apologizing.
35:34He's a good guy.
35:35Would you say
35:36in a bizarre,
35:37twisted way
35:38that the ear-biting
35:39incident was the
35:40best thing that
35:40could happen
35:41to your boxing career?
35:43No.
35:43I think I could have won
35:46and it could have been
35:46just as good.
35:48And the fact
35:48that it did happen
35:49is how you deal
35:51with a situation.
35:53Well, you and Don King
35:54are such an odd couple,
35:55such an unlikely
35:56combination.
35:57What's your
35:57take on Don King?
36:00He's a promoter.
36:01And he's a promoter
36:03and he won
36:04the best,
36:05if not the best.
36:06You've overcome
36:08so many obstacles,
36:09proved so many points,
36:11the unification
36:13of the cruiserweight
36:13division,
36:15beating Mike Tyson,
36:17overcoming medical
36:18situation.
36:19You'll go down
36:20as one of the
36:20all-time greats.
36:22Yet,
36:22why such a tough sell?
36:24Why are you
36:25such a difficult draw?
36:27To what do you
36:27attribute that?
36:29I don't think
36:29I'm a difficult draw.
36:31I believe,
36:32you know,
36:33if you look at
36:34all the pay-per-view
36:35records,
36:36it shows that
36:37on pretty much
36:38all the
36:39top buildings,
36:41my name is
36:42on there as well.
36:43It wasn't somebody
36:44else that made it wrong.
36:47Well,
36:47at this time,
36:48Holyfield,
36:48about a 7-1
36:49favorite
36:49against Akinwani
36:51June 6th
36:51at the Garden.
36:52Some boxing notables,
36:53namely Angelo Dundee,
36:55your old pal,
36:55and promoter
36:56Mickey Duff
36:57in England
36:58feel Akinwani
36:59can upset
36:59Holyfield.
37:00What are your thoughts?
37:01Well,
37:02I don't think
37:02one fight
37:03makes a fighter
37:04leave boxing
37:05and have no credibility.
37:07He had 31 fights
37:08and he looked good
37:08and he was very
37:09impressive to me
37:10in several fights
37:10that we saw him
37:11and worked in.
37:12I think Akinwani
37:13has as good a chance
37:14as anybody,
37:15provided he doesn't
37:16slip into that
37:17frozen mode
37:18that he was in
37:18with Lewis.
37:19So if he doesn't
37:20do that,
37:20he comes to fight,
37:21I think we've got
37:22a very good night
37:23and unless Holyfield
37:24is really trim
37:25and ready to go,
37:26he could get
37:27surprised that night.
37:28I think Holyfield
37:29will have his way,
37:30get inside and
Recommended
1:03:07
|
Up next
10:02
1:00:36