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00:00Our national anthem, Harold Vallon, V-A-L-L-O-N, is going to be the referee for this bout.
00:15The judges again, Harold Lederman and Tony Castellano, scoring on the 10-point must.
00:22And here is Bill Merriman.
00:26Introducing the officials for this 15-round heavyweight championship of the world.
00:40Judges are Harold Lederman and Tony Castellano.
00:49Your timekeeper, Fred Apatillo.
00:56Counting for the knockdowns, Arthur McGinley and Billy Graham.
01:05Positions at ringside, Dr. Errol Shaw and Dr. Frank Guarino.
01:18Introducing the challenger in the blue corner, hailing from the city of angels, Los Angeles, California.
01:36Wearing red trunks with a white stripe and weighing 202 pounds, Mike McGinley.
01:51Weaver! Weaver!
01:56And introducing in the red corner, ladies and gentlemen, the heavyweight champion of the world,
02:11the eastern ambassador from eastern Pennsylvania.
02:17Wearing white trunks with a red stripe and weighing 215 pounds,
02:32the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, Larry Holmes!
02:43Another belt to follow.
02:52Another belt to follow.
02:56And we introduce to you, at this time, our referee, Harold Sullivan.
03:08Sullivan!
03:11And the winner of this round and the champion of the world!
03:29Very bravura performance.
03:31Well, that's his debut at the Garden and I have a hunch he'll be back.
03:37If the announcer's job in part is to get the crowd into the fight, he's done it.
03:43He's certainly done it.
03:44Larry Holmes trying to psych out Mike Weaver here.
03:47As the referee, Harold Vallon, is giving their instructions.
03:54A mandatory eight count is in effect.
03:56The three knockdown rule has been waived.
03:59That's at the discretion of the referee.
04:01He can keep getting knocked down or he can stop it after one.
04:04You can look for Mike Weaver to go out very fast in this fight.
04:08You mean go out fast or be knocked out fast?
04:11Might be both.
04:12Weaver in the red trunks is pressing Holmes.
04:15Round one, 15 round bout.
04:18Holmes has that very hard left jab.
04:23Larry up on his feet a la young Muhammad Ali.
04:28Ali who outreaches his man by a couple of inches.
04:32Keeping him off with that jab.
04:33Weaver is trying to get in close.
04:37Weaver has a pretty good knockout record.
04:41He's walking straight at him.
04:44Mike Weaver has scored 14 knockouts.
04:47However, he is leaving the left side of his jaw quite exposed.
04:51Holmes jabs about 50% of them getting in there.
05:09Weaver taking the jab.
05:11And they are off by rather hard.
05:13Very hard.
05:15Weaver has a very good jab.
05:17Weaver taking the jab.
05:19And they are off by rather hard.
05:21Very hard now.
05:23That was a jab that knocked out Acacio in his last title defense.
05:28Something I never saw before or even heard of.
05:31You may never see it again.
05:33And then again you may.
05:36Weaver is getting $50,000 for this fight which is 10 times greater than his biggest previous purse.
05:43A light tap to the body is Weaver's first punch of the fight.
05:51And still the jabs come from the champion Larry Holmes.
05:54WBC champion.
06:01About a minute to go in round one.
06:03What Holmes is really saying by his action here is that he's just not going to take any chances of walking into a punch.
06:09He's going to size his man up before he goes to work on him.
06:13Seriously.
06:15He's warming up too.
06:17He's got cool standing there.
06:19All he has to do is keep jabbing.
06:29Larry got a round of using the right hand for his aim.
06:40Good hook to the body by Weaver.
06:45He's in there to fight.
06:48Make the champion open up.
06:50Oh he's a hard jab.
06:53I'm thinking of Muhammad Ali and Joe Lewis.
07:04Bell ending round one.
07:07Bell ending round one.
07:09Let's join our host Len Burman.
07:14Thank you Don.
07:15More sports action.
07:16Heavyweight championship of tennis.
07:18Wimbledon starting Monday here on HBO.
07:2010 o'clock, 9 o'clock central time.
07:22Haywood Hale brewed in the first week.
07:23Vic Braid in the second week.
07:25Highlights of the early rounds.
07:26Followed by in-depth coverage of the men's and women's quarter and semifinal matches.
07:29Wimbledon starts Monday here on HBO.
07:32You know Mike Weaver started boxing in the Marines.
07:35Turns out he got into a fight with a guy at the jukebox over a tune.
07:39He punched the guy out.
07:40It turns out the guy he punched out was the camp champion in the Marines.
07:44Immediately Weaver was recruited for the boxing team.
07:46The rest is history.
07:48Back to you Don.
07:50Holmes is risking a $3 million purse here Don.
07:53It's amazing.
07:54For no money at all.
07:55He has signed up to fight Shavage in the fall.
07:58His purse will be $3 million.
08:00$3 million.
08:01Should he buy some flukes.
08:03Anything happen here could blow $3 million without a penny in return for it.
08:07Wow.
08:08It could happen.
08:09He could get cut.
08:10You never can tell.
08:11He might run into a punch.
08:19Countering that by the champion after Weaver landed a good one.
08:25Weaver is trying to fight but Holmes is just too good with that jab.
08:29If you notice Weaver has his gloves open Don.
08:33And Holmes' corner complained between rounds about the fact that he's been fighting with those gloves open.
08:39Of course there's a danger of a cut when he does that.
08:47Jab goes right by the guard.
08:50Jab goes right by the guard.
08:54Oh now the 1-2.
08:57Holmes may be ready to end it.
09:06So he's come down off his toes and he's flat footed and he looks like he feels he has Weaver measured in that he can't punch now.
09:15Holmes waves Weaver in at him after that punch.
09:20Weaver edges in.
09:23Slowly.
09:37That was a pretty good punch for the challenger.
09:40By the challenger.
09:42Cleaning away with that left hand.
09:45Good body punch there.
09:46Onto the body by Weaver.
09:49Make the champion think a little bit.
09:57Weaver making a contest of it now.
10:02Not winning but making a contest.
10:06Head and shoulders he trains rather well.
10:09He's not that easy of a target Holmes is fighting right now.
10:12Holmes seems to be bothered by his belt line and trunk because they may be a little loose.
10:20Too bad he's pulling his hand towards him.
10:27Holmes putting more power in his jab.
10:45Weaver hasn't got much defense against that left hand.
10:48Now the right is starting to come.
10:50Weaver fights back hard.
10:52Game late.
10:54Hard to challenge the champion out at the end of the center.
10:59Holmes brings up a quiet crowd yelling.
11:02Holmes ostensible purpose in taking this fight was to help win the people over but.
11:08The bell ending round 2.
11:09At least Weaver was winning the people over there.
11:15Yeah Weaver's staying in.
11:16He's staying in.
11:18And I think a lot of that is in credit to Ray Barnes his trainer.
11:23He's one of the best trainers in boxing today.
11:27You know this is an opportunity of a lifetime for a young man.
11:30He's going to make the most of it.
11:32It looks like he's got himself keyed up.
11:35You know to go out on his cross he's going to give whatever he has to give.
11:39Larry when you figure the number of fighters there have been since the days of your partner expression.
11:45Jim Big.
11:46A small number who actually have fought for the heavyweight championship.
11:50Weaver is you know he's honored.
11:53Well you know right now of all the people in the world there's only one that has a chance to take the title away from the champion.
11:59And he's sitting right here.
12:02And there he is Mike Weaver.
12:05Larry Holmes does not sit down between rounds.
12:08Not so far.
12:10There is round 3 with Holmes winning the first two rounds.
12:13Mainly because of his left jab and good combination.
12:17But Weaver looked a little better in round 2.
12:21And he's fighting a bit more confidently and coming in a little faster at home.
12:25You know from Holmes' point of view I don't think he can give a chance for this fighter to build up his confidence.
12:30He should be taking charge.
12:31He hasn't discouraged.
12:33Now Weaver is going to jab.
12:35The 1-2.
12:36A hook to the body all in a row.
12:39Holmes comes back with the jab.
12:41I think that speaks to what I was just saying.
12:43All of a sudden he thinks he can fight this guy.
12:45He may be wrong but he thinks he can.
12:47Holmes talked to him.
12:48Weaver didn't even listen.
12:50He just fired back.
12:51Scored.
12:53The challenger has made a fight out of it.
12:56He is not Jean Pierre Koopman by any means.
13:02Weaver is causing Holmes to back up.
13:12Take one Mike.
13:19Doug just said he had dealt about this point Larry and Ryan.
13:22And see maybe I should have picked the challenger you know just for fun and maybe he might win.
13:27Who would remember if you picked the champion.
13:30I wouldn't believe you.
13:32And it still has a snappy left jab.
13:34Yes he has. There it is.
13:37Again.
13:39And again.
13:41I'll leave it keeps pouring in
13:53good honoring dad by a little
13:57bit more than a minute to go
13:58here in round three I'll give
14:10credit he's carrying the fight
14:11to the champion nobody has given
14:14him a chance to win moving in
14:19the game almost going hard again
14:35remaining seconds of round three
14:37I'll bow on the run three having
14:39little to do they're not as
14:41weaver comes out the champion
14:43again and the crowd many of them
14:48rooting now for the underdog
14:50Mike Weaver making the champion
14:54miss a little bit low that hook
14:56L ending round three homes had
15:12some bad intentions in those
15:14punches in the last minute and a
15:15half of that round I think he's
15:17trying to assert himself here
15:19before the other guy gets too
15:22many ideas and gets too brave
15:25and fights beyond his
15:28capabilities.
15:30I have to remember to take a
15:31look at a rerun here there's a
15:33left hand high on the head of
15:34Weaver which probably was the
15:36best punch of the fight so far
15:38for home but Weaver stays right
15:40with him and comes back and
15:41raises him with a right hand
15:43catches her straight right that
15:45didn't have a lot of power
15:46because Holmes was moving
15:47backwards but I think Holmes is
15:52getting a little angry he's
15:54making about three cents around
15:56here and get out done better at
15:59other times coming up the round
16:02to the picture of Mike Weaver
16:05is Larry Holmes Larry looks as
16:08though he's going to try to end
16:09it here then he looked like that
16:11in the last round the crowd not
16:13incidentally is fourteen
16:14thousand hundred thirty six
16:16which is bigger than we expected
16:18very good and probably will
16:19avoid the promoter Don King from
16:21taking a loss if it's a good
16:23hasn't made a profit he hasn't
16:25had a loss he's got a good house
16:27we have profited certainly we
16:29have seen some good boxing so
16:30far putting his man down with
16:39that jab Weaver taking the
16:42punches and fighting back hard
16:43with a counter he's going after
16:47home body and bringing in the
16:49right at the same time and if
16:53nothing else Mike Weaver is
16:55bothering Larry home on the
16:59setting in the best shot best
17:00shots and Weaver keeps coming in
17:02not only that Holmes who outweighs
17:04of thirteen pounds and Weaver is
17:07forcing the issue three for good
17:10body punches by Larry has been
17:12competing about this low hitting
17:14and I think he just doesn't like
17:16getting hit in the bread basket
17:18I'm putting everything in his
17:20punches now maybe the
17:22frustration he's thinking what is
17:24this I should be back in my
17:25dressing room by now the party
17:27should have started the minute
17:41and a half still to go in this
17:42round plenty of time for the
17:44knockout Weaver is still fighting
17:46back He's trading with the
17:52champion and taking the play away
17:54from him Weaver is coming back
18:00from that lathering that he took
18:04He's gathering his foot and he
18:06might have punched himself out
18:07a little bit there.
18:08He may have punched himself out
18:10He's relaxing in there trying to
18:12rest his head and Weaver is at
18:14him a big round for Mike Weaver
18:35half a minute to go in the round
18:41He's giving Holmes all sorts of
18:43trouble Holmes looks tired
18:47He looks very tired
18:51They both look tired
18:53Yes they do
18:56Weaver is reaching Holmes
18:59He's at that post
19:00Weaver is running the round
19:03The challenger is running the
19:04round
19:16Fantastic and Larry Holmes
19:18finally sits down
19:20Larry Holmes sits down for the
19:23first time and he is a tired
19:25young man and probably very
19:28confused as well
19:30Probably very confused
19:32Let's take a look at the action
19:33Here is Holmes landing punches
19:36earlier in the round and it
19:37seemed like he was on his way to
19:39knocking out Weaver but Weaver
19:41apparently was sliding and
19:42flipping with some of those
19:43punches and not catching their
19:44full power which enabled him to
19:46come back late
19:49They've thrown an awful lot of
19:50water on the champion
19:52He's got to revive him
19:54I want a ground for Weaver
19:56I want to say that Weaver has
19:58been knocked out not by one
20:00not by one Bobbik but by two
20:02Bobbiks
20:03I think one was the decision
20:04Larry
20:05No he was knocked out by both
20:06Bobbiks I believe I could be
20:08wrong and here he is taking the
20:11heavyweight champion of the
20:12world
20:14Larry Holmes is actually running
20:16away now
20:18Like Weaver trailing him
20:23The tide really surprisingly
20:25has turned here
20:29Mike Weaver has taken charge of
20:31the fight at least for now
20:35And he's got Larry Holmes on a
20:36bicycle defending himself
20:39Where Holmes was so confident
20:41not too long ago
20:44Holmes still fighting back but
20:45the jab doesn't get in there
20:49Out of standing Weaver
20:52Weaver
20:56The crowd yells Weaver
21:01Holmes not too sharp with his
21:02punches
21:03Takes that right again
21:07He's got Holmes off balance at
21:12least mentally
21:18Now he's going to the body
21:19Holmes is hurt and he's tired
21:25Good right hand by the
21:28champion
21:29Yeah but when he throws up he
21:30takes something out of himself
21:31though
21:32Another good right hand by the
21:33champion
21:34Weaver just won't get down from
21:35him
21:36He's pulling that back away
21:37Weaver
21:38Good right hand by Weaver there
21:41And he's got the champion
21:42covering up on the rope
21:48And Weaver is smart in there
21:50He doesn't punch himself out
21:52He's looking for the good shot
21:54There it is
21:57Holmes Weaver is absolutely
21:58controlling the action in this
21:59fight at this point
22:09Holmes dropped his arms
22:10They may be tired
22:13Weaver is still the aggressor
22:20Weaver punched out of him
22:21Holmes defending himself
22:24Still to the body
22:25Smart
22:28Weaver is a smart fighter no
22:29question about it
22:32Half a minute to go in the
22:33round
22:34A long round
22:37Again the crowd is chanting for
22:39the challenger
22:45Holmes being right down the
22:46rope
22:49Holmes is bothered
22:50He's not the confident champion
22:51he was a short time ago
22:54Only two rounds ago
22:55That one almost set him down
23:01Holmes has never lost a fight
23:04The round is almost over
23:05Two seconds left
23:06A big round for Mike Weaver
23:08Very big round for Mike Weaver
23:12Holmes is awfully tired in this
23:13corner
23:15I think Marty Holmes is in real
23:16trouble here
23:17He may not be in the greatest
23:18condition
23:20I'm sure he's confused
23:21The timing is off
23:24It's hard to imagine what's
23:25running through his mind right
23:26now
23:27There has to be some kind of
23:28panic going on there
23:31Fighting in the corner with the
23:32rope adobe is totally
23:33uncharacteristic of his style
23:35They're pouring water on him
23:37Actually hosing him down
23:40And I think some confusion has
23:41set in there
23:43His manager is talking to him
23:46and he's shaking his head
23:48They have to get their signals
23:49straight and say okay let's start
23:51from here there's ten more rounds
23:52to go let's win this fight
23:54He's crying for water
23:55He wants to drink
23:58He may be dehydrated
23:59If this keeps up Mohammed Ali
24:00will not retire
24:03I'll tell you Larry Holmes
24:04took this fight he said to
24:05impress the people that he's
24:06going to be a great champion
24:07but Holmes was out in the
24:08sun
24:09He's not turning out that way
24:10He's put it in a real fight
24:11And charitably
24:12He just landed a good ride at
24:13the beginning of the round
24:16Holmes always gets off well
24:17in the beginning of the round
24:20It's the end of the round
24:21where he's bothered
24:22Yes he gets tired
24:25Weaver sees his chance
24:27He sees his championship
24:29Weaver is calm about it
24:30He's not getting excited
24:32He's not throwing wild punches
24:34He's picking his butt
24:36Walking forward
24:39I think Holmes is
24:40Holmes is going back to
24:41shooting
24:42He's going back to shooting
24:43Holmes is letting Holmes
24:44do the running
24:45Holmes is going back to
24:46square one it seems
24:47He's deciding
24:48well I better start over
24:49and dance
24:50Get myself together
24:51and try to get control
24:52in that way
24:55Weaver must be getting points
24:56for being the aggressor
24:57at this point
25:02Two minutes left in the round
25:04Weaver trying to get that
25:05good right hand in there
25:06and Holmes knows it
25:09Follow up right after the left
25:25Holmes may be backing up
25:26but he's scoring
25:27fairly well in this round
25:29Weaver has not been able
25:30to get at him
25:36There he got at him
25:42Tough body shot by Weaver
25:43Weaver is hitting hard
25:49Must be discouraging
25:50for Larry Holmes
25:51in the first three rounds
25:53He hit Mike Weaver
25:54with everything
25:56Here is Mike coming at him
25:57in the sixth
26:00Fifteen rounds out
26:01if it goes the limit
26:05if it goes the limit
26:06somebody is going to be
26:07awfully tired at the end
26:17Over-anxious Mike Weaver
26:22Got that jab
26:23going in on Holmes
26:32Holmes is stuck trying
26:33for a knockout now
26:34He's just going back
26:35and going to try to out point him
26:36and take the knockout
26:37if it comes
26:38He hopes
26:39Weaver has Holmes
26:40defending himself
26:45Weaver is controlling
26:46the ring
26:49He's out jabbing
26:50the champion too
27:00Couple more of those rallies
27:01and Holmes and I
27:02will be very tired
27:07There's the bell
27:08Now let's go to
27:09our host Len Burman
27:13Don, a reminder
27:14of upcoming programming
27:15here on HBO
27:16In addition to a
27:17World Heavyweight Championship fight
27:18a world television premiere
27:19The Seekers
27:20July 8th
27:218 o'clock
27:227 o'clock Central
27:23Starring Randolph Mantooth
27:25George Hamilton
27:26Brian Keith
27:27Robert Reed
27:28Barbara Rush
27:29The history of
27:30John Jake's runaway
27:31best-selling series
27:32on the Kent Family Chronicles
27:33A world television premiere
27:34on HBO
27:35You know Mike Weaver
27:36said he saw
27:37the movie Rocky
27:38ten times
27:39He always thought
27:40how wonderful
27:41if he got a chance
27:42like that
27:43He's getting his chance
27:44Is this the next
27:45Apollo Creed?
27:46Maybe a real life
27:47Rocky developing here
27:48Let's go back to ringside
27:49Don King
27:53An interesting thing
27:54happening here
27:55that Ryan O'Neill
27:56just pointed out to me
27:57Don King
27:58has gone up behind
27:59the corner of Larry Holmes
28:00here with a very
28:01very concerned
28:02look on his face
28:03He's the promoter
28:04of that
28:05multi-million dollar
28:06fight in the fall
28:07with Shavers
28:08Right
28:09If he loses this fight here
28:10Don King will be out
28:11perhaps as much money
28:12as Andy Holmes will
28:13Don King could be out
28:14And with it
28:15and if he loses
28:16control of the
28:17heavyweight championship
28:18I wonder who
28:20Bob Arum is rooting for
28:25Bob Arum is the promoter
28:26Does this mean that
28:27Dwayne Bobik
28:28is back in the
28:29heavyweight picture?
28:30Although we can't
28:31count Larry Holmes
28:32out now
28:33It's a little early
28:34for that
28:35True
28:36But he is retreating
28:37Bob Arum
28:38is the promoter
28:39of the WBA
28:40version of the
28:41elimination for
28:42the heavyweight
28:43championship
28:44John Tate
28:45against presumably
28:46Leon Spinks
28:47after his fight
28:48with Jerry Coetzee
28:49on Sunday
28:50And Holmes
28:51doesn't win here
28:52The winner of that
28:53tournament
28:54will really be
28:55recognized
28:56by the people
28:57as the champion
28:58Holmes is giving
28:59it to Muhammad Ali
29:00now
29:01He's moving away
29:02moving away
29:07That jab
29:08doesn't have the
29:09power it had earlier
29:10Holmes' jab
29:11That was a
29:12terrific jab
29:13in the beginning
29:14Now it's a flick
29:17Meanwhile Mike
29:18Weaver gains confidence
29:20In case you're
29:21wondering about
29:22Weaver's stamina
29:23He's gone as far
29:24as 12 rounds
29:2512 rounds twice
29:26and lost the decision
29:27both times
29:29Now Holmes
29:30is starting to
29:31open up again
29:33We'll see if
29:34Weaver can weather
29:35the storm
29:36If he can
29:37it's going to
29:38take something
29:39out of Holmes
29:45Holmes opening
29:46up fast there
29:48Weaver
29:49Weaver taking
29:50the punches well
29:52There have been
29:53no knockdowns
29:55so far
30:06Weaver's still
30:07trying but not
30:08quite as accurate
30:09with the right hand
30:10as he was earlier
30:11Not without
30:12Holmes' jabs
30:13and moves
30:22Now he's
30:23caught up with
30:24Holmes
30:40Holmes making
30:41good use of the jab
30:48Champion coming
30:49back here in this
30:50round
30:52Coming back well
30:54There's a lot of
30:55trouble on the left
30:56hook tonight
30:57anywhere
31:00Solid punches
31:01by Holmes
31:05Weaver may be hurt
31:07That's a doubt
31:14Well Don King
31:15is right behind
31:16Larry Holmes
31:17corner and urging
31:18him on
31:19The way to go
31:20Larry he's yelling
31:21There's a replay
31:22There's a
31:23Holmes
31:24re-seizing
31:25retaking the initiative
31:26in this round
31:29There's a right hand
31:30that caught him flush
31:31on the jaw
31:32but it was too late
31:33in the round
31:34for Holmes to really
31:35cash in on it
31:36Weaver is backing up
31:37for one of the few
31:38times in the fight here
31:39and Holmes is having
31:40a little bit of
31:41difficulty in measuring
31:42him for the
31:43hoop to grace
31:44The longer Weaver
31:45stays the better
31:46chance he has
31:49Larry Holmes
31:50looks very disturbed
31:53out of sorts
31:54with himself in his
31:55corner
31:57Not like a champion
32:00Well we're ready
32:01now
32:02for round 8
32:04Coming up to the
32:05halfway mark
32:06of this 15 round bout
32:07if it goes the limit
32:08Larry Holmes
32:09in the white trunks
32:10with the red trim
32:11Mike Weaver
32:12the challenge
32:13in the red trunks
32:14with the white trim
32:17Weaver after looking
32:18particularly good
32:20in the 4th and 5th rounds
32:21has slowed down tremendously
32:23as Holmes has come back
32:25Holmes had a big
32:26first free round
32:29Maybe that early
32:30punishment has taken
32:31his toll out of Weaver
32:33but he's still trying
32:35Holmes has turned
32:36the fight his way
32:37again with his jab
32:41and by staying away
32:44If we're not looking
32:45for the knockout
32:46he might get it
32:48He really established
32:49the ring
32:50and now perhaps
32:51the opening will come
32:55The crowd is
32:56fairly silent
33:03A lot of the sharpness
33:04has gone out of
33:05Weaver's punching
33:07Probably because of those
33:08jabs that Holmes
33:09has landed on him
33:11Hard jabs
33:17Holmes keeps backing
33:18away but he keeps
33:19scoring with that
33:20left jab
33:36Suddenly Holmes
33:37opens up
33:38Weaver again
33:39takes the punch well
33:41Weaver's jab
33:42has been fairly good
33:43himself
33:44but Holmes has landed
33:45more often and harder
33:48Weaver's jab
33:57Weaver every so often
33:58gets one of those
33:59rights into the body
34:05Lots of jabs
34:06short jabs
34:09good jabs
34:11and good hooks
34:12all by the champion
34:18Weaver's jab
34:25He is
34:37Now Weaver's coming back
34:39making Holmes bicycle
34:40out of there
34:48Holmes must have lost
34:49a lot of weight
34:50in these rounds
34:51Those trunks
34:52are falling off now
35:03Now Weaver
35:04back into the attack
35:08Another good round
35:09for the champion though
35:11I've got it about
35:125-2 and
35:15one even there
35:16on my card
35:21We'll go with your
35:225-2
35:23You have Weaver
35:24in front?
35:25Oh no
35:26Are you kidding?
35:27Just kidding
35:29I gave Holmes
35:30the first three rounds
35:31Weaver the next two
35:32the sixth even
35:33and the seventh
35:34and eighth for Holmes
35:35Well let's see if
35:36Larry can stay there
35:37There's a very concerned
35:39Don King
35:40Well he's breathing
35:41a little easier
35:42I think
35:43Well
35:44There is Ray Barnes
35:45working with Mike Weaver
35:46in his corner
35:47He's telling him
35:48just stay on top
35:50This man will fade
35:54Now comes the test
35:55of Weaver really
35:56whether he can
35:57fight
35:58the way he did
35:59in the early rounds
36:00now that we've passed
36:01the midway point
36:02He was a 100 yard
36:03dash man in high school
36:05ran a 9-800
36:07Now he's going
36:08and he has to go the distance
36:09Let's see if he can
36:10I'm not
36:12I'm not going to belabor
36:13the point
36:14but Holmes and Chunks
36:15are not going to make it
36:16in this fight
36:17He's going to need
36:18a safety pin
36:20He's losing so much weight
36:21that they're falling off
36:24Oh
36:25Here comes Mike Weaver
36:26coming back
36:28He's got Holmes
36:29in trouble again
36:30Holmes close to him
36:32And Weaver is hurt
36:34Mike Weaver
36:35is in trouble
36:36Mike Weaver
36:37is in trouble
36:38Mike Weaver
36:39is hurt
36:41He's got the champion
36:42Oh it's like
36:43Duran Calamito now
36:47Holmes throwing
36:48everything into it now
36:50throwing on the reserve
36:51Eric just landed
36:52his first good left hook
36:53But Weaver
36:54Weaver is taking him
36:55and is fighting back
36:56He scored pretty well
36:57himself
37:01Weaver has scored
37:02well there himself
37:03even though he took
37:04a good lathering
37:06and is still taking it
37:07Holmes
37:08goes for Holmes' body
37:11Round 9
37:12with less than
37:132 minutes to go
37:23I don't know
37:24if Weaver knows
37:25where he is
37:27He hurt Holmes
37:28He hurt him good
37:30He's driving Holmes
37:31into Weaver's corner
37:33Larry is tired
37:35He just got hit
37:36with a hard right
37:38That's when Weaver
37:39looked up
37:47Yes it does
37:48It took close
37:50Holmes is making
37:51a very big effort
37:52in this round
37:53If he doesn't
37:54hurt or stop
37:55his opponent
37:56he's liable
37:57to have spent himself
38:04Weaver doesn't have
38:05the right hand
38:06that he had earlier
38:07No
38:08Holmes is winding up
38:09with it
38:10Holmes is winding up
38:12Weaver is on
38:13Woozie Street
38:14I think
38:22Weaver stays right in
38:24Oh
38:25Low punch
38:28Holmes claiming
38:29a low punch
38:30The referee says
38:31keep them up to Weaver
38:33And the battling continues
38:34He's going to knock
38:35his pants off
38:40Larry Holmes is saying
38:41let's hold
38:42another low one in there
38:43and my pants
38:47He's landing
38:48that right hand
38:49Larry Holmes
38:50almost at will
38:52Weaver is taking them
38:53Weaver takes it
38:54The only other
38:55tough fight
38:56that Holmes had
38:57was against
38:58Ken Norton
38:59and it was a little
39:00like this
39:01That's right
39:02It's about
39:03toe to toe
39:10Holmes is pretty
39:11well spent
39:12as we look at him
39:13in his corner
39:14but so is Weaver
39:17You know
39:18I look at his face
39:19and I think
39:20he's got a
39:21pretty good
39:22You know
39:23I look at this fight
39:24and I wonder
39:25these two fellas
39:26sitting in their dressing rooms
39:27watching Duran
39:28and Palomino fight
39:30Were inspired
39:31Were somehow
39:32this man just
39:33may have been inspired
39:36He's so much
39:37into this fight
39:38His record says
39:39he should not be fighting
39:40Larry Holmes this well
39:41He's a 10 to 1
39:42underdog
39:43You can't pace the bet
39:44You know
39:47Right
39:48You know
39:49Remember earlier
39:50in the evening Don
39:51Damon Runyon
39:52who said
39:53between two human beings
39:54no one is
39:55more than 3 to 1
39:56over another
39:57and we're getting
39:58Are there any odds
39:59on this fight
40:00There are not
40:01No there are no betting odds
40:02but I think if you had
40:03to put a number on it
40:0410 to 1
40:05would be modest
40:08Holmes is out there again
40:11That jab
40:13The pants continue
40:14to slip off him
40:16We may have an x-rated
40:17coat box open
40:21There's no doubt
40:22he's wearing
40:23a big supporter
40:29Now Weaver
40:30still coming at him
40:31Weaver still moving in
40:33Trying to get that shot
40:34that would turn
40:35in his way again
40:36as it did in round 4
40:41Holmes seems
40:42to be talking to Weaver
40:51Holmes up on
40:52the toes again
40:54Some would say
40:55he's on a bicycle
41:02Holmes giving it
41:03to Muhammad Ali now
41:06I think his
41:07trunks just slipped
41:08another millimeter
41:13Oh Weaver
41:14putt shotting him
41:15when he gets the chance
41:21Holmes may
41:22may walk into
41:23one of those
41:24He's complaining
41:25that he's been dumbed
41:28He's complaining
41:29that he's been dumbed
41:30and the crowd
41:31is booing him for it
41:34The referee
41:35did talk to Weaver
41:39Weaver has got
41:40Holmes in trouble here
41:41now
41:42unless Holmes
41:43is playing possum
41:45Now chatting
41:46Weaver again
41:48Weaver ready to come
41:49in with the right hand
41:50and holds it back
41:54Holmes bothered
41:55by that eye again
42:03Holmes is getting
42:04rathered in there
42:05Weaver has taken
42:06over again
42:07as he did in the
42:084th and 5th rounds
42:12Larry stopped jabbing
42:13when he stops jabbing
42:14he gets
42:15caught up with
42:18Looks like
42:19it's a sign of fatigue
42:20really
42:21He's trying to get
42:22Weaver to open up
42:23and leave himself
42:24open for a big punch
42:26which I think
42:27is a sign of fatigue
42:28It's not the thing
42:29the kind of thing
42:30that Weaver has shown
42:31he would do
42:32No
42:33He's not thinking very well
42:34Holmes opens up again
42:35with some pretty good rights
42:38Weaver fights him back
42:42Holmes gets
42:43a new lease on life
42:45Weaver is taking
42:46those punches
42:49How many he can take
42:50is the question
42:51They're hard punches
42:52by Holmes
43:01The round is almost over
43:03A big round for Weaver
43:04There's the bell
43:05There's the bell
43:06What a fight
43:15Wow
43:17Larry Holmes
43:18If this had been
43:19earlier in the round
43:20his legs would have been
43:21We might have
43:22a new champion
43:25Here comes
43:26Weaver to the attack
43:28He sends a short left hand
43:30Holmes is backing up now
43:32There goes a right hand
43:33through his guard
43:34That one didn't
43:35He hasn't landed yet
43:36There it is
43:37straight through his guard
43:39Holmes is tired now
43:40and confused
43:45Weaver still
43:46to the attack
43:50The great thing about
43:51The great thing about
43:52a contest is
43:54the uncertainty
43:55of what's going to happen
43:56You just don't know
43:57what's going to happen
43:58The East Coast
43:59will follow this
44:00exciting boxing
44:01with Damian Ullman too
44:02The West Coast
44:03will follow
44:04with Steve Martin
44:05Round 11
44:08Weaver opens up
44:09a little bit
44:10Weaver
44:11Weaver
44:12Weaver
44:13Weaver
44:14Weaver opens up fast
44:16and Holmes drives him back
44:18Holmes' left eye
44:19is nearly shut, Don
44:21His what?
44:22His left eye
44:23is nearly shut
44:30Holmes is game too
44:31He's tired
44:32but he's fighting back hard
44:33Weaver has no respect
44:34for his punch right now
44:37Weaver's fighting
44:38a smart fight
44:39He's not right hand happy
44:41He's mixing them up
44:44Holmes
44:48Weaver is out fighting Holmes
44:52Taking the best
44:53the champion has
44:54and fighting back
44:55Somebody's got
44:56to go here
44:57Holmes was locked again
45:04Now Weaver is wobbly
45:12Holmes
45:13Tom's is giving it his all, as a champion should.
45:23Weaver's trying to set him up for another right, and he may.
45:26He's working the body, too.
45:32This has got to be the surprise of the ages.
45:35It's one of the best heavyweight fights you'll ever see, as well.
45:40Very few heavyweight fights where you see this many punches land.
45:48I wonder if either of them would be any good at it.
45:54I don't know what's holding Weaver up now.
46:03Holmes has thrown everything in there, but he's not landing everything.
46:10And Holmes is thrown up again by Weaver.
46:20Oh, what a left hook.
46:22A one-two by Mike Weaver.
46:24Puts the charge out of Holmes.
46:26He's backing towards the ropes.
46:28Holmes is hurt.
46:29He's in real trouble now.
46:31But he's sliding back gamely.
46:33He wants to end the round in his corner so he can sit down.
46:45Weaver trying to set him up again.
46:55Weaver is down from the uppercut.
46:57Weaver is down from the uppercut.
46:59He has to get up.
47:01Weaver is out.
47:02He may not make it.
47:04He's up.
47:05He got up.
47:06He made it.
47:07He got up.
47:08He's up.
47:13Weaver is wobbling across the ring.
47:15He just made it.
47:17An uppercut.
47:18An uppercut.
47:19Weaver's getting down at the bell.
47:2210 seconds from the bell.
47:24Holmes is almost out in his own corner.
47:27And round 11.
47:29They're working frantically on Mike Weaver.
47:32Let's take a look at the corner right now.
47:36A dead tired Ernie Holmes is back to his own corner.
47:39There it is.
47:40A right uppercut.
47:42A right uppercut with the punch that did it.
47:47Weaver never saw the punch.
47:50And those are the most dangerous kind.
47:52And Weaver still looks out in his corner, Don.
47:55I don't know if he's going to make it.
47:57We may have a double knockout.
48:05But he better not miss the first one.
48:07It's on slow.
48:11Let's see if Weaver can take it now.
48:15Holmes got a new lease on life now after that knockdown.
48:20And he's got Weaver a little bit gun shy.
48:24Weaver doesn't seem to know where he is.
48:25The referee might stop him.
48:28I think he will stop him.
48:31The referee is thinking about stopping him.
48:33Both of those punches are missing.
48:36Holmes is still fighting back clearly.
48:45Weaver's a sitting duck on those ropes.
48:50That's all.
48:51That's all.
48:58After 44 seconds of the 12th round.
49:02After 44 seconds of the 12th round,
49:05the referee Harold Balin has stopped the fight.
49:09And Larry Merchant will go up in the ring and get an interview.
49:21Yes, he did.
49:22No question about it.
49:23Here's the referee moving between them.
49:25And I think it was a good idea.
49:27Larry Holmes throwing kisses to the crowd.
49:30But the real hero is Mike Weaver.
49:33Hero with the crowd.
49:35A rank underdog.
49:37He put on a sensational fight.
49:39And at one point in the 4th, 5th, and 10th round,
49:44it seemed that he might win the fight.
49:48The official time of the knockout has not been announced yet.
49:51Let me try and get to one of these two fighters.
49:54Larry Holmes first.
49:56Larry.
49:57Just wait a minute.
49:58Wait a minute.
49:59Don't rush it.
50:01Larry Holmes looks almost out on his feet.
50:1044 seconds.
50:1444 seconds of the 12th round.
50:20Winner by technical knockout,
50:24still undefeated,
50:26and still the heavyweight champion of the world,
50:32Larry Holmes.
50:36Holmes.
50:38The crowd is booing to a fairly well.
50:40They don't like it.
50:42Although the referee was right in stopping the phones here.
50:46They're trying to revive him,
50:48which is probably a little bit more important at this moment.
50:56A very tired champion, Larry Holmes.
50:59It seemed almost like a double knockout.
51:01How tired were you at the end?
51:03I was tired.
51:04I can't say I wasn't.
51:05Did you try to knock him out early and defend yourself?
51:08Yeah.
51:10My daughter wanted to knock him out before the 7th round.
51:14And I tried.
51:15He hit me with a good right hand on the left side.
51:20And he knocked my eardrum a little bit.
51:23He hurt your eardrum.
51:25You were saying your daughter wanted you to knock him out before the 7th round?
51:28Yeah.
51:30The man was stronger than anybody thought.
51:34The network got booed.
51:37All these fighters, when they fight.
51:40Were you thinking of the $3 million you might be blowing?
51:45I was thinking about winning.
51:48That's what I was thinking.
51:50When you found out that you were really,
51:52when you found out that you were,
51:54excuse me.
51:57We'll try to get back to Larry Holmes in a minute.
51:59Let's get to Mike Weaver.
52:03Mike.
52:07Here's Mike Weaver.
52:09You put on a tremendous display here.
52:11Surprised everyone.
52:12Did you surprise yourself?
52:14No, I didn't surprise myself.
52:16I knew I could do it.
52:17I knew I could beat Holmes.
52:19He caught me with a good shot and knocked me down.
52:21But I wasn't hurt over the corner when he stopped the fight.
52:23You didn't think they should stop the fight?
52:24They should have stopped.
52:25He should have given an 8 count.
52:26He should have stopped the fight.
52:27You thought he should have taken a standing 8 count?
52:29He should have given an 8 count.
52:30He should have stopped the fight.
52:31I told him I wasn't hurt.
52:32He should have stopped the fight.
52:33If they want Larry Holmes to win,
52:34that's what they ought to do.
52:35You feel that because he was the champion
52:37and you're the visitor from California,
52:39that they were anxious to stop the fight quickly?
52:42That's what it was.
52:43I mean, I'm an unknown.
52:46I wouldn't expect him to win.
52:47I wouldn't expect him to last past 4 rounds.
52:49I hurt him on many occasions.
52:51When did you know that you could fight this man
52:54and perhaps beat him?
52:55How quickly into the fight?
52:57The first time,
52:58you mean after the fight today?
53:00I always feel I beat Holmes
53:02after I saw him in Fort Norton.
53:04I always did have confidence I could beat Holmes.
53:06You didn't seem to have much respect for his punch.
53:09I didn't have no respect for his punch.
53:17He's not much of a puncher.
53:19He's no puncher.
53:20But he did come in with a good shot.
53:21That would not be down.
53:23It looked at that point
53:24that you were trying to knock him out
53:25and got caught by a surprise punch
53:27that you didn't see.
53:28That's what it was.
53:29I was knocking him out
53:30and he probably took right hand.
53:32I thought I did pretty good.
53:33I think the public liked it.
53:35Do you think that this fight
53:36will propel you into some good fights from now on?
53:39Yeah.
53:40I don't know.
53:41I hope so.
53:42I hope so.
53:43Thank you, Mike Weaver.
53:44You put on a great fight.
53:45Congratulations.
53:46Sometimes even the losers win.
53:49Well, that's the end
53:50of a remarkable evening of fighting.
53:52After the Roberto Duran-Carlos Palomino fight,
53:55anything had to be an anticlimax.
53:58This wasn't.
54:00The heavyweight championship fight
54:01indeed turned out to be the main event.
54:05And now back to Don Dunphy at ringside.
54:08Okay, Larry.
54:09It was a surprising evening of boxing.
54:12A surprising Jimmy Young, 235 pounds,
54:17knocking out Wendell Bailey,
54:19which is kind of a surprise
54:20considering that Young almost ate himself
54:23out of the picture.
54:24A wonderful welterweight elimination fight
54:28between Roberto Duran and Carlos Palomino.
54:31Duran making a great thrust
54:34towards the welterweight title.
54:36And here, the surprises.
54:39And what made this fight such a great fight,
54:42it will not be a ring epic
54:44such as Lewis and Khan or Marciano and Walcott,
54:47but it was a great fight
54:49because of the surprise involved,
54:51the fact that nobody gave Weaver a chance,
54:54and at one point it seemed that he might win the fight.
55:03The fight was stopped prematurely.
55:05I didn't think so personally,
55:07but that's all the time we have, Larry.
55:09So I'm Don Dunphy,
55:11and let's join our host, Len Burman.
55:13Don, thank you.
55:15What a night we saw.
55:16Jimmy Young started another comeback.
55:18Roberto Duran, on his way to the welterweight title
55:20now, it looks like Carlos Palomino may retire from boxing.
55:23He said it is a real probability
55:25he's going to go into the movies.
55:27And of course, the shocker.
55:28This guy Mike Weaver, one of 15 kids from Texas,
55:31he said he saw the movie Rocky 10 times.
55:33We saw a real-life Rocky here tonight.
55:35Stopped in the 12th round.
55:37He thought it shouldn't have been stopped.
55:39Larry Holmes had said he can whoop anybody.
55:41We just don't know if that's true anymore.
55:43All in all, quite a night of boxing
55:45here on Home Box Office,
55:47live from Madison Square Garden.
55:49So for Don Dunphy and Larry Merchant,
55:51now our very special guest, Ryan O'Neal,
55:53I'm Len Burman.
55:54Thanks for watching, and good night, everyone.
56:19♪♪
56:30...our fine producer,
56:32our executive producer, Michael Dukes,
56:34and our director of sports at Home Box Office,
56:37David Meissner.
56:39♪♪
56:52This has been a presentation of HBO Sports.
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