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00:00All right so that's it next on the card our main event here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas,
00:05Nevada. It is undefeated Felix Trinidad versus Rockin' Rodney Moore for the IVF welterweight
00:11championship. Well with a record of 27 and 0 with 23 knockouts Felix Trinidad has one of the best
00:17knockout ratios in boxing 85 percent. He fights an average of 3.96 rounds per bout. He has seven
00:23first round knockouts. He's 8 and 0 with 7 KOs in world championship fights. Impressive stuff.
00:29But for Felix Trinidad that's not enough. He wants more and that's spelled M-O-O-R-E.
00:41I feel like I got to punch his chains and uh
00:45I'm coming to fight I'm looking to get my my my shots off too so
00:49you know um I feel like that's my opportunity to to shock the world.
01:00In the past I have fought with many fighters who punch hard. I don't think one more one more hard
01:09puncher will really make a difference. Rodney Moore is going up in weight but only time will tell
01:16how hard he can punch. My best chance is to catch Felix early I think because uh I've seen a lot of
01:28previous fights not to look at them guys because I punch much harder than some of the guys he's
01:34faced that had him down and I feel like that I'm a better finisher than some of the guys
01:39that had him down. They look like they just didn't go after him. That's his opinion but in my past
01:52fights when I've been knocked down even if my opponents had tried to finish me they still
01:59would not have beaten me because I came to fight in great condition.
02:09It's going to be a shootout. Both of us have punches chances. They might not think I got so
02:13much of a punches chance but at water weight I'm going to surprise a whole lot of people and most
02:17of all I'm going to surprise Felix Trinidad as far as punching power. He don't think he'll think
02:22I punch as hard as I do. He's a great boxer. He's had two opportunities for championship titles.
02:35This is his third chance and I know he will come prepared. This may be his last chance.
02:41I'm taking this fight as as is my last one meaning if I don't succeed yeah that'll be it
02:53for me you know and I decided to finally make it public because in my heart I know that I gave
02:57everything I had and I know I don't I'm not ready to retire so I'll be more dangerous now than I
03:03have been in other two previous world championships. I'm in great condition. I want to win
03:12and remain undefeated. He will not be my first loss. Rodney Moore won't be the one to take my
03:18title from me that I've worked so very very hard to get.
03:23Well ever since Felix Trinidad turned professional he's been tagged with the label
03:35superstar in the making. What exactly has been the problem between Trinidad's camp
03:40and promoter Don King? Well initially as he progressed he thought he needed to get more
03:44and more money. That's the age-old argument with a boxer with a promoter. Of course the other
03:49promoter started dangling the million dollar tag in front of you. Come with us we'll get you a
03:52million dollar fight. Well he fled the Don King camp to go get the million which is as usual highly
03:58illusory and when they went to purse bids he got considerably less than a million dollars to fight
04:04and he was sort of deceived and fooled and said hey the world out here is very tough at least I'm
04:09protected with Don King being that he gets me these great fights in a row and I know I can work
04:14and so Don promised him to make him the star of the show to pay him an equivalent of some
04:22of money and he's on his way to what I think could be four or five brilliant fights in which
04:26he can make his reputation should he win them all make a genuinely big impression in the boxing
04:32history. Now we've seen the husband-wife team before this is a father-son Felix Senior trains
04:37Felix Junior and invariably you have problems. Yeah I've seen very few successful father-son
04:44teams very few successful. Our friend Bobby Chez and partner certainly had a rocky relationship
04:49and a strange relationship with his father and unfortunately so did the quarry so did many of
04:55it's heated more because they're off in Puerto Rico and and they they add fuel to the fire down
05:00there so badly and that they got a divisiveness going between the father and the son then there's
05:06Yamil Sade who originally brought him to King and brought him to this prominence who got shelved out
05:12of out of the whole thing now he's fighting his way back in and what they got there is a good
05:16old-fashioned Spanish Civil War going on again everybody is fighting everybody I think now they
05:21need a mediator an ombudsman to come in there and and water them all down and make them realize
05:26they got to make an agreement financially make an agreement sign in with King and proceed on
05:31to the business of becoming a gigantic star. Ferdie how about a prediction between Trinidad
05:36and Moore? I don't see any way that Moore can win this fight truthfully I think even in his
05:41conversations with us he sounded like a guy waiting to lose. Okay is Rockin Rodney Moore
05:47enough of a challenge to test the skills of Felix Trinidad what do you think Bobby? Well you know as
05:51it lays out on paper Rockin Rodney Moore doesn't have who's who on his list of people that he's
05:55beaten and even people that he's fought some he's lost to Trinidad undefeated and he's beat some of
05:58the best in the division early on I think Rodney Moore is going to come out I think he's going to
06:02take his shot at Trinidad because Trinidad has started slow but overall the natural talent
06:06level of Trinidad is so much greater that I don't think you could judge by what he does here tonight
06:10unless of course we judge him on the downside if Rodney Moore does something good and upsets
06:14Trinidad well he will lose that aura of possible greatness so we can only judge him in a bad way
06:19tonight I don't think we truly judge him on the positive side. Bob did you get the feeling in
06:23our meeting with Rockin Rodney Moore yesterday that you know really nice guy outgoing guy
06:28very ebullient great personality you get the feeling though that he's just happy to be here
06:32fighting Felix Trinidad he even said to us after 14 years his wife said that he's lost the fire
06:38for the first time well you know your wife probably the only one who knows you better
06:41than your trainer and I'm sure his trainer might know that he's also lost the fire a little too
06:44but you know if it's showing that much even at home maybe he has lost fire maybe it's time and
06:49maybe he realizes that too and she just helped point it out to him because us old fighters hate
06:52to die right Moore said that as he steps up in weight it will provide him with more punching
06:59power I don't think that's going to put much of a scare into Felix Trinidad but will that be true
07:05you know sure he's going to punch a little better maybe he was making a weight that was
07:08uncomfortable and unhealthy for him maybe it was a weight that he just wanted to make to stay down
07:12there to fight Frankie Randall as he did but he saw what happened here you're fighting I was a
07:15borderline junior middleweight who can really punch and can box and he's really well conditioned so
07:21you know if you're going to help him that he punches harder but he's also punching with a
07:25guy who punches even harder than that so I don't know how much it's going to help him
07:29more more told us he said I know when to quit unlike other boxers he wasn't looking at you
07:35when he said that he wasn't he wasn't looking at you he was looking at Ferdy no but he says
07:40he's got things lined up he manages a an R&B rap group and all that so you know that's good to know
07:47at least he has something lined up after this and it might almost be time for him to start
07:51thinking about that every fighter's individual he's only 30 years old I've turned 34 today as
07:55a matter of fact so happy birthday thank you I still have a couple years I believe but you know
07:59I see certain things that have eroded just a little certain methods of training that need
08:03to be altered my timing's off look certain fighters have to deal with what they have in
08:07their bodies you know Sean O'Grady turned prone he's like 15 years old you can't expect him to
08:11still be going at it when he's 35 you know I turned pro when I was 18 I'm not sure why I'm
08:16still here but I'm still succeeding and Sean's only 18 now that's the amazing part he only looks
08:2118 doesn't he all right so we're waiting for the arrival of Rock and Rodney Moore and as we say it
08:26here he comes and how about a quick prediction on this but just for the record Bob well I'll tell
08:32you what Rock and Rodney Moore said to me that this fight's not going to do a decision this is
08:35going to be a bang out and I just can't envision him banging out Felix Trinidad so I have to say
08:39before we see the middle to lay around that Rodney doesn't make it okay Rock and Rodney Moore whose
08:43nickname actually has nothing to do with boxing he got it for his work as a as a DJ a disc jockey
08:48tonight his third world title shot in his last championship fight he lost by TKO to Frankie
08:54Randall for the WBA junior welterweight championship back in 1994 and here he comes
09:01with the white roll makes his way in Rock and Rodney Moore
09:11and you know what we got a moment here Bobby I'd like to talk to you a second about these
09:15prospects we keep talking about Trinidad with Randall Trinidad with Pernell you know give me
09:19your off the top of the head Randall and Trinidad how do you see it I think Randall you know it's
09:24a tough call for Randall because Randall is small he's only 140 pounds Trinidad he's a big 47 he's
09:305'10 and he's full and he's borderline junior middleweight and I think that his eventual
09:35real test will come with guys like Terry Norris and a little above him in the weight because
09:39I think except for Pernell Whitaker he might be able to dominate everything from his weight down
09:43to his power and his speed.
09:44So I think he's got a lot of potential and I think he's got a lot of potential for him.
09:49Felix Trinidad came in late so we're still awaiting his arrival. Moore told us he really
09:55respects Felix Trinidad he doesn't he doesn't play around he comes to get you out of there
09:59he'll try to hit Felix early he said he can't stand in and and trade and he knows that Felix
10:06is looking for the KO Bobby but the Moore says so am I so we could see some fists flying bombs
10:13so I think that's the attitude of Rocky Roddy Moore has the right attitude I'm gonna go in
10:15there I'm gonna put myself in a position to win I'm gonna stand him in a plant I'm gonna get my
10:19pound of flesh and take my shot he's got to at least put himself in a position to win even if
10:23it's not gonna be by decision in the long run that's not the way he sees the fight coming out
10:26he sees himself taking his shot and let's face it Trinidad's been down a few times he's shown
10:30that he's susceptible early sometimes he gets into a little little lace he gets it
10:35stranger things have happened you know Bobby but either way it's bad for him if he mixes it up
10:40And if he runs from him, he'll eat him up.
10:41Trinidad will eat up the guy running from him.
10:43So this guy's really in a hard place.
10:45He's almost reduced to what you say,
10:46take your shot, see what you can get.
10:48And you know, get your pound of flesh
10:50and hope that Trinidad backs off of him.
10:52He gets paid the same if he loses in one or two
10:54as he does in 10 or 12.
10:56Well, Moore is tough.
10:57He's come off the canvas to win.
10:59He fought valiantly, although he lost to Frankie Rattle
11:03for the title in 94, the WBA junior welterweight title.
11:06Taking that fight on short notice.
11:08He told us something interesting.
11:11The thing about his wife not seeing the fire
11:13in his eyes anymore as far as the boxing is concerned.
11:17And we'll see what happens after tonight.
11:21Trinidad said that he'd love to unify the title,
11:24fight them all in a row.
11:25He really wants Purnell Whitaker.
11:26He thinks he can knock out Terry Norris
11:29after he gets by this guy here,
11:30Rockin' Rodney Moore, sometime in the future.
11:32And really feels he could be better at super welterweight.
11:36I'd love to see him fight Frankie Randle.
11:38Frankie Randle's had maybe the longest bad luck streak
11:41I've ever seen of any fighter that's as good as he is.
11:43I mean, what happened to him with Chavez
11:45and now what happened to him with Koshy.
11:47I mean, I'd really like to see a big fight for Frankie.
11:50And I think Frankie and Trinidad
11:52would be a great fight to look at.
11:54I think Trinidad would dominate in the end,
11:56but what a fight to look at while it goes.
11:58Because Frankie can fight.
12:00Well, Frankie's a good fighter, no question about it.
12:02And the golden rule has been,
12:04albeit with certain exceptions,
12:05the good big man beats the good smaller man moving up
12:08and he's just bigger, big does count in boxing.
12:11Well, this has got to be rough, Bobby.
12:13I don't know if you've ever been in a position
12:15where you've been the first person in the ring
12:18and you just got to wait and wait.
12:20Finally, here comes Felix Trinidad.
12:21That can't be fun.
12:22I've been there, but you know, it's funny
12:24because when I come to the arena,
12:25they'll say if the fight starts at 1030,
12:27we want the main event there by 830, nine o'clock.
12:30I'm there at 630.
12:31I'm right there a couple of hours.
12:32You know what?
12:33It doesn't bother me.
12:34I don't care.
12:34I know where I'm walking to my destiny.
12:36I've done what I've had to do.
12:37If I have to wait a minute or an hour,
12:38it's just the same to me,
12:39but some fighters get really aggravated.
12:43Trinidad has had just five fights in the last two years.
12:45The year before that, in 93, he had six fights.
12:48Felix Trinidad won the IBF Welterweight Championship
12:51in his first world title attempt
12:53with a devastating second round knockout
12:55of two-time world champion Maurice Blocker.
12:57And at the time, Trinidad was only 20.
13:00He has since defended the crown seven times
13:02with wins over Luis Garcia, Anthony Stevens,
13:04Hector Camacho, Yoriboy Compass.
13:07That was a war.
13:08Obakar, Roger Turner, and Larry Barnes.
13:11He went down early against Compass and Carr,
13:13as you guys were talking about, and came back.
13:15Set you up.
13:16Many people don't, if they do get up against Compass,
13:19it's all over, because this guy's a great, great.
13:21You don't understand what an accomplishment it was.
13:22I followed him so far, and I thought that was great
13:26for him to be able to overcome.
13:27Trinidad says it's because he's in great condition.
13:30He's able to go down and come back
13:32and finish with a flurry.
13:34Let's check the numerical breakdown
13:35as we go to the tail of the tape.
13:36At 23, Trinidad is seven years younger than Moore.
13:40One inch height advantage for Trinidad.
13:42The weight is even at the 147 limit,
13:44and Moore with a three inch reach advantage.
13:46And the IBF rules for this championship fight,
13:4810 point bus system, three scoring judges,
13:50no three knockdown rule, no standing eight count.
13:53Only the referee can stop the fight.
13:55The bell cannot save a fighter in any round.
13:58And if there's an accidental foul
13:59before the end of the sixth round,
14:00the fighters rule the technical draw.
14:01And if it happens after the end of the sixth,
14:03they go to the cards.
14:05So here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas,
14:08closing in on our main event,
14:09the IBF Welterweight Championship,
14:11let's get the official introductions
14:12from our ring announcer, the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.
14:18Ladies and gentlemen,
14:19before we continue our action at this time,
14:21we ask for your attention for a very solemn moment
14:24as we pause to recognize the passing
14:27of one of the big names of boxing.
14:30Just last week,
14:31cancer claimed the life of one of the great promoters
14:35of our time, Dan Duva.
14:37At this time, ladies and gentlemen,
14:39we ask for your silence as our timekeeper tolls 10,
14:43as we remember the Duva family
14:46and pay tribute to Dan Duva.
14:4910, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, time.
15:11Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
15:13May God rest his soul.
15:16Well, fans, as always on Showtime Championship Boxing,
15:20a donation will be made by Showtime Networks
15:23and Don King Productions
15:25to the United Negro College Fund,
15:27the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund,
15:30and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
15:33This donation will be made
15:35in the name of the fighter of the night,
15:38who will be selected by an expert panel of judges
15:42at the conclusion of tonight's action.
15:47♪♪
15:50Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to the Grand Garden
15:55here at the world's largest hotel, casino, and theme park,
15:59the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada,
16:01for our featured bout of the evening,
16:04brought to you by Don King Productions
16:06and the MGM Grand.
16:09This bout coming your way is sanctioned
16:11by the International Boxing Federation.
16:13The president, Robert Lee Sr.,
16:15supervisor, Robert Lee Jr.
16:18Along with the Nevada State Athletic Commission,
16:20the chairman is Dr. James Nave.
16:22Commissioners, Nat Karasaly, Dr. Elias Ghanem,
16:25Luther Mack, and Crispin Rivera.
16:28The executive director, Mark Ratner.
16:31Our physicians at ringside, Dr. James Game,
16:33Dr. William Berliner, and Dr. Gino Signorino.
16:36Time keepers at the bell also keeping count
16:38of the knockdowns, Jane Broadfoot and Mike Lasella.
16:42Introducing to you the judges,
16:44scoring this title bout from ringside,
16:47Glenn Hamada, Dave Moretti, and Jerry Roth.
16:53All right, fans, here we go
16:55with the main event of the evening.
16:58And now, ladies and gentlemen in attendance
17:00and boxing fans joining us around the world,
17:04it's showtime!
17:07With the IBF welterweight championship of the world
17:11scheduled for 12 rounds of boxing,
17:13our referee in charge working in this
17:15is 26th world championship bout, Mitch Halpern.
17:21Introducing to you first, ladies and gentlemen,
17:23the challenger on my right,
17:25fighting out of the blue corner.
17:28He enters the ring wearing white trunks with black trim,
17:31fighting out of and representing
17:34the fight town of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
17:38He weighed in at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.
17:43And his record stands at 37 wins,
17:46nine losses, and two draws,
17:48with 19 wins coming by way of knockout.
17:52Please welcome tonight's challenger,
17:54making his third attempt at a world title,
17:56ranked the IBF number eight welterweight contender.
18:00Introducing Rockin' Rodney Moore!
18:06Ladies, six no tricks!
18:08No tricks, baby!
18:09Ladies, six no tricks!
18:10And his opponent across the ring on my left
18:13is the defending world champion,
18:15fighting out of the red corner.
18:16He is wearing multi-color trunks
18:19and fighting out of Cupe Alto, Puerto Rico.
18:23He weighed in the same as his opponent
18:25at 147 pounds even.
18:28He is unbeaten in his campaign in the ring
18:31with 27 wins, no losses,
18:3423 big wins coming by way of knockout.
18:38Here is one of the young stars of boxing today,
18:41making the eighth defensivest title.
18:43Introducing the undefeated IBF welterweight champion
18:47of the world, the elite,
18:50Vito Trinidad!
18:54Once again, here's our referee in charge,
19:01Mitch Halpern, now to give instructions.
19:08All right, I've already got the instructions addressed.
19:10I expect a good, clean fight.
19:11I'll obey my commands at all times.
19:14Good luck to both of you.
19:14Any questions?
19:15All right, touch gloves, let's go.
19:18The final instructions from referee Mitch Halpern
19:20here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas,
19:23getting set for our main event,
19:24the IBF welterweight championship.
19:27Felix Trinidad, this is the man
19:28most everybody came here to see.
19:30He says, I've always wanted to be a champion.
19:33I've always wanted to be a champion.
19:35I've always wanted to be a champion.
19:36He says, I've always wanted to be a headliner.
19:39This is my time to shine.
19:41From Cupe Alto, Puerto Rico,
19:44the undefeated Felix Trinidad, 27-0 with 23 knockouts.
19:48He is the IBF welterweight champion,
19:51and he'll be facing Rockin' Rodney Moore,
19:53ranked eighth in the IBF, 37-9-2 with 19 KOs.
19:59And as for tonight, Trinidad told us
20:03he has good respect for Rodney Moore,
20:06good boxer, good defensive fighter,
20:07but that he really doesn't pay attention
20:09to his opponent's weakness.
20:10He just goes out and does his thing.
20:12He has been careless early in fights,
20:15but he is a tremendous puncher with either hand.
20:18Good boxer, sometimes a tough starter,
20:21but a very good finisher
20:22when he gets an opponent in trouble.
20:24You know, something that Rodney said
20:25that he wanted to address was that
20:26he was also the same height as Trinidad,
20:28and that he wouldn't have a leverage disadvantage,
20:30but we'll see what he does with him now.
20:33Let me tell you, look at him.
20:33Does it look like they're the same size to you?
20:36Trinidad looks like half a head taller than he is.
20:39Not only that, he looks like he's half a head whiter.
20:41Yeah, right.
20:42He just looks thicker and stronger.
20:44And half a mile faster.
20:46Seven first round knockouts for Felix Trinidad.
20:49A total of just 107 rounds in 27 fights.
20:54Trinidad in the multicolored trunks, Moore in the white.
20:57And Trinidad comes forward, a straight right.
21:02Trinidad's very patient in these opening rounds.
21:04That's why he gets knocked down.
21:05He just kind of takes his time getting started.
21:08Once the action heats up in the second round or so,
21:10he seems to have figured it out,
21:11and then he goes on a rampage.
21:14He said, despite going down against
21:15Obakar and Yuri Boy Kampis,
21:17he's never been seriously hurt,
21:19but he did admit, and understandably so,
21:21that Kampis hit him the hardest.
21:23You can see Moore trying to sting him
21:24with that right hand a couple of times
21:25with the counter there again.
21:27Another miss.
21:28He took his time coming out.
21:29He didn't jump in and run after him,
21:31you know, just wild or anything like that.
21:33But he is making sure he's careful,
21:36and he's being smart.
21:37He's not doing anything silly,
21:38but he's not landing either.
21:41Wild swing and a miss by Moore.
21:45But a nice counter by Trinidad.
21:48Trinidad makes you pay when you miss.
21:50He doesn't let you get by without any,
21:52without having a little reminder
21:54of the power that he's got.
21:56Moore told us this thing's not going 12 rounds.
21:58It's gonna be a puncher's fight.
21:59He said, I can't tap-tap.
22:01I've got a punch with authority.
22:02I'm looking to sting him with my right hand.
22:04He thinks Trinidad is susceptible to the right hand.
22:07And he says, I'm taking this fight like it's my last.
22:11And also by firing up a couple of those haymakers,
22:13he's made Trinidad be a little more wary of,
22:15you know, coming in himself.
22:17He's gotta watch the big punch of the haymakers
22:18and not get slapped.
22:21But I think everybody tries to fight him this way.
22:23The first round, they try to land something hard,
22:25and Trinidad's seen it all.
22:27I mean, now at this stage of his career,
22:29he's ready for no surprises.
22:31He's ready to just take them as they come.
22:33And you see the elusive defense of Trinidad as well.
22:36Great side-to-side movement.
22:38Trinidad hasn't even broken a sweat.
22:41Not so sure that's good or bad.
22:43It is very warm in here.
22:46Soft punches there by Trinidad.
22:49Focusing around.
22:49Kind of find your punches.
22:51Kind of, where are you?
22:52Let me zero in punches.
22:54Yeah, he's looking for his range right now.
22:55Now trying to dig their body a little bit.
22:57You just saw a moment ago,
22:58but he's looking for his range.
22:59He's looking for his timing.
23:01He's looking for his timing,
23:02but not really very active right now.
23:04End of round one.
23:05We'll follow Felix into his corner.
23:07You hear the crowd reaction.
23:08Felix is straighter as his dad, Felix Sr.
23:11What are we doing?
23:14We're not going to stop.
23:16When he's getting ready to go down,
23:19try to see if we can get through those punches
23:22without going too far.
23:23So he can take advantage of the moment.
23:25Okay?
23:27We're good.
23:28He said, don't get too far.
23:30You're within range.
23:31So when he misses, you make him pay.
23:33You're doing all right.
23:34Just keep that distance.
23:36Just like you got.
23:37They're very happy with what happened in the first round.
23:39Well, they should be.
23:40He won it easy.
23:41We're good.
23:42We're good in the fight.
23:43Hands up.
23:44Okay, let's go, man.
23:45Wake up.
23:47Get up there, man.
23:47You're in shape, baby.
23:49You've come this far, baby.
23:50You're in shape.
23:50Okay.
23:51All right.
23:52You got to get past this one.
23:54Okay?
23:56Get past this one and go to work.
24:01Mentioned in round one that Trinidad is not even coming
24:05close to perspiring here.
24:06And it may be because he came late with the Morrison
24:11situation, having to pull out of the fight car.
24:16Well, just a handful of punches landed in round number one.
24:20Not much happened in the crowd booing at the end of the round.
24:23Now Trinidad coming forward, but Moore able to escape.
24:27So what Trinidad's going to probably try and do here now
24:28is establish that he's the stronger of the fighters,
24:31that he can move more when he wants to,
24:33and that'll put Moore immediately on the defensive.
24:36Moore usually boxes early in fights.
24:38That's his history.
24:39Then he really gets into it.
24:40Early in his career, he ran a lot,
24:41but then he ran out of gas.
24:43Now he's more of a boxer-puncher.
24:44He can mix it up and go to the body,
24:46but he's being extra, extra careful
24:48with the champion, Trinidad.
24:52He almost has a worried look on his face.
24:55His countenance is one of preoccupation.
24:58It's like, I'm waiting for something big to land.
24:59What's it going to feel like?
25:00That's the feeling he gave us.
25:02He did an R-top with him yesterday.
25:05You know, you got the feeling it was going to be
25:06maybe a barn burner for two or three,
25:08and then fold it up as you may.
25:10You know, whoever lands the big bombs,
25:12and obviously Trinidad's expected to do that by everybody.
25:15So he's fighting basically a smart fight right now,
25:17but he's got to get off a little more.
25:18He's got to be more effective with the countenance.
25:20Moore does have a good jab.
25:22We haven't seen much of it.
25:24He's gained stamina over the years.
25:25It's a wild swing and a miss.
25:27A wild swing and a miss again by Moore with the right hook.
25:30He went from a stick-and-move stylist to a knockout artist.
25:33Had just eight knockouts in 29 fights before 1990.
25:37Eight knockouts in 15 fights since.
25:41Halfway through the second round.
25:50So many great fighters over the years
25:52come out of the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia.
25:56Where would you rank Rodney Moore?
25:59On the outskirts.
26:00Way on the outskirts.
26:02Camden?
26:03Way out there.
26:04Don't mention him with those animals
26:06that I knew from Philadelphia.
26:07Whoa, those are fighters.
26:09Fearful people come out of Philadelphia.
26:11And where they come out of in droves is Puerto Rico,
26:14because they produce beautiful champions in Puerto Rico.
26:17You see Trinidad's zeroing in on the body now.
26:19He's trying to work from both sides.
26:20Right hands around, left hooks underneath.
26:23Trying to work the body to get the legs out
26:24and get him under Rodney Moore.
26:26Come on, give it up.
26:28Mitch Halpert instructing Felix Trinidad
26:30to keep the punches up.
26:31A little low there.
26:35Now Trinidad is getting the range.
26:38He just now has moved in
26:40to where he feels like he can punch heavy.
26:46That was a nice thought by Moore.
26:49Punched with a lot of evil intentions
26:51in the first real hard punches.
26:52And that was executed against the cat-like quickness
26:55of Felix Trinidad.
26:56Trinidad's fighting smart.
26:57He's not wasting any energy.
26:59He's doing what he's got to do.
27:05And again, the crowd reacts.
27:10You understand?
27:11You know what we've been working on all this time?
27:12Three together, hold your head back.
27:14Hold down, deep breath, deep breath.
27:16Hold down, push it.
27:18You understand what I'm saying?
27:18You put three together.
27:20You give me two punches at a time, it's no good, okay?
27:22When you make a miss, you got to make them pay.
27:23He's right there when you make a miss.
27:25When you slip, you should come right with the double hook.
27:27Let's turn it right there, bam, bam, okay?
27:29Slow it up and make sure you connect.
27:31You're brushing your punches.
27:32You understand what I'm saying?
27:33Don't rush your punches.
27:34Make sure they connect, all right?
27:36You got to step into them sometime
27:37when you want to hit them.
27:38You're too far away.
27:39When you're getting ready to punch,
27:40step right into them and fire and get the hell out of you.
27:42Okay, deep breath.
27:43Come on, baby.
27:52He's telling him, don't step back from him.
27:54Stay right there when you punch.
27:55You got the range down.
27:56Now load up on the punches.
27:58Basically what we were seeing right before the end,
28:01when he gets close enough and he looks like,
28:02well, now I can start to unload.
28:04And of course, that's what they told him in the corner.
28:06Now that you're there, start letting go.
28:08Round three, here's a time call by Mitch Halpern.
28:11There's some too much fast lean above the nose there,
28:14on the bridge of the nose.
28:15Let's go.
28:16Let me see, let me see, let me see.
28:18No, hey, come here, come here.
28:19I want to flatten out on the nose.
28:21Flatten it out.
28:22Flatten it out.
28:23Let's go, let's go.
28:26All right, here we go.
28:27Moore still being very cautious
28:29due to Trinidad's vaunted power.
28:31You heard Marvin Garris in the corner
28:32of Rock and Rodney Moore.
28:35Well, you try every trick that you can think of
28:37against a guy like Felix Trinidad,
28:39and if that includes a lot of Vaseline on the face,
28:41so be it.
28:42Try to get away with it.
28:43And it was on the bridge of the nose,
28:44which Felix would have straightened out for him
28:46in about two jabs.
28:47I mean, that would have been gone.
28:48Yeah, I'm not sure that was going to be
28:49a whole lot of help for any of them.
28:52You can try anything here.
28:57It's the second punch that Felix let fly
28:59that was a little low, got a warning from the referee,
29:01but that left hook is starting to find its place.
29:08Trinidad whacks with the left hook,
29:11but that was pretty well guarded by Rock and Rodney Moore.
29:14The chopping shot missing with the left is Trinidad.
29:20And that is missing, those killer shots.
29:22He's trying too hard.
29:23He's loading up, and he's missing.
29:23Loading up just a bit too much.
29:25Yeah, he's loading up on him.
29:26It's not like him.
29:28He's trying to end this thing in one punch.
29:30See that?
29:31That's not like him.
29:33It doesn't look good, and it's not like him.
29:35No, he's a worker.
29:37He likes to work, he likes to throw the combinations
29:38and start to add punches, two, three, four, five, together.
29:42Now he's just looking for that big right hand.
29:44Oh, there's a good body shot by Felix Trinidad.
29:47That's money in the bank.
29:49That's that Chavez shot to the side.
29:53Trinidad has been showing a lot more maturity
29:55with each passing fight.
29:58Again, body shot, but a little low there
30:00for the tastes of Mitch Helpern.
30:04Come on.
30:05And Rodney Moore complaining.
30:06He's got a lot of work to do.
30:08He's got a lot of work to do.
30:09He's got a lot of work to do.
30:11He's got a lot of work to do.
30:12And Rodney Moore complaining.
30:15Left hook there by Rodney Moore.
30:17He comes back.
30:18See, he's already complaining about the side.
30:19There it is again.
30:22Complaining to Mitch Helpern and Rodney Moore,
30:24but Trinidad goes right back to the body.
30:27Tell you what, though, the belt is legal,
30:29so anything on the belt is borderline,
30:31but it's still legal.
30:32It's like the foul line, it's a fair ball.
30:35Keep it up, Rodney, come on, keep it up.
30:39Now Mitch Helpern just telling Rodney Moore
30:41to keep the punches up.
30:44Well, I don't know if you can hear it,
30:45but over our shoulder, the corner said, hit him back low.
30:48Less than 30 seconds to go in the third round,
30:51and they're starting to get a little foul plagued here.
30:55Oh, straight right hand by Trinidad.
30:57Flash on the face.
30:58He actually landed it on the shoulder.
30:59He glanced right over his joint,
31:00hit him in the shoulder.
31:01Did it really?
31:02Mason, Rodney, the Mason.
31:04That one, right on the face, though, by Trinidad.
31:08Mason, right there.
31:10Right there, right there.
31:12Final seconds, round three.
31:17Right hand, straight lead by Moore.
31:19Nice punch, but he didn't follow it up.
31:21As the bell sounded.
31:24Let's see how rockin' Rodney is.
31:27If he doin' that, what you gonna do, huh?
31:29This is a real, this is for real, okay?
31:31This is for real.
31:32Now remember, when you duckin',
31:32the man's right there to be had.
31:34He just pullin' out there.
31:35When he duckin', he squattin' out,
31:36that's when he's there to be had.
31:38When you make a miss, you gotta fire.
31:41Like we tellin' you in the gym,
31:42ain't no just movin' and gettin' away.
31:43He's there for you to fire on.
31:45You put three punches together on him, man.
31:48Three punches together.
31:49Let's take a look at these body shots
31:49that are having such a devastating effect on Moore.
31:52See, that's like Bobby said, right on the belt.
31:54He went up ahead, but he missed on top.
31:56Bobby, those things are landing right at the belt.
31:58Yeah, now you watch, see the right hand, too.
32:01He's throwin' them both.
32:02He throw the left hook low, he throw the right hand,
32:04but he watched the right hand on his,
32:05dead in the middle of the chin.
32:07That one was in the middle of the chin.
32:08That's a good thing that Moore was going back
32:12with that punch.
32:13Had he been coming forward and got hit like that,
32:15he'd have been in our lap.
32:16Brett Jenkins really taken over there
32:18in the corner of Rodney Moore.
32:20And now it's round four.
32:23Once again, his trainer's tellin' him,
32:24he's right there to hit.
32:25Hit him, don't back up, don't back off.
32:27Get your pound of flesh, put yourself in a position
32:29to have a shot at winning.
32:30It's the only way to go.
32:33Well, right now, all he's doing,
32:34he's fighting a survival fight.
32:35It doesn't look like he's got a winning thought
32:37in his mind.
32:38Right now, it's, how can I survive this?
32:41Moore's third world title shot.
32:44His first as a welterweight.
32:46He's 37, nine and two with 19 knockouts.
32:49Ranked number eight by the IBF.
32:51Again, punches down low.
32:54Not too flagrant, though, I don't know.
32:58Now, Moore going to the body with a left hook,
33:00a short, crisp punch.
33:01He's blood for the left nostril of Moore.
33:02There's a low blow by Owens, though.
33:05Low blow.
33:06That was very low.
33:07That was low.
33:09That was under the belt and on the cuff.
33:13There's blood on the nose of Rocking Robert.
33:16He's had both nostrils, a little bit of blood.
33:18He's gotten connected several times
33:21with good straight right hands.
33:23Turned it at beginning to smell that the hunt is over.
33:27Yeah, those pounds of power are now taking their toll
33:29on Rocking Robert's body,
33:31and now, right now, it's on his face, too.
33:33Yeah, Rocking Rodney is getting rocked.
33:36The accumulative effect
33:37of Felix Trinidad's body punches,
33:39like that one just there, that left hook to the ribs.
33:42Blood from the nose of Rocking Rodney Moore,
33:45who has to backpedal, the onrushing Trinidad.
33:48Now, with some head fakes, Trinidad in total command.
33:50Oh, down to one knee, is Moore.
33:53Yeah, he's been complaining of the ribs.
33:56That rib shot will take your legs out from under you.
33:59Not a pretty knockdown, not pretty at all.
34:01Fans don't like it.
34:03He gets up on nine.
34:04He tells Mitch Halpern he's all right,
34:06bounces around, and here he comes again.
34:08You know, the only problem I have with fighters
34:10is stay down to nine.
34:11When you jump up, suppose you slip.
34:12That's it, you're done.
34:14Get up at six, if you can.
34:15Take the rest in.
34:16Will he survive the final minute of round four?
34:21It's that side that's doing the damage.
34:24Those blows to the ribs on the side are just caving him in.
34:27There, that's it, right there.
34:30There, that's it again.
34:33Moore fighting back, it says, come on, he's tough, isn't he?
34:36Well, he wants it.
34:37He's got guts.
34:38You know, maybe he's doing what he's doing, too,
34:40is to try and give himself a little momentum,
34:41psyche himself a little.
34:43Well, he has to, because this way is a one-way beating.
34:45He might as well fight back and try to get lucky.
34:48Just protecting his ribs now
34:49from the shots of Felix Trinidad.
34:52There's the end.
34:53Moore is punching back, but he's missing.
34:57Felix is too strong and basically he's too talented,
34:59but his strength is such a big factor
35:02that he can take him and take him down,
35:03and he's a borderline junior middleweight.
35:05Oh, and a soul tear, and he goes down for the second time.
35:09Three, four, five, six.
35:13He would do well to stay down.
35:14He goes, this is a hopeless fight for him.
35:17He gets up on nine again.
35:19Second knockdown this round.
35:21You wanna keep going?
35:22Keep your hands up, let's go.
35:23He's wild now.
35:24Let's go.
35:25But he says, I wanna keep going, as the bell sounds.
35:31How you doing, man?
35:32Come on, son.
35:33How you doing?
35:34How you feeling?
35:35You know, we got the triple.
35:36We got the triple.
35:37Randy, Randy, how are you?
35:38Randy.
35:39OK.
35:40Talk to me.
35:41How you doing?
35:42How you doing?
35:43How you feeling?
35:44You want to continue?
35:46You kept hitting me down the fucking side, man.
35:49You want to continue?
35:50Listen to me.
35:51Let me ask you one question.
35:52You can give me one more round.
35:54Here is the knockdown.
35:57First one, and it's a product of,
36:00that was a product of a punch to the side.
36:04We get a little better look at it.
36:06He just pushes Rodney back.
36:07He's using his strength, and he digs right up underneath.
36:09And I think it was cumulative there.
36:11That wasn't the cleanest one he'd thrown.
36:12He had landed several before.
36:14And the last one was three shots up.
36:18Yeah, they're stopping this fight.
36:20And for a good reason.
36:22I think Rodney didn't want any more.
36:24He said so.
36:25And while we were watching the replays,
36:27they were discussing stopping the hostilities, which they did.
36:31There was no problem there.
36:33The doctor did a wise thing.
36:35Yes, it is all over.
36:37And Felix Trinidad retains his IVF Welterweight Championship.
36:40Two knockdowns in the fourth round.
36:42They came over, and they saw that that was enough for Rock and Rodney Moore.
36:48Unable to continue after four rounds.
36:52Felix Trinidad with greetings.
36:54Here's Rock and Rodney Moore.
36:55The ref went trying to help you out.
36:58Moore now drops to 37-10-2.
37:01And Felix Trinidad goes to 28-0 with 24 by way of knockout at the age of 23.
37:08Another defense of the title.
37:13Let's take a look at that last knockdown again.
37:15You know, Rodney Moore is being pushed and beaten up on.
37:18His body is getting hurt by the power and the strength.
37:20And right here you see this is, again, these aren't the most devastating of shots.
37:23That one's a little glancing, but he throws a nice left uppercut right in here.
37:26It glances off his temple.
37:27And, you know, it's cumulative effect.
37:29He's hitting him, he's hitting him, he's hitting him.
37:31And the shots hurt.
37:32Felix can punch.
37:33His eighth defense of the title.
37:35Let's take another look.
37:36Again, Rodney's going backwards.
37:38He's in a defensive semi-survival mode.
37:40A good clean left hook there that partially blocked that left right there.
37:44You know, it's deceiving, but you get hit in the side of the temple like that.
37:47A lot of things happening there.
37:48You saw his legs were not very steady underneath him.
37:51Trinidad with an easy, relaxed style, but he can turn it up in a hurry.
37:54As we see one more time, that left hook was flush even though it was partially blocked by the glove.
37:58The punches are going, some of them are actually going through those gloves
38:01and there's damage and repercussions and concussion from it.
38:04So, Rodney just outgunned today.
38:07So Trinidad pouring on the pressure in round number four.
38:11Putting Moore on the canvas two times.
38:13Moore getting up both times on the count of nine.
38:16But then on the final, he wobbled to his corner and that was it.
38:21Let's get the official time from our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr.
38:27Ladies and gentlemen, at the end of round number four,
38:31our referee in charge, Mitch Halpern, stops the contest on advice of the corner.
38:36The winner by way of technical knockout, he is still undefeated
38:41and still the IBF welterweight champion of the world,
38:46Felix Trinidad.
38:52So Felix Trinidad exalts, makes his eighth defense of the IBF welterweight title.
38:59Ups his record to 28-0 with 24 knockouts.
39:03Easy work of Rockin' Rodney Moore.
39:07His third try at a world championship, his first as a welterweight.
39:13Trinidad continues to soar.
39:15He makes it look effortless, too, because he's just so put together so well.
39:19He's got the good boxing skills.
39:20You know, his chin, people have questioned.
39:22But every time he gets up, that's when trouble usually starts.
39:25And here, Rockin' Rodney Moore tried to fire that right hand,
39:27but he telegraphed it quite a bit.
39:28Didn't really catch him.
39:29Tried and wanted to, but was just, again, he was outgunned.
39:32The strength was just so difficult.
39:34Trinidad in complete control.
39:35He didn't go down in this fight whatsoever.
39:38So we're ready for post-fight envies.
39:39Let's go to the ring and the fight doctor, Ferdie Pacheco.
39:42Felix, pensaba que iba a ser tan fácil.
39:44Did you think it was going to be this easy?
39:55Yeah, he said he's a good fighter, but I was in good condition,
39:58and I felt that it would be over easy.
40:05Do you want to keep on fighting right as soon as you're through?
40:13All right, he says he wants to keep busy,
40:15wants to keep acting, go to the big fights.
40:17We're going to look at the replays.
40:20Those knockdowns.
40:24All right.
40:34He said the first one was the shots to the side,
40:39but that replay looked like that was uppercuts.
40:50See, those are the three uppercuts that did him in.
40:53Felix, what you were talking about was the side punches.
40:56What he thought finished the fight was the left hooks.
40:59The left hooks were devastating,
41:01and that's what he thought won him the fight.
41:08Bueno, sÃ, la pelea que yo quiero,
41:10la pelea que todo el mundo quiere,
41:12es la pelea con Penal Whitaker.
41:14Yo espero que esa pelea ya se dé para Jujuy,
41:17para que Jujuy pueda ganar,
41:19para que Jujuy pueda ganar,
41:21para que Jujuy pueda ganar.
41:23Yo espero que esa pelea ya se dé para julio, junio, julio.
41:28Quiero pelear ya con él.
41:30He wants to get it on with Penal Whitaker June and July.
41:33He's willing to fight while he's waiting repeatedly
41:36to keep himself in shape,
41:37but he wants Penal Whitaker and he wants him real bad.
41:39He wants him for June and July.
41:41We will talk with Don King when we come back
41:44after talking to Steve.
41:46All right, thank you, Ferdy. Appreciate it.
41:48Well, what's left for Felix Trinidad to prove?
41:51I think of Rockin' Rodney Moore.
41:53He's got to get in there now with Penal Whitaker
41:55or Frankie Randall or Ike Corte
41:57or maybe even Terry North.
41:58As we said on top of the show,
41:59you probably weren't going to be able to judge
42:01just how great he can be.
42:02Penal Whitaker, tremendous judge.
42:04Maybe the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
42:06The only one to contest that right now.
42:08Also Roy Jones Jr.
42:09He's too big for Trinidad,
42:11but I'll tell you, Ike Corte, also a good fighter.
42:13He needs to unify.
42:14If he can do that, he'll be a standout.
42:16This really isn't a good yardstick
42:18by which to measure Felix Trinidad tonight.
42:20I mean, Rocky Rodney Moore is a good fighter.
42:24That's easy for me to say, right?
42:26But he's not in the class of Felix Trinidad.
42:28No, he's a good fighter, and he's, you know,
42:30had a nice career, but you're looking at
42:32a potentially all-time great welterweight fighter.
42:36He has the ability. He's young enough.
42:38He does everything so very well.
42:40There's no upside him.
42:42He may beat himself someday, but no one else right now.
42:44I told Felix yesterday in our meeting,
42:46if he does get into the ring eventually
42:48with Terry Norris, terrible Terry Norris,
42:50to be most careful after the bell rings.
42:53I think that's pretty good advice.
42:54Yeah, that's not bad advice.
42:55Terry's got the rage under control, though, right now.
42:57Okay, all right.
42:58Hopefully having the rage under control
43:00is the fight, Dr. Ferdy Pacheco.
43:02Let's go back to Doc.
43:04All right, we're up in the ring with Don King,
43:07who has just heard the challenge.
43:08He wants to fight Bernal Whitaker.
43:10You're the man that makes the matches.
43:11Is that possible?
43:12I certainly hope so.
43:13I know that they've been having to hand the subterfuges in.
43:16Don King has been the impediment or the obstacle
43:18in the way of him fighting Bernal Whitaker.
43:20That is not so.
43:21We'll fight Bernal Whitaker anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
43:23And I said that to HBO last night that he's ready to go.
43:27He's ready to fight him or Ike Quartey
43:29or he want to fight Terry Norris, too,
43:31but he wants to move up.
43:32When he move up to fight Terry Norris,
43:34he don't want to come back down,
43:35so he want to take care of the 147-pound business now.
43:38Bernal Whitaker, where are you?
43:40Don't let them keep on taking your manhood from you
43:42and hiding behind shades and facades.
43:44Come on out and fight the guy, and let's get it on.
43:47Well, they keep claiming there's two different entities here,
43:50but you had a great solution a moment ago, you told me.
43:52Yes, we'll fight one on Showtime, one on HBO,
43:55one on HBO, one on Showtime.
43:56I think the Showtime fighters are the best fighters in the world,
43:59and I think they'll beat any fighter that's fighting for HBO.
44:01So how do you get it on?
44:03You make them fight each other.
44:04Let's cut out the politics and all that stuff
44:06and let these guys fight.
44:07You say you want the public to have the best fight?
44:09Let's give it to them.
44:10We at Showtime know we have the greatest champions in the world,
44:13and we can't prove that until we can knock off the HBO champions
44:16so we're ready to take them on.
44:18So if they're not afraid, come on out from behind the curtain
44:21and play in that subterfuge in that charlatan game
44:23and come on and fight, Bertie.
44:25I think that's about as fair as I can know
44:27you can lay down a gauntlet in boxing.
44:29Let's go down to Steve a moment who's got a guest with him.
44:32Yeah, I think you recognize this guy to my right,
44:34the former heavyweight champ of the world,
44:36fellow by the name of Mike Tyson,
44:37who's in training for Frank Bruno for the WBC
44:40heavyweight championship on March 16th
44:42here in Las Vegas.
44:43How are you feeling physically right now?
44:45Absolutely great.
44:46How about the hand?
44:47I know that was a question, obviously.
44:49It had to postpone the first fight with Buster.
44:51How about right now? Everything 100%?
44:53Everything's going well.
44:54I'm just looking forward to March 16th.
44:56You've had less than four rounds of preparation in your two fights
44:59to get ready for this championship.
45:01Is that enough for you?
45:03Well, it's irrelevant at this particular point.
45:06I'm here and I'm prepared.
45:08He's here to defend his title. I'm here to take it.
45:11And I'm going to have it.
45:13Mike, given the quality of opponents that you've had
45:16in your comeback, the first two,
45:18how do you measure your progress right now?
45:21Well, the first fight was basically just
45:24a feeling of progress as far as getting back into the ring
45:28and getting more acquainted with the atmosphere of the fight game.
45:31And the second fight was, as you know, to a higher caliber.
45:35And I'm just confident I'm going to do well this fight on March 16th.
45:39If you get by Frank Bruno on March 16th.
45:42When I get by Frank Bruno, yes.
45:44He can be intimidating.
45:46Assuming you get by Frank Bruno on March 16th,
45:49what's next for you?
45:51Would you like to go for the WBA title and Bruce Seldin
45:53or the IVF and both?
45:55Well, I take each one fight at a time.
45:57This particular moment, my focus is on Frank Bruno.
46:00And as I said before, I refuse to be beaten.
46:03I have to have this belt.
46:06Did he hurt you in the first fight back in 1989?
46:09Well, if he hurt me, I'm sure I hurt him more than he hurt me
46:13because I came out victorious.
46:16What about the fact that Mr. Bruno is out for revenge?
46:19Well, that's good. That's good.
46:21I'm just all praises be to God.
46:23I'm just happy that I'm having the opportunity to fight for the title.
46:27And I look forward to doing well.
46:29And I'll come out victorious.
46:31On March 16th. All right, Mike, we really appreciate you taking the time.
46:33Thanks for stopping by.
46:35Thanks for talking about him, Mike Tyson.
46:37And let's say hello once again to Bobby Chez.
46:40And, Bobby, your final thoughts on the Tommy Morrison situation.
46:43Very strange. The thing was canceled late this afternoon.
46:47Well, when I talk to Tony Holden again, and here are some of the problems.
46:52Nobody wants to say anything very specific.
46:55Right now, they want to go back and review the tests.
46:57A, make sure the tests are correct, but no one's telling me
46:59what the tests are actually saying.
47:01But what the tests are saying in essence is that
47:04Tommy Morrison is indefinitely suspended.
47:06They're going to go back and review these tests.
47:08And they're going to talk about things there.
47:10He knows why he's been suspended.
47:12Tony was a little vague, you know, as we were talking in the ring.
47:15He knows why he's suspended. No one wants to talk about it right now.
47:18They want to go back and regroup. They want to think about things.
47:20They want to see exactly what's what.
47:22Make sure the tests are accurate for starters.
47:24Because he seems a bit confused right now, according to Tony Holden.
47:27Bobby, what kind of tests are you talking about here?
47:29Medical tests is all he would give me.
47:32They're very quiet.
47:34Everybody's very quiet about it and very closed mouth.
47:36Everybody's, I guess, worried about a lot of different things.
47:39And I hate to speculate.
47:41Right now, it puts us in a frustrating situation and position
47:44because, obviously, he was going to fight a couple hours ago.
47:46I was downstairs talking to him, shaking hands.
47:49Big, strong, looked like he was ready to go.
47:51But he's medically unfit for whatever reason,
47:53based on the tests that the state took,
47:55whichever tests they were.
47:57And they need to be now reviewed to make sure that they're accurate
47:59to start with in the first place.
48:02Confusion.
48:03Yeah, really. It rains.
48:04Thank you very much, Bobby.
48:06Well, recapping the opening fight,
48:07the first professional women's boxing match here on Showtime.
48:11It was Christy Martin
48:13defeating Sue Chase by technical knockout in round three.
48:17The first women's fight on national television
48:20and in our main event, the IBF Welterweight Championship.
48:23Easy pickings for Felix Tito Trinidad
48:26as he knocked off Rodney Moore.
48:28Rockin' Roddy by TKO in round number four.
48:34So, a special panel of judges
48:36comprised of members of the boxing media
48:39covering tonight's action.
48:40Votes on the fighter of the night.
48:41Let's go to our fighter of the night presentation
48:43here on Showtime Championship Boxing.
48:45Here is your panel.
48:47We begin with Ron Borges of the Boston Globe,
48:49Royce Fuhrer of the Las Vegas Review-Journal
48:51and Steve Springer of the Los Angeles Times.
48:54And our judges have selected as tonight's fighter of the night
48:57here on Showtime, Christy Martin.
48:59Congratulations to Christy for being chosen
49:01as the fighter of the night.
49:03And this is the best part.
49:05A $5,000 donation will be made in the name of Christy Martin
49:08to each of these organizations.
49:10Big night for Christy making her national TV debut.
49:13The United Negro College Fund,
49:15the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund
49:17and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
49:19by Showtime Networks and Don King Productions.
49:23Speaking of Don King, we have one final comment from Don
49:26alongside the fight doctor.
49:27Ferdy?
49:30Don, much fighting in the future.
49:32Let's talk about England first.
49:34Well, first of all, let me say I want to thank Matt Blank,
49:36you know, because he's really been,
49:37he's the president of Showtime
49:39and he's really been a tremendous guy
49:41in helping us to keep all these shows flowing, Ferdy.
49:43And I think we should give a vote of confidence to him
49:45and I really like that.
49:47And so we're going to have a show on March the 2nd
49:49in Newcastle.
49:50It's going to be Nigel Ben
49:52and he's going to take on the number one contender,
49:54Sugar Boy Malinga.
49:55And then we got Boom Boom Johnson
49:57who is making his 10th or 9th title defense.
50:00This young kid is really terrific
50:02and he's going to take on Evers Belano.
50:04So it's going to be a tremendous Showtime show
50:06that's going to be coming up on March the 2nd
50:08out of Newcastle, England
50:09before we go back into Mike Tyson and Bruno
50:12for the challenge for the heavyweight championship
50:14of the world and that's really exciting.
50:16There's a rumor here that Tyson will come back in June
50:19if everything goes well or July sometime.
50:21Are you going to fight him that quick?
50:23Yes, indeed.
50:24It's true like we all believe that he will do.
50:26As you know, it's ironic that this time Tyson
50:29is the challenger against Bruno in the same city.
50:31Seven years ago he was the champion
50:33and Bruno was the challenger
50:34and Tyson said this guy hit me harder
50:36than anybody ever hit me in my life.
50:38So now Tyson has to take this hard-punching Bruno
50:40and try to exercise him again like he did before
50:44to become the WBC champion of the world.
50:46So we call it the championship part 1
50:48and then it will be part 2,
50:49the championship part 2 and championship part 3
50:51and we will have Showtime.
50:53We will have the undisputed heavyweight champion
50:55of the world and we'll take on all comers,
50:57the Riddick Bowles, the George Foreman
50:58and whoever so will, let him come.
51:00Well, that will be good for boxing
51:01and I think we're going to have
51:02an interesting summer together as usual, Don,
51:04and we go back to Steve and Bobby at ringside.
51:07All right, thanks very much, Fernie.
51:09Just to drive our point home,
51:11Saturday, March 2nd on Showtime Championship Boxing
51:13we travel across the pond to Newcastle, England
51:16for a special doubleheader.
51:18First WBC super middleweight champion,
51:20Nigel, the Dark Destroyer Ben
51:22makes the 10th defense of his title
51:24against the number one ranked WBC contender,
51:26Tulane Sugarboy Malinga of South Africa.
51:29That's Saturday, March 2nd
51:30via satellite from Newcastle, England,
51:3210 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
51:34Then on March 16th,
51:36SCT Pay-Per-View is proud to present
51:38Mike Tyson's first world championship fight
51:40in over six years when he challenges
51:42England's popular WBC heavyweight champion,
51:44Frank Bruno.
51:46In their first meeting in 1989, Tyson,
51:48then the undisputed world heavyweight champion,
51:50finally retained his title with a fifth round TKO.
51:53Bruno has waited seven long years for his revenge,
51:56so you can see this great rematch live
51:58on Pay-Per-View on Saturday, March 16th
52:00at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific.
52:04So that'll do it for this unique edition
52:07of Showtime Championship Boxing
52:09for the fight Dr. Ferdie Pacheco,
52:11Bobby Chez, our entire crew,
52:12Steve Albert saying so long
52:14from the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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