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00:00Thank you very much, James Brown. Indeed, this 130-pound championship fight now between John
00:04John Molina of Puerto Rico and Gregorio Vargas, nicknamed Goyo Vargas of Mexico. Larry Merchant,
00:10what do we know about these two warriors? Well, what we know is that when they collide,
00:16they're going to be the perfect warm-up fight for the main attraction because I don't see how it
00:22can fail to be even a better action fight than the one we just saw, which was pretty darn good
00:28and very dramatic. The champion Molina is a nonstop whirlwind type of fighter. The challenger Vargas
00:36is a wonderful boxer puncher who put on a terrific show when he lost his featherweight title to Kevin
00:42Kelly a few months ago. And this is the division that's probably loaded with more talent than any
00:47other division in boxing. Perhaps the best known is Oscar De La Hoya, and perhaps you can get some
00:55kind of a gauge of how a developing junior lightweight looks against junior lightweights
01:02who are already well-developed. And indeed, it should be pointed out that when we talked about
01:07Oscar De La Hoya with these two guys yesterday, they were both at great pains to say, hey, wait a minute,
01:11he's all publicity for now. He's not ready for real professionals like us. We'll probably get a
01:17chance to see somewhere down the road. George, you saw Gregorio Vargas with us in his title losing
01:23effort at the featherweight level, 126 pounds four months ago against Kevin Kelly. Now he comes
01:28back four pounds up the road at 130. Can he be just as good? He's going to be better. In the earlier
01:34fights, he was always saying, hold on, settle down so I can knock you out. Now with the extra weight,
01:38the other opponent will have for him, he's going to have an easier target. He's going to be better at
01:42this weight. All right, let's take a good look at Gregorio Vargas now as he gets ready for the fight.
01:46stylish, but a two-handed pounder from Mexico. And when I say a pounder, I mean he has punching
01:52pounds power in both the left and the right hand. 29 wins, three of the four losses relatively early
01:59in his career. He had a long string of knockouts prior to the loss to Kevin Kelly, December in
02:05Sacramento, where he sacrificed the featherweight championship. Now he comes back at 130 pounds to
02:11challenge. One of the really good lesser known fighters in the sport. You may think that Hector
02:16Macho Camacho is the most famous of Puerto Rican fighters in recent years, along with Edwin Rosario,
02:22but down in Puerto Rico, they are just as fond and maybe have more respect now for Juan John John Molina,
02:29who holds the title at 130 pounds. You can see there the record of 34 wins, three losses, 25 KOs. Like
02:36Vargas, he keeps coming at you, has punching power in both hands. And we'll take a look at the tail of the
02:43tape for these two fighters. You'll see that there is very little to choose between John John Molina,
02:50who is trained incidentally by the ubiquitous Lou Duva, and Gregorio Vargas. Molina with about two and a
02:56half inches of height advantage, but the reach turns out to be identical because Vargas is relatively long
03:03armed. Punch stat numbers, Larry. And let's see how active they are, and this is a reflection of how
03:08they fight. Molina throws a lot of punches. Vargas is a more calculating puncher.
03:18Molina, although he is a very aggressive fighter, does throw a lot of jabs. Vargas lands a lot of big
03:26punches. And the rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
03:33John John Molina and Goya Vargas will box tonight using the rules of the International Boxing
03:38Federation. 12 rounds. There is no standing eight count, no three knockdown rule. You cannot be saved
03:45by the bell in any round, including the last. Only the referee can stop the fight, and in case the cut
03:50is caused by an accidental headbutt, and that cut causes the fight to be stopped, we go to the scorecards
03:56if the six rounds have been completed. Before that, it's a technical draw. Jim.
04:01Thank you, Harold. Right now, let's go up to ring announcer Michael Buffer for the pre-fight
04:05introductions.
04:07And now, ladies and gentlemen, here at Caesars Palace, main events monitor, in association with
04:13your undisputed king of beers, Budweiser, presents part two of our boxing championship triple header.
04:20This bout is sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the International Boxing
04:24Federation. The supervisor ringside for the IBF will be Robert W. Lee Jr. The three judges assigned
04:32to score this bout on a ten-point must system will be Bill Graham, Nelson Vasquez, and Hector
04:39Vilches. And when the bell rings, the man in charge of the action working in a world championship
04:44bout for the 63rd time, referee Joe Cortez. And now, ladies and gentlemen, this is it, 12 rounds
04:55of boxing for the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship of the World. Introducing first, fighting out of
05:04the red corner, weighing in at 130 pounds, wearing white, red, and green trim, from Hidalgo, Mexico,
05:12he brings a professional record of 29 victories, 20 by KO, against four defeats with one draw.
05:21Ladies and gentlemen, he's ranked number eight in the world. Introducing the challenger, Gregorio
05:28Golio Vargas.
05:34And his opponent across the ring, fighting out of the blue corner, weighing in at 129 and
05:41one-half pounds, wearing the colors of his native Puerto Rico, red, white, and blue. His professional
05:47record, 34 and 3, 25 KO victories. Ladies and gentlemen, from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, presenting
05:57the IBF Junior Lightweight Champion of the World, Juan Janjan Molina.
06:04At this time, ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the respect of national anthems. First,
06:15the anthem of Mexico.
06:22the anthem of physics.
06:25The anthem of the acoustics, the anthem of the
06:32a series of his final anthem is used for the聖副森林. The anthem of the
06:36brightness of the
06:45¶¶
07:16Now, ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the anthem of Puerto Rico
07:19to be performed live by Hector Fricoche.
07:28La tierra de Borinquen donde nacido yo
07:36Es un jardín florido de mágico primor
07:43Un cielo siempre nítido nos sirve de docel
07:49Y dan arrullos placidos las olas a sus pies
07:55Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón
07:58exclamó lleno de admiración
08:04Oh, esa es la linda tierra que busco yo
08:14Es Borinquen la hija, la hija del mar y el sol
08:22del mar y el sol
08:24Del mar y el sol
08:28Del mar y el sol
08:32Rivalry between Mexican and Puerto Rican
08:51prizefighters. Last rose to the fore in the confrontation between Julio Cesar Chavez
08:58and Hector Macho Camacho.
09:13The job of the third man in the ring is often a difficult one. I want to say now that I think
09:18Richard Steele was right and I was wrong about the condition of Junior Jones at the end of
09:24that fight. When I was up close to Jones, it was obvious that he was more seriously hurt
09:31than I thought he was.
09:34So you're agreeing with George Foreman that it was a good stoppage?
09:36Absolutely.
09:37Pay me. Pay me.
09:38He did. He paid you credit.
09:41I want burgers.
09:42He paid you tribute and credit. That's what you'll get here.
09:45Round one between Molina and Vargas. It is Molina who is in the decorated red, white and blue
09:52trunks. Vargas in the colors of Mexico.
10:04Certainly, John John Molina presents the more powerful picture. But we know that Gregorio Vargas
10:11has punching power. He floored Kevin Kelly even while losing his title to him back in December.
10:17And incidentally, one final postscript on Jones Johnson. A peek at the scorecards indicates
10:32exactly what we might have expected. Junior Jones was leading, but Johnson still had a mathematical
10:37chance to win the fight by decision.
10:46Both fighters with some good moments in the first minute of round one here. Molina showing
10:52the left hook to good advantage.
11:01with the head back.
11:04with his head back.
11:15Referee Joe Cortez now living here in Nevada, a great choice for this
11:19fight for obvious reasons.
11:20the fight is going real slow because both fellows are real confident in their punching power so
11:35there's not going to be a lot of filling out with jabs also Vargas is being a little bit
11:42passive at this point he won't be that way for long
11:50they trade left hands Vargas tried a right-hand lead didn't get it across this
11:56time he lands with the right-hand lead John John Molina came back with a left hook
12:03there not many jabs both fighters looking for a chance to throw power punches a couple
12:15of body shots inside by Vargas and a gratuitous one as Cortez breaks him apart
12:21good right hand by Gregorio Vargas didn't do much to Molina he stood still
12:30that one right hand if it landed as cleanly as it appeared from over here on this side of the ring
12:44might have been the difference in the round in the locker rooms Evander Holyfield warming up
12:49hands wrapped not yet with the gloves on a little while to go before they'll do that
12:57and nearby Michael Moorer quiet passive projecting the image of sullen self-protectiveness which is part of his outlook on the world seemingly 24 hours a day
13:21but as usual quite aware that he's on camera too they take those hands so that no one can go over with new brand new tape after the judges leave the dressing room speaking not at all but carrying big fists that's more round two begins 130 pound championship at stake the champion is John John Molina Puerto Rico in the red white and blue
13:49Gregorio Vargas landed the big right hand toward the end of round one did not appear to move the seemingly stronger Molina now both fighters begin to open up a little more as the second round begins
14:00little more jabbing here it appears that both corners have asked their fighters to step up the pace Vargas trying with that right hand lead over the top again
14:18A little more jabbing here.
14:23It appears that both corners
14:24have asked their fighters
14:26to step up the pace.
14:28Vargas trying with that right-hand lead
14:29over the top again.
14:40Good right to the body by Vargas.
14:42Molina with a chopping right hand
14:44over the top.
14:48Molina is the more
14:58mechanical of the two fighters.
15:01Vargas the more fluid.
15:05Good body shot by Vargas
15:07and by Molina.
15:09The first one by Molina,
15:11the second by Vargas.
15:12Left hand on the face of Vargas.
15:19He backs away and shakes his head.
15:22Let's go.
15:23Molina, let's go.
15:24Let's go.
15:35Molina beginning to recognize
15:37that Vargas likes the right-hand lead.
15:39He's blocked the last couple of them.
15:41Vargas tries the left instead.
15:43For the first time in Vargas' career,
15:52he's having to give respect.
15:53Normally, he gets respect.
15:55This is a new identity for him,
15:58and he doesn't know he's got to box
15:59his way out of this for the first few rounds.
16:01Put on.
16:05Good left to the body by Vargas.
16:07What about trying to counter Molina's left?
16:09George, he wants to throw the right.
16:12You got to be careful with the countering.
16:13Now, this guy, Molina, has muscles.
16:15He's powerful,
16:16and probably he's a middleweight
16:18when he's not in training.
16:19So you got to be careful with this countering,
16:21because if he happened to hit you
16:22at the same time,
16:24it's Vargas who's going down.
16:26Keep in mind that Molina has seen it all.
16:28Over the years,
16:29under the tutelage of Lou Duva,
16:30he has sparred many rounds
16:32with Meldrick Taylor
16:33and with Pernell Whitaker.
16:36Necto Garcia,
16:41our interpreter,
16:43will tell you what's going on in the corners.
16:45Don't take it out?
16:46Okay, I'll leave it in.
16:46Hey, you're boxing beautiful now.
16:48You got that?
16:50He's got his jab.
16:51He's getting the distance.
16:52He's getting the fast combination.
16:54Okay?
16:57Use your legs. Use your jab.
17:00You always have your hands up.
17:06Come on, breathe in, breathe in.
17:11Strong.
17:12Do it again.
17:14Punches through round two.
17:33Molina more active.
17:36Vargas more accurate.
17:37Vargas landing slightly more power punches.
17:40Molina many, many more jabs.
17:42Good left hand by Molina,
17:56and he lands a right behind him.
17:58Vargas trying to trade punches with Molina
18:00might not be the best idea, George.
18:02Not at all.
18:03He should jab, jab,
18:04and go to the body,
18:05take some of the wind
18:06out of this giant of a guy
18:07at 130.
18:08You got to get some of that power out of him
18:10by hitting body,
18:11using body punches.
18:13Vargas hasn't went to the body enough.
18:23Once you go into the body,
18:24then you can exchange.
18:26Molina moving in,
18:27shortening the distance on the jab.
18:29has felt Vargas' power,
18:32and for the moment appears to believe
18:34he can take what Vargas has to throw.
18:37Vargas lands a straight right
18:38and another right underneath.
18:40Good body shot by Molina.
18:58Precise technical work by John John Molina.
19:01He's doing an excellent job of body punching
19:03and then going back up to the head
19:04to see if that body punch hurt.
19:06Uppercut by Molina just missed.
19:20Chopping right-hand did land.
19:22Vargas landed a couple shots in return,
19:24but it is Molina whose punches
19:25are landing harder right now.
19:31Right-hand by Vargas.
19:33Molina trades a right to the body.
19:34Vargas can't believe
19:37that these straight right-handers
19:39are not having any effect
19:40on this guy at this point.
19:41Those extra pounds make a difference.
19:45Yeah, if you were to look at the difference
19:46between Molina and Vargas' last opponent,
19:50little Kevin Kelly from New York,
19:52you would never believe
19:53it was only four pounds of difference.
19:56Those four pounds are worlds of difference.
19:58Molina backs Vargas up to the ropes
20:08with body shots.
20:09Vargas comes back with a left hook
20:11and a straight left.
20:19It's only good, only good.
20:21round three comes to a close.
20:33John John Molina, the champion,
20:35finishing most of these exchanges.
20:38And much more the active fighter,
20:41and in a near-even round,
20:42he's going to get it
20:43for being as active as he is.
20:44Come on, you have to go in first.
21:05Just do what I tell you.
21:06You're pulling the guy.
21:10You're pulling up the torsio.
21:12And he's hitting you.
21:14Don't do that anymore.
21:17Use your left hand.
21:22And when you get the turning, boom,
21:24right back in with the jab again.
21:25Okay, let's go.
21:27And we're going to fight out.
21:28Fourth round of a scheduled 12
21:39for the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship.
21:42Champion John John Molina of Puerto Rico
21:44on the left of your screen
21:45in the red, white, and blue trunks.
21:47On the right, in the colors of Mexico,
21:50Gregorio Goyo Vargas,
21:52former 126-pound champ,
21:55moving up in weight.
21:56In the first three rounds,
21:57the pattern which appears
21:58to have been established
21:59is Molina more active,
22:01slightly stronger,
22:03Vargas searching for the right answer.
22:07Vargas seems to have touch,
22:09and he keys in on his kid,
22:10but he bounces up and down
22:11on his feet to throw you off.
22:13A guy generally that much bigger
22:14shouldn't be that fast,
22:15but he's fast with his feet.
22:17Molina moves.
22:23We'll learn in this fight
22:25whether it's a good night
22:26for Mexicans.
22:26So far, it's a good night
22:28for Mexican-Americans.
22:30As in the bout before this one,
22:32John Michael Johnson,
22:34Mexican mother,
22:36American father,
22:37from San Antonio, Texas,
22:38scored a dramatic upset
22:40over Poison Junior Jones
22:42to lift Jones' WBA
22:44phantomweight championship.
22:4611th round TKO
22:47for John Michael Johnson.
22:48I think Vargas is making a mistake.
22:58He's filling this big guy out
23:00like he was the 126ers.
23:02When you fill him out,
23:03you take a lot of punishment,
23:04and you can't recover
23:05from that punishment.
23:08Vargas trading jabs with Molina.
23:11Lands a left hook
23:12and backs away.
23:13Another left hook lands
23:14for Vargas.
23:15Molina becoming more aggressive
23:18and more open,
23:19leaving himself available
23:20for Vargas to land more shots.
23:23Vargas steps in
23:23with the right hand,
23:24chopping over the top.
23:25All right, break!
23:32Subtle difference, George,
23:58but I think Vargas looks
23:59a little bit more comfortable now.
24:01I think so.
24:02He's getting in less and less
24:03of the power exchange.
24:05He's able to land his jab
24:06occasionally.
24:09But he's having a tendency
24:10to wait,
24:11and you just can't wait
24:12for Duval fighters
24:12to get tired.
24:13You just gotta get in
24:14and get your points early.
24:16They have a tendency
24:16to get stronger and stronger.
24:21He's saying you expect Molina
24:22to be well-conditioned.
24:23That's true,
24:24and Vargas,
24:25you seem to think that,
24:27hey, I'll get him in a minute.
24:28It just doesn't happen
24:28with these strong-legged guys.
24:30Molina does present
24:36an awfully robust picture
24:38in there for 130 pounds.
24:40You're scoring through four rounds.
24:48Larry, you know,
24:48Goyo Vargas complained vehemently
24:50that he was the effective
24:51aggressor against Kevin Kelly,
24:52but I want to tell you something.
24:53It's totally the opposite
24:54in this fight.
24:55John-John Molina winning this fight
24:57four rounds to nothing,
24:5840 to 36,
25:00on effective aggressiveness.
25:01He's getting off first,
25:03landing more shots,
25:04landing the cleaner punches,
25:05beautiful ring generalship.
25:07He gets off first constantly,
25:08backs up Molina.
25:09It's all Molina.
25:10I scored the first round even.
25:13There's Kevin Costner
25:14at ringside.
25:19Magic Johnson,
25:21another regular
25:22at these big fights.
25:24For the moment,
25:25still go to the Los Angeles Lakers,
25:27along with wife Cookie,
25:29incidentally,
25:30who was on the right
25:30of your screen there
25:31with Irving.
25:32Along about this time,
25:34I wonder if Vargas' handlers
25:37are beginning to think
25:38it wasn't such a hot idea
25:40after a tough fight
25:42with Kevin Kelly
25:43to come back
25:43a few months later
25:44against John-John Molina.
25:47Totally agree.
25:52It'll take some drama
25:53for Vargas to turn it around
25:55and make it look like
25:55a good choice,
25:56but of course,
25:57in the first three rounds
25:59of our first bout this evening,
26:00you would never have thought
26:01that John-Michael Johnson
26:02was going to find a way
26:03to beat Poison Jr. Jones.
26:05There's a solid right hand
26:07landing over the top
26:08by Molina.
26:09He follows up
26:09with a body shot
26:10and another right hand.
26:11Vargas still trying
26:13to trade with him
26:14when he gets hit.
26:15Molina just busting
26:16through Vargas' guard
26:18with that hard left jab.
26:31Talk about respect.
26:33Molina faints with the shoulder
26:35now and Vargas moves away.
26:38You take it at four pounds.
26:41Hurts.
26:47But Vargas is making a stand here
26:50or a statement
26:50that he's not going to go away quietly.
26:54Well, he loves to trade punches.
26:55It's his natural instinct
26:57to flurry and trade punches
26:58and think that he's going
27:00to win the exchange.
27:01And at 126 pounds,
27:03he almost always did.
27:08Molina had better
27:09must up a bit more respect, though.
27:12Vargas can touch.
27:14Lou Duval will tell Molina
27:30to stay within a tight arc,
27:32keep his punches short,
27:34resist the temptation
27:35to throw Haymakers
27:36just because he's landing.
27:39And Haymakers,
27:40they are landing tonight.
27:41Molina is putting
27:42those Haymakers in.
27:43Yep.
27:43He's gotten a couple
27:44of wide right hands in here.
27:46Even when you block them,
27:47they hurt you
27:48because your glove
27:49protects you,
27:50but it hits you
27:51on the face, too.
27:54Vargas landing
27:55a straight right
27:56over the top.
28:00Vargas may be hoping,
28:03just as John Michael Johnson did,
28:05that the eastern seaboard fighter
28:07will wilt in the heat.
28:09But, of course,
28:10Molina is from
28:11Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
28:12Vargas is still
28:16mindful of throw-in
28:17quick short rights
28:19to the body.
28:19Round five, very much like round four.
28:34Some good exchanges,
28:35a lot of trading.
28:36John John Molina simply stronger
28:38than Gregorio Vargas.
28:40And we remind you,
28:42still to come,
28:43and in all likelihood,
28:45what you're waiting for,
28:46for the heavyweight championship
28:47battle between Evander Holyfield
28:49and number one
28:50IBF contender,
28:52Michael Moorer.
28:53Moorer,
28:54trying to become
28:54the first southpaw
28:56in history
28:57to hold a heavyweight championship.
28:59He's only the third southpaw
29:01ever to challenge
29:02for a heavyweight title.
29:03And here's Molina
29:03coming in with a
29:05wide, arcing right hand
29:07over the left of Vargas.
29:11They're having
29:12the same punch.
29:14They're having
29:14wonderful exchanges
29:15in the middle of the ring.
29:18This ring could be
29:19about a quarter
29:20of the size it is.
29:21And it wouldn't make
29:22any difference to them
29:23the way they're fighting.
29:24Okay?
29:24Okay?
29:25Okay?
29:25Okay?
29:26Okay?
29:26Okay?
29:26Okay?
29:27Okay?
29:27Okay?
29:28Okay?
29:28Okay?
29:29Okay?
29:29Okay?
29:30Okay?
29:30Okay?
29:31Okay?
29:32Okay?
29:33Okay?
29:34Okay?
29:35Okay?
29:36Okay?
29:37In round five,
29:40Gregorio Vargas
29:41landed at a 44% rate.
29:44That's the good news.
29:45The bad news is
29:46he threw only 54 punches
29:47while John John Molina
29:49was nearly doubling him
29:50with a 104-punch output.
29:55Referee Joe Cortez
29:57warning both fighters
29:58to watch their heads
29:59to prevent butting.
30:00He's got the potential to be better than just good.
30:02He's got the potential to be better than just good.
30:06George, before the fight, I spoke about trying to compare
30:09these developed fighters to Oscar De La Hoya.
30:12What do you see?
30:13Oscar De La Hoya has a difference, and it's with combinations.
30:18This guy is really a comer.
30:21These guys are good fighters, but they're only good.
30:23Oscar has a tendency to move up a step higher, if you ask me.
30:27You're saying he's got the potential to be better than just good.
30:30That's right.
30:31And this is what will send the best that these fighters got.
30:34It may be a question sooner rather than later
30:36because John John Molina just landed about four spectacular right hands
30:40in that exchange.
30:42Vargas' head was snapping back.
30:44He landed one solid right in return,
30:46but took a lot of punishment
30:48as Molina, a more and more confident fighter,
30:51is unleashing that right hand inside.
30:54Here's another one.
30:56Vargas is gonna have to find a way
30:59to stop the right cross, George.
31:00It's driving him nuts, those looping roundhouse punches
31:03that Molina are throwing.
31:05It's driving Vargas crazy.
31:06If he can only just say, go right between them,
31:09but if he goes between them, he gets hit at the same time.
31:13Good thinking by Molina.
31:15After landing all those right crosses up top,
31:17he backs Vargas up with a couple of body shots.
31:20Vargas steps in with a right-hand lead.
31:22He seems determined to make that punch work.
31:39Another right-hand.
31:41There's a right-hand for Vargas.
31:45Molina can take a fight like this all night,
31:47but Vargas, with that extra weight,
31:49it's not in his best interest to keep mixing it up like that.
31:52That's what he's wanted to do all night, Vargas.
32:08Make him miss with that looping right hand,
32:10and keep a counter going with his right hand.
32:12And as he made Molina miss the second time,
32:15he was able to step in with a hard left hand to the body.
32:19I think that's what he needs to do, George,
32:20is find a way to step inside of Molina's power
32:22and attack his body.
32:24And the thing about it, when he does, when he steps in,
32:26this guy is so strong that it hurts just to step in.
32:30Hold up.
32:31Hold up, hold up, hold up.
32:33Hold up, hold up, hold up.
32:35Hold up, hold up.
32:40Keep in the middle of the ball.
32:42Good!
32:45Good!
32:47No one jab.
32:50One jab right hand and left hook.
32:52OK?
32:53And when you're down, right?
32:54Up, up, up and come up.
32:55When you're down.
33:00OK?
33:01How is that?
33:03Phenomenal. Tremendo, okay?
33:05Phenomenal?
33:07Si. Lo lleva a tocar.
33:09Pero no te puedes cuidar, papi, okay?
33:11Okay. He's got to jab and throw a combination.
33:15And one fast right hand.
33:21You have to throw punches.
33:23Get close to the guy and throw that hook.
33:27Throw that right hook.
33:29Let's go.
33:31Come on out.
33:41Good right hand to start round seven
33:43by Gregorio Vargas.
33:45They're more than halfway home
33:47in the scheduled 12 round bout
33:49for John John Molina's IBF
33:51Light Welterweight Championship.
33:53As you can see, his corner didn't tell him
33:55to go out there and land that lead right hand
33:57before things started like that.
33:59He did it on his own. He's experienced.
34:01And he knows that he has to muster
34:03up some respect for Molina.
34:07Straight left and right by Molina,
34:08backing Vargas up again.
34:09Let me correct it.
34:11Not junior welterweight or light welterweight,
34:13but rather junior lightweight.
34:15130-pound championship.
34:17Now Vargas is landing a good left jab.
34:19He's staying close like his corner told him to do.
34:21Stay close.
34:23Well, I think staying close is the key, George.
34:27He's got to get inside of Molina's power.
34:29If he keeps letting him throw that roundhouse right,
34:31it could be a shorter knife than he hopes for.
34:33See, the roundhouse only is effective
34:34when you're farther away from him,
34:36but the closer you are, you are in control.
34:38You stay in that pocket.
34:40You stay in that pocket.
34:44Free!
34:46Vargas clearly now more determined
34:47to get inside and work to the body.
34:49He's listening to his corner.
34:51That's step one.
34:55Molina's more comfortable
34:56when he's in a bouncing mood and a rhythm.
35:00He gets slow and stops the bouncing.
35:02Molina takes those.
35:26That time, Vargas was even in the exchange
35:31as he concentrated on working to the body.
35:35Molina hit him with a right to the side,
35:37below the belt, too.
35:39He was expecting the rest to say something,
35:41but Vargas did not complain.
35:44Two times now, Vargas has chosen
35:46to back up against the ropes.
35:48You wonder if he's inviting Molina in
35:50to try to shorten the distance.
35:52He believes, Vargas does,
35:54that if he gets a good right hand
35:55and left hook in there,
35:56he can clean this guy out.
35:58But you just can't wait all night.
36:08Vargas again backs up against the ropes.
36:11Lands the right hand in close.
36:13And Molina lands the right hand
36:15when they step back to distance.
36:17And another right hand for Molina.
36:20Clearly, when they're in close,
36:22it's to Vargas' advantage.
36:27But when the distance is there,
36:32John John Molina dominates.
36:34So Vargas backs up against the ropes again,
36:36and Molina comes in again,
36:38but round seven ends.
36:40Harold Letterman, give us your results so far.
36:45Larry, 70-63.
36:47Seven rounds to nothing.
36:48John John Molina.
36:49Larry, this is ridiculously easy.
36:51I want to tell you,
36:52Goyo Vargas can't get his shots off
36:53for the simple reason
36:54that John John's got too many punches in his face.
36:56I mean, John John is so busy.
36:58Every time Goyo tries to punch,
36:59John John whacks him.
37:00I mean, he's just too busy.
37:02Goyo's got to make something happen.
37:03He's got to stop moving his hands real quick.
37:06Now let's go.
37:09And here he had Vargas lure him into the ropes.
37:13Molina hit him a couple of times, bounced out,
37:15and hit him with a really good right hand there.
37:18Molina is just a wonderful fighter.
37:20He was an outstanding amateur for Puerto Rico.
37:23He is a very, very fine professional fighter.
37:26There are two other 130-pound champions.
37:31Gennaro Hernandez, outstanding fighter undefeated.
37:36Molina was scheduled to fight him,
37:38but Hernandez has had an operation on his hand.
37:41And Azuma Nelson, a very outstanding fighter
37:44in the twilight of his career.
37:49And then, of course, waiting in the wings,
37:51as you pointed out, Larry, is De La Hoya.
37:56And I imagine he'll be waiting in those wings
37:59for at least a year before taking on fighters
38:01of this strength.
38:03He has to get stronger.
38:05You agree, George?
38:10I'm already owed a cheeseburger.
38:11I'm gonna stay here.
38:13Yeah, that's right.
38:14We'll get that cheeseburger for you
38:15when the evening is over.
38:20After six and three long fights, George,
38:21and you can't eat between them.
38:29You work done.
38:39Far계as is thinking,
38:40Hey, I'm being dominated by a fighter
38:41that's only got more energy and more strength.
38:43Sometimes, that's all you need
38:44as a fighter, energy and strength.
38:47Vargas is thinking,
38:49I don't think it's going to be able to do it.
38:53Marcus is thinking,
38:55why did my manager think it was such a great idea
38:57to fight for a 130-pound title?
39:04It's best to have guys running from you
39:06than to be in with the bigger guys,
39:08and they make you run.
39:10Yeah, but beyond that,
39:12I don't think it's widely appreciated
39:14how much a hard fight, a championship fight,
39:17can deplete a fighter physically and emotionally.
39:22That's true.
39:23A lot of people just don't understand
39:24that you just can't come back
39:26until you rest good.
39:28And maybe particularly
39:30when you've lost a close decision
39:32and you feel like you should have won.
39:34There's frustration there.
39:35Probably too much of a tendency
39:37for your mind to linger on what happened in December
39:40as opposed to thinking about
39:41what needs to happen in April.
39:43That's true.
39:47Another exchange of punches at center ring,
39:54and once again,
39:55not to Gregorio Vargas' advantage.
39:57John John Molina landed another one
39:58of those hard right hands.
40:00But Vargas has decided,
40:02hey, I've taken the best this guy's got.
40:04Man, I'm coming on here.
40:06There's no questioning his will or his heart.
40:09He's got a fighter's temperament all the way.
40:11Good short right hands by Vargas.
40:28For the first time,
40:29there were double right hands by Vargas.
40:32He was not able to do that in the first few rounds.
40:36And as these two fighters sit down at the end of round eight,
40:44we go back to the dressing room
40:46to pick up Evander Holyfield
40:48in front of his new trainer,
40:50generation number three in Holyfield trainers.
40:53This one is Don Turner having taken over
40:55for the evacuated Emanuel Stewart.
41:00Michael Moore is also working
41:02with the third trainer of his career.
41:05He throws his punches under the watchful eye
41:08of one-time Cus D'Amato disciple, Teddy Atlas.
41:12Later on, when we get ready for that bout,
41:14George Foreman and Larry Merchant will be talking
41:16about the significance of these two trainers
41:19in their respective fighters' lives.
41:21Teddy Atlas with Michael Moore,
41:23Don Turner with Evander Holyfield.
41:34Gregorio Vargas in the eighth round
41:36landed 52% of his punches,
41:38but once again,
41:39Molina threw 34 more punches than did Vargas.
41:43So the superior activity level
41:46of the busier John John Molina
41:48allowing him to maintain control of the fight
41:51as we move to the ninth of a scheduled 12.
41:59In the eighth round, Molina started to drop his left hand
42:02a lot more than he did early on,
42:04and the bounce went out of his legs.
42:06He's got to pick the bounce up and pick the hands up.
42:13A lot of swelling around the left eye now,
42:16Gregorio Vargas.
42:23Trading right hands.
42:25Vargas' head snaps back.
42:28He got in a good one,
42:29but Molina's was better.
42:31Vargas has got to finish up.
42:32Once he hit one, two, three,
42:34he's got to come back with another
42:35or jump far out of the way.
42:38Boy, these guys are tough, George.
42:42Gregorio Vargas takes a lot of punishment
42:44and just keeps coming at you.
42:50Now Molina is starting to get flat-footed.
42:52He's with the wrong guy to try that.
42:58Vargas is bending his body
43:00to make Molina drop his hand.
43:02He gets down to his waist,
43:04then he's trying to come back up with a right hand.
43:06Still eating that right hand, George.
43:08Left hook over the top for Vargas.
43:13I still think Vargas needs to shorten the distance more
43:16and get inside.
43:17It's getting late to work to the body,
43:19but he did well when he tried it.
43:21Well, he believes that he can clean Molina out.
43:23He's doing the right thing,
43:24it's just Molina is so strong afterwards.
43:27He's got Molina reaching out.
43:30All the things that are supposed to happen before a knockout
43:32are starting to happen with Molina.
43:36You see how cleanly John John Molina landed
43:38the right hand over the top,
43:39the short left hook inside.
43:41Vargas has taken a lot of flush punches in this fight.
43:45But Molina throwing the right hands now
43:47and finds himself bending over into Vargas' territory.
43:51So what does Vargas try to get him with, George?
44:00Short right, left hook?
44:01Oh, it's gonna be a right hand left hook.
44:03He's just got to go back to the body
44:05and soften up things a little bit more,
44:07which he just did.
44:12All right, so you think Vargas has a workable plan here.
44:15The only question is whether he's got the strength to execute it.
44:17Yeah, he has the strength, but Molina's got so much strength
44:20on those legs.
44:21Once he's bouncing, he can really get a second win
44:24and lose Vargas in the middle of the round.
44:27I think what he needs to do is bring in all those rebels
44:30from the southern part of Mexico.
44:32That'll help.
44:34That'll help.
44:35That'll help.
44:36That's it.
44:37That's it.
44:38That's it.
44:39Yes.
44:40That must be.
44:41That's it.
44:42Thank you, man.
44:43Thank you, Amos.
44:45You're alive, man.
44:46Thank you, Amos.
44:47Well done, I'm out of here, man, I'm out of here.
44:49Are you tired?
44:50Look, we're waiting for my...
44:51Come on, you have to go a little stronger.
44:53One more time, eight more time.
44:55Come on, breathe in.
44:56Two more times, once more time.
44:58Do it again, come on.
44:59That's it.
45:00Come on.
45:01Come on.
45:03here we see Molina at close quarters takes a right hand and comes back with a
45:13combination of his own including that finishing right every time Vargas gets
45:19something off Molina answers with something as big or bigger which is why
45:26it's hard for him to get close to Molina the price is too high
45:38jabs in round nine Molina through 61 of them Vargas only 16
45:47another one of the reasons why it's been tough for Vargas to get inside some
45:51swelling around the right eye of John John Molina and as we noted earlier
45:55considerable swelling around the left eye of Gregorio Vargas
45:58for those of you who wondered yes John John Molina was named for the son of John F. Kennedy
46:07I think Vargas' plan could have gone sour because he hadn't anticipated this guy being so strong
46:23well conditioned even if he had what the heck was he going to do about it George I think Vargas has
46:30fought pretty much the only fight he knows how to fight in a situation like this it's just that
46:35Molina is too big and strong he's too big and strong for certain but Vargas had the right idea clean
46:41him out step in body punches and come over with the right hand
46:48for the right hand
46:49he said he pays a big price he does land a shot Vargas does
46:55Oh
47:12Like Larry said he pays a big price. He does land a shot
47:17Vargas
47:20Custom about ten grand every time he comes in there
47:25Okay
47:47I'll tell you guys
47:49Molina to be doing this kind of number on a quality fighter like Vargas
47:53Is just amazing really it's a testament
47:57To how good he is how professional he is how prepared he is
48:01The whole package we mentioned before and you wanted to comment on it earlier
48:06He trained with Meldrick Taylor and Pernell Whitaker has sparred with both of them
48:10He's seen the best there is and seen every style there is
48:14Whitaker the great evader and of course the Meldrick Taylor would was at the top of his game
48:19With those amazingly fast fists if he survived those two with his body and his and his head attack
48:27He had to become pretty good
48:32Vargas keeps trying
48:34So as this fight continues to be a one note tune not an unentertaining one though
48:48We wait for what could be a spectacularly entertaining heavyweight championship fight
48:53Between the warrior evander holyfield and the puncher michael moore that fight will be immediately after this one
49:02Now letterman how do you see it so far?
49:05Well larry coach jimmy johnson sitting behind me reminds me that that uh goyo vargas couldn't win this fight with a touchdown and a new two-point conversion
49:14I mean he's 10 points behind 10 to nothing 100 to 90 easy victory for john john molina
49:20He's just too big too strong too busy
49:22You're brilliant harold first touchdown and two-point conversion analogy of the night
49:39Now who are the two men in the arena who went to both the final four and tonight's heavyweight championship fight
49:45One is kevin costner who's the other harold?
49:48magic johnson no it's our host james brown
49:53Now back to the fight
49:58Molina pouring it on now against
50:01A gregorio vargas who for the first time in the fight george begins to look a little weary yeah
50:06He's done a lot but that extra size and extra strength of molina is just taking toll on
50:24There will be no quit in goyo vargas will try everything that's left in these last two rounds
50:30But if an answer to john john molina is to emerge for him it's not something we've seen so far
50:38Molina back to dancing moving his feet very confident in there he's in the rhythm now he's bouncing and moving
50:47Vargas has tried everything including losing his temper nothing works
50:50Now the only thing vargas hasn't tried is to foul it i think he's too classy for that yeah he's too classy for that
51:06Good straight right hand by john john molina
51:14That was a breathtaking combination particularly with a minute to go in the 11th round
51:20Hey
51:40The end of our meeting yesterday with both fighters
51:44Lou duva pulled us aside and said hey
51:48There aren't enough good things to say about john john molina hardest worker we've got in the gym terrific person
51:54Loves his family loves puerto rico will give you everything he's got tomorrow night he's all that lou said he was and
52:02He's one of the best fighters i've ever seen from puerto rico and there have been some good ones jose torres
52:08Wilfredo benitez edwin rosario carlos ortiz
52:15Wilfredo gomez
52:17round 11 coming to a close
52:28round 11 coming to a close
52:30maybe the best puerto rican fighter i ever saw was a puerto rican america american carlos ortiz
52:36And molina with his strength and professionalism larry puts you a little bit in mind of ortiz does he not well he's the whole package
52:49I don't know if he's as strong as ortiz was but uh
52:52Let me
52:53Let me
52:54Let me
52:54Look
52:54Jandad
52:55You're gonna box this guy
52:56You're gonna box this guy
52:57Okay
52:59Okay
52:59Talk about one thing
53:00Fast punches that one
53:02Fast punches
53:02What are you talking about
53:03Yeah
53:03Last punches
53:04Come on goyo you have to come on you have to go man
53:14Don't follow him and cut his ring
53:16Just cut the ring
53:27This is the last round
53:34This has not been a widely dramatic fight so the crowd hasn't
53:47Been up and cheering but that cheer was because they
53:52Understand and sense just the quality of these two fighters and the magnificence of the performance of molina
54:04So it's kitchen sink time for goyo vargas
54:09But there's virtually nothing he hasn't tried so far short of fouling and as we mentioned he ain't gonna do that
54:19There's a right hand and a left hook
54:24He's gonna make molina pay for going the full distance of 12 rounds with him
54:28No better say it he's making him pay for going to christians
54:36Straight right hand by molina busted through the guard of vargas again
54:40Totally professional job by both fighters molina clearly the superior at 130 pounds first time in the weight class
55:08For vargas moving up from featherweight where he lost his title in a close hard-fought battle
55:16With new yorker kevin kelly kelly's very close personal friend
55:21Poison junior jones an upset victim earlier this evening the john michael johnson of san antonio
55:28john michael johnson the new wba bantamweight champion
55:34Vargas is doing something that should have been nice to see him do three rounds ago
55:41What's that he's going toe-to-toe and he's getting the best of it now he's he this is his best round
55:48By far
55:50But that molina always have something waiting his ah molina starting to swell now if vargas would just go crazy he could do something
55:59Probably too little too late, but
56:02With this round vargas has at least a chance of avoiding a whitewash on harold letterman's scorecard
56:08He eats another right hand but keeps coming in
56:10It's not often you see a fighter like vargas fight as well as he does and get so little credit on the score sheets
56:24Oh, I think we saw it with another
56:27Puerto rican a couple of weeks ago and santos cardona fought terrifically in norfolk virginia against pernell whitaker
56:33And could barely win a round
56:41Harold did you have that fighter shut out?
56:44I would give the last round to boy of vargas. I thought he got in some good shots and certainly he tried
56:49It was his best round by far. I had 11 rounds to one. I mean
56:54John jabalina won his fight so big it was ridiculous
56:58absolutely a big big victory
57:00119 109 john john molina
57:04I think goyo vargas stopped more shots with his face than mike richter stopped in three nfl games so far in the stanley cup playoffs
57:10Those would be nhl games but well said harold we understand the point
57:15To make a long story short you're saying you gave the last round of vargas and it's not a shutout on your scorecard all right
57:21We'll find out how the judges said
57:24This one went in just a couple of minutes but to recap you've been watching john john molina
57:28Of puerto rico
57:30From the main events camp of lou duva
57:34Defending his ibf junior lightweight championship against challenger gregorio vargas of mexico
57:40this the final preliminary
57:42prior to the heavyweight championship bout upcoming between evander holyfield
57:46And number one ibf contender michael moore and we go up now to michael buffer for the official decision in this fight
57:53Ladies and gentlemen here at caesar's palace we go to the scorecards
57:59nelson vasquez scores the belt 118 to 110
58:03Hector vici scores at 117 to 112 and bill graham scores at 118 to 110 for the winner by unanimous decision
58:14and still
58:15ivy f junior lightweight champion of the world
58:19juan
58:21john john
58:27great performance by molina he
58:29maintains his hold on that title and enhances his reputation as one of the better fighters in the sport
58:35And we hope for gregorio vargas's sake in the wake of this latest disappointment
58:39That his managers can find a better situation for him next time around well they have to back off
58:45Maybe for at least a year give him some easy opponents
58:49Restore his confidence and get him back to the featherweight division agreed totally in agreement this time
58:54All right, let's go up to james brown as we get ready for the heavyweights
58:59All right, jim. Thank you very much and speaking of the confidence of boyo vargas he had remarked prior to the bout that
59:06the straight ahead style employed by john john molina should fit right into his bag in fact
59:11every fighter who's employed that style had fallen quickly
59:14That would not be the case tonight as john john molina looked very very formidable as he defended his title successfully
59:19all right the last time