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00:00:00Page ads that Madison Square Garden took out this week to celebrate itself.
00:00:04It's like old times.
00:00:06In a display of logistical razzmatazz, in less than 48 hours,
00:00:11the Garden had a Rangers playoff game here last night,
00:00:13and the Nixon Bulls are on tomorrow afternoon and Sunday
00:00:16with Rod Stewart in the wings.
00:00:19The Garden is associated first with boxing,
00:00:21but in fact it has been the sheer variety of sport
00:00:24that has made it Madison Square Garden,
00:00:28the mecca of arenas in all the world.
00:00:31This atmosphere was created by one man, George Louis Rickard,
00:00:35who was known as Tex because he may or may not have been born in Texas.
00:00:40He found his way to the gold rush in Alaska and then to Nevada
00:00:42where Rickard promoted his first boxing match in 1910,
00:00:47stacking up $20 gold pieces in a bank window to attract publicity,
00:00:51which he surely did nationally.
00:00:53But for all the successes that followed, Rickard was never an educated man.
00:00:57I never seed anything like it was his favorite expression,
00:01:02although he seldom said much of anything.
00:01:04Rickard ran the famous Jack Dempsey-Jess Willard fight in Toledo, Ohio,
00:01:09on July 4, 1919,
00:01:12and thereupon became undisputably the champion boxing promoter of the world.
00:01:17So on he came to New York to take over the god in the next year.
00:01:21Rickard made boxing by making boxing respectable.
00:01:24He assured safety for spectators, especially for women.
00:01:28He introduced reserve seating with lots of ushers.
00:01:31New York swells block ringside to the garden,
00:01:35and he could promote anything.
00:01:37It certainly wasn't only boxing where Rickard brought in the
00:01:40breathtaking first million-dollar gates.
00:01:43Wrestling was still for real then,
00:01:45and Rickard made six-day bike racing box office.
00:01:48It was Tex Rickard who made ice hockey a success in the United States
00:01:52by bringing the sport to the garden.
00:01:55When he introduced his own team,
00:01:57Wags laughed and called them Texas Rangers.
00:02:00You get it?
00:02:01The name stuck.
00:02:02Texas Rangers are playing Pittsburgh's Penguins tomorrow night.
00:02:07Basketball would not come to the garden until the 30s,
00:02:09but by then the house that Tex built was already established
00:02:13in the way that it remains, a show almost every night.
00:02:17It was even that way in January 1929
00:02:20when Tex Rickard's appendix burst, and he died,
00:02:24and thousands upon thousands of fans
00:02:26passed by his magnificent beer
00:02:28to pay respect to a promoter at the garden, his garden.
00:02:33Paul Gallico, then the premier sports writer in New York,
00:02:36watched from up in the balcony.
00:02:37A guy next to Gallico turned to him and said,
00:02:41they must have had to tie Tex down
00:02:43or he'd be trying to get out of his coffin.
00:02:46Imagine letting a crowd like this into the garden on the cup.
00:02:50Well, this is a weekend old Tex would be proud of.
00:02:53You ever seen anything like it?
00:02:55Jim, back to you downstairs.
00:02:58Well, I've seen a few things like it.
00:02:59Thanks very much, Frank.
00:03:01So in the first of our three bouts,
00:03:02a fifth-round technical knockout for Tim Witherspoon
00:03:04against Jorge Luis Gonzalez.
00:03:06Now let's get ready for Lennox Lewis
00:03:08against Merciless Ray Mercer.
00:03:10George Foreman, Riddick Bowe threw away
00:03:12a world championship belt
00:03:14rather than to have to fight Lennox Lewis.
00:03:16Mike Tyson is laboring in court right now
00:03:18via his representatives
00:03:19to try to avoid having to fight Lennox Lewis.
00:03:22What does all this suggest to us about Lewis?
00:03:25Tells you that Lennox Lewis has a little more than a left jab
00:03:27and a left hook.
00:03:29He has a powerful right hand.
00:03:30And if you don't have to fight someone like this,
00:03:33it's best to leave him alone.
00:03:356'5", 247 pounds,
00:03:37maybe the most dangerous big athlete in the division.
00:03:40And lo and behold, as if all that weren't enough,
00:03:43getting better.
00:03:44Larry, there's an old statement in boxing,
00:03:46you can't teach a leopard new tricks,
00:03:48but trainer Emanuel Stewart,
00:03:50in three fights with Lewis,
00:03:51seems to be bringing great improvement to Lewis' game.
00:03:54Is it real or is it an illusion?
00:03:56Perhaps it's an illusion because, as we all know,
00:04:01you can't turn a soprano into a tenor.
00:04:04And the standard line is
00:04:07you're not going to turn a counterpuncher into a brawler.
00:04:10What happens when the fighter gets some pressure on him,
00:04:14when there's a crunch?
00:04:15Will he revert to who he really is deep inside?
00:04:19On the other hand,
00:04:21they've turned ordinary sedans into stock cars
00:04:23that race 200 miles an hour
00:04:25and Mr. Stewart has had some uncanny success
00:04:30in modifying and transforming some heavyweights.
00:04:34The interesting thing about what he's doing with Lewis,
00:04:37besides trying to teach him a few techniques,
00:04:40is he's trying to reach deep down inside him
00:04:43and find the kid who was a little bit of a street tough
00:04:46when he was raised in Toronto,
00:04:48but has now hidden all that stuff
00:04:50behind his gentlemanly English reserve
00:04:53that we've seen him since he hit the big time.
00:04:57Good news is that Ray Mercer is the kind of fighter
00:05:00who might put pressure,
00:05:02might put the crunch on Lewis at times in this fight,
00:05:06and then we'll see if Lewis is real or an illusion.
00:05:09We'll see what Stewart rather unbashfully says he can be.
00:05:14Emmanuel Stewart claims he can turn Lennox Lewis into, quote,
00:05:17the greatest heavyweight champion of all time.
00:05:21Let's listen to more of what both of them have to say about that.
00:05:24Communication in the corner between a boxer and his trainer
00:05:40is often the difference between winning and losing in close fights.
00:05:44But finding the right chemistry is no exact science.
00:05:48For Lennox Lewis and Emmanuel Stewart,
00:05:50their connection is a work in rapid progress.
00:05:52It's like when you walk into a place
00:05:54and you meet somebody
00:05:56and you start speaking to that person,
00:05:59but it's like you've known this person all your life.
00:06:02That's the chemistry between me and Emmanuel Stewart.
00:06:05I believe that the chemistry between Lennox and I
00:06:07is going to make a big difference,
00:06:09and that's something that's so important.
00:06:13But how has that chemistry developed?
00:06:15Why have Lennox Lewis and Emmanuel Stewart
00:06:18responded to each other?
00:06:19I felt that he needed a real good, strong person
00:06:23that he could respect
00:06:24because he's a strong-minded individual himself.
00:06:27And a normal, weak person
00:06:30would not be able to handle it next time.
00:06:32He's very, very strong-minded,
00:06:34very opinionated,
00:06:35that if he respects someone else,
00:06:36it makes a big difference.
00:06:37The former heavyweight champion's respect
00:06:46for his new trainer
00:06:47was evident a year ago
00:06:49when first they began working together.
00:06:51Stewart, who had been in Oliver McCall's corner
00:06:53the night Lewis lost his title to McCall,
00:06:56didn't wait to begin criticizing his new pupil.
00:06:59At that stage, you know,
00:07:00he's a very still, emotionally not completely stable person.
00:07:04You know, his last fight he had lost,
00:07:06it was the first time he'd ever lost in his life, too,
00:07:10as a professional fighter.
00:07:12And he lost by a knockout.
00:07:14I pinpointed his biggest weakness
00:07:15was his balance and his stiffness.
00:07:19And he said, I agree.
00:07:21And I realized, what can we do to change it?
00:07:23So that was one of the first things
00:07:25that really impressed me
00:07:26about his willingness to learn and to change
00:07:28and accept his weak points.
00:07:31I think that was the biggest factor
00:07:32in beginning to work with him.
00:07:34The improvement Stewart has helped Lewis to make
00:07:39in both balance and stability
00:07:41was most visible in the last
00:07:42of their three straight wins together.
00:07:45A sixth-round stoppage of Tommy Morrison last October.
00:07:48I think in the Tommy Morrison fight,
00:07:51Lennox Lewis came out and showed
00:07:53a lot more confidence
00:07:55and a take-control type mentality
00:07:57in the fight
00:07:59than he had not in the past shown.
00:08:01You put this talent together with real knowledge
00:08:04and you've really got something.
00:08:06This is the best Lewis we've seen in a while.
00:08:11Much more measured, less wild, better footwork.
00:08:14Much better footwork.
00:08:15With that commanding performance,
00:08:17Lewis produced not only a victory in the ring,
00:08:20but also some proof that Stewart's instruction
00:08:22was beginning to work.
00:08:23The trainer's exceptional skills were never in doubt,
00:08:27but the fighter's ability
00:08:28and willingness to listen and learn were.
00:08:31There's no problem between me and the man
00:08:32and the student now,
00:08:33and I don't think there will be
00:08:34because we have that communication.
00:08:36I always discuss things with him.
00:08:39He's an exceptionally intelligent person,
00:08:41and he and I are really,
00:08:44I would say mentally on the same wavelength
00:08:46as far as things in boxing like that.
00:08:48I see something that's wrong or whatever,
00:08:50I usually will stop in his room,
00:08:52and he'll say right away,
00:08:54he'll say,
00:08:54I know what you ought to talk about
00:08:55because it's been bothering me too.
00:08:57Especially when Emanuel's not there
00:08:58and I'm working out by myself,
00:08:59I still visualize him training me
00:09:02and some of the things that he would say
00:09:04I needed to be doing.
00:09:07Mentally, I would look at myself
00:09:08from the outside and see what I'm doing wrong.
00:09:12Together, Lennox Lewis and Emanuel Stewart
00:09:14appear to have embraced
00:09:15a sound formula for success.
00:09:18How long the chemistry lasts
00:09:19and whether it's strong enough
00:09:20to carry them back to a heavyweight title
00:09:22is yet to be determined.
00:09:27And we bring it back live to ringside
00:09:29at Madison Square Garden.
00:09:30Tale of the tape between Lewis and Mercer.
00:09:32Lewis is 30 and Mercer's 35.
00:09:34Got an exceptionally late start in boxing,
00:09:37did the former Army sergeant.
00:09:39And this is a battle between
00:09:41two Olympic gold medalists from Seoul.
00:09:43You see that Lewis is three inches taller,
00:09:4511 pounds heavier,
00:09:46and has a six-inch reach advantage.
00:09:48Larry?
00:09:51Jim,
00:09:52Lewis is one of the most spectacular
00:09:54physical specimens we've seen.
00:09:57And he's also a pretty good fighter
00:09:59to go along with it.
00:10:00Here we have an idea of how active they are.
00:10:02Not a whole lot of difference
00:10:04given the different kind of competition
00:10:07they fought.
00:10:07But the jabs will tell us a story.
00:10:09And the real story here
00:10:10is that Mercer threw 34 jabs
00:10:13around in his last fight
00:10:15against Holyfield
00:10:16one year ago.
00:10:18Willie tried to out-jab the jabber
00:10:21and surprise him.
00:10:24Rolls to the bout
00:10:25with our secret weapon,
00:10:26Harold Letterman.
00:10:27The Lennox Lewis-Ray Mercer fight
00:10:29is scheduled for 10 rounds.
00:10:31The standing eight count is in effect.
00:10:34The three knockdown rule is in effect.
00:10:36The referee or the doctor
00:10:37can stop the fight
00:10:38and he cannot be saved by the belt
00:10:39in any round,
00:10:40including the 10th and final round.
00:10:42Jim?
00:10:43All right.
00:10:44Thank you, Harold.
00:10:45We've talked about Ray Mercer's performance
00:10:47against Evander Holyfield.
00:10:50Even though he lost the bout,
00:10:51it was regarded as a sharp turnaround
00:10:53in his career,
00:10:54particularly because of the way
00:10:55he performed in the first
00:10:56six rounds of the fight.
00:10:58This action from round four
00:10:59shows you how active
00:11:01and how dominant Mercer was
00:11:04in the early rounds
00:11:05against Holyfield
00:11:05when he was piling up points.
00:11:07But then he tired,
00:11:08lost his focus,
00:11:10was ultimately put on the deck
00:11:11by Holyfield,
00:11:12first man to knock Mercer down.
00:11:14And Mercer didn't win a round
00:11:16among the last six in that fight
00:11:18as Holyfield was able to pound out
00:11:21a unanimous decision.
00:11:22And there's Mercer's record
00:11:23in his last six fights.
00:11:27For a fighter who never really
00:11:30made any great impact
00:11:32on the heavyweight division,
00:11:34he's had a number of really
00:11:36very interesting milestones
00:11:38along the way.
00:11:39The first guy to stop
00:11:41Tommy Morrison's rise to stardom,
00:11:44then he loses to Larry Holmes,
00:11:46and then he has that disaster
00:11:48against Jesse Ferguson
00:11:50here in the Garden a few years ago
00:11:51when he came in way,
00:11:53way out of shape
00:11:54and blew an opportunity
00:11:55to make a million bucks
00:11:58for the next set-up fight
00:12:00against Riddick Bowe.
00:12:03Somehow he's become
00:12:05a little bit of a force
00:12:06in the division
00:12:07by what he does.
00:12:08And the record for Ray Mercer,
00:12:1423 wins,
00:12:15three losses,
00:12:16a draw,
00:12:1716 KOs,
00:12:19regarded as a very tough guy.
00:12:22He's never been knocked out,
00:12:23won his Olympic gold medal
00:12:24in the heavyweight division.
00:12:27He was Riddick Bowe's roommate in Seoul,
00:12:29and one class up from him
00:12:31in super heavyweight.
00:12:32Of course,
00:12:32Bowe made it to the final
00:12:33against this guy,
00:12:35Lennox Lewis,
00:12:36who at that time
00:12:37fought for Canada.
00:12:39Now, of course,
00:12:39he calls himself
00:12:40a son of Great Britain.
00:12:42And the Morrison performance
00:12:44was generally regarded
00:12:45as Lewis's best showing
00:12:47since he knocked out
00:12:48Ray Zeruddin
00:12:49Halloween night,
00:12:511992,
00:12:52in London.
00:12:53Not so much
00:12:54because he won the fight,
00:12:56but because of the fashion
00:12:57that he did it.
00:13:06Lewis has been winning
00:13:18big victories in court
00:13:20across the river in New Jersey
00:13:22where judges are saying
00:13:24over and over
00:13:25that Mike Tyson
00:13:26must face Lewis
00:13:29rather than to fight
00:13:30WBA champion Bruce Seldon
00:13:32in his next fight.
00:13:34But Lewis himself acknowledges
00:13:36that part of the challenge
00:13:37here tonight
00:13:37is to keep his mind
00:13:38off of that,
00:13:39off the prospect
00:13:40of a potential Tyson fight
00:13:42and focus on the business
00:13:43of Ray Mercer.
00:13:45Lennox Lewis' record,
00:13:4628 wins,
00:13:47the one loss
00:13:48to Oliver McCall
00:13:49in a very quick
00:13:50and some would say
00:13:52political stoppage.
00:13:54Personally,
00:13:54I would say that.
00:13:5624 KOs for Lewis.
00:13:58And, of course,
00:13:59he won that 88
00:14:00Olympic gold medal
00:14:01in the super heavyweight division,
00:14:02beating Riddick Bowe
00:14:03to do it.
00:14:04Right now,
00:14:05let's go to ring announcer
00:14:06Michael Buffer
00:14:06for the pre-fight intro.
00:14:08Panic promotions
00:14:08of Great Britain
00:14:09in association
00:14:10with your undisputed,
00:14:13undefeated
00:14:13King of Beers,
00:14:15Budweiser.
00:14:16This Bud's for you.
00:14:17Present Rumble No. 2
00:14:19in a triple night
00:14:20of heavyweight rumbles.
00:14:23This ballot once again
00:14:23is sanctioned
00:14:24by the New York State
00:14:25Athletic Commission.
00:14:26The three judges
00:14:27scoring this contest
00:14:28will be Melvina Latham,
00:14:30Luis Rivera,
00:14:32and George Colon.
00:14:33And when the bell rings,
00:14:34the referee
00:14:35will be Arthur Mercanti.
00:14:38All your other officials
00:14:39at ringside
00:14:39shall remain the same.
00:14:41And now,
00:14:42ladies and gentlemen,
00:14:42once again,
00:14:43the second time
00:14:44of three tonight
00:14:45from New York City's
00:14:47Madison Square Garden,
00:14:50let's get ready
00:14:53to rumble!
00:14:54Let's get ready
00:14:55to rumble!
00:14:5810 rounds of boxing
00:15:01between two 1988
00:15:03Olympic gold medal champions.
00:15:07Introducing first,
00:15:08fighting out of the blue corner,
00:15:10wearing black,
00:15:11trimmed with gold,
00:15:12and weighing in
00:15:12at 236 pounds.
00:15:15He brings a professional record
00:15:16of 23 and 3
00:15:19with one draw,
00:15:2116 KOs.
00:15:24He's the pride
00:15:25of the USA Olympic boxing team
00:15:27in 1988 when he won
00:15:28the heavyweight gold medal.
00:15:31Ladies and gentlemen,
00:15:32representing the USA,
00:15:34former WBO world heavyweight champion,
00:15:39Merciless,
00:15:40Ray Mercer!
00:15:43and his opponent across the ring,
00:15:52fighting out of the red corner,
00:15:54wearing white,
00:15:55trimmed with black,
00:15:56and weighing in
00:15:57at 247 pounds.
00:16:00He captured Olympic gold
00:16:02in 1988
00:16:03when he represented
00:16:04Great Britain
00:16:05in the super heavyweight division.
00:16:08His professional record
00:16:09now stands at 28 victories
00:16:11with only one to beat.
00:16:1324 of those 28 victories
00:16:15are by KO.
00:16:17Ladies and gentlemen,
00:16:18from East London,
00:16:19England,
00:16:20representing Great Britain,
00:16:22former WBC heavyweight champion
00:16:26of the world,
00:16:28Lennox Lewis!
00:16:34Let's go!
00:16:39Let's go, champ!
00:16:42Let's go, Ray!
00:16:43Come on, champ!
00:16:45Good evening, gentlemen.
00:16:46You both received the rules
00:16:47early in the dressing room
00:16:48by the New York State
00:16:49Atlantic Commission.
00:16:50I expect you to obey
00:16:50these rules.
00:16:51Let's have a nice,
00:16:52clean fight,
00:16:53touch gloves,
00:16:53good luck to the both of you.
00:16:54Okay, let's go.
00:16:55Lennox Lewis, as you said,
00:16:56Jim, has been winning
00:16:57the battles in the courts
00:16:59to fight Mike Tyson.
00:17:01Now he has to win the battle
00:17:03in the court of public opinion
00:17:05to show that he's worthy
00:17:06of a fight with Tyson.
00:17:08And you heard the boos
00:17:10mixed in with cheers
00:17:11at Lennox's introduction.
00:17:13A lot of American fight fans
00:17:14just don't like him
00:17:16and don't buy his act.
00:17:18But he can take another step
00:17:20toward public acceptance here
00:17:21because most fight fans
00:17:23know how tough Mercer is.
00:17:25Even if he's a little raw,
00:17:27Mercer sticks a jab
00:17:28to start things off
00:17:29and tries to land a right hand
00:17:30that can shake Lewis up early.
00:17:43Ho, ho, ho!
00:17:44Go!
00:17:44Ho, ho!
00:17:45Let's keep it clean now!
00:17:46Mercer with an early football tactic here
00:17:48and referee Arthur Mercanty Jr.
00:17:51says keep it clean.
00:17:53It's been almost a year
00:17:54since Ray Mercer's had a fight.
00:17:56The battle against Holy Spirit
00:17:57last year was on May 20.
00:18:00Ray Mercer's been in
00:18:02with one of the best jabbers
00:18:03in boxing and Larry Holmes.
00:18:05So Lewis had better think about
00:18:07doing something other than jabbing.
00:18:08You better put some leather out there.
00:18:10Well, but Holmes picked Mercer apart
00:18:12with the jab.
00:18:12It's not a bad blueprint
00:18:13for going after him.
00:18:14But Mercer kept him against the rope.
00:18:16For a better part of the night,
00:18:18I don't think Lewis has
00:18:19the same kind of body,
00:18:20can withstand the same
00:18:21kind of body punching.
00:18:24Keep him clean now!
00:18:25At home, Frank.
00:18:26Right.
00:18:28Yeah, Larry had a little extra padding, huh?
00:18:30But then again,
00:18:31Lewis has a better right hand
00:18:32than Larry Holmes.
00:18:36And in the last bout
00:18:38against Morrison,
00:18:39as we told you,
00:18:39he showed a left hook
00:18:40and an uppercut.
00:18:42Now Mercer is scoring
00:18:43with his jab,
00:18:44and Lewis really hasn't
00:18:45gotten into a rhythm
00:18:46as we're midway through round one.
00:18:48Let go of the head!
00:18:49Quick, step back!
00:18:50With a fighter like Mercer,
00:18:52Lewis had better realized,
00:18:53get yourself ahead on points
00:18:54and then start looking
00:18:55for your knockout
00:18:56because this guy
00:18:57has a short neck.
00:18:59Hard to get in punches
00:19:00around his chin
00:19:01to drop him.
00:19:03That neck is short
00:19:04and thick.
00:19:09Whenever my wife
00:19:11see guys' necks like that.
00:19:12Mercer, a hard puncher,
00:19:16landed a right hand there
00:19:17and that got the crowd excited.
00:19:19Lewis comes back
00:19:20with a short left hook inside.
00:19:23Mercer is regarded
00:19:23as having one of the better
00:19:24tins in boxing.
00:19:26Maybe it comes from
00:19:27that short fire hydrant neck
00:19:28of his, George.
00:19:31Mercer better be advised also
00:19:32in his strategy.
00:19:34Sometimes when you're fighting
00:19:35these guys who are high-calibered
00:19:37X-Champions,
00:19:37get an end still about.
00:19:39Get ahead and win those points.
00:19:40Forget about a knockout.
00:19:42Sure, you're strong,
00:19:43you can take a punch,
00:19:44but forget that.
00:19:47Don't do the expected.
00:19:48Stand up there
00:19:49and take a lot of punishment.
00:19:50Get in there and win points.
00:19:52One of Mercer's cornermen
00:19:53revealed to us today
00:19:54that he suffered a cut
00:19:55lower lift in training
00:19:56and it hasn't completely healed.
00:19:58When asked about it
00:19:59a couple hours ago,
00:20:00Mercer said,
00:20:01yeah, it's gonna bleed.
00:20:03So we're expecting
00:20:04to see a small spigot of blood
00:20:05from Mercer's lower lift
00:20:06when and if
00:20:07Lewis is able to land
00:20:08a right hand on the button.
00:20:10Mercer always stood up
00:20:15and took right hands,
00:20:16but this is one guy,
00:20:17Lewis,
00:20:17you can't just do that.
00:20:28Now, you're not gonna settle down.
00:20:29You're a little too relaxed,
00:20:30too excited, okay?
00:20:32Settle down just a little bit.
00:20:33That's all you gotta.
00:20:33Take your time.
00:20:34You can see what he's doing.
00:20:35Jab a little harder with your jabs.
00:20:37You're falling a little bit more.
00:20:38But just settle down.
00:20:39That's how you have it.
00:20:39You're a little tight,
00:20:40that's all.
00:20:41Everything else will fall in place.
00:20:44Keep stepping up.
00:20:45Okay.
00:20:46When you get the gimmick
00:20:47like you're here,
00:20:48a big fucking whack.
00:20:49And now,
00:20:50an officer to work, too,
00:20:51is holding your neck.
00:20:52Okay.
00:20:53Brief deep.
00:20:53Relax one more.
00:20:54Brief deep.
00:20:55Brief deep.
00:20:55Brief deep.
00:20:55Brief deep.
00:20:55Brief deep.
00:20:56Brief deep.
00:20:57You see,
00:20:58a big, deep one.
00:20:58That's it.
00:21:00All right,
00:21:00just don't let him set up.
00:21:01Keep him going.
00:21:02You'll beat the shit out.
00:21:03Okay.
00:21:03Relax now, okay?
00:21:25Lewis threw a lot of jabs
00:21:26in round one.
00:21:2747 by punch stat numbers.
00:21:28Only landed one.
00:21:30Or only landed nine,
00:21:32I should say.
00:21:32So that's a low connect rate,
00:21:34but it's the activity
00:21:35that matters more.
00:21:36Great.
00:21:37And Mercer,
00:21:38as he showed you there,
00:21:39will walk through
00:21:40a lot of punches.
00:21:41And I wouldn't advise Mercer
00:21:43to just go walking
00:21:44through this guy.
00:21:45Lennox Lewis
00:21:46with a little more power
00:21:48on his right hand
00:21:48because he throws it
00:21:49downward.
00:21:50Great.
00:21:51Step back.
00:21:51Like the great pitcher,
00:21:52J.R.,
00:21:52from the Houston Astros.
00:21:54James Rodney Richard.
00:21:55That's him.
00:21:58Or Bob Gibson.
00:21:59These guys will come
00:22:00out that mound
00:22:01and put a little more
00:22:02onto the right hand
00:22:03because they're coming down.
00:22:03There it was,
00:22:04the overhand right
00:22:05with a downward trajectory
00:22:06when it comes to the chin.
00:22:11Lennox Lewis was knocked
00:22:12down once,
00:22:14but it wasn't with a sheer punch.
00:22:15It was a surprise punch
00:22:16that got him.
00:22:20Mercer trying to fight
00:22:21the same fight so far here
00:22:22that he fought early
00:22:23against Holyfield.
00:22:24He threw 24 jabs
00:22:25in round one.
00:22:26That's a good output
00:22:27for Ray Mercer.
00:22:31Keep him up, Lennox!
00:22:32Keep him up!
00:22:38Looked like a borderline punch.
00:22:40Boy, he's hit Mercer
00:22:41with some really heavy shots
00:22:43and Mercer just hasn't budged yet.
00:22:45He's hit Mercer.
00:22:46He's hit Mercer.
00:22:47He's hit Mercer.
00:22:47He's hit Mercer.
00:22:48He's hit Mercer.
00:22:49He's hit Mercer.
00:22:49He's hit Mercer.
00:22:50He's hit Mercer.
00:22:50He's hit Mercer.
00:22:50He's hit Mercer.
00:22:51Great.
00:22:51Great.
00:22:51Great.
00:22:51Great.
00:22:52I heard Stewart telling
00:22:53Lewis to relax
00:22:54and he seems a little bit
00:22:55less tight here in round two
00:22:57and the jab is starting to land
00:22:59rather than simply to go out there.
00:23:01There we have another big heavyweight call.
00:23:07Lennox Lewis bending down.
00:23:09Why go down and bob and weave?
00:23:11Never teach a tug out of bob and weave.
00:23:13And there he brought himself
00:23:17down into range for Mercer's right hand.
00:23:19And as you can see,
00:23:20he'd give the other guy courage.
00:23:24Crowd rising in excitement now
00:23:26as Mercer pins Lewis against the ropes.
00:23:29Most of the garden hoping
00:23:30for the big upset here.
00:23:35Well, we talked about how Lewis
00:23:37would perform under pressure.
00:23:38He's getting some pressure now.
00:23:43And Mercer lands good head shots,
00:23:46but he doesn't effectively go back to the body
00:23:48to make sure that the steam
00:23:49stay out of Lewis's punches.
00:23:55Lennox Lewis has been tall
00:23:57and in his earlier career skinny for a long time.
00:24:00So he's the custom to bigger guys
00:24:01getting the best of him sometimes.
00:24:03But yet he comes back.
00:24:04Great.
00:24:05Step back.
00:24:06Two spirited rounds so far
00:24:10from merciless Ray Mercer.
00:24:12But is he well conditioned enough
00:24:15to do this through the long course
00:24:18of the bout against the bigger man?
00:24:27But he's not in the shape you're in, okay?
00:24:29He's not in the shape.
00:24:30He won that round a couple good shots,
00:24:32and I give him that round,
00:24:33so I've got to be at ease.
00:24:34But he's not in the shape of the team.
00:24:36If we get hit with a jab
00:24:38because your jab and I told you
00:24:39you jab on the right hand over here,
00:24:40and that's how you're getting caught with jab.
00:24:42Keep it right in a pile.
00:24:43He's catching you a jab.
00:24:44Because your right hand is over here
00:24:46while you're jabbing.
00:24:46And you get that.
00:24:47Keep your right hand up a little high
00:24:48and watch this.
00:24:51Here they come.
00:24:52Mercer crowding Lewis,
00:24:54landing a good straight stiff left jab
00:24:57and following with a right hand.
00:24:58Comes back with a left and a right high on the head.
00:25:03with a very nice combination
00:25:05from Ray Mercer.
00:25:06Get him in the corner and whack him with this.
00:25:07Whack him with this.
00:25:08Whack him with this.
00:25:08Whack him with this.
00:25:09Whack him with this.
00:25:10Whack him with this.
00:25:11Get those elbows down.
00:25:12Get those elbows down.
00:25:13Get him in.
00:25:13Get time.
00:25:15Get time.
00:25:15Get time.
00:25:16Get time.
00:25:16Let's go, gentlemen.
00:25:19Stewart urging Lewis to relax
00:25:22and allow Mercer to wear himself down.
00:25:24Mercer's trainer Tommy Parks says,
00:25:26Whack him.
00:25:28You get the
00:25:58sense already that Mercer's looking for a little rest
00:26:00in the first minute of the third round.
00:26:02No doubt about it, but he's got to learn to take his rest
00:26:04by moving a little closer to Lennox Lewis.
00:26:07You rest close.
00:26:09When you want to fight, you stand out,
00:26:11but when you want to rest, get up close
00:26:12because Lewis is ineffective
00:26:13when you're close upon him.
00:26:17Mercer's short with the right hand,
00:26:18comes back to land a jab.
00:26:20Lewis trying to remember to pepper Mercer with the jab.
00:26:23Lewis's scouting report told him
00:26:25that you can control Mercer with the jab
00:26:27if you keep it in his face.
00:26:35You don't go 12 rounds with Larry Holmes
00:26:37and not find out something about the left jab.
00:26:40What do you do after a guy jabs you?
00:26:53Mercer lands an uppercut inside
00:26:55and now gets a short overhand right in.
00:26:58His punches don't have as much snap in this round
00:27:00as they did in the first two,
00:27:01but he's still able to land against Lewis.
00:27:07A major problem with Lewis, he's a puncher.
00:27:11Shouldn't spend too much time
00:27:12trying to teach a puncher to box.
00:27:15Should tell him all the time,
00:27:16when you get closer and closer with that right hand.
00:27:18Keep putting it in there.
00:27:19Go to the body of something.
00:27:20You'll get him.
00:27:21That's when he's more effective.
00:27:26When you can smell a knockout,
00:27:28you cannot revert to boxing.
00:27:29Now, this is interesting, George,
00:27:31because you say Lewis is a puncher
00:27:33and certainly he has the power to be seen that way.
00:27:36But earlier in his career,
00:27:37before Stewart got hold of him,
00:27:39a lot of people said
00:27:40he was nothing but a timid counterpuncher.
00:27:43Yeah, but that counterpunch puts you to sleep.
00:27:45Right.
00:27:47He does have power.
00:27:53Lewis' strategy should be
00:27:54jab, go to the body, back up to the head,
00:27:57but do not give you Mercer any courage.
00:28:00Mercer's strategy should be to stay close.
00:28:02Stay close, win points.
00:28:04Mercer lands the left hand
00:28:07and tries to come to the right behind it.
00:28:09Pace has slowed in the third round
00:28:11to Lewis' advantage,
00:28:13but now Mercer is flurrying
00:28:14down the stretch of the round,
00:28:16trying to steal one.
00:28:19Oh!
00:28:23And still to come
00:28:25in a heavyweight triple header
00:28:26from Madison Square Garden.
00:28:28The third of our three outs
00:28:29finds former light heavyweight
00:28:32and cruiserweight champion
00:28:33Bobby Chez going against Evander Holyfield.
00:28:36Holyfield Chez still to come
00:28:39and the visit to Commander Evander's locker room.
00:28:41Thank you, sir.
00:28:45Future three-time heavyweight champion
00:28:47is what the T-shirt says,
00:28:49and that's something of a holy grail
00:28:52for Evander Holyfield.
00:28:57You're trained for a tough fight,
00:28:58so you're ready for it this time, okay?
00:29:02Let the stretch go, champ.
00:29:03Let that short hook up.
00:29:04Check him now, folks.
00:29:05Body in here.
00:29:06Sword bag at you.
00:29:07Whack him.
00:29:08And go to the body.
00:29:10All right?
00:29:11You're doing a good job, right?
00:29:12Okay.
00:29:13Thank you, gentlemen.
00:29:14Thank you, sir.
00:29:14Thank you, sir.
00:29:15Thank you, sir.
00:29:15Thank you, sir.
00:29:16Thank you, sir.
00:29:16Thank you, sir.
00:29:17Thank you, sir.
00:29:17Thank you, sir.
00:29:18Thank you, sir.
00:29:18Thank you, sir.
00:29:19Thank you, sir.
00:29:20Thank you, sir.
00:29:26Stewart telling Lennox Lewis
00:29:28that he has trained for a tough fight,
00:29:30so not to worry about the spark
00:29:31that Mercer has shown in the first three rounds.
00:29:34At 247 on the scales,
00:29:38Lewis does appear to be in superb condition.
00:29:42And through the first three rounds,
00:29:44let's take a look at Harold Letterman's scorecard.
00:29:46Harold.
00:29:46Jim, 29, 28, two rounds to one.
00:29:50That's a good match.
00:29:51Merciless Ray Mercer.
00:29:52I just think that in rounds one and three,
00:29:54he got inside enough, did enough damage
00:29:56with that hard right hand to pull out the round.
00:29:58That went for the puncher over the box set
00:30:00in rounds one and three.
00:30:01I went with Lennox Lewis' left jab in round two.
00:30:04We have the same score, Harold.
00:30:09Good combination by Lewis.
00:30:11Mercer momentarily stunned.
00:30:13Lewis trying to leap in with the right hand,
00:30:15and Ray holds off.
00:30:16It was that uppercut that started that combination
00:30:19and hurt Mercer.
00:30:22Uppercut through the guard, glancing blow,
00:30:25but what power Lewis showed
00:30:27in splitting Mercer's gloves apart with that uppercut?
00:30:30Well, it was mostly speed.
00:30:32He did it real quick.
00:30:34Now, Mercer was being real successful
00:30:36by out-jabbing Lewis.
00:30:37He's made him abandon his jab, which is good,
00:30:40but once you make him abandon his jab,
00:30:42then you start jabbing.
00:30:44Mercer isn't doing it now.
00:30:47Lewis has turned into the slugger,
00:30:49but Mercer should be boxing.
00:30:55Another terrific combination
00:30:57at close range by Lewis.
00:30:59Mercer holds his arms back as if to say,
00:31:01I'm not hurt.
00:31:02I'm not sure I believe it.
00:31:11And now Mercer coming on
00:31:12with a straight right hand.
00:31:15Lewis not defending himself very well so far.
00:31:18Oh! Let's go ahead, Ray!
00:31:19Mercer has gotten back to being smart.
00:31:21He's a bit winded, but I would keep jabbing.
00:31:24Make the bigger man think he can't jab.
00:31:26Then when he starts fighting you,
00:31:28move away a little bit.
00:31:34And we think the trickle of blood
00:31:36from Ray Mercer's lower lip may have begun.
00:31:38If so, I would have to guess
00:31:40it was one of those uppercuts that started it.
00:31:42Mercer landing a short right hand inside
00:31:44as he holds on to Lewis,
00:31:46and now Lewis is hurt by the right hand.
00:31:48Lennox not holding on.
00:31:50Mercer pounds away.
00:31:55And a great right uppercut by Lewis.
00:31:57And Mercer comes back.
00:32:00Oh, look at what this big crowd has come for.
00:32:03Spectacular fourth round
00:32:06between Lennox Lewis and Ray Mercer.
00:32:09Let's go ahead.
00:32:11This is a demonstration of conditioning
00:32:14with Lennox Lewis.
00:32:15He's taken all that merciless Mercer has given,
00:32:18and he's still trying to get in a good punch.
00:32:21And he got in a great combination
00:32:23just as the bell sounded.
00:32:27But the crowd loves Mercer.
00:32:30Coming right down this way.
00:32:31I think that was the last good round.
00:32:32You look good.
00:32:33That was your best round.
00:32:34Best round.
00:32:35Deep breath, Kent.
00:32:36Yep.
00:32:37I got it.
00:32:38Kent, that was his lap.
00:32:41Watch that low blow, Kent.
00:32:42I got you.
00:32:43You're welcome.
00:32:44Don't hit me.
00:32:45You want to go, Luke?
00:32:46No.
00:32:47I won't.
00:32:48Not yet.
00:32:49All right.
00:32:50Move your head when you're standing still.
00:32:52Don't put it in.
00:32:53Move it to the side.
00:32:54And keep your hands up.
00:32:55Don't just let your hand down.
00:32:56Take a little smile.
00:32:57After watching Lewis in this round,
00:33:00I'm beginning to think maybe you can turn
00:33:03a soprano into a tenor because he is really brawling.
00:33:06We haven't seen that.
00:33:07Mercer turns it back around.
00:33:09And before the end of this round,
00:33:11Lewis had turned it around once again.
00:33:16Some real rare back and forth thing with heavy blows
00:33:20in that big fourth round.
00:33:22Spectacular punch stat numbers from the fourth round.
00:33:26Lewis threw 39 power shots and landed 29 of them, 74%.
00:33:31Mercer, 17 of 25 in power shots, 68%.
00:33:36It was a round of bombs.
00:33:56Low blows by Lewis.
00:34:09Mercanti gives him a warning.
00:34:11Come on, Lennox.
00:34:12I don't think they did any real damage.
00:34:15Not at all.
00:34:16And it was pretty much punches thrown a little without looking.
00:34:18Come on.
00:34:19Come on.
00:34:20Mercer now only has an iron chin.
00:34:21He seems to have an iron middle as well.
00:34:24But if this fights continue to go on and on and on,
00:34:26those body punches by Lewis will take their toll pretty soon.
00:34:30Just cannot take those kind of body punches from a big heavyweight
00:34:33and continue to absorb right hands on the chin.
00:34:34He didn't used to remember to go to the body like that.
00:34:35I think that's another area in which Stewart has had a beneficial effect for Lennox.
00:34:37Overhand right, missed by Lewis.
00:34:38He comes back with a leaping left hook.
00:34:39Mercanti just barely gets out of the way.
00:34:40Mercer.
00:34:41Mercer.
00:34:42Mercer.
00:34:43That's right.
00:34:44That's right.
00:34:45Just cannot take those kind of body punches from a big heavyweight
00:34:46and continue to absorb right hands on the chin.
00:34:47He didn't used to remember to go to the body like that.
00:34:48I think that's another area in which Stewart has had a beneficial effect for Lennox.
00:34:51Overhand right, missed by Lewis.
00:35:02He comes back with a leaping left hook.
00:35:04Mercer is again choosing to get a rest through the first half of the fifth round.
00:35:11Throws one left hook and wait.
00:35:13One left hook and wait.
00:35:15A lot of this is because he's throwing those punches up high where they take a lot of your
00:35:19wins.
00:35:20But more and more, Lewis seems to be searching for a one-punch knockout,
00:35:24and that's not gonna help him against a guy with Mercer's chin.
00:35:27One of the things you can notice here is that when Mercer jabs, he really commits to the jab.
00:35:49And Lewis still doesn't do that.
00:35:58Right hand was blocked despite the excitement of the crowd.
00:36:04Lewis taking a lot of leather here from Ray Mercer.
00:36:08Mercer got to understand, once you hit these young guys with two and three gaps, brace yourself.
00:36:13They're gonna pay you back.
00:36:15Well, he's gotta keep his hands up.
00:36:17As soon as he hits him with two shots, get your hands up.
00:36:19He's coming back.
00:36:25Blood inside the mouth of Lennox Lewis now.
00:36:28When you don't get under control, when you don't let him,
00:36:31you're fucking in his eye with your jab.
00:36:34You're fucking in his eye.
00:36:35Fucker.
00:36:36All right?
00:36:37Yep.
00:36:38Give me a towel across his legs.
00:36:39Yeah.
00:36:40All right, you're the boss.
00:36:41Huh?
00:36:42You're the boss.
00:36:43Breathe deep.
00:36:44I want you to have your hands up.
00:36:45Okay.
00:36:46Motherfucker ain't got it no more.
00:36:47He ain't got it no more.
00:36:48You just gotta pick it up, champ.
00:36:49Big down.
00:36:50All you gotta pick up is random.
00:36:51Just dig down.
00:36:52Put the big screen on, man.
00:36:53Take off my hand.
00:36:54Hey, sir.
00:36:55When you're inside, you move your head.
00:36:56Move your head inside.
00:36:57All right, baby?
00:36:58Okay, this is it, man.
00:36:59Okay?
00:37:00Okay.
00:37:01If you let him go, it's gonna be overwhelmed.
00:37:02Yep.
00:37:03Thank you, Bruce.
00:37:04Just let your hands go, Muppies.
00:37:05You saw in those punch stat numbers that Mercer is out jabbing the supposed jabber.
00:37:20He's landing an astonishingly high percentage of jabs, and many of them are good stiff jabs.
00:37:2518 of 27 jabs in round five, and the result of all that is that Lewis's eyes,
00:37:30are beginning to swell.
00:37:32So that's why Mercer's corner told him, keep going to the jab.
00:37:35You're messing up his eyes, or something to that effect.
00:37:41Break!
00:37:46Lennox Lewis has been winning battles in court in New Jersey, seeking a fight against Mike
00:37:51Tyson, but none of that will mean anything if he doesn't win this fight tonight.
00:37:56Ray Mercer is truly a trial horse.
00:37:59You get past this guy, you can get past any trial.
00:38:03Oh, let go.
00:38:04Frank, come on.
00:38:05Watch that.
00:38:06The emphasis George is on horse.
00:38:08He is some tough guy.
00:38:11And he's never been knocked out, so Lewis might be well advised to stick to his tactical advantages.
00:38:18But at some point in every fight, Mercer's pattern is that he loses focus and begins simply to brawl.
00:38:26That happens here.
00:38:27Remember that he's in against a bigger, heavier, punching man.
00:38:30But he has had so much success with the jab that he might be encouraged to stay with it.
00:38:37He's stuck with the game plan so far.
00:38:41Lewis trying to turn everything around with one big uppercut inside.
00:38:46Lands the left hook.
00:38:48Break!
00:38:49One thing when you're jabbing, Mercer's been very successful up top.
00:38:53But a few of those jabs has got to go to the man's chest.
00:38:56Got to hit him in the belly a little bit because your face can swell up and your body can still be strong.
00:39:01Mercer's kind of forgotten to go to the body here against Lennox.
00:39:04You've got to put in some body punches against a puncher.
00:39:06That's the only way to sap his energy.
00:39:09Look how easily Mercer pops him in the face with the jab.
00:39:14Mercer landed a hard right-hand counter.
00:39:17And Lewis is momentarily stunned again.
00:39:24Remember, Lewis knows how to fight like this.
00:39:28He's a puncher.
00:39:29He doesn't mind mixing it up when he's hurt.
00:39:31Let's go.
00:39:35Knock that off!
00:39:38Once you hit Lewis with hard shots, get out of his way.
00:39:41Get on the side of him.
00:39:42Don't stand in front of him because he's got a left hook that will make you fly.
00:39:56Break!
00:39:57Break!
00:39:58Mercer buying time, getting a rest, tying Lewis up inside.
00:40:02He's had another excellent round here, landing the jab at will and flurrying wildly at moments.
00:40:10Lewis loading up now on uppercuts, and that'll get him in trouble.
00:40:14It's going to get him in a lot of trouble.
00:40:15Right now, he's got to reestablish himself as the boxer, the better jabber.
00:40:19Reestablish that, then go for the power punches.
00:40:21Midway through the bout, time for Emanuel Steward to go to work and prove what he says about his fighter.
00:40:29You're behind on points, Junior.
00:40:30Huh?
00:40:31You're behind on points.
00:40:32He's out punching you.
00:40:33That's that simple.
00:40:34When you get a guy, you get a good volley like that, you've got to come back and win that round back.
00:40:37You see something because he was exhausted after that, but you never pushed him after that.
00:40:41You've got to let yourself go.
00:40:42Okay, let the shots go.
00:40:43If you keep letting them go, regardless whether you're missing or not, you're going to knock him out in that time.
00:40:51Here is Ray Mercer, who looked at the beginning of the round like he was starting to get tired,
00:40:56but when he landed a good, when he had a good rally and landed a good combination,
00:41:01it seemed to put some more gas right into his tank.
00:41:13Emanuel Steward has told Lennox Lewis that you're going to get into fights where technique doesn't matter.
00:41:21You're just going to have to dig down and dig it out, and he's gotten himself into that kind of a fight right now.
00:41:29You can see the swelling around Lennox Lewis' right eye.
00:41:32The situation begins to become troublesome for Lewis.
00:41:35Step back now.
00:41:36His corner told him he was behind on points.
00:41:39Harold, after six rounds, your scorecard.
00:41:41Larry, four rounds to two, 58, 56, merciless Ray Mercer.
00:41:46I think when that little guy gets inside, he does damage.
00:41:49And I gave him rounds one, three, four, and six because he got inside and landed that hard right hand.
00:41:55And in a ten-round fight, Lennox Lewis is running out of rounds.
00:41:58I have it three rounds apiece.
00:42:00Still not enough head movement for Lewis, who, when he steps inside against Mercer,
00:42:05gets peppered with left hands and short right hands.
00:42:10Mercer's been effective with the jab, been effective with the right-hand counter.
00:42:14Lewis has landed some uppercuts, some terrific combinations,
00:42:18some left hooks, but has not landed a big right hand over the top yet.
00:42:22Lewis seemed not to want anything but a knockout.
00:42:36To land a double right hand, two left jabs, he just does not seem to want to do good things like that.
00:42:41Whatever he does, he can turn this fight around. It's equal right now. It's an even match.
00:42:51Mercer again with a right-hand counter inside.
00:42:54Lewis momentarily dropped his gloves and took another shot.
00:42:58But then Lennox came back with a counter of his own.
00:43:01Mercer got hurt that time, and Lewis was out of position to take advantage of it.
00:43:05And I still don't think Lennox realizes how hard he hit Mercer.
00:43:08Mercer.
00:43:12He's not used to seeing guys stand up after he hits him flush like that.
00:43:16Great! Step back now.
00:43:18Going to become a test of Lennox Lewis' courage and his tactical will down the stretch.
00:43:32Step back.
00:43:33Can he impose his own strength on Mercer?
00:43:36The way Mercer has done to him so far.
00:43:39Remember, Mercer dominated the first six rounds against Holyfield as well.
00:43:51And then gradually ran out of gas.
00:44:01Lewis starting to freshen up a little bit.
00:44:04Goes back to the jab in the straight right hand.
00:44:08Good footwork, good combinations.
00:44:10And Lewis suddenly has Mercer in trouble.
00:44:12Missed with the right-hand uppercut inside.
00:44:14You just gotta go like that all the way now.
00:44:29We can't lose no more rounds.
00:44:31You gotta push yourself.
00:44:36Get off first.
00:44:37Don't wait till he punches.
00:44:38You got off first.
00:44:39You got these next three rounds.
00:44:40You got to win all of them to win a decision, okay?
00:44:43You get my shot at him.
00:44:44You don't have to fight these guys.
00:44:45The guy's tired.
00:44:46Okay?
00:44:47He's been here first.
00:44:49Okay.
00:44:50The guy's tired.
00:44:51Great.
00:44:52Fight this guy.
00:44:53Don't let him throw them three and four punches.
00:44:54He's stealing the round if he does that.
00:44:55This is the end of the round when Lewis may have won the round with the
00:45:05and won the round with this exchange in the last 15 seconds.
00:45:10Straight right.
00:45:11Good body shots.
00:45:12Another straight right.
00:45:17Ray Mercer trying to do to Lennox Lewis what Jesse Ferguson did to him.
00:45:22knock him out of a big payday.
00:45:28Watch Mercer's energy level now as these late rounds progress.
00:45:33Can he do in the latter part of the fight what he did earlier?
00:45:36His pattern is it's tough for him.
00:45:40You can see that Harold Letterman gave Lewis the seventh and narrowed the margin on the Letterman card.
00:45:45Now, Lewis' corner gave him for the first time proper advice.
00:45:53They should have gave it to him in the first round.
00:45:55Get out there and win those rounds.
00:45:57And then when the fight goes on and on, you tell him to catch up on point.
00:46:02Nothing wrong with telling the puncher to win the round.
00:46:05Solid uppercut by Lewis.
00:46:06Mercer's punch output is dropping now.
00:46:09Mercer's left eye swelling up a little bit.
00:46:14Stop holding, Arch.
00:46:15Come on, break.
00:46:16The fight is turning in Lewis' direction,
00:46:18but does he have a full understanding of that
00:46:21and the tactical will to make it stick?
00:46:24Mercer's starting to use fakes.
00:46:26He fakes.
00:46:27Fakes!
00:46:28Had Lewis jumping and going for fakes.
00:46:30That's something the Tala fighter's supposed to be doing.
00:46:34Low blow by Lewis.
00:46:36Or can he let him get away with it?
00:46:38Because he pretty much dropped some of the power back off of it
00:46:43when he realized he was going to be lower.
00:46:45Come on.
00:46:46I'm not going to stand for that shit.
00:46:47Let's go.
00:46:48Come on.
00:46:49The crowd likes Mercer trying to hit on the break,
00:46:51and Arthur McKinney didn't like it.
00:46:53Mercer's swinging wildly with the right again.
00:46:56Mercer got Lewis with a good right hand.
00:47:00Break!
00:47:01Step back now when I say break.
00:47:02Step back.
00:47:03Step back.
00:47:10Both fighters with swollen eyes.
00:47:12Two good cut men working tonight.
00:47:14Al Gavin in Lewis' corner.
00:47:16Percy Richardson with Ray Mercer.
00:47:20Short right hand inside by Lewis.
00:47:22Mercer grabs him and stops the action.
00:47:26And Mercer found out now if you keep your right hand
00:47:29and your left hand in front of you,
00:47:31Lewis is ineffective.
00:47:32He doesn't do anything when your hand's up.
00:47:34He waits until you drop one or the other.
00:47:39If you just put them in front of you,
00:47:40he will not do anything.
00:47:42That's it.
00:47:43Trading uppercuts at close range.
00:47:45Both men landed.
00:47:46Hard right hand by Lewis.
00:47:48Mercer with that chin of granite.
00:47:50Mercer's winging shots from the outside
00:47:55and creating opportunities for Lewis,
00:47:57but Lewis is only sporadically taking advantage.
00:48:00Yeah, he is.
00:48:01Like I said, he should be still in rounds now.
00:48:03His corner told him late to win rounds,
00:48:05and he should have been doing this early on.
00:48:07Let's see who flurries in these last 15 seconds.
00:48:15Break!
00:48:17Step back.
00:48:18This looked like Lewis's best round.
00:48:21Time.
00:48:27Bobby Chez waiting for his upcoming assignment
00:48:31in the third bout of our heavyweight triple header.
00:48:35Chez with the shirt that says Mensa,
00:48:38a reference to his own reported near genius level IQ.
00:48:43Getting ready to fight Evander Holder, too.
00:48:46He's more tired than you, Ray.
00:48:47Ray.
00:48:48All you gotta do...
00:48:49Double jam him.
00:48:50Hooker.
00:48:51In the right hand.
00:48:52The big right hand.
00:48:53You had him out, you helped him up.
00:48:54Hit him.
00:48:55Make him use his legs while he's tired now, okay?
00:48:56Okay.
00:48:57Let your shots go.
00:48:58Don't hesitate so much.
00:48:59Using the legs.
00:49:00Second jab, gentlemen.
00:49:01Let's go.
00:49:02Let's go.
00:49:03Let's go.
00:49:04Let's go.
00:49:05Ray Mercer had been throwing more than 20 jabs per round
00:49:07in the eighth round.
00:49:08That output dropped to 13.
00:49:09He landed only seven.
00:49:10So his activity level is going down.
00:49:11Eight rounds in the book.
00:49:13It's scheduled only for 10.
00:49:14Only for 10.
00:49:15You wonder what is he doing to keep back out of there?
00:49:17Okay.
00:49:18Now, okay?
00:49:19Let's just...
00:49:20I don't know if he didn't get out of there.
00:49:21You know, I'm going to the right hand now.
00:49:22Okay?
00:49:23Okay, let your shots go.
00:49:24Don't have anything that's so much.
00:49:25Put it down.
00:49:26So that's the youtube channel.
00:49:27I'm gonna get out of there.
00:49:28He's gonna get out of there.
00:49:29He's gonna get out of there.
00:49:30Okay?
00:49:31Ray Mercer had been throwing more than 20 jabs per round
00:49:33in the eighth round.
00:49:34That output dropped to 13.
00:49:35Only for 10. Only for 10.
00:49:37You wonder if either fighter has paced himself
00:49:40thinking it's a 12-round bout.
00:49:42It is not.
00:49:44Larry Merchant said something very important.
00:49:47Lewis is just not accustomed
00:49:49to throwing hard shots like that
00:49:51and a man staying up on his feet like Mercer is doing.
00:49:54And as a result, he's posed a little bit
00:49:56and admired some of his work,
00:49:57and he's allowed Mercer to flurry
00:49:59in the first 30 seconds of this round
00:50:01and put him a little bit in the hole here.
00:50:03Ray Mercer with a spirited effort
00:50:05which could gain for him
00:50:07the biggest win of his career.
00:50:21Well, that's the Lennox Lewis right hand
00:50:23he's been waiting on all night.
00:50:24Great!
00:50:25Yeah, but Mercer's proven he can take that right hand.
00:50:27He just ate it up and came back.
00:50:30That's no way to get confidence.
00:50:33He's been waiting for you.
00:50:35Great!
00:50:35Step back now.
00:50:41And that's exactly Larry's point
00:50:43because virtually anybody else in his career,
00:50:45Lewis lands that right hand,
00:50:48and the guy is down.
00:50:50Ray Mercer starting to move his head a little bit
00:50:52as he steps closer and closer.
00:50:57Mercer able to faint Lewis out of position there.
00:51:00imoniously he had his head...
00:51:01get it Sarah H procure.
00:51:04Run down.
00:51:08Run down.
00:51:09There's gonna be some drama in the 10th round.
00:51:11Let's go.
00:51:13And you can almost hear the laughter
00:51:14in the Tyson camp
00:51:16if this decision goes against Lennox Lewis.
00:51:18I wouldn't want to be the judge of this fight
00:51:25because both men have fought great.
00:51:27Lewis has had his advantages.
00:51:30Mercer's taken his advantages.
00:51:31Been an equal match.
00:51:34Evenly, even so far in my mind.
00:51:36The judges are from New York, New York, and New York.
00:51:43So there's not a British judge here,
00:51:45not a Canadian judge here.
00:51:46They're all New Yorkers.
00:51:48They're all right.
00:51:56Lewis's supporters in the crowd
00:51:57chanting for him.
00:51:58Lennox, Lennox, Lennox.
00:52:01But he's had a low punch out
00:52:03for it in the ninth round.
00:52:04Lennox just not throwing as much
00:52:06in this round as he had
00:52:08in the few previous to it.
00:52:12And Mercer's having a good round.
00:52:15Now, Lewis, for the first time,
00:52:17all he did was just put his right hand up.
00:52:19That's what he could have been doing all night.
00:52:21You don't have to jump back, drop your hands.
00:52:23We want this round.
00:52:32We're going to take this round.
00:52:33We're going to take this round and win the fight.
00:52:34You've got to win it.
00:52:35You can't win it by moving.
00:52:36You've got to let the punches go.
00:52:38You can't take them home.
00:52:39Let them go.
00:52:40Lennox, you're holding on to them.
00:52:41Let them fly.
00:52:42Let the shots go.
00:52:43You've got to talk to yourself and push yourself.
00:52:46This is the last round.
00:52:47You've got to win this round, OK?
00:52:48I'll bet you are.
00:52:49Get the inch well.
00:52:50Put the inch well.
00:52:51You put the ground.
00:52:52All right.
00:52:54Last round, Chad.
00:52:55How bad do you want it?
00:52:56Just go to him.
00:52:57That's the last round.
00:52:58I don't give him this fucking round.
00:52:59Don't give him to him.
00:52:59You hear?
00:53:00All you've got to do is keep fucking punching.
00:53:03If you get close, you go three and four punches.
00:53:05And then keep turning.
00:53:06And keep turning them.
00:53:06You've got to let them go.
00:53:07It's all up and up.
00:53:08If you don't win this round, you blow it.
00:53:09Let's go.
00:53:10Let's go.
00:53:10Let's go.
00:53:11Let's go.
00:53:13Who wants it?
00:53:29Arthur McCanty Jr. says, let's go.
00:53:32Who wants it?
00:53:33That's the big question now.
00:53:34Harold Lederman, how you got it after nine?
00:53:36Jim, five rounds to four, 86-85.
00:53:40Lennox Lewis, I think he's going round seven, eight, and nine to pull ahead.
00:53:43But boy, this is anybody's fight.
00:53:45If Ray Mercer starts to punch again, he certainly may be able to pull out this fight.
00:53:49This is darn close.
00:53:50Larry?
00:53:51This is one of those occasions when you've got to say, cut yourself a new piece of bait,
00:53:56fish a little deeper.
00:53:57See what you've got down deep.
00:53:59I have Lewis ahead six rounds to three.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:02Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Let's go.
00:54:03Now it's time for Lennox Lewis.
00:54:04What's your instinct, George?
00:54:05I'll see Lewis.
00:54:06He's ahead in my mind.
00:54:07He's done enough to pull it out with the jab, the tough, big right hands occasionally.
00:54:12Guys, I wouldn't be surprised to see the decision go for Mercer.
00:54:15I certainly wouldn't be surprised if judges gave Mercer the ninth round.
00:54:19He landed 70% of his jabs in that round.
00:54:23Step back.
00:54:24And remember, a draw would not be cheating anybody.
00:54:30You're not right, George.
00:54:31I didn't hear you.
00:54:32A draw.
00:54:33If this is how to score the draw, no one would be cheated.
00:54:36Believe me, this was a good match.
00:54:38I think Mike Tyson, even though he doesn't want to fight Lewis next, might feel cheated
00:54:44because off of his showing, I think he thinks that he could handle Lewis, and he doesn't
00:54:51want to see him fall out of contention.
00:54:53Mercer steps in and eats an uppercut.
00:54:55Best punch of the round so far.
00:54:57Neither fighter with a ton of energy left.
00:54:59A minute and a half to go.
00:55:00Another uppercut lands for Lewis.
00:55:03He's landed the more significant blows in the tenth so far.
00:55:11Lewis is doing a good job of boxing now.
00:55:14Last round.
00:55:14Let's go.
00:55:15Last round.
00:55:16Last round.
00:55:16Last round.
00:55:16Last round.
00:55:17Last round.
00:55:17Last round.
00:55:18Last round.
00:55:18Last round.
00:55:18Last round.
00:55:18Last round.
00:55:19Remember that Mercer has scored late knockouts in dramatic situations against Francesca Damiani
00:55:27in the ninth round of a fight on which he was trailing in the scorecards.
00:55:30He was behind Tommy Morrison when he whacked him out of there.
00:55:37But Mercer may believe he's on his way to a decision victory here.
00:55:41He hasn't had a lot of energy in this round.
00:55:43He's been throwing, but Lewis has been landing.
00:55:46Hard right hand for Mercer.
00:55:48Crowd rises in anticipation of the possible upset.
00:55:52Lewis knocked off balance by a left hand.
00:55:54Pretty even round.
00:56:03Mercer the aggressor.
00:56:19Closing seconds of the round.
00:56:21Lewis trying to flurry.
00:56:24And that's going to do it.
00:56:25And that's going to do it.
00:56:32A good, hard, tough fight between two big men.
00:56:42I thought Lewis pulled it out.
00:56:43It's nice that Mercer would have a showing like that in New York City where he got in all the trouble.
00:57:00Tremendous for him.
00:57:01Yeah, in the same building in which he was once accused of trying to throw a fight against Jesse Ferguson.
00:57:09Or rather trying to drive his opponent to throw a fight, the fight he was obviously going to lose.
00:57:15Harold Letterman, who'd you give the tenth round to and how did you score the fight?
00:57:19Well, Jim, I gave the tenth round to Merciless Ray Mercer.
00:57:22So I got it five rounds to five.
00:57:2495-95.
00:57:26I got it a draw.
00:57:27I think that Ray Mercer just did enough to come on.
00:57:30I mean, he came on strong.
00:57:31You put pressure on Lennox.
00:57:32Lennox looked tired.
00:57:33He looked like he was gasping.
00:57:34He looked like he was trying to survive the tenth round.
00:57:37I thought Ray Mercer did enough to win that tenth round and certainly earn a draw.
00:57:41A heck of a fight.
00:57:42Very, very close.
00:57:44Could go either way.
00:57:45Lennox out-jabbed him.
00:57:46Ray Mercer certainly aggressive.
00:57:48The harder punch him.
00:57:49What's your instinct about who won the perhaps decisive tenth round, George?
00:57:53To me, it was a draw.
00:57:55From one round, the fighters, the conclusion is it's a draw.
00:57:58It could go to either guy, but I'll give it a draw.
00:58:01If the fighters scored a draw, I would not complain one inch.
00:58:04Well, so in effect, both Foreman and Letterman scored a draw.
00:58:07Merchant, regardless of how he scored the tenth, would have had a close victory for Lewis.
00:58:14And it's nervous time in Lewis's corner now as the judges total up their scorecards.
00:58:21Let's take a look at final punch stat numbers,
00:58:23and you're going to see the astonishing success of Ray Mercer with the jab.
00:58:27He wound up landing 59% of his punches in the bout,
00:58:30but Lewis threw 150 more punches and landed more.
00:58:34This is the quintessential difficult fight to score.
00:58:38And look at how effective Mercer was with the jab.
00:58:40134 out of 224.
00:58:42But again, Lewis threw more.
00:58:47Hard to say.
00:58:48Right now, let's go to the ring announcer, Michael Buffer, for the official decision.
00:58:59Ladies and gentlemen, before we go to the scorecards here at Madison Square Garden,
00:59:03how about a round of applause for these two heavyweights,
00:59:06two Olympic gold medal champions that came here to fight tonight.
00:59:09We go to the scorecards.
00:59:14Melvina Latham scores the bout, 95-95 even.
00:59:21Lewis Rivera scores the bout, 96-95.
00:59:27George Colon scores the bout, 96-94.
00:59:30For the winner on a split decision, Lennox Lee!
00:59:37And the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards, the scorecards,
01:00:07well the crowd made its opinion of lennox lewis clear before the bout and their opinion of the
01:00:16decision runs along the same lines but in reality george foreman both fighters had some good moments
01:00:22and if ever you would say it's tough for anyone to have to take a loss this is one of those
01:00:27situations before we talk to george let's quickly go to larry merchant with the winner lennox lewis
01:00:32lennox congratulations did you think you had pulled the fight out well yes i did you know
01:00:40remorse was the top guys you hit him and he still comes but uh i thought i did enough to win
01:00:45you hit him some awfully hard shots you're not used to seeing guys keep coming after those hard shots
01:00:52is that what made this fight so close yes i'm telling you remorse got a tough chin but when
01:00:58they said he's got a tough chin because i hit him with some shots and i felt it in my hand
01:01:01and he kept coming have you ever been in this kind of a brawl i mean this had nothing to do
01:01:09with technique after a while this had something to do with who you are and how you fight definitely
01:01:15you know this is a small ring especially for a heavyweight you take two steps and you're hitting
01:01:20the ropes so uh and then ray mercer gave me a lot of uh pressure so you know uh i did enough to win
01:01:26how how if at all do you think this would affect your proposed fight with mike tyson
01:01:34i think it's a positive fight because like i said i'm not taking no easy fights i took the ray mercer
01:01:40fight because i realized that you know tyson's a presser fighter so is ray mercer so i have to
01:01:44go against certain guys to prepare for mike tyson so you think the way this fight turned out
01:01:49it was a preparation for an eventual fight with mike tyson whenever it occurs yes definitely like i said
01:01:58this is the reason why i took ray mercer you know it's a guy that comes and uh gives you enough
01:02:03pressure and uh you know i have to prepare myself to deal with a guy that gives me no pressure
01:02:07thank you very much lennox congratulations it's my mother's birthday today and i'd like to wish her a
01:02:11happy happy birthday and all the mothers in the world uh happy mother's day
01:02:15no perspective thank you very much let me see if i can find ray mercer here
01:02:20all right ray obvious obviously ray you thought that you could out jab the supposed jabber
01:02:32and it seemed that you did well i went out there i did the best i can i think all the all my fans
01:02:38out there they was great they kept me motivated has all the lenin lewis he took some of the best shots
01:02:43i had to give uh you know he had a strong jab i had to try to get on the inside i did a couple
01:02:48of things wrong and uh i guess that caused me to fight i didn't think i lost the fight
01:02:52it's becoming a routine for me man i don't know well did you think you had actually won the fight
01:02:57were you thinking in the corner going into the 10th round that if you survive this you've won the
01:03:03fight i wasn't trying to survive i was trying to fight all the way through the fight you know
01:03:07i know i gave a couple of rounds away but that's it no more than three you know
01:03:11you've been hit by some hard punches is he as hard or harder than any puncher you face
01:03:17well every punch that you're going to see with it from a heavyweight 240 some pounds
01:03:23it's going to be a hard punch and uh you know all the punches are hard that i've been getting
01:03:27hit with by different fighters but you know just different styles that make the punches i was able
01:03:31to stand up against the toughest punch i can stand up and take anybody's punch as you see
01:03:35mike tyson me and mike tyson have a great style and i'm just waiting to get it on the people want to see
01:03:39that because we're right there battling to hell with bars thank you very much ray jim all right
01:03:45thanks very much uh quickly what happened on the scorecards here that produced lennox's split
01:03:51decision victory was that lewis was given the 10th round by two of the three judges let's call it a
01:03:57majority decision because lewis won on two scorecards and it was even on the third
01:04:00scorecard so lewis won the 10th round on both of the scorecards on which he won the bout well
01:04:06no he won the 10th round on the scorecard which was even it was even on one of the other scorecards
01:04:12and he won the 10th round on the third scorecard so two out of three judges going for lewis in the
01:04:1610th that made the difference in granting him the decision most fight fans i have to assume george
01:04:21are sitting at home and saying wait a minute if the guy gets hit that easily by a fighter like ray
01:04:26mercer he wouldn't stand a chance against tyson are they right no i wouldn't be so quick to say that
01:04:30not only was he hit he was hit good he was able to endure and continue to push his wheel on mercer
01:04:37now i'm not trying to say the other guy can't hit a lot harder than mercer of course he can
01:04:41but this guy can do good in the ring with anyone i think the crowd was behind mercer because he took
01:04:47the punishment and he kept coming back all in all you think it was a good learning experience for lewis
01:04:51oh it was a great fight for all of us we all learned something tonight all right that was a
01:04:55battle between two olympic gold medalists from seoul korea in 1988 for more on what the olympics
01:05:03mean to this fight card tonight let's go to frank de ford thank you jim evander hol