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00:00And tonight we start the new year with the undisputed middleweight champion of the world,
00:04marvelous Marvin Hagler, against the hopeful Brighton by the name of Tony Sipson.
00:09Ray Leonard, one interesting thing that has been bandied about in both camps, the fact
00:13that Tony Sipson, for the last two weeks, has not been in the ring with anybody who
00:17hits back.
00:18He has not had a sparring session in over two weeks.
00:20Very unusual.
00:21Well, none of that creates dullness in the ring.
00:23You're not as sharp, your timing is off.
00:25But if he didn't abandon his regular training regimen, things should be as normal as Marvin
00:30Well, the biggest question, of course, being asked in all corners is, who is Tony Sipson?
00:35Well, Tony Sipson is a guy who's been a straight-ahead fighter.
00:38We know that.
00:39We also know he's got to change his style this time.
00:42We got some of the answers from our own Reg Guttridge in England.
00:49This is Leicester, England.
00:50It's approximately 100 miles from London, and it's known for its quaint village houses
00:56and its fox hunting, and also the home of Tony Sipson, the number one-ranked world middleweight
01:02contender.
01:03Hello, I'm Reg Guttridge, and I've covered the fight scene here for, well, over half
01:07a century, but that really isn't that long when you think that the fight game started
01:11here approximately 260 years ago.
01:15James Figg, known as the father of boxing, was the sport's first champion in 1719.
01:21It is with Figg that the art and science of modern boxing begins.
01:25In 1743, Jack Broughton introduced the sport, its first rules and gloves.
01:30In 1866, John Sholton Douglas, the 8th Marquess of Queensbury, revolutionised boxing with
01:36a set of regulations that created the sport we know today.
01:40We English have taken pride in many boxers.
01:42Some of our most recent champions have been Henry Cooper.
01:45Our Henry, as most of us know him today, will never be forgotten for his knockdown of the
01:50then Cassius Clay.
01:52Alan Minter, the British bulldog who defeated Vito Antofermo to become our last world champion.
01:58Our present hero, Tony Sipson, or Sibbo as his fans like to chant, defeated Matteo Salvamini
02:04to become the European middleweight champion.
02:06After 10 years, boxing would become more than just a pastime, it would be his life.
02:11I'm not, I don't have to dramatise my life, I just come from a working-class family, and
02:18I know that if I want to get on in life, this is the only way for me.
02:23But before Tony would receive his deserved recognition, there had to be one more fight.
02:28In England, it was build the showdown, Tony Sipson, the up-and-coming boxer, versus the
02:32veteran and ex-world champion, Alan Minter.
02:35Once a sparring partner for Minter, Tony Sipson lived many years in the shadow of England's
02:39pride.
02:39In 1980, Minter lost his title to Marvin Hagler in the third round of this ring.
02:44One year later, the third round marked the end of the career of one English champ, and
02:48the beginning of a dream of another Englishman.
02:50I think it was the right time then, I thought, he broke his nose and broke his heart.
02:56Tony's heart was also broke. Due to an advertisement on Minter's trunks, the fight was blacked
03:01out by the BBC.
03:02Explain to me why you were so disappointed that the fight with Alan Minter was blacked
03:08out by the BBC in Britain.
03:10Everyone was saying, oh, I've got no chance, but then when I beat him and did the job I
03:14did on him, it was robbed of me that the public never seen that, and that was a shame.
03:19Dwight Davison was Sipson's final obstacle to a title shot.
03:23Versus the number one ranked contender, Tony Sipson earned a unanimous decision and the
03:27opportunity to once again bring a world title back to England.
03:36Only in England would you find a boxer who trains at a pub.
03:39Queen Vic gym is located behind the Queen Victoria pub.
03:42To concentrate solely on Marvin Hagler, Tony vacated his British and European titles.
03:47Since November 23rd, he has dedicated all his time to training with three daily workouts
03:52every day except Sundays.
03:54He beholds the courage that is found in many English boxers.
03:57Its origin could be linked to King Richard I, whose courage in battle won him the title
04:02of Richard the Lionhearty.
04:04Henry Cooper, known as the Bleeder, never gave up a fight.
04:07Well I think we, oh yes, I think a lot of British fighters have got a game, and if you're
04:12talking about game art, call it what you want, bottle as they say, I mean yeah, we were as
04:18brave I think as the Americans.
04:20There's not too many Englishmen that get to fight for championships with the world, and
04:23I think when they reach that class, it's their determination that comes through in the end.
04:29Pat Cowdell from Worley, England had his title shot versus Salvador Sanchez.
04:33Badly beaten for 15 rounds, Cowdell still had the courage to rise from the canvas with
04:38seconds remaining.
04:39In this fight, Tony Simpson will exhibit the same heart and determination.
04:43You just want to get in there and become a champion, and if you've got an attitude in
04:50life that you want to win, then you've got to fight for that state, that status, no one's
04:57going to give you nothing in life, so you've got to fight for every piece of the action
05:01you can.
05:03Slightly over 200 years ago, our Pilgrim forefathers set across the Atlantic in search of a new
05:09world.
05:10Tony Simpson's Pilgrim Voyage will be to Worcester, Massachusetts, only 80 miles from Plymouth
05:16Rock.
05:17But Tony's dream is not in search of a new world, his dream is to become champion in
05:22the world.
05:23Well, if you'd like to know realistically what an English middleweight's chances of
05:29winning the title in the United States are, Bob Fitzsimmons beat the original Jack Dempsey
05:33back in 1891.
05:36After that, it was 89 years before Alan Minter beat Vito Antefermo in Las Vegas.
05:42With his own thoughts on tonight's fight, here's Larry Merchant.
05:45Larry?
05:46Tony Simpson, Tony the Lionheart, is not your basic British fighter.
05:50Your basic British fighter marches into battle the way the Redskins, Redcoats did a few miles
05:56down the road from here, with their chins held high, with their Redcoats formed behind
06:03their muskets.
06:04The musket for a British fighter is his jab, and he hangs his chin out there as though
06:08it has a Redcoat on it, an inviting target.
06:11Tony Simpson only occasionally assumes that stance because it is, after all, about as
06:16British as kidney pie.
06:18But he got here for the most part because he fights like a Yank.
06:22He's aggressive.
06:23He's tough.
06:24He's strong.
06:25And they say he's really a good puncher.
06:27The problem for him going into this fight is that the Yank usually comes out on top.
06:33But what we can know for sure right now is not the result.
06:37What we can know is that Tony the Lionheart has never in his life gotten into the ring
06:42with anyone like Marvin the Lionheart.
06:46Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the undisputed middleweight champion of the world.
06:52He earned that title on September 27, 1980, when he fought the champion, Alan Minter,
06:57in a hostile Wembley arena in London.
06:59It was a bloody third round knockout.
07:01And after a long eight years in the ring, Marvelous Marvin Hagler was a champion.
07:08Four months later, his first title defense was against little-known Fulgencio Oboe Mejias
07:13in the friendly confines of the Boston Garden.
07:16The Venezuelan was dropped by a hard shot in the sixth.
07:19And finally, Marvin's mystery guest was stopped for sure in the eighth round.
07:27On June 13, 1981, Marvelous Marvin was out for revenge with Vito Antefermo.
07:33There were pre-fight controversies and post-fight charges by the challenger
07:37of an intentional butt by Hagler in the fourth round.
07:41But clearly, the aging former champion was no match for Hagler's lightning combinations.
07:48On October 3, 1981, the undisputed champion met a tough Mustafa Hamshon.
07:53Hagler was as accurate with his fierce combinations as he had ever been,
07:57consistently piercing his opponent's head.
08:00Finally, the challenger could endure no more.
08:03Marvelous Marvin Hagler stopped him in 11, his third and longest title defense.
08:13His last bout was on October 30, 1982.
08:16Again, the opponent was Fulgencio Oboe Mejias.
08:19Before the fight, Hagler preached that he was tired of looking at Obele's face.
08:23So, in the fifth round, he delivered the most devastating blow to his opponent.
08:28In the fifth round, he delivered the most devastating right hand of his pro career.
08:34So today, Marvelous Marvin Hagler stands alone as the most celebrated fighter in the world.
08:39Since Ray Leonard's retirement, many people have looked to Marvelous Marvin Hagler
08:43to accept a leadership role in the sport.
08:46I asked him about that challenge.
08:48Well, to put it straightfully, you know, that's not the way I kind of wanted it.
08:52I would love to see Ray and myself fight, and then it would have been determined.
08:58But, on the other hand, I feel as though I've always been there anyway,
09:02and just that you had somebody that was a little bit more colorful, maybe.
09:06But, you know, I was always right there.
09:09Marvin, it seems that with every fight, people are saying,
09:12this guy's a pushover, this guy's not going to be any problem for Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
09:15Does it ever get to bother you?
09:17Yeah, it does. You know, what they try to do is they try to bring down,
09:22bring you down a little bit, you know, and get you to relax and whatever.
09:26You can't relax out there because it only takes a second, you know.
09:29And so I don't listen to that kind of talk.
09:32I don't run around with a bunch of entourage people who's patting me on the back,
09:35telling me how great I am.
09:37I have all the confidence in myself, knowing the job that I have to do.
09:41So it's not bothering me at all.
09:43When we were in San Remo, we sat and talked, and you said,
09:46it makes no difference where I fight.
09:48Five thousand miles from home doesn't make any difference.
09:50Here are the shoes on the other foot, 14,000 people who are Marvelous Marvin Hagler fans.
09:54Yeah, well, it won't to me because, I mean, well, it's there.
09:57It's nice to be there and have that type of support.
09:59But in myself, too, you know, it can be bad for you, all the people rooting for you.
10:04So I'm just going to isolate the people and just concentrate on one thing,
10:09what I've been training for, and that's the Tony Simpson.
10:14And so what's left is to get on with it now.
10:16Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
10:17I should point out, Marvelous Marvin Hagler is his given name now.
10:20He had his name legally changed.
10:22So Marvelous is very much a part of it.
10:24Bob Arum has said, in regard to the fact that he sold out this house in 24 hours,
10:28that Marvin Hagler has finally arrived as an American hero.
10:32And Marvin, in response to that, he said,
10:34now they're putting Sugar Ray Leonard's crown on my head.
10:36He said, I've already got enough headaches.
10:39I think one of the big questions, Larry Merchant, that we're going to have to ask here
10:42is how is Tony Simpson going to fight this fight?
10:44He's fought his best fights when he's come right at the man,
10:47and I don't think there's any question but that he cannot do that with Marvin Hagler.
10:51Well, it can be done if it's done resourcefully enough.
10:55There's one theory that the best way to fight a fighter who comes at you
10:59is to go at him and back him up.
11:01Marvin Hagler has never had to back up much.
11:04He's never fought a guy who appears to be stronger than him as we look at them.
11:11So that may be a good strategy if he can stay on top of Hagler.
11:15One thing that really did scare me a little bit
11:17in reading some of the write-ups of Tony Simpson's history,
11:20he said he really admired Mustafa Hamsa because he did come at Marvin Hagler.
11:25He said that showed a lot of character.
11:27Character, unfortunately, doesn't win prize fights as a rule.
11:30Hamsa had 60 stitches.
11:34And Marvin Hagler has now come into the ring here
11:37to the delight of the 14,000 people in the Centrum in Worcester.
11:45How well has Marvin Hagler been doing as a champion?
11:49Well, he's been doing pretty well by and large.
11:51But he has now won 30 straight
11:53since losing a pair of fights to Boogaloo Watts
11:57and Willie the Worm Monroe.
11:5955-2-2, 46 of those coming by knockouts.
12:03And he himself says,
12:04since I've been champion, Ray, I'm getting meaner.
12:07Well, he's worked so hard to get in the position
12:10to be the undisputed middleweight champion.
12:12And Hag is a very proud champion, Barry.
12:14And the fact is, it's going to be very, very difficult
12:17for Simpson to really take that from him.
12:19I think the general consensus...
12:21Tony Simpson, as you look at, 47-3-1.
12:24He's had 27 knockouts.
12:25He's been knocked out only once.
12:27That, when he really fought a light heavyweight,
12:29Lonnie Mwale, he was told,
12:32go out there, set him up, get him right now.
12:35He went after him and got nailed in the first round.
12:37Here is the tale of the tape.
12:38And, Larry Merchant,
12:39a couple of interesting numbers jumping out here.
12:41Yes, one is Hagler's age.
12:44He is now officially 28.
12:46He says that he got into professional boxing
12:49at an early age,
12:50and he had to use a false document
12:54so that he's 28.
12:55But more important is the reach.
12:58He's got a big, big reach advantage,
13:00which is unusual for him.
13:026 1⁄2 inches.
13:04And the chest.
13:05Just look at the size of Simpson's chest
13:07compared to Hagler's.
13:08Simpson is a big, strong fellow.
13:10He really is built very much like a weightlifter.
13:12Here are the common opponents of these two.
13:13There is not a lot to tell here,
13:14with the possible exception of Kevin Finnegan,
13:16who Marvin Hagler knocked out on two occasions,
13:18and Tony Simpson was a loser, too,
13:20in 15 rounds,
13:21and they did fight them roughly at the same time.
13:24Each man, however,
13:25has come a long way in his career since then,
13:27despite the fact that Marvin Hagler
13:28did knock out Finnegan on two occasions.
13:30Right now, let's go up to the ring announcer,
13:32Nuno Cam,
13:33for the introductions of the two fighters.
13:38Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
13:43The feature attraction of the evening
13:46for the middleweight championship of the world,
13:5015 rounds,
13:52here at the new and beautiful Centrum
13:55in Worcester, Massachusetts,
13:57promoted by top-ranked Bob Aaron
14:02and Rip Valente Boston.
14:05Also in celebration of the 20th anniversary
14:09of the WBC,
14:12tonight's boxing is under the supervision
14:15of the Massachusetts State Boxing Commission.
14:19Chairman Tommy Rosson,
14:22Jimmy McCarron,
14:24and Joe Tecci.
14:26Judges for the championship bout,
14:29Tony Perez, New York,
14:31and San Juan, Puerto Rico,
14:35and Marcella, the TV of Italy,
14:40and referee Carlos Padilla,
14:44from Las Vegas and the Philippines.
14:48Tank keeper, George DeFilippo,
14:52counting for the knockdowns,
14:55Jerry Albano,
14:57attending physicians at the ringside,
15:01Dr. William Dorfman,
15:04and Dr. A.P. Blumenthal.
15:11So there you have the incidentals.
15:14If confidence wins fights,
15:16Toni Sipson should be a deadlock since.
15:18She's the most confident fighter,
15:20and as loose, Ray, as any challenger I've ever seen.
15:22I saw him in the hotel lobby at 3 o'clock today.
15:24He was chatting with people.
15:26Just very loose.
15:27Well, that attitude, it helps you,
15:29but she needs some artillery, too.
15:32Instructions now from Carlos Padilla.
15:37Okay, you're going to box for 15 rounds.
15:39You know the rules of boxing.
15:40Avoid using any kinds of power.
15:42Don't throw any punches during the break.
15:44Okay, shake hands, come on, fight me.
15:46Shake hands, come on, fight me.
15:48Marvin Aguilar, of course, does not shake hands
15:50before a fight.
15:52It is not any kind of a hostility.
15:54It is just merely the way he does business.
15:57There are some similarities between these two,
15:59oddly enough.
16:01They're both from medium-sized towns.
16:03Aguilar from Brockton, by way of Newark.
16:05Sipson from Leicester, England.
16:07Both were hog carriers in the early days.
16:10Both turned pro at the earliest age that they possibly could.
16:13They both raise animals.
16:15Aguilar raises pigeons.
16:16Sipson raises dogs.
16:18They both beat Alan Minter handily.
16:21Both were soft paws, and of course,
16:23Aguilar still is, although he can go both ways.
16:25First round.
16:27Quick down by Aguilar.
16:29He was a great deal of boxing skill from Marvin,
16:32up until he's able to hurt Sipson,
16:34and then he'll get very mean
16:36and start taking advantage of him.
16:39Aguilar very sharp early on here.
16:41Marvin Aguilar not one to waste a lot of punches.
16:46Aguilar very much up-tempo early in the round.
16:52What's gonna be affecting this fight, Barry,
16:54is the fact that Marvin Aguilar
16:56has a very good right jab, very powerful.
16:59His chest is made up so well.
17:01Two good shots from Aguilar
17:03snap the head of Tony Sipson back there.
17:06Sipson, tough customer.
17:11Sipson beat Dwight Davidson
17:13by getting inside and giving his head on Davidson's chest.
17:16However, Davidson is 6'1".
17:18Marvin Aguilar considerably shorter.
17:20It'll be much more difficult for Tony Sipson
17:22to fight the fight against Marvin Aguilar
17:24than Dwight Davidson, the number-one contender at the time.
17:27You notice that combination thrown by Marvin Aguilar.
17:29Double right jab, come with the left,
17:31uh, straight left hand.
17:33Those are the kind of combinations
17:35that's gonna do a great deal of damage to Tony Sipson.
17:48The mistake that Sipson is making is the fact
17:50he's following, actually following Aguilar.
17:53Sipson needs to cut the ring off,
17:55give a little more head fangs, body fangs.
17:57He can't walk straight into Aguilar.
17:59If so, he'll nail you every time with those straight left hands.
18:03Marvin Aguilar scores with an inordinate number of punches.
18:06He just does not waste a lot of punches.
18:09And the left hand by Sipson is...
18:12first of the night.
18:14Sipson's waiting for an opportunity to get inside
18:17because he's more effective inside
18:19throwing those big shots to the body, to the head.
18:21Aguilar's gonna cooperate with him,
18:23gonna keep him on the outside of that right jab.
18:25That's a good right-hand lead by Marvin Aguilar.
18:33Aguilar will go from softball to righty.
18:36He's not done yet tonight,
18:38but he will do it at some point.
18:42Sipson has fought 15 softballs,
18:44so this is nothing new to him.
18:46You see there, Sipson went to the body.
18:48Inside, once again, he's very, very strong.
18:52Aguilar's not done yet.
19:02Tony Sipson could tend to fight at long range
19:04in the first round,
19:05and that is a different tactic for him.
19:08Another good thing, if Sipson can maintain this pace,
19:11this is a very fast pace for any fighter,
19:14and if he can maintain this
19:16and score some punches,
19:18he might see a change.
19:20Aguilar has said in no uncertain terms
19:22that Tony Sipson is the best one-punch middleweight
19:25that he's ever seen.
19:27All right, let's listen in Marvin Aguilar's corner.
19:35He couldn't have asked for a better round.
19:38What Aguilar established in that round
19:40was that Sipson is gonna have to pay a price
19:43to get close to him.
19:45The question is whether that price will be too heavy
19:48if Sipson goes on.
19:59Let's take a look at a combination punching of Aguilar.
20:02The right lands, the left is a little bit high,
20:05but he comes right back with another right.
20:08He's making Sipson respect him at this point in the fight.
20:13Sipson came out all right.
20:15Let's see how he does in this round.
20:18Very much of an up-tempo first round,
20:20and we'll see if that pace continues here in round two.
20:24Aguilar was sharp, and Sipson took it all.
20:28Sipson not likely to cut.
20:30He's only been cut once,
20:32and that was just a minor cut over the bridge of his nose.
20:35Never been cut around the eyes.
20:37For Aguilar, again, that jab is gonna be a factor in this fight,
20:40keeping Sipson outside in the center of the ring.
20:43Against the ropes, then you're giving Sipson a chance.
20:48Sipson trying to get inside a little bit more
20:50early in the second round.
20:53Aguilar's still very sharp.
20:59You notice what Aguilar's doing.
21:00He's going to the body.
21:01He fakes and comes back to the head.
21:03In other words, he's changing his punches up.
21:05Confuses the fight.
21:06He's not doing the same thing over.
21:12There was an uppercut lead.
21:13That hurt Sipson.
21:17And it wasn't only the uppercut.
21:18Aguilar came back with two punches behind it.
21:20Always throws punches in combinations
21:22when he thinks his man might be hurt.
21:34Sipson with a good uppercut.
21:41You see, Sipson now is giving more body feints.
21:47Aguilar.
22:01Aguilar lunging just a little bit off balance that time.
22:05Sipson, I notice, he has very good movement,
22:07very good balance.
22:08In fact, when Aguilar comes in, he backs away.
22:11But one thing to keep in mind,
22:13Sipson maintains his balance and comes back.
22:17Another punch you might see Aguilar throw
22:19is that upward right jab.
22:21It comes from the waist.
22:24That punch caught the shoulder of Sipson going away.
22:31The crowd will give you an indication
22:33because it is so supportive of Marvin Aguilar
22:35that perhaps some punches are a little bit more
22:37than they really are.
22:38Sipson, I notice, he has very good movement,
22:40very good balance.
22:41In fact, when Aguilar comes in, he backs away.
22:44That punch caught the shoulder of Sipson going away.
22:46Perhaps some punches are a little bit more
22:48than they really are.
23:08With a fighter like Sipson,
23:09you just have to be able to box and punch
23:12and exchange and blow.
23:13Well, the British press kept saying
23:14during the course of this week
23:15that you will see a different Tony Sipson.
23:17He won't fight the type of fight
23:19that he did against Dwight Davidson
23:20and against some of the others
23:21who he felt he could come at.
23:25Let's go into Sipson's corner now.
23:28You're in distance now.
23:29You've got to beg him out.
23:30Be honest, Tony.
23:51Come on, folks.
23:52A bit of Vaseline, a bit of Vaseline.
23:53Do you want me to fuck your face?
23:56Let's take a look at Hagler here
23:57as he lands a good right hand.
23:59Straight left followed by the right hand.
24:01Putting his punches together,
24:02following up on what he does.
24:04That's the sign of a good fighter.
24:05We're really seeing the versatility
24:07of Marvin Hagler here.
24:08His ability to box is vastly underrated.
24:11One thing that Sipson is doing too much
24:13is assuming that British attitude
24:15of having his head too straight and too high
24:18on too many occasions.
24:22There is a little bit of puffiness
24:23on the face of Tony Sipson.
24:24It's nothing in the least bit serious
24:26at this juncture, the third round.
24:28Hagler, more and more,
24:30looks the part of the consummate professional.
24:35It's very difficult to fight a southpaw
24:36because they're unappetized style.
24:38The key to it is keeping your left foot
24:40outside of his right foot.
24:44And Sipson's doing a pretty good job of that.
24:46While he's inside, he gets off balance
24:48and the southpaw is able to connect.
24:55Sipson's corner, you might have heard,
24:57exhorting him to back him up, back him up.
25:01Also noticed that Tony Sipson
25:02has a tendency in his corner
25:03to listen to Mickey Duff,
25:04who's an advisor, perhaps even more
25:09than the man in the ring.
25:17Sipson's really rough inside, Barry.
25:19He gets inside and he tries to outmuscle his opponent.
25:23But you know as Hagler,
25:24he doesn't want to exchange.
25:26He ties the man up.
25:27Back away and start boxing again.
25:29Saw a little bit of a butt there,
25:30but there was no damage caused by that butt.
25:32Carlos Padilla saying, watch your heads.
25:53That's that right jab I was talking about, Barry.
25:55It comes up.
25:58It's very effective.
25:59He tried again, but Sipson's ready for it.
26:04Still a very quick tempo to this fight.
26:23Madness
26:37Hagler making Sipson chase him.
26:43And getting inside, scoring with a good left hand.
26:45It came behind an upper cut.
26:46I mean, he's outboxing Sipson,
26:48and Sipson's, again, he's fighting a perfect fight also.
26:51He's doing the correct thing, getting inside, working,
26:54and trying to slow Hagner down, slow down that movement.
26:59Hagner with three punches that all scored right
27:02on the face of Tony Sipson.
27:05Okay, bring it up, bring it up, bring it up.
27:09Sipson, Sipson, Sipson, Sipson, Sipson, Sipson, Sipson.
27:14Okay, bring it down, now.
27:24End of the third round, once more.
27:26Marvin Hagner seemingly in control,
27:28but Tony Simpson is right there.
27:29He hasn't gone anywhere.
27:32I want to remind you, of course,
27:33that World Championship Boxing here on HBO
27:35continues live Friday, March 18th.
27:38This should be a great one.
27:40Ray Leonard, Larry Murchin, and myself will be ringside.
27:42of the WBC champion Dwight Braxton.
27:45It's the light heavyweight unification fight.
27:47You will not want to miss it.
27:48It's live on HBO right here Friday, March 18th.
27:52You're looking good. You're looking real nice.
27:54Speed looks nice, Mike.
27:55Hands up, Mike. Keep it so nice and light, Mike.
27:57Okay.
27:58What do you want?
27:59Oh, you're looking good, Mike.
28:00You're getting good speed.
28:01Get control of the fight.
28:02There you go.
28:05You're confusing the hell out of him, right?
28:08Get that jab looking.
28:09Okay, Mike.
28:10Nice and poppy.
28:12Turn your weights to the side.
28:20That's the fourth round.
28:25You heard Marvin Hagler's corner say, essentially,
28:29in fact, specifically, just do what you're doing.
28:31You got him confused.
28:34Do you agree with that?
28:35Well, I think he's keeping Simpson off balance,
28:38on balance, in a sense, but not really confused.
28:41The movement that Hagler has,
28:43and also by being a softball,
28:45it creates a few problems for Simpson.
28:48Good right hand, another left hand by Hagler,
28:50but Simpson keeps coming.
28:52Wild left hand by Tony Simpson.
28:55Well, Simpson proved he can take a punch.
28:56I mean, Hagler's been laying some big bombs on his chin.
28:59I think what Hagler should try to do now
29:00is see how the body is.
29:01Go downstairs a couple times.
29:03A little bit of blood from the nose of Tony Simpson.
29:17Hagler always seems to fight a thinking man's fight.
29:19This is no exception. Short right hand.
29:22Well, he knows now Hagler's fighting off the docks.
29:24He's fighting the correct way.
29:29Nice back to southpaw.
29:33A cut of Tony Simpson seems to be alongside the nose,
29:36not from the nose.
29:38Alongside the left side of his nose.
29:41Hagler works on it, too.
29:45There's that jab you were talking about.
29:50That right jab of his had was very, very powerful.
29:53And once again, Hagler's back to off the docks.
29:56And all of a sudden, he'll change back to southpaw.
29:59Now, that's confusing, especially if you're good at it.
30:01Hagler is good at it.
30:03Hagler, good short right hand.
30:11Right here, you have the feeling that Tony Simpson
30:13is going to be able to take a punch.
30:15He's got the right hand.
30:16He's got the right hand.
30:17He's got the right hand.
30:18He's got the right hand.
30:19He's got the right hand.
30:20He's got the right hand.
30:21He's got the right hand.
30:22You have the feeling that Marvin Hagler feels he has this fight won.
30:26Well, not really.
30:27If I'm in a fight like this and left side,
30:29I'm hitting with the best shots,
30:31I think, I mean, I'm very confident I will win.
30:33But you got to stay on your toes.
30:36This is a thinker's man game.
30:41Still blood from the nose of Tony Simpson.
30:53That was a good body shot by Tony Simpson.
30:56He went to the head with a left hook
30:57and came back with a good left hook to the body.
31:17Oh!
31:18That's the end of the fourth round.
31:19That's the end of the fourth round.
31:20Another confidence builder for Marvin Hagler.
31:22Not so much that he needs it.
31:25Let's see if we can find any winning formulas
31:27out of the Simpson corner.
31:40There's no cut on Simpson.
31:41It's bleeding from his nose.
31:49There's no cut.
31:51There's no cut.
32:01Simpson's corner is complaining about
32:03the high body piece and cup that Hagler's wearing.
32:07Let's take a look at the right.
32:08You saw a right hand that's coming in there
32:11and bloodying Simpson's nose right there.
32:15That good right jab of Hagler.
32:17One of the best right jabs you've ever seen
32:19from the Southpaw.
32:23Hagler comes right out,
32:24laying with a right hand.
32:25Missed it.
32:39Tony Simpson so far,
32:40no reason to hang his head.
32:41Takes a good left hand.
32:42Again, that's that same right jab
32:44I was talking about earlier
32:45that Hagler has.
32:47Good left hook by Charlie Simpson just now.
32:52Simpson right on top of Hagler for the moment,
32:54but doing no visible damage.
32:56And takes a good straight right hand
32:58that time from Hagler.
33:00And again, blood to the nose.
33:01Two more right hands.
33:03What's happening,
33:04Hagler's throwing his punches in a combination.
33:05Simpson's relying on pretty much one punch.
33:07And that's the mistake he's making.
33:09Inside, Hagler puts his punches together.
33:11And Simpson, he works either the left hand
33:13or the right hand.
33:14He needs to put both hands together.
33:17And again, Hagler's dusting with that right hand.
33:27A little short on that left hook by Simpson.
33:30What Simpson could do also,
33:31Barry, is throw a couple of leadoff right hands.
33:34That's a good punch on the Southpaw.
33:36Against the Southpaw, that is.
33:39Well, he just threw one just now.
33:42And again, Hagler's dusting with that right hand.
33:45Well, he just threw one just now.
33:53And again, that snapping right hand job
33:56by Marvin Hagler.
34:02Don't hold it, don't hold it.
34:03Bring it up, bring it up.
34:04On top, Barry, on top.
34:13Good job by Simpson.
34:17Left hand lead that time by Hagler.
34:20Goes to right hand a little bit.
34:22Now back to left hand.
34:27What a jab.
34:29Brilliant jab by Marvin Hagler.
34:31Boom!
34:33Okay, hurry up!
34:38And Simpson gets inside
34:39and starts banging away with the champion.
34:42Simpson now cut alongside the eye.
34:45And that one is pretty nasty.
34:47Now you'll see Marvin Hagler work on him.
34:49With that same right jab.
34:50Above the left eye of Tony Simpson.
34:52That one could be very troublesome.
34:55Well, you see now,
34:56Simpson's really become even more aggressive
34:58because there's a sign of desperation in his eyes.
35:02Fear that the fight will be stopped on the cut.
35:05That cut is a nasty one.
35:07We'll try to get a good look at it
35:09between rounds and see if it's above the eye
35:11or alongside the eye.
35:12If it's above the eye,
35:13obviously it is much more dangerous.
35:14That was a good combination by Simpson there.
35:27Well, Simpson had reportedly
35:30never been cut in a fight before.
35:32Marvin Hagler cuts practically every fighter
35:34that he goes against.
35:35There you see that damaging right jab.
35:37Two strong right jabs.
35:39Jabs that just snap Simpson's head back.
35:41A third one.
35:45Here you're gonna get a view of the distance
35:47and now Hagler measures his man,
35:48steps in,
35:49and plants his lead foot
35:51with his right jab right behind it.
35:54You're seeing a masterful exhibition really
35:56of hitting the other guy
35:58and not letting the other guy hit you.
36:03It really is a boxing lesson.
36:07The cut looks to be alongside the left eye.
36:10It doesn't look at this moment
36:12to threaten the end of the fight.
36:18The eye is very swollen in addition to being cut.
36:21Almost certainly will close before too long.
36:24Marvin Hagler goes right for it.
36:28What a boxing exhibition you're seeing
36:30from the champion tonight.
36:33Hagler, to me, Ray, just seems to be
36:35getting better with every fight.
36:37Oh, yes, he's more experienced,
36:39and, uh, I mean, he is a
36:41great gentleman.
36:42He has all of that.
36:44He knows the ring.
36:45He knows how to use it.
36:47He knows how to use his hands,
36:49the body, the head.
36:51He's an all-around fighter.
36:53It's only now that he's really starting
36:55to be recognized
36:57for being the fighter that he is.
36:59As a matter of fact, back in 1973,
37:01Joe Frazier said to him,
37:03you got three strikes against you.
37:06You're a softball, you're black,
37:08and you're good.
37:10And there is a booming left hand
37:12behind a right hand by Marvin Hagler.
37:15And those three strikes seem to be
37:17turning into a home run right now.
37:20Those three strikes have become a
37:22motivating package for Hagler because,
37:24again, he's a very proud champion,
37:27and it's like trying to take
37:29his time away from him.
37:31It's like trying to take a puppy
37:33from a dog.
37:35Another good, jolting left hand.
37:37And now there is blood,
37:39apparently, from the bridge of the nose
37:41right up alongside that left eye.
37:43The left eye is just starting
37:45to give him a lot of trouble
37:47because the blood now is starting
37:49to soak into his eyes
37:51and blur his vision.
37:53Carlos Padilla takes a good look at that.
37:55It seems to be right at the bridge of the nose.
37:57A combination of punches by Hagler.
37:59Simpson fights back. Hagler tags him to the right.
38:01And another right behind an uppercut.
38:03Hagler right back on his man now,
38:05sensing that he has him hurt.
38:07And down goes Tony Simpson.
38:21His protector is loose.
38:24And Carlos Padilla should step in here
38:26and try to fix the equipment.
38:30Simpson right on Marvin Hagler once again.
38:36Still plenty of time left in this round.
38:38Hagler trying to finish it off right here.
38:42A jolting right hand,
38:44a looping right hand by Hagler.
38:46And another.
38:48Simpson stands toe to toe.
38:50He's down, and this should be it.
38:53Padilla sends him to the neutral corner.
38:55Simpson is on his feet.
38:57And that's all.
38:59That is all.
39:07To say that Marvin Hagler was impressive
39:09would be to make a great understatement.
39:11It would be an understatement.
39:13Marvin Hagler, marvelous Marvin Hagler.
39:15He showed so much
39:17of boxing techniques
39:19that
39:22I'm quite sure
39:24the opponents that look at him now
39:26are a bit intimidated.
39:28Tony Simpson was dead game.
39:30No question about that.
39:32Did everything he could.
39:34Tony Simpson deserves a lot of credit.
39:36I mean, he fought like the heart of a lion,
39:38but it was just too little for Hagler.
39:40Hagler just had too much opportunity for him.
39:42Two minutes and 40 seconds of the sixth round.
39:44Not yet official,
39:46but it's really a moot point
39:48at this juncture.
39:51And here's another look at it, Ray.
39:53This is the first knockdown.
39:55Well, Hagler here, he's on the attack
39:57and Simpson's still a little dazed
39:59from that early barrage of punches.
40:01And fatigue and the attack,
40:03the accumulation of punches
40:05that he received from Marvin Hagler.
40:07And that put Tony Simpson
40:09on the seat of his pants.
40:11Here's a shot from a great camera angle
40:13up above, and it just gives you a good idea
40:15of just how on balance Marvin Hagler is.
40:17Well, here you can appreciate the punching power
40:20of Marvin Hagler as he connects
40:22with that left hook
40:24to the top of the head of Tony Simpson.
40:26And you saw him get that left foot back
40:28before he threw the punch just to get the leverage into it.
40:30Very good balance. Hagler keeps his balance
40:32in all ways. Very good leverage behind his punches.
40:34So Marvin Hagler retains his championship,
40:36and I think it's safe to say we've done
40:38four or five of Marvin Hagler's fights here on HBO,
40:40and I think it's a fair statement to make
40:42that Tony Simpson might have been
40:44the toughest customer in there with Marvin Hagler.
40:46Yeah, see, that's the reason why guys
40:48like these opponents that had to fight.
40:50Hagler defeats everyone, all the top contenders,
40:52and these guys deserve shots.
40:54Let's take a look now
40:56at the second and what turned out to be
40:58the last knockdown, and again,
41:00it was an accumulation of punches, Ray.
41:02Well, Hagler wore down Simpson with a barrage
41:04of punches to the body, to the head.
41:06That overhand right there dazed Simpson.
41:08You see him. He's just there, a stationary target.
41:10Hagler takes advantage of it,
41:12and Simpson goes down once again.
41:14You know, I'm just continually amazed
41:16as we look at that angle from up top.
41:18Look at the leverage, the right hand
41:20to the back of the head.
41:22I'm continually amazed at how few punches
41:24Marvin Hagler misses.
41:26Well, he doubled up on the right hand, Barry.
41:28It was coming back with the third right hand.
41:30Simpson was already down.
41:32Once again, that overhand right land.
41:34Simpson, knees buckle. He's ready to go at any time,
41:36and Hagler takes advantage of it.
41:38A little bit of chaos going on in the ring
41:40as a well-wisher gets a little bit
41:42over-exuberant.
41:44Hagler, meanwhile, remaining very calm,
41:46unmarked, gets a hug.
41:48He is just all business. He never underestimates
41:50an opponent.
41:52Takes things very seriously. Says that
41:54I think it's safe to say he's right,
41:56that he's a much better fighter since he's
41:58become the champion of the world.
42:00He showed it once again tonight.
42:02You just can't take anything away from Marvin Hagler.
42:04You can't. All you can do is appreciate
42:06and give this man more credit
42:08than they have been giving him, because he's just
42:10playing not only sportsmanship,
42:12as he did when he walked over and shook the hand
42:14of the beaten fighter,
42:16and he also displays talent.
42:18Well, fighting
42:20before the hometown fans once again,
42:22it is a fight that, as we mentioned, was sold out
42:24within 24 hours of the announcement
42:26that the fight would be here. Right now,
42:28the champion, Marvin Hagler, is with Larry Merchant.
42:30Larry, you got it.
42:34Went in against a British fighter
42:36who had a reputation as a good puncher,
42:38a better puncher than you.
42:40When he tried to move away from his left hook,
42:42I realized that was his big punch.
42:44I've been in there with some of the great fighters,
42:46and right now I'm starting to believe I am
42:48the greatest middleweight of all time.
42:50I wanted to bring this recognition to the middleweight.
42:52Now I have to start giving myself credit,
42:54because I beat a hell of a fighter here today.
42:56When you say you're the best middleweight of all time,
42:58that's for other people to decide,
43:00but it suggests that you really feel
43:02that you're a better fighter.
43:04I'm getting better all the time with every fight,
43:06and when I'm finished with this game,
43:08that's the way I want to go down in history.
43:10All right, we're going to take a look
43:12at the knockdown on the fight here momentarily,
43:14but Marvin, the thing that I notice here,
43:16let's take a look from above,
43:18and you describe the action for us.
43:20Well, he's very dangerous with his head.
43:22You know, I don't know how many times
43:24the referee warned him, but I was shooting right-handed.
43:26I think I was switching a lot in there.
43:28Willie was confusing him,
43:30and my right hand was so effective,
43:32I just pounded him down to the ground.
43:34Did you realize that his equipment
43:36had come apart in that round,
43:38that he seemed like he was going to be embarrassed?
43:40He started falling apart after the first round.
43:42He realized that he was in there
43:44with a better boxer, a better puncher,
43:46and it was just trying to take the play away from him.
43:48One of the things I notice
43:50is that you're so patient,
43:52that in the early rounds,
43:54you didn't want to even let him land any punches
43:56until you had him worn down.
43:58Exactly. You know, I figured I'd take some of the power out of him,
44:00the same way I did with Folio Bell,
44:02because you never know what these guys got in store for you.
44:04So you can't take chances in there.
44:06At any time, did you feel a sense of his power?
44:08Sure. I got caught with a good shot,
44:10I think maybe in the first or second round, maybe.
44:12But then after that, I figured that was his best shot,
44:14and I was more or less voiding him
44:16for him to come and do some more of him.
44:18So I know if he can hit me,
44:20I can sure enough hit him.
44:22First, I'd like to thank God, really,
44:24for giving me the courage
44:26and for carrying me all the way up to the top.
44:28He gave me the inspiration
44:30and the dedication and everything
44:32to keep this drive going.
44:34What keeps you so ambitious after having
44:36achieved your ambition of being a champion?
44:38I believe that I want to prove to the world
44:40that I am one of the greatest.
44:42I think Manzon was the last great middleweight champion,
44:44and when I'm done with this game,
44:46I would like to go down in history
44:48as the same way.
44:50Now I'm getting ready for Animal
44:52Frank Fletcher, because I'm the monster.
44:54He's the animal, but I'm the monster.
44:56But you've always had problems with Philadelphia fighters,
44:58and he's a Philadelphia fighter.
45:00I know the same thing with the British.
45:02Now maybe they're sticking him on me,
45:04so now what I've got to do is destroy Philly.
45:06But I know they're going to get him ready
45:08in every kind of way,
45:10the same way they did to Tony Simpson,
45:12but I took my part in every kind of way I could.
45:14Thank you very much, Marvin.
45:16I'd like to say thanks for HBO
45:18for giving me the biggest credit of my life,
45:20for following me and giving me my biggest opportunities.
45:22I should like to add this
45:24as a parting word to our viewers,
45:26which is that in some quarters,
45:28I suppose this fight will be viewed
45:30as a mismatch.
45:32We've heard that term thrown around.
45:34We've heard that term turned around, Marvin.
45:36But if you eliminated all mismatches,
45:38then Marvin Hagler would have nobody to fight,
45:40and Sugar Ray Robinson would have had
45:42about 12 fights in his life
45:44instead of 200.
45:46We want the animal to come up with the money.
45:48That's all we want.
45:50Somebody once said that the whole world is a mismatch,
45:52and certainly in this ring,
45:54anybody who fights Marvin Hagler,
45:56it is a mismatch.
45:58Back to ringside.
46:00Okay, thank you very much, Larry Merchant
46:02and the champion, still the champion,
46:04Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
46:06Just to echo some of those thoughts that Larry
46:08and Marvin were just talking about,
46:10the fact that people keep saying
46:12that it's just another guy
46:14and he's really not the caliber of competition
46:16that Marvin Hagler should have.
46:18Well, if he isn't, Tony Simpson,
46:20then who is?
46:22It was a very tough kid he fought tonight.
46:24Marvin Hagler's camp, just coming down here
46:26to do this portion of the show, and he said
46:28he's learned how to box, hasn't he?
46:30Well, I tell you, I thought he could box before.
46:32See, Hagler is a versatile fighter,
46:34and he can change up at any given moment.
46:36He can box, punch, slow.
46:38He has all the qualifications for a champion, as he is.
46:40The thing is, of course, where does he go from here?
46:42He gets the animal, Fletcher, next.
46:44Now people will say, well, he's going to be
46:46his toughest opponent.
46:48They were saying Tony Simpson was going to be
46:50his toughest opponent before this one.
46:52He's going to be a worthy challenger
46:54for the middleweight crown,
46:56and I'm quite sure he's watching.
46:58He wants Hagler. It's going to be a good fight.
47:00All right, well, you saw the middleweight championship tonight.
47:02You're going to be seeing an awful lot more here on HBO.
47:04We are going to have the unification,
47:06but we had a good one tonight, too.
47:08People keep saying, as we said,
47:10that it's just another face.
47:12Well, Tony Simpson was another face tonight,
47:14and he was vanquished, just like everybody else.
47:16At some point, you have to look at Marvin Hagler
47:18and say, this guy's the champion,
47:20and he's in the top five of the best middleweights ever.
47:22Oh, I would agree. I would support that fact
47:24that he's in the top five.
47:26In fact, you have to appreciate the artistry,
47:28the determination, and desire to win
47:30at all times.
47:32Larry Merchant, this is the time that we talk about closing comments
47:34and kind of try to put a period or an exclamation point
47:36to a fight, and I'd rather think
47:38that Marvin Hagler did that all by his lonesome tonight.
47:40Yes, and appropriately,
47:42because I think he's coming to that point
47:44near where Ray Leonard was,
47:46which is that we all just like
47:48to watch a consummate professional work
47:50to raise his craft
47:52almost to an art.
47:54I've been thinking, watching this,
47:56that there are parts of ten colleges
47:58in this little town, and if they turn out
48:00any graduates that have
48:02his skill, determination,
48:04artistry, they'll be doing a good job.
48:06He's a great athlete.
48:08The catch-all question, of course,
48:10where do you put him in the great scheme of the middleweights
48:12down the line?
48:14Well, that remains to be seen.
48:16He's 28 years old. He's got a lot of years ahead of him.
48:18But I think he is the best middleweight champion
48:20since Manzon.
48:22Where he gets
48:24into the starlight
48:26remains. It's a little early,
48:28but we don't see anybody out there
48:30right now who can give him
48:32serious problems, perhaps
48:34Hearns and perhaps Benitez
48:36at the end of this year or early next year.
48:38Ray Leonard, it's going to be obvious
48:40that people are going to start talking now
48:42if Marvin Hagler is really that good.
48:44How do you know how to fight Sugar Ray Leonard?
48:46Your response to it, you're going to be asked it
48:48obviously a thousand times.
48:50Well, I'm with HBO. I'm history.
48:52As far as boxing is concerned, I'm history.
48:54Marvin Hagler still thinks, he says,
48:56Ray Leonard's going to watch me fight a few times
48:58and come back this summer.
49:00I mean, guys like Tommy Hearns and Wilford Benitez,
49:02those are the guys he can bundle with.
49:04Those are the guys, of course, that Marvin Hagler
49:06has in the offing right now.
49:08It's been said that Marvin Hagler is the main event
49:10in an arena of faceless challengers.
49:12So he has handled every one of those people
49:14faceless or with a face.
49:16He has taken care of everybody that's come down the line.
49:18There's no question, Marvin Hagler is number one.
49:20He must be considered amongst the top middleweights
49:22in history.
49:24So for Sugar Ray Leonard and Larry Merchant,
49:26I'm Barry Tompkins.
49:28We'll see you on March 18th on HBO
49:30from Atlantic City and the unification fight
49:32for the light heavyweight championship.
49:34Be sure to tune in Friday, March 18th
49:36for that unification fight.
49:38WBC champion Dwight Braxton battling
49:40WBA champion Michael Spinks.
49:42It could be the fight of the year.
49:44It'll be live 10 o'clock eastern, 9 o'clock central
49:46and 8 o'clock pacific time
49:48right here on HBO.
49:50So for Larry Merchant and Sugar Ray Leonard,
49:52I'm Barry Tompkins saying so long
49:54for the centrum in Twister, Massachusetts
49:56where once again marvelous Marvin Hagler
49:58has defeated Tony Simpson with 2 minutes
50:00and 40 seconds gone in the sixth round.
50:04This show was produced by Ross Greenberg
50:06and directed by Mark Payton.
50:08The associate producers are Rick Bernstein
50:10and Linda Jackson.
50:38♪
51:08♪
51:24This has been a presentation of HBO Sports,
51:26the network of champions.