- 6 months ago
Marco Antonio Barrera defends his WBO Jr Featherweight Title against Kennedy McKinney on HBO Boxing After Dark
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00:00:00All right. Thanks a lot, Larry. That'll be next Friday night. Chavez and Delahoy together coming up here. The second half of our Boxing After Dark doubleheader, Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico City against Kennedy McKinney, former Olympic gold medalist from here in the United States.
00:00:16Right now, we're about to get ready for that McKinney-Barrera fight, and we can't go to it without first showing you the buildup, which began this past Tuesday at a press conference here in Los Angeles to promote the fight. McKinney unleashed a barrage of verbiage at Barrera, and as you'll see, Barrera came up with a surprising response.
00:00:38I have a wife and a house and a car, bills I got to pay, and I dare for you to come here and think you can beat me. Huh? Think you can beat me, boy? You cannot beat me. You cannot whoop me here in my town.
00:00:52Notice that McKinney did not throw back. Now, the last time we saw something like that, Roy, it was Riddick Bowe who clocked Larry Donald, also here in L.A., a few days before their fight, and then when they got into the ring, Bowe all but ran Larry Donald out of the ring. Might we see the same thing again tonight?
00:01:21Well, I don't think we're going to see the same thing tonight because McKinney-Barrera is a much older fighter. He's the older of the two, and his job is to try to distract the youngster, get his mind off what's really going on.
00:01:31However, I don't think he did that to Barrera, but there's no way that any fighter can run McKinney out of a ring by just the fact that he hit him or he stole him at a press conference.
00:01:41Well, McKinney told us yesterday, in fact, that he was pleased by what happened. He said to us that it had been his aim to get inside the younger fighter's head and rattle him.
00:01:50Do you think he accomplished that, Larry?
00:01:52Well, if he got inside this kid's head, I'm not sure he liked what he saw because he may seem like a quiet, passive kid, but deep down, there's a lot of turbulence going on there.
00:02:04Many people regard Barrera as the equivalent at the same stage of their careers as Julio Cesar Chavez.
00:02:13He may be the best fighter south of Oscar De La Hoya, not only geographically, but also in his weight class.
00:02:20And what this prize fight tonight is really all about, what this night is about, is to find out if Barrera is as good as many people think he is, and that would be very, very good.
00:02:33All right, let's take a look at the tale of the tape as we get ready to bring the two fighters into the ring, and you'll see the eight-year age gap that we've discussed.
00:02:40Barrera at 22, McKinney at 30.
00:02:43Barrera weighed in at 121, but a little while ago in his dressing room, we weighed him and discovered that he is up to 133 pounds.
00:02:52So he's put on 12 pounds since yesterday's weigh-in.
00:02:55McKinney, on the other hand, weighed in at 122.
00:02:57He's put on 9 pounds, enters the ring tonight at 131, and you can see the 4-inch reach advantage for McKinney, which he'll hope to use to establish the jab and control the tempo of the fight.
00:03:08Larry?
00:03:09Jim, I think the numbers that are most important here are 22 and 30.
00:03:1330 is middle age, at least, for fighters in this weight class.
00:03:18It would really take a heroic effort for McKinney at this point to be the McKinney of old.
00:03:23Punch stat numbers upcoming show a contrast in the career progress of the two fighters.
00:03:30Larry?
00:03:31Yeah, in recent fights, you can see that Barrera is landing a higher and higher percentage of his punches.
00:03:39And in contrast, as we'll see here in a moment, McKinney has been landing a lower and lower percentage of punches.
00:03:47And rules of the bout with Harold Letterman after dark.
00:03:50The Marco Antonio Barrera-Kennedy-McKinney fight is scheduled for 12 rounds.
00:03:55The rules are pretty much the same.
00:03:57There is no standing eight count.
00:03:58The three-knockdown rule is in effect.
00:04:01The referee or the doctor can stop the fight, and you can be saved by the belt in the last round only.
00:04:06Jim!
00:04:08All right, Harold Letterman.
00:04:09And first into the ring will be the former Olympic gold medalist.
00:04:15He started his career as a legitimate featherweight, fighting at 125 pounds, and then discovered that he might be more effective and might make more money by coming down to this weight class.
00:04:33Because he's stronger, and he feels that's his main edge.
00:04:37Barrera, in contrast, started out as a 115-pounder.
00:04:42We'll see if that's meaningful.
00:04:44When he first won a world title in this weight class, he successfully defended it five times, then traveled to South Africa and lost it to a fighter named Bungu.
00:04:57That's the only loss on his record.
00:04:59There's also been one draw, 17 KOs for the boxer, Kennedy McKinney.
00:05:05I say the boxer because the next man in is the puncher in this fight.
00:05:11I say the boxer because the next man in is the puncher in this fight.
00:05:35It's clear, Jim, that the Mexican fans in Los Angeles.
00:06:05And the fighters have already embraced him as their once and future hero.
00:06:12Well, he's already fought here several times.
00:06:1522-year-old Marco Antonio Barrera already with 39 professional fights, 27 KOs in those 39 fights.
00:06:23He says he's going to be a lawyer after his boxing career is over, but for right now, he comes into the ring and takes the law into his own glove hand.
00:06:35And right now, let's go to ring announcer Michael Buffer for the free fight introduction.
00:06:47Ladies and gentlemen, forum boxing in association with your undisputed, undefeated king of beers, Budweiser, present 12 rounds of boxing for the WBO Junior Featherweight Championship of the World.
00:07:05This bout is sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission, Chairman William Eastman, Vice Chairman, NFL Hall of Famer Willie Buchanan,
00:07:15Commissioners in Attendance at Ringside, Kim Wilshans, and Andrew Kim, Executive Officer Richard DeCure.
00:07:21This contest is also sanctioned by the World Boxing Organization, President and Supervisor at Ringside, Francisco Barcarcel.
00:07:30The three judges scoring this bout on a 10-point must system will be Robert Byrd, Hueso Fernandez, and Lou Filippo.
00:07:39And when the bell rings, the man in charge of the action, referee Pat Russell.
00:07:46And now, ladies and gentlemen, from the Great Western Forum here in Englewood, California,
00:07:51Let's get ready to rumble!
00:08:05Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, wearing maroon, trimmed with gold, and weighing in at 122 pounds.
00:08:13In 1988, he captured Olympic gold, and now, as a professional, he has a record of 28 victories, 17 by knockout,
00:08:21with only one defeat and one draw, and two world titles to his credit.
00:08:26Tonight, he is looking for another one.
00:08:29Ladies and gentlemen, the current WBO title holder, and two-time featherweight champion of the world,
00:08:36the challenger, Kennedy, the king, McKennie!
00:08:50And his opponent across the ring, in the red corner, wearing white, trimmed with red, and weighing in at 121 pounds.
00:08:59He brings a perfect record of 39 victories without a loss, 27 by knockout.
00:09:05And he is considered by most to be one of the best in the world today.
00:09:10Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the undefeated junior featherweight champion of the world,
00:09:17Damas y Caballeros, con Ciudad de México de Efe, Marco Antonio Carrera!
00:09:35One second, one second only. Everybody else back.
00:09:41One second, one second.
00:09:50Twelve rounds, championship of the world.
00:09:53Touch your gloves, touch your gloves, go back.
00:09:56Kennedy to McKinney says, who has he fought, who has he hurt, who has he knocked down?
00:10:01We shall see.
00:10:04This is going to be everything that we expect it to be, because Kennedy will not back down from nobody.
00:10:1024-foot ring, Roy. Huge.
00:10:12Whom does it benefit?
00:10:14It has to benefit Marco Antonio Barrera, because McKinnie will be there.
00:10:18I don't think he plans to move. He will be there.
00:10:20Barrera opens with a left hook.
00:10:22His trademark punch misses it, but McKinney knows it's there.
00:10:26And he promised to be sharp with the jab tonight. He's starting out, working it.
00:10:40I hope he just doesn't get too comfortable walking to Barrera's right hand,
00:10:43because Barrera has a very good right hand.
00:10:45Here it is.
00:10:47Doubled up with that right hand, lands the third one.
00:10:50McKinney smiles back. That usually means, yeah, you caught me.
00:10:54Now, McKinney just landed right hand of his own.
00:10:57But he's getting hit a lot more than he's expected this early, I'm sure.
00:11:00McKinney's been knocked down in his career twice by Wellcome Mesita.
00:11:04He's never been knocked out.
00:11:06He's in against a lights-out puncher tonight.
00:11:08Don't be surprised about McKinney's own power.
00:11:10McKinney has very good power in his own right hand.
00:11:14Mexican crowd rooting for Barrera.
00:11:18McKinney, who's from Memphis, Tennessee,
00:11:20hoping to cook up some soul stew for them.
00:11:23Right hand just missed.
00:11:25There he goes. McKinney landed the right hand, though.
00:11:28Now, McKinney has a very good right hand.
00:11:30If he's in good shape, it's going to be a great fight tonight.
00:11:34Barrera with a left hook to the body.
00:11:36He dips when he throws the left hook, Roy.
00:11:38That gets more power on the hook when he dips.
00:11:44You're talking about Barrera, right?
00:11:46Yep.
00:11:46Yeah, that's because he can get more power into it.
00:11:48And he's moving outside of the right hand when he dips.
00:11:52That's very smart for a fighter to do.
00:11:53Earlier in the evening, on the undercard, Barrera's brother won a victory over an outclassed opponent
00:12:02and forged it largely on the strength of the left hook.
00:12:07He's breathing a little hard already.
00:12:09Barrera going to the body with the left hand, staying upstairs with those right-hand leads.
00:12:15McKinney just misses for the right of his own.
00:12:21Marco Antonio Barrera's fans call him the baby-faced assassin.
00:12:25He is as calm in outward demeanor as just about any fighter we've ever met.
00:12:30Very reminiscent of Salvador Sanchez, who is one of my favorites of all time.
00:12:44McKinney is forcing Burrell to try some different angles at him now
00:12:47because the jab is not allowing Burrell to come straight down the pipe at McKinney.
00:12:54Hard right hand landed for McKinney.
00:12:56I told you McKinney has a very good right hand.
00:12:58Barrera coming back with a left hook.
00:13:00Early returns on Barrera's jaw.
00:13:05Pretty good because Kennedy has landed solidly twice with the right hand.
00:13:09Now make it three.
00:13:11I think McKinney should do just as Barrera is doing and beat the body some.
00:13:14Barrera is doing a great work on McKinney's body right now.
00:13:17That's an outstanding round.
00:13:20Perhaps the most important development.
00:13:23McKinney hit him with some hard, clean right hands.
00:13:25Nothing happened.
00:13:26Relax a little bit.
00:13:28You know what you got to do.
00:13:29What you're going to have to do, you're going to have to utilize the jab a lot more, okay?
00:13:34You're sitting back and waiting on me.
00:13:35Also, after you've finished utilizing the jab, hands up, slipping, pivot around to the right,
00:13:41close enough to where you drop the right hand off, okay?
00:13:44Come on, step around.
00:13:45You're rushing a little bit too much.
00:13:46You're rushing just a little bit.
00:13:48Just go down to the speed.
00:13:48Come on, step around.
00:13:50Come on, step around.
00:13:50Come on, step around.
00:13:50All right, Mike, listen to him again.
00:13:54Double up on the jab.
00:13:55You're only throwing one jab, okay?
00:13:57Make him miss.
00:13:58Catch and block.
00:13:59Early in the round, Barrera served notice.
00:14:02You can see he's coming right there.
00:14:04Spin around to the right.
00:14:05Drop the right hand.
00:14:06But as McKinney said, who has he hurt?
00:14:09McKinney doesn't think he can be hurt by Barrera, whose effectiveness is usually in the number
00:14:16of punches he lands rather than in any one punch he lands.
00:14:20And true to his word, McKinney got the jab working in round number one, outlanding Barrera
00:14:25in the jab category, 28 to 5 by punch stat numbers.
00:14:29But that can be his most useful punch and at the same time his most dangerous punch because
00:14:35if he uses it a lot, it can also allow Barrera to count over with the right hand if he's not
00:14:39careful.
00:14:41Kennedy carries his left jab very low.
00:14:44Super middleweight champion and superstar fighter Roy Jones providing the expert commentary
00:14:49tonight, round two, main event, this inaugural telecast of HBO's Boxing After Dark.
00:14:59And I'd have to carry the HBO too because they could not have picked a better fight for
00:15:03this first event.
00:15:05Well said.
00:15:07How does that hurt McKinney bad?
00:15:10Barrera knows it.
00:15:11Follows up with a barrage.
00:15:13Hard left hand to the middle of McKinney's chest.
00:15:20Now Kennedy's able to weather the storm and get back out with the jab.
00:15:23It's interesting that he backed off Barrera.
00:15:26He landed a good shot in there and backed him off.
00:15:29You don't often see that in Barrera.
00:15:30At the same time, Barrera has to be very careful not to punch himself out.
00:15:35These power shots take a lot more energy than the regular punches you throw.
00:15:38Right hand in close by Kennedy McKinney.
00:15:40Again, Barrera takes it impassively.
00:15:46McKinney trying to work the uppercut from long range.
00:15:49That can be dangerous.
00:15:50We're going to find out about Barrera's condition here tonight too, I feel, if McKinney can keep
00:16:03the body shots off of him.
00:16:04And if he can continue to work at this pace.
00:16:06He's 30 years old.
00:16:08Barrera's hurting very bad to the body.
00:16:13He's taking the steam out of McKinney's punches by landing those body shots.
00:16:17Kennedy should hit his body some.
00:16:18But McKinney had hoped that when he dipped to throw that left hand to the body that he
00:16:24could counter with his right hand.
00:16:26And that would discourage him from throwing it off him.
00:16:29But so far we haven't seen him do that, Roy.
00:16:31Because the reason he dips is to get out the way of the right hand.
00:16:34There McKinney tried to go to the body.
00:16:35The reason Barrera dips and throws it by the shot is so that he doesn't get caught
00:16:38with the right hand.
00:16:40Incidentally, don't be confused.
00:16:41Johnny Tapia has already been given a victory in the first fight of the evening.
00:16:45The reason Barrera wears the word Tapia on the back of his trunks is because that's
00:16:50his mother's maiden name.
00:16:52Just a coincidence.
00:17:00Good right hand by McKinney.
00:17:02He tried to sneak one guy.
00:17:03Oh, another good right hand by McKinney.
00:17:04Solid right hand by McKinney there.
00:17:06It becomes a bit more of a boxing match as round two winds down.
00:17:10Kennedy McKinney still pumping that jab and trying to test Marco Antonio Barrera,
00:17:15who comes with the left hook to the body.
00:17:18Whoa.
00:17:27Jorge, you must maintain your guard up.
00:17:30Keep your hands up.
00:17:31We don't want this guy to be boxing you all night.
00:17:33You've got to press the issue.
00:17:39Round three.
00:17:39Don't push his head when it's inside and keep those punches above the waist.
00:17:44Marco, punch him in the body, Marco.
00:17:47He's very weak in the body.
00:17:48You've got to hit the body.
00:17:52Go side to side and hit him with the left hook, Marco.
00:17:54When he throws the right hand, throw one, two, and hit him on the body.
00:18:03When he throws the right hand, throw one, two, and hit him on the body.
00:18:04Hook to the head, pivot around the right, drop the right hand off, okay?
00:18:09Your right hand is hurting his hands.
00:18:10Hey, Roy, the man who does the talking in McKinney's Corner
00:18:14is former United States amateur boxing coach Kenny Adams.
00:18:17I'm sure you've worked around him some.
00:18:19What kind of a trainer is he?
00:18:20He's a very smart trainer, very precise with his commands.
00:18:24He tells you exactly what he wants you to do,
00:18:26exactly what will work and what won't work,
00:18:28and he expects you to get out there and do it.
00:18:30Tough taskmaster, a form of a lean drill sergeant.
00:18:34Let me tell you one other thing.
00:18:35McKinney is one of the strongest punchers for his weight that you'll ever see.
00:18:39He has one of the better right hands for that size
00:18:41than anybody I've ever seen in the game.
00:18:44So I think Barrero might be a harder puncher, Roy.
00:18:46With the left hand, but not with the right hand.
00:18:48Okay.
00:18:49And he looks like he's been peeled out of a textbook.
00:18:52He's erect, throws correct, straight punches.
00:18:55You don't often see this kind of a classic kind of a boxer puncher
00:18:59as McKinney is anymore.
00:19:01And that's what won him a gold medal at the Olympic.
00:19:03He was the strongest puncher for his size at Son's career.
00:19:06That was a good try with the left hook.
00:19:21It just came a little short.
00:19:24McKinney is very much into this fight.
00:19:26Don't count him out because Barrero is backing up.
00:19:28I think Barrero may be a little confused at this point.
00:19:30He doesn't really know how to get to McKinney.
00:19:32Barrero might have felt that with the shots he landed
00:19:36in the first couple of rounds,
00:19:38he'd have taken out most of his previous opponents.
00:19:40And that's one of the things that Kennedy harps on
00:19:42when he talks about Barrero.
00:19:43Who has he fought?
00:19:45And that jab begins to be a very frustrating thing to Barrero.
00:19:48Barrero is very laid back.
00:20:02And by her being so laid back,
00:20:04he may enable himself to be caught with the right hand again soon.
00:20:08Kennedy McKinney able to stay busy with the jab, Larry.
00:20:11It seems that Barrero is allowing McKinney
00:20:14to set the tempo of what's been going on for most of this round.
00:20:20And that was that right hand
00:20:21that I told you he'd be caught with the same, too.
00:20:25I think Barrero is just trying to sit back
00:20:27and let McKinney work himself out a little bit.
00:20:29But I think McKinney can keep this pace up all night
00:20:31because he's fighting at his own pace.
00:20:33This is a very high work rate for Kennedy McKinney,
00:20:36whose punch output had been dropping in recent fights.
00:20:40Tonight, he appears to be all there.
00:20:42Anytime you put pressure on a guy like this,
00:20:44you make him come up to another level.
00:20:46That was another right hand that I told you
00:20:48Kennedy wouldn't be landing soon.
00:20:49And Marco Antonio Barrero flirting with low blows
00:20:52when he throws that left hand to the body.
00:20:54There's another one right on the top of the trunks.
00:20:57And another.
00:20:58That's good from McKinney
00:20:59because they are not good body shots.
00:21:01The cup absorbs the shot.
00:21:05Tell that to Giovano Andrade.
00:21:08Beautifully said, Larry.
00:21:10He's in Hollywood right now.
00:21:12Auditioning.
00:21:14Speaking of body shots.
00:21:36Oh, round card girl.
00:21:39Excellent left at the bottom.
00:21:40I like this series.
00:21:56You must go to the side when he throws the right hand,
00:22:00and you must hit him with the right hand.
00:22:02Okay?
00:22:02Add some faints, okay?
00:22:04Add a faints.
00:22:05Mike.
00:22:05You got the jab, you got the jab, you got the jab,
00:22:09you got the jab, you got the right hand.
00:22:11You got the jab, you got the right hand, you got the hook.
00:22:16You got the jab, you got the faint, you got the right hand.
00:22:19That's what McKinney wants to do.
00:22:21That's what he...
00:22:22The reason he's telling him he got the jab,
00:22:24and he got the fain, and he got the right hand
00:22:25is because he knows that it keeps a jab in Barrero's face.
00:22:28It keeps him off balance.
00:22:29By fainting at it, he never can see the right hand coming.
00:22:32Therefore, McKinney can hit him with a straight right hand.
00:22:36In the third round, Kennedy threw 73 punches.
00:22:38That's an exceptionally high punch out flip once again for him.
00:22:44Morel has allowed McKinney to fight his own pace.
00:22:46I said before in the fight that if Morel let McKinney dictate the pace,
00:22:49it would be a very difficult fight for him.
00:22:51He can't win this fight if he keeps that McKinney dictate the pace.
00:22:54And that was the key issue in the Kennedy-McKinney camp.
00:22:56They said we need to establish and maintain the tempo of the fight to our advantage.
00:23:01So far, it's working for Kennedy-McKinney.
00:23:09I'd just like to see him hit Morel's body every now and then,
00:23:11but Morel keeps touching his body.
00:23:25Like that.
00:23:26All three of those left-hand body shots missed.
00:23:30McKinney blocked one with the elbow.
00:23:32The other three were along the belt line and did no damage.
00:23:35So Kennedy-McKinney is muffling the body attack on Barrera right now.
00:23:39And Barrera begins to show the frustration.
00:23:44Frustration basically is that jab, though.
00:23:46The jab is called setting everything up for McKinney.
00:23:48It's keeping Barrera to where Barrera can't think and can't set McKinney up.
00:23:51There it is again.
00:23:57There he tried to hit him with a body shot.
00:24:00He can't commit too much to this, though, because Barrera's still strong.
00:24:04He can't commit too much to this, but he can't do it.
00:24:09He can't do it.
00:24:10He can't do it.
00:24:10Dialing in the counter-right-hand shot is Barrera.
00:24:13Each one landed a little better than its predecessor
00:24:15as he landed three in a row.
00:24:17Because McKinney's committed too far.
00:24:19His arms are long enough to where he can stay outside
00:24:21and keep doing what he was doing.
00:24:22Beat him on the outside.
00:24:23Don't lay up there for Barrera to hit him.
00:24:25Hard left hand by McKinney.
00:24:27Right hand of the body by McKinney.
00:24:33Barrera firing back, but his punches lacking snap at this moment.
00:24:38Because he's frustrated.
00:24:41He's never probably been in and been hit this many times
00:24:43this early in the fight.
00:24:48McKinney getting more and more aggressive.
00:24:50He takes a right-hand counter uppercut in return.
00:24:53And now this turns it around for Barrera.
00:24:55He can't get careless.
00:24:56He's getting careless, so.
00:24:58Barrera's making it look too easy to him,
00:24:59and he's getting careless.
00:25:01Barrera showing his counter-punching ability
00:25:03and then taking over.
00:25:15This is a fight.
00:25:17Well, this is about as good as it gets.
00:25:19For a crowd rises to its feet after a brilliant fourth round.
00:25:30That's what they're champions, baby.
00:25:32That's what they're champions.
00:25:37Don't worry about it.
00:25:40Mack, how are you feeling?
00:25:41Push him back now.
00:25:42Push him back.
00:25:43Push him back.
00:25:43Push him back.
00:25:43Push him back.
00:25:44Push him.
00:25:45Let's get over here.
00:25:47Let's push him back.
00:25:48Back.
00:25:51You've got to keep hitting him to the body.
00:25:52Keep your hands up and throw to the body.
00:25:55Make sure you connect with the right hand,
00:25:56because he is jabbing you to death here.
00:25:58Carrera has been flurrying at the end of the rounds
00:26:07like a veteran trying to steal the rounds,
00:26:10but I can't imagine he's fooling too many people
00:26:13on this occasion.
00:26:16Kennedy McKinney is determined to make this a last hurrah.
00:26:23If he goes out, it will be going out
00:26:25on a very, very big effort.
00:26:27Fight is scheduled for 12 rounds after four.
00:26:33Both men have made their statements.
00:26:38Carol Letterman, how do you have it through four rounds?
00:26:40Well, Larry, in the first round,
00:26:42I went for the power punch of Marco Antonio Barrera,
00:26:44but rounds two, three, and four,
00:26:46I really stayed for the boxer.
00:26:47I think Kennedy McKinney's out.
00:26:48Boxing him, I got a 39-37, three rounds to one.
00:26:52Kennedy McKinney, I have it two, one, and one even
00:26:55for McKinney.
00:26:57Let me say one thing.
00:26:59Coach Adams told Kennedy to keep pushing him back,
00:27:01and he's telling him the right thing because Kennedy's jab
00:27:04is keeping Barrera off balance by keeping him going backwards.
00:27:07Barrera is not used to fighting going backwards.
00:27:09That's the powerful belief of Kenny Adams is that Barrera
00:27:13cannot fight going backwards.
00:27:14He likens this fight to Thomas Hearns against Pipino Cuevas.
00:27:17I wouldn't say he can't fight going backwards,
00:27:19but he doesn't do it much, and therefore,
00:27:21he's not as experienced at it as he is coming forward.
00:27:25Both fighters getting a little bit more flat-footed now
00:27:27as round five arrives.
00:27:32McKinney trying to land one of those right-hand shots
00:27:35that Roy's been talking about.
00:27:38As long as he doesn't get too close
00:27:39and doesn't get too used to pushing Barrera back,
00:27:41because Barrera will come back every now and then
00:27:43there was something hard.
00:27:48Like that hook.
00:27:51Isn't he fighting McKinney's fight
00:27:53by just trying to jab with him?
00:27:55Yes, he is, and that's what McKinney should keep him doing.
00:27:57That's why I say he shouldn't go forward too much
00:27:59and get too close to him,
00:28:00because then they turn it into Barrera's fights.
00:28:03As long as they stay outside,
00:28:04they keep it at McKinney's fight,
00:28:05and that's what McKinney should do.
00:28:07And so far, McKinney's been able to accomplish
00:28:09the difficult task of blocking the body shots
00:28:11and then coming back upstairs
00:28:13and establishing tempo with the jab.
00:28:30Overhand right aroused more enthusiasm
00:28:32from the Mexican-American crowd
00:28:34than maybe it deserved.
00:28:36Certainly McKinney's okay at this moment.
00:28:38Yes, he is, and he's very strong at this moment.
00:28:43And right now, he could be what we would say
00:28:46in Barrera's head.
00:28:50Now McKinney turns to talk to referee Pat Russell
00:28:53and Barrera takes advantage.
00:29:01As long as McKinney doesn't get too complacent here
00:29:03and get too flat-footed, he'd be okay.
00:29:06They might be a little distracted.
00:29:07I think he feels like he's had enough of the low blows,
00:29:09and he'd like for the referee
00:29:10to at least say something about it.
00:29:11You should wait until you go back to the corner
00:29:12and tell Kenny Adams to come in and say something to you.
00:29:19Kennedy McKinney is dangling Barrera
00:29:22out there on his left jab like a tassel.
00:29:25He's putting on a wonderful,
00:29:27masterful performance through five rounds.
00:29:29Get, give him water and sponge him down.
00:29:37Get some water now.
00:29:39Here we go, just sponge on him now.
00:29:48W Noble after the bell.
00:29:49I want you to keep those punches up.
00:29:51Watch those shoulders throwing his shoulders inside.
00:29:52Explain that to him.
00:29:53Mike, listen to me.
00:29:58Double up on the jab.
00:29:59Find the jab.
00:30:00Close enough.
00:30:01Drop the right hand off.
00:30:02Back with the hook.
00:30:02Step around to the right.
00:30:04You haven't stepped all the way, okay?
00:30:05You step around, he's there for you.
00:30:07Drop the right hand.
00:30:08Give him the good pressure.
00:30:09Back with the right hand.
00:30:11Let's go, coach.
00:30:12Let's do this.
00:30:19Sixth round of a Schedule 12.
00:30:21Kennedy McKinney of Memphis, Tennessee
00:30:24in the red trunks trimmed with gold.
00:30:26Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico City in the white.
00:30:30You saw referee Pat Russell at the end of that round
00:30:32go to Barrera's corner and warn him about those blows.
00:30:38I like the fact that he's done that.
00:30:42Before this gets out of hand.
00:30:45I think within the next round or two,
00:30:46Barrera should pick up the pace
00:30:47if he's paying on holding his title.
00:30:49Because right now, he's let Kennedy dictate the pace,
00:30:51do just what Kennedy wants to do,
00:30:53and he will never beat McKinney like this.
00:31:05Barrera landing a hard right
00:31:07and then a left hook inside.
00:31:09Kennedy land a better right uppercut.
00:31:10McKinney has to fight exactly the way he wants it now.
00:31:19Now he's not afraid to sit in.
00:31:20He can see what Barrera's doing.
00:31:22He has Barrera frustrated.
00:31:23And suddenly, Barrera looks very tired.
00:31:26He's never been knocked down,
00:31:27but McKinney appears to be dialing him in
00:31:30for increasing punishment.
00:31:35McKinney is starting to swirl around the left eye, too.
00:31:37And he's breathing very hard.
00:31:44But if he's in control of this fight,
00:31:45I think he should just stay outside,
00:31:47keep control, and not brush anything.
00:31:49Because Marcos is not going to get too tired.
00:31:55That's a right hand by McKinney.
00:31:57Oh, this is a war.
00:32:08This is just a war, Roy.
00:32:10A backyard war.
00:32:12Both guys are landing shots with regularity.
00:32:15McKinney with a hard right hand.
00:32:17Oh, good hook.
00:32:18Good body shot.
00:32:19Excellent double left hook by Kennedy McKinney.
00:32:21Oh, they've got it going on in here tonight.
00:32:26I told you this was a bar and burner.
00:32:28Underweight, underweight.
00:32:45Good pivot by McKinney to get his back off the ropes.
00:32:49Here comes Barrera.
00:32:53And McKinney's on his heels.
00:32:56But Burrell is getting tired also.
00:32:57Don't be concerned about this.
00:32:59Both fighters are taking a lot out of each other.
00:33:01Keep those punches up.
00:33:03Oh, good shot by McKinney.
00:33:06Oh, oh.
00:33:07Both fighters.
00:33:09What a trade.
00:33:10Keep the punches up.
00:33:11Keep them up.
00:33:12Listen to the bell.
00:33:13This is movie town.
00:33:37You've never seen a better round in a movie than the one you just saw.
00:33:43Did you see the number on Barrera?
00:33:45113 punches thrown in a round.
00:33:49You last that day.
00:33:50Ridge him out real good.
00:33:51Ridge real good.
00:33:52Spit.
00:33:52Spit.
00:33:53Spit.
00:33:54Spit.
00:33:54Spit.
00:33:54Spit.
00:33:54Spit.
00:33:55Spit.
00:33:55Spit.
00:33:55Spit.
00:33:56Spit.
00:33:56Okay.
00:33:56Marco.
00:33:56Mira, Marco, you've got to keep fighting this guy.
00:34:01You're letting him off the hook.
00:34:03When you hit him again, let him go.
00:34:05He's dead.
00:34:12The question now is, can Kennedy McKinney at 30 keep up this pace?
00:34:22Very good question.
00:34:23If he's scoring the way it is now, I think he can.
00:34:26Gentleman of 190 punches thrown in that last round, 152 of them were power shots.
00:34:35This has become a street crawl.
00:34:38This is what Barrera has to make an entry in our terrible fight.
00:34:47With Julio Cesar Chavez sitting at ringside, Barrera shows a Chavez-like will.
00:34:53This is his only way of winning this fight.
00:34:56If he stays outside, unless McKinney continue to fight, he's going to lose the fight.
00:35:05Couldn't believe it.
00:35:06Corner said, you're letting him off the hook.
00:35:08He threw 113 punches.
00:35:18McKinney is bleeding in the mouth.
00:35:21Oh, what a right-hand shot.
00:35:22Oh, what a return.
00:35:38That's great body weight by Barrera.
00:35:40McKinney has to hit Barrera's body because we can have two.
00:35:42I've said this over and over in this fight.
00:35:45You must weaken a guy's body as you go along.
00:35:48Guys, there's never been less need for a blow-by-blow guy.
00:35:51I am just in awe.
00:35:52Oh, what?
00:35:53Two shots by McKinney.
00:35:55I got a fuck, I got a fuck.
00:35:56I got a fuck.
00:35:57These guys are issuing out and receiving much punishment.
00:36:03Who's got a better chance of lasting 12, Roy?
00:36:06I don't know.
00:36:07It's very hard to say.
00:36:08McKinney has a kick hard.
00:36:09Oh, that's a right-hand by McKinney.
00:36:11McKinney has a kick hard.
00:36:13Barrera's even in very good condition, so it's hard to stay here.
00:36:16McKinney's whole career is on the line.
00:36:18He sees this as the ultimate crossroads fight for him.
00:36:22And he's fighting like that right now.
00:36:26Barrera's had 39 throw fights and won them all.
00:36:28Never fought McKinney, though.
00:36:34Look at Barrera backing up.
00:36:36He's not used to that.
00:36:38Not at all.
00:36:39That's what Coach Allen told McKinney to do to him.
00:36:41That's why he told him, because he knows he's not used to it.
00:36:46Where did Kennedy's dab go, Roy?
00:36:49Well, right there on the line.
00:36:51Power shots, man.
00:36:52He leads to jail.
00:36:54I know you don't throw him.
00:36:56I throw him sometimes.
00:36:57All of them are necessary.
00:36:58You know, this is the best of an American-style fighter
00:37:03against the best of a Mexican-style fighter.
00:37:06And it is as good as you can hope for.
00:37:09I'll punch you. I'll kick the bell.
00:37:12Kick by hand by McKinney.
00:37:13Let it go. Let it go. Step out.
00:37:14Break. Step all the way back.
00:37:15Come on.
00:37:20With you in mind just a little bit of Melchick Taylor,
00:37:23Julio Cesar, Chavez, Harry Merchant.
00:37:26You know, everything is okay, Marco.
00:37:28There's nothing wrong.
00:37:29It is. It's just amazing.
00:37:30But you can't go back, Marco.
00:37:31You've got to keep going forward.
00:37:33If you go back, you're fighting his fight.
00:37:35You've got to keep going forward.
00:37:37Mac, when you get yourself in a little trouble,
00:37:41here you go.
00:37:41Take a little bit more ground.
00:37:42Take some down, baby.
00:37:44Now listen to me, Mac.
00:37:45When you get yourself,
00:37:46when you see yourself getting a little tired,
00:37:48go ahead and use that jab, okay?
00:37:50Use the jab and get a little distance.
00:37:51Mac.
00:37:53Oh, you know.
00:37:54Okay, you've got to keep doing what you've been doing.
00:38:00You've got to go around.
00:38:02Walk him to the side.
00:38:03Please, Paco.
00:38:04Here is a clash of a veteran's skill
00:38:10and a youngster's will.
00:38:12How troublesome, Roy,
00:38:21is all that blood in the mouth for Kennedy McKinney?
00:38:23Not troublesome at all.
00:38:24You can't tell it from water.
00:38:27But when they know,
00:38:28they'd be something different.
00:38:36Proud is limp.
00:38:38Harold Letterman.
00:38:39There's your card through seven, Harold.
00:38:44What do you think?
00:38:44Okay, Jim.
00:38:45I've got it 67, 66.
00:38:47Four rounds to three.
00:38:48Marco Antonio Barrera.
00:38:50I think he's coming on with that hook.
00:38:52He's got Kennedy McKinney's left eye virtually closed.
00:38:55It's swollen barely.
00:38:56It's bothering Kennedy.
00:38:57I think Barrera,
00:38:58by putting that pressure,
00:38:59is just taking the fight to Kennedy
00:39:01and pulling out this fight.
00:39:03I have McKinney ahead.
00:39:06Four rounds to two.
00:39:07One even.
00:39:09But keep in mind,
00:39:15we are in Los Angeles,
00:39:17which in effect is Barrera's hometown.
00:39:21There again,
00:39:21McKinney is starting to frustrate Burrell
00:39:23with the jab again.
00:39:24They should have told Burrell
00:39:25to keep putting pressure on McKinney
00:39:27if he were going to win this fight.
00:39:29McKinney's doing what he wants to do again,
00:39:30and I've got him winning this round so far
00:39:32because he's doing what he wants to do.
00:39:35He's getting a break.
00:39:37He's landing the jab.
00:39:38He's not allowing Burrell
00:39:39to get off the big shot.
00:39:45More low blows by Barrera.
00:39:48Undisciplined by referee Pat Russell.
00:39:50It would seem, Roy,
00:39:54that at this stage of the fight,
00:39:55it's against McKinney's best sentence
00:39:57to get into exchanges.
00:39:59He can just play him with the jab.
00:40:01That's what he should do.
00:40:02That's why I say he should stay outside,
00:40:03be content with what's going on here,
00:40:05and he can win the fight
00:40:06because this is not Burrell's fight.
00:40:07This is McKinney's fight.
00:40:09That's all he should do.
00:40:10He should not press him too much.
00:40:11Hit him once.
00:40:12Oh, but he can't get caught back.
00:40:13Down goes Kennedy McKinney.
00:40:18And I think Barrera lulled him to sleep
00:40:20a little bit there, Roy.
00:40:21He did because he got too close to him.
00:40:23He can't get that close to him.
00:40:25Now, Barrera is an excellent finisher.
00:40:27He'll have a hard time getting out of here.
00:40:29He'll never make it out of here.
00:40:33Barrera is known as a great finisher.
00:40:35Re-knockdown rule is in effect.
00:40:50Is in effect.
00:40:51One more knockdown finishes it for Barrera.
00:40:54There's a lot of time left in this round.
00:40:56He's only had 22 seconds.
00:40:57He should grab him and hold him on.
00:40:58I think he may make it out of this round.
00:41:14He's going to make it.
00:41:15He's going to make it.
00:41:17McKinney survives.
00:41:20Boy, he survived a couple.
00:41:24How you doing?
00:41:26Huh?
00:41:27How you feeling, baby?
00:41:29Mike.
00:41:30Okay.
00:41:31No problem.
00:41:33You just got to go out and drink your business now.
00:41:35How you doing?
00:41:36How you doing?
00:41:36All right, Bubba.
00:41:37All right, now.
00:41:38All right, now.
00:41:38All right, now.
00:41:39How you doing?
00:41:39How you doing?
00:41:39All right, now.
00:41:40How you doing?
00:41:40Keep going.
00:41:41Keep going.
00:41:41Keep going.
00:41:41Keep going.
00:41:41Keep going.
00:41:42Keep going.
00:41:42Keep going.
00:41:42Keep going.
00:41:43Keep going.
00:41:44Keep going.
00:41:44This is what I want.
00:41:45This is what this fight's been about.
00:41:47Right after McKinney landed a big, huge right hand,
00:41:51Barrera comes right back at him.
00:41:54This is the test of what makes a great young fighter.
00:42:01The enthusiasm, the ambition, the determination.
00:42:07McKinney got too close to Barrera, like I said he would do.
00:42:11He's pushing the fight too much with Barrera because he should stay outside.
00:42:14Anytime he gets that close to Barrera, Barrera's going to hit him.
00:42:17Not many people sitting down in here as round nine begins.
00:42:24Promises to be an acid test for Kennedy McKinney.
00:42:27Barrera stalking.
00:42:29McKinney looking to land a shot that will turn the tie.
00:42:42That was one of them.
00:42:44Well, that was a warning shot to show him he's still dangerous.
00:42:47That's right.
00:42:49He says, kid, I'm in here until I'm out of here.
00:42:55More than 200 amateur fights for Kennedy McKinney.
00:42:58Now's the moment when he has to dredge up all the experience he can muster.
00:43:03I think he's kind of tired.
00:43:07If Barrera keeps this fight up here, right here up, it's going to be over shortly.
00:43:11And by the shot, they're starting to throw it on McKinney.
00:43:18McKinney unable to throw back very often.
00:43:22Barrera just bearing in.
00:43:27Kennedy McKinney has never been knocked out in his professional boxing career.
00:43:31All right.
00:43:33Barrera then is back to what he wants to do now.
00:43:43Barrera showing patience.
00:43:46Brown wants him to come strong.
00:43:48Showing very good patience.
00:43:49But he shouldn't be showing patience at this point.
00:43:51He had to get hurt the last round.
00:43:53That was the best he had to do the whole fight.
00:43:55He should be all over the guy.
00:43:56He's got to be tired.
00:43:57Just like he is now.
00:43:59He should be all over the guy.
00:44:01He can hit the guy that way.
00:44:03McKinney gets his tracksuit on.
00:44:05That was an occasion where McKinney went down voluntarily to get out of trouble.
00:44:31Show me something.
00:44:32Let's go.
00:44:32You heard him say to Russell, I'm all right.
00:44:36You heard Russell say, you got to show me something.
00:44:43The referee has to give every benefit of the doubt to a great fighter as McKinney has been.
00:44:50That's right.
00:44:56Inside McKinney carries his right hands.
00:44:58Looked low for a person with a good left hook as Barrera.
00:45:01A good popping jab there.
00:45:03Got Kennedy McKinney out of the corner.
00:45:08Now he begins to pull with the jab again.
00:45:10He comes through that plan.
00:45:13Okay, now we got our properties back together, right?
00:45:30Now we out of time.
00:45:32Now listen to me, Mike.
00:45:34Now, Mike.
00:45:35Mike, let's be truthful with ourselves.
00:45:37Let's be truthful, let's be truthful and let's work.
00:45:40Here's what we got.
00:45:41We've got to go out.
00:45:42I want the doctor to make a call.
00:45:44Sit back, Kennedy.
00:45:45Sit back.
00:45:45Sit back.
00:45:46Come on, Mike.
00:45:47Let me wrench him out.
00:45:49Let me wrench him out first.
00:45:50Wrench him out.
00:45:51Let me make a call.
00:45:51We're on time.
00:45:52We're on time.
00:45:53Back off.
00:45:53We're on time.
00:45:54We're on time.
00:45:54We're on time.
00:45:54We're on time.
00:45:55Make it long.
00:45:55Huh?
00:45:55No.
00:45:56He's got to take him.
00:45:56Okay.
00:45:56Yes, sir.
00:45:58Yes, sir.
00:46:00All right.
00:46:00You got to not be nice to do it.
00:46:02Man, you ain't got to mess up here.
00:46:03Come on.
00:46:03You ain't got to mess here, man.
00:46:05Okay.
00:46:05Let him kick it back, Kennedy.
00:46:06Kick it back.
00:46:07It's on the dock.
00:46:08All right.
00:46:08Take a look.
00:46:10I'm all right, Doc.
00:46:11All right.
00:46:11I'm all right.
00:46:12I'm all right.
00:46:13I'm all right.
00:46:1310's around.
00:46:1410's around.
00:46:1410's around.
00:46:1510's around.
00:46:1510's around.
00:46:1510's around.
00:46:1710's around.
00:46:18No.
00:46:18No.
00:46:19No.
00:46:19Well, we know he can add and subtract, and so on goes the fight.
00:46:26Man, you hear me?
00:46:27We got to take him out.
00:46:28Set him up.
00:46:29Quit moving to that hook.
00:46:30You understand me?
00:46:31We move with A.
00:46:32Both fighters rested in round nine.
00:46:34Only 52 total punches thrown, but here was the knockdown.
00:46:38From this accumulation of punches, although he didn't seem to be stunned.
00:46:43He just went down voluntarily to catch a rest.
00:46:47The smart move of a great veteran.
00:46:51Ferris Moore move.
00:47:02One minute and 40 seconds between rounds there.
00:47:06Tremendous break for Kennedy McKinney, who got an extra 40 seconds of rest.
00:47:11Harold Letterman.
00:47:13Jim, the California rule is when the doctor is called in between rounds, they call time.
00:47:19Okay?
00:47:20In other words, the clock absolutely stops so that the doctor can look at the fighter, and
00:47:24he's not, you know, and the corner still has a full one minute to work on the fighter.
00:47:28So the doctor took 40 seconds.
00:47:30The corner got one minute to work on McKinney, a minute and 40 seconds.
00:47:33That accounts for him.
00:47:34All legal.
00:47:35One thing that also should be noted here is McKinney sacrifices his head for his body.
00:47:45He keeps his hands lower to protect his body, and he'd rather depend on his head movement to protect his head.
00:47:50Excellent right by McKinney.
00:47:55Punches seem to have no effect on Marco.
00:47:58Another excellent right.
00:48:00Oh, that hurt McKinney.
00:48:01That hurt Ferrerra.
00:48:03That shot hurt Ferrerra finally.
00:48:05Ferrerra momentarily stunned and now backing up against Kennedy.
00:48:08Ferrerra's hurt.
00:48:09Kennedy McKinney re-seizes the momentum of the fight.
00:48:12Ferrerra's hurt.
00:48:15He's not that hurt, but he is hurt.
00:48:20That long rest between rounds may have helped McKinney revive himself.
00:48:24Yeah, but he can't go too all out here at Ferrerra.
00:48:27He has to try to hit him with one clean shot because Ferrerra's still powerful and it's gone.
00:48:34Kennedy McKinney has been here before when he first won the championship in this weight class from Welcome Nesita.
00:48:44He was knocked down twice in that fight but came on to ultimately pull it out.
00:48:50We can set him up with a good right hand here.
00:48:52Oh, good try.
00:48:53Oh, he got caught with a good shot.
00:48:55And Ferrerra once again luring McKinney in by making himself an open target
00:48:59and then making Kennedy pay the price with the right hand.
00:49:02McKinney moves straight back off of Ferrerra's jab and that's what allows Ferrerra to land the straight right so often.
00:49:18Ferrerra is just as tired as McKinney is at this point.
00:49:20Mouthpiece goes down.
00:49:22I think that's Kennedy's mouthpiece.
00:49:24It is, but Kennedy is still on the move right here.
00:49:26He can't get careless, though.
00:49:27He's walking right down the pipe with my hand.
00:49:29He can't get careless here.
00:49:30How about fighting with a bloody mouth and no mouthpiece, Roy?
00:49:33If the ref should move back, the action's going good.
00:49:35Refers get back out the way and let these cats fight.
00:49:37Oh, come on.
00:49:39Oh, he stopped it.
00:49:40Yeah, he did the wrong thing.
00:49:41That's trippy.
00:49:42That's unfair.
00:49:43He shouldn't have did that.
00:49:44Put it in.
00:49:45Give it to me, Kenny.
00:49:46Give it to me.
00:49:47What in the world is the referee doing in the middle of an exchange of stopping the fight?
00:49:51Larry, the rule is you put it back, you know, at a lull in the action.
00:49:55There was no lull.
00:49:56All right?
00:49:57If there's no lull, the referee is absolutely wrong doing it.
00:49:59Given the way this fight is going, you'd never get a chance.
00:50:02Yeah.
00:50:03There's no lull there.
00:50:04He should have left the mouthpiece out.
00:50:05The guys were fighting excellent.
00:50:06I think he was worried about McKinney because of the bloody mouth.
00:50:09And round 10 comes to a close.
00:50:11You know, if this is an epicaf for McKinney this fight as a prize fighter,
00:50:16that round should go down because he won that round after the last two rounds.
00:50:21Okay?
00:50:22Marco, don't stay in the ropes.
00:50:24You have to get out of the ropes.
00:50:29You have to get back into the fight, Marco.
00:50:32That round, you lost it completely.
00:50:37You've got to get out of the ropes.
00:50:39Yeah, don't stay in the ropes.
00:50:41Stay in the middle of the ring, please.
00:50:44Only in the center of the ring.
00:50:49Did I hear somebody say, we love you, man?
00:50:54I think you said it.
00:50:57We have to get back into the ring.
00:50:58We know that.
00:50:59You have to get out of the ring.
00:51:00What is it?
00:51:02What is it?
00:51:03What is it?
00:51:04What is it?
00:51:05What is it?
00:51:06What is it?
00:51:07Round 11.
00:51:11McKinney won his first title from Welcome to Sita back in 1992.
00:51:17He had gone down twice in the first 10 rounds and then knocked Nesita out in the 11th.
00:51:34And now suddenly we're back in round one with both fighters establishing the jab.
00:51:39He feels like all he has to do is be safe, take his time, and he may get a chance to knock McKinney down again.
00:51:53However, McKinney is highly in the fight, I think. The two knockdowns may have knocked him back a little.
00:51:58It'll be interesting if they go to the scorecards, that's for sure.
00:52:01And that's where they look like they're headed right now.
00:52:05Oh, good shot by Burrell.
00:52:08I could watch this fight for a week. I know they couldn't stand it, but I could.
00:52:14They're going to feel like they fought for a week.
00:52:21Roy, if you were in Barrera's shoes right now, would you be thinking knockout,
00:52:25or would you be secure in the belief that you had a margin on the scorecards?
00:52:29Oh, good shot on the score.
00:52:31Oh, good hard right hand.
00:52:33I'll constantly be after McKinney McCall.
00:52:35That's the first time Barrera has ever been down.
00:52:38And that was a legitimate shot.
00:52:39It was a hard shot.
00:52:40He slipped straight.
00:52:41All right, let's go.
00:52:42He said he slipped.
00:52:43He did slip too, but it was a hard shot.
00:52:44And Barrera wakes up and slips again.
00:52:49And Barrera gets a chance.
00:52:50Good while the shine has gotten wet and it's causing it to slip.
00:52:55Barrera takes canvas for the first time ever in his career.
00:53:12A minute to go in round 11.
00:53:14When McKinney wins this round, this will definitely make the scorecards be interesting.
00:53:23Good combination in there by McKinney.
00:53:25He's landing the more solid punches in this round.
00:53:29Well, I see it coming in.
00:53:30Let it roll, let it roll.
00:53:31McKinney's a very smart federal fighter.
00:53:32Excellent round here for McKinney.
00:53:46You look back at that minute and 40-second break between rounds 9 and 10, what an enormous
00:53:52the enormous benefit it was to the 30-year-old fighter.
00:53:55That's what I'm here to give, I'm saying,
00:53:57is Barrera coming in.
00:54:02Hard right hand by Barrera.
00:54:06And a left-hand shot.
00:54:08They're gonna go to the 12th.
00:54:10Marcus, you've got to go take it easy with this guy.
00:54:25He's getting tired, but just watch yourself and keep going hard.
00:54:33Max, Max, Max, you've got to take the boy out this time.
00:54:36I'm very sorry.
00:54:37Max, you've got to take him out.
00:54:38But you had the right position there, what you was doing.
00:54:44We have to close to this round real good.
00:54:47It's the last round.
00:54:48Don't leave yourself open.
00:54:58You see clearly that Barrera's glove hits the canvas.
00:55:02He did slip, but that is a knockdown.
00:55:05And you heard that both corners believe
00:55:08that Barrera is a hit.
00:55:10Barrera's corner told him not to get careless.
00:55:13McKinney's corner told him he has to get him out of here.
00:55:16They also told Barrera to finish strong.
00:55:19But he's not comfortable here.
00:55:20But he's not comfortable here.
00:55:29Oh, come on, look at me.
00:55:31Flip, flip, flip, flip, flip.
00:55:33McKinney is claiming that he tripped over Barrera's foot, and I think he's right.
00:55:37I think so, too.
00:55:38But then, why is he moving like he is?
00:55:41I think so, too.
00:55:42But then, why is he moving like he is?
00:55:46That was the fifth knockdown of the fight.
00:55:49McKinney's been down four times, and Barrera once.
00:55:56And if that knockdown were to create a margin of victory for Barrera, it'd be a tough way
00:56:00to go for Kennedy McKinney.
00:56:01Hard right hand over the top by McKinney.
00:56:04Our clock not working.
00:56:06Two minutes to go in the round.
00:56:08I'll keep you posted.
00:56:21The fans chanting Pro Barrera.
00:56:24Let's go.
00:56:36That one's a slip.
00:56:37That's a very frustrating thing to go through.
00:56:39I went to that once in a fight with Delano Maluma.
00:56:41Oh, he's hurt now.
00:56:42Oh, tremendous left-hand body shot.
00:56:44And McKinney says, I need a rest here.
00:56:47Come on, let's go.
00:56:48Here's the sixth knockdown of the fight.
00:56:50Nope.
00:56:51Russell's going to call that a slip, too.
00:56:52Oh, I don't care.
00:56:53That was a legitimate knockdown.
00:56:54Yes, it was.
00:56:55And Barrera thinks he can finish off of that one.
00:56:58And his corner watches with their hearts in their throats as he goes in and starts taking
00:57:03chances to throw.
00:57:06McKinney's a weak fighter now.
00:57:08Barrera knows it.
00:57:10And that's it.
00:57:13A spinning end to a great, great price fight.
00:57:18Great fight, son.
00:57:20You may have heard the referee say to McKinney, great fight, son.
00:57:23You may have heard the referee say to McKinney, great fight, son.
00:57:25That's the best fight I have ever seen.
00:57:32You may have heard the referee say to McKinney, great fight, son.
00:57:39That's the best fight I have ever seen.
00:57:41I think he said, you've got the best part I've ever seen.
00:57:45You may be right.
00:57:46Yeah, I think that's what he said.
00:57:47You've got the best part I've ever seen.
00:57:52You may be right.
00:57:53Yeah, I think that's what he said.
00:57:54You've got the best part I've ever seen.
00:57:55We'll check it.
00:57:56It was something along those lines, and it was well said.
00:57:59Now let's take a look at the action from earlier in the 12th round.
00:58:05It was a good right hand, but he did step, I think.
00:58:21That one was counted as a knockdown by Pat Russell.
00:58:25Now here's the body shot, and that, I think, ultimately finished the fight.
00:58:29I think so, too, because I told you back in round six or seven
00:58:32that you had to go body shot.
00:58:37And here's the end.
00:58:40And I think McKinney, or Kennedy McKinney, in addition to being
00:58:44out on his feet from punching by Barrera, was also exhausted, Roy.
00:58:49Yeah, he was very exhausted.
00:58:51The body shots had taken a lot out of him.
00:58:53This is what I told you would be done.
00:58:55It's about a long fight for McKinney.
00:58:57If he didn't hit Barrera's body, Barrera continued to pound on McKinney's body,
00:59:03and it told on the end.
00:59:06But even though he gets the second loss of his career,
00:59:09you've got to be proud of your old buddy for his guts and his effort.
00:59:12I am very, very proud of him.
00:59:14I told you he would never bag down from nobody.
00:59:16I told you he would give a gallant effort, and he did everything
00:59:19and more than I could ever have seen before.
00:59:21And now the crowd pays tribute to a fantastic young talent,
00:59:2522-year-old Marco Barrera.
00:59:27And as he showed, he's a man in there.
00:59:32Total punches in the fight.
00:59:34Barrera landing 77 more, throwing 60 more,
00:59:38landing exactly 50% of his punches.
00:59:41Right now, let's go to ring announcer Michael Buffer for the official decision.
00:59:47Ladies and gentlemen, the end comes at two minutes,
00:59:51five seconds of the last round, round 12.
00:59:55The winner by knockout victory and still,
00:59:58the undefeated junior featherweight champion of the world,
01:00:04Marco Antonio Barrera.
01:00:13That was one of the better fights that I think I've ever witnessed in my life.
01:00:34For an old Olympic teammate, he makes me feel good to say that he was on my Olympic team.
01:00:41Well, I guess the time was right for Boxing After Dark.
01:00:44Couldn't have picked a better fight.
01:00:46You said that at the beginning of the evening.
01:00:48You said that we could not have picked a better fight
01:00:50for our first attraction here on Boxing After Dark,
01:00:52and as it turned out, you couldn't have been more right.
01:00:55I called him like I see him, and that's the way I saw that one.
01:00:58And now, Larry stands by with the victorious Marco Antonio Barrera.
01:01:03Congratulations, Marco.
01:01:06Did he fight you better and tougher than you thought he would?
01:01:17And the fight just the way it was,
01:01:18because McKinney's the grand champion, he demonstrated that.
01:01:22And yet, at the end of the fight, you seem so bitter
01:01:25that you wouldn't shake hands with him despite that.
01:01:27Tell us why.
01:01:29Because he offended me in front of the Mexican public,
01:01:40and I was very angry at that.
01:01:43He hit you with many, many big right hands.
01:01:47You said he should have fought.
01:01:48Why?
01:01:49The British Army.
01:01:50Why is it?
01:01:51Now.
01:01:52Now we got it.
01:01:53Now.
01:01:54Now.
01:01:55Now.
01:01:56Now we got it.
01:01:59Right here.
01:02:01Right here.
01:02:02Right here.
01:02:03Right here.
01:02:04Right here.
01:02:05Right here.
01:02:06Right here.
01:02:07Right here.
01:02:08All right.
01:02:09All right.
01:02:10Kennedy, you've seen a lot of fighters in your day,
01:02:11you've fought a lot of hard fights.
01:02:12Tell us what you think of the young man you fought tonight.
01:02:13A fighter.
01:02:14Good fighter.
01:02:15My age was a different, 22 years old, 30.
01:02:19But, I mean, what can I say?
01:02:22I had a layoff of a year, and I think that hurt me more than anything.
01:02:25You hit him with a lot of your best shots, but he just seems to take everything.
01:02:30He was good.
01:02:31I mean, I give the kid a lot of credit.
01:02:33He'll be good.
01:02:33I don't know if he's the next Chavez, but he's close to it.
01:02:37Are you going to continue to fight after this?
01:02:39Why not?
01:02:40I mean, I put up a good show.
01:02:41I want a rematch.
01:02:42Can I have a rematch?
01:02:43Can I have a rematch?
01:02:44Well, I got to tell you.
01:02:47I'm afraid I will fight a piece of a car fart there, because he's a new marina.
01:02:51Maybe in the future, he's going to be the champion in the world.
01:02:55Thank you very much.
01:02:56And I got to say that everybody saw this fight.
01:02:58Would certainly love to see it again.
01:03:00I'll say hi to everybody.
01:03:00Memphis, hey.
01:03:01I didn't get that one, but I'll be back.
01:03:04Thank you very much, Kennedy.
01:03:12He hit you with a lot of hard shots.
01:03:15Did he ever hurt you?
01:03:22He didn't hit me with a real hard shot.
01:03:24He didn't stun me, but he did hit a lot of tough shots.
01:03:29He seemed to be able to dictate what was happening in there with his jab.
01:03:33Were you surprised by that?
01:03:42He knew that that's the way he was going to fight, dictating the pace with his jab.
01:03:50But like I said in the press conference, the knockout would come out in the 12th round.
01:03:53You felt that you would wear him down?
01:03:59Yeah, I figured that's the way it would be, but it was kind of hard to hit him in the body
01:04:08because he was afraid of the low blow, so he went to upstairs.
01:04:11Thank you for a great fight.
01:04:12All right, Jim, I did check with the referee, and he did say that he told McKinney
01:04:21that he did have as big a heart as any fighter he ever saw.
01:04:26All right, thanks very much, Larry, and that's pretty much a fitting postscript
01:04:30on the effort put forth here tonight by Kennedy McKinney once again.
01:04:33He won an Olympic gold medal back in Seoul, South Korea,
01:04:36when he was on the same team with this man, the great Roy Jones.
01:04:39We know what you think of Kennedy McKinney.
01:04:40What do you think of Marco Antonio Barrera?
01:04:43Well, like I said before, I've said it over and over and over again.
01:04:47I see Marco Antonio Barrera as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world today.
01:04:55Something as that.
01:04:55Will his body take him up from 122 as far as maybe 135 pounds at some point in his career
01:05:04where he can begin to get bigger exposure and the kind of money that that kind of greatness ought to deserve?
01:05:09No, I don't think so because he's only about 5'5", and the way his body seems to be built,
01:05:15he would have to almost be fat or get muscle-bound to comfortably make 135 pounds.
01:05:20So let's appreciate him right where he is, and we'll appreciate you for another great job, Roy.
01:05:24We'll see you on the next edition of Boxing After Dark.
01:05:27Thank you very much.
01:05:28Quite welcome.
01:05:28Roy Jones, Jr., and we turn now to Larry Merchant, who's made his way down from the ring.
01:05:32Well, you said it all, and as you said early in the fight, it doesn't get any better than that.
01:05:37What are your final thoughts on a tremendous war?
01:05:40I think Boxing After Dark has a future.
01:05:45Can we bring him back next time?
01:05:47Let's not promise that they're all going to be like that one.
01:05:50Well, we'll take this for starters.
01:05:52I guess the only thought I have is that recently the astronomers found 40 billion more galaxies out there in the heavens,
01:06:00but I guarantee you if there are any planets out there with prize fighters,
01:06:04they never fought a better fight than they saw tonight.
01:06:08All of us are high.
01:06:10We celebrate these great athletes for what they put themselves through,
01:06:14for our entertainment, and for their satisfaction,
01:06:19and all we can say is the way to go.
01:06:23Yeah, it was tremendous.
01:06:24Well, we'll have a final word on boxing in just a moment.
01:06:27Right now, let's look ahead to some upcoming programming here on HBO.
01:06:30Next time, it's Head On.
01:07:00HBO invites you on a special journey through barriers and limitations
01:07:06to triumph and glory.
01:07:09The first time I've ever heard an announcer call a black man an American
01:07:16was in the Smelly and Jola's fight.
01:07:19The journey of the African-American athlete based on the black experience rooted in the American dream.
01:07:26premieres Monday, February 12th on HBO.
01:07:31It cuts to the heart.
01:07:33Ain't he got enough?
01:07:35Why you gotta give him everything?
01:07:37It bears the soul.
01:07:39What is this?
01:07:41It looks like a goddamn COVID crash to me.
01:07:44It releases the rage.
01:07:50From executive producer Danny Glover comes the HBO original drama event,
01:07:56America's Dream.
01:07:57premieres Saturday, February 17th on HBO.
01:08:01And coming up immediately following tonight's coverage of HBO Boxing After Dark,
01:08:07stay tuned for Stranger by Night.
01:08:09Now, final word on a subject we touched briefly early in the telecast.
01:08:16HBO had the privilege of televising a handful of boxing matches prior to the year 1981.
01:08:21But it was really in that year that we had the privilege of televising our first big mega fight.
01:08:27It was the first ever meeting between Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard.
01:08:31And coincidentally, it was also the first stroll on the world stage
01:08:35for a little promotional outfit from New Jersey named Main Events
01:08:38and for a young promoter named Dan Duva.
01:08:40That's just one of many reasons, too many reasons to count,
01:08:43why we marked Dan's passing earlier this week with special sadness here at HBO.
01:08:48Tonight, as we leave the air, our thoughts go to Dan's father, Lou, his wife, Kathy,
01:08:53his children, Nicole, Lisa, and Brian,
01:08:57because we know that all of them tonight miss Dan Duva just as much,
01:09:01in fact, more than we do.
01:09:18This has been a presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
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