- 2 days ago
Arturo Gatti defends his IBF Jr Lightweight Title against Wilson Rodriguez on HBO Boxing After Dark.
Category
🦄
CreativityTranscript
00:00years old and a brand new superstar in the sport taking on Wilson Rodriguez born in the Dominican
00:05Republic he's been fighting for the past several years out of Spain and this will be his first
00:10appearance in the United States Gotti born in Montreal lives in Jersey City speaks three
00:16languages and adds a fourth language when he goes into the ring that language being the left hook
00:22he throws about as well as anybody in the sport Roy a lot of people think that Gotti shows a lot
00:26of class the kind of young fighter who now that he's won a championship belt for the first time
00:31might sort of grow into that position and get bigger and better even in the ring do you see
00:35him as that kind of a young man yes I do see him as that type of a young man reason being is because
00:41I know Gotti has been around some experienced guys an experienced group of people working with him
00:47who realize how hard it is to get to that spot where he is now he doesn't want to see the bottom
00:54of the ladder looking up again therefore he's going to take every opportunity take advantage
00:59of every opportunity and do the best that he can do to stay on top he's going to have to do it against
01:04a slick boxer with a ton of experience tonight Larry Merchant we haven't seen Wilson Rodriguez before I
01:09know you've looked at him on videotape what chance that he can upset the apple cart of the hot young
01:15Gotti here well you have to say he's not a long shot he has a chance this is not just an opponent he's
01:21won 27 of his last 28 fights across five years the only loss was to John John Molina probably the
01:28best junior lightweight of the 90s also you might be happy to know he's getting married for the
01:35third time soon which suggests that he is a cockeyed optimist and sometimes that carries over in the ring
01:43but this is really about the young fighter once you climb to the top of the mountain do you like it
01:48there do you want to be there or do you get a little bit dizzy and distracted will you fight
01:53as hard when you are there as you fought to get there I think you are judged as a champion a little
02:01bit different than a challenger on a higher level mountain high and we'll see if this kid's up to it
02:07Gotti hadn't been married yet I take it you see that as a huge advantage for him absolutely for any
02:11athlete spoken by a man with his own deep experience in the art of marriage let's quickly look at the tail of
02:17the tape for the two 130 pound fighters and you can see that Arturo Gotti turns 24 on April 15 he's
02:24seven years younger than Wilson Rodriguez gives up a half inch in height and seven inches in reach
02:31to the European based fighter rules of the bout with late night cult figure Harold Letterman the Arturo
02:39Gotti Wilson Rodriguez fight is scheduled for 12 rounds the rules are totally the opposite from a
02:45first fight there is no standing eight count no three knockdown rule only the referee can stop the
02:51fight and you cannot you cannot be said by the bell in any round including the 12th and final round Jim
02:56all right Harold and the crowd still buzzing about the terrific performance of Junior Jones we're
03:07expecting Wilson Rodriguez to make it out of his dressing room first
03:2353 fights already in the 11-year career of Wilson Rodriguez he spent most of the past two years fighting
03:30the Eastern European fighters at his base in Spain yeah he's poured as far away as Kazakhstan that hotbed of boxing in the caucus caucuses of Russia
03:45this is his debut in America and the 11th country he has fought in
04:05Wilson Rodriguez and the ring record for Rodriguez most of the seven losses took place early in his career
04:1924 knockouts in 43 fights since he's reached the world championship level he has had to win most of his fights
04:27by decision when you lack punching power that makes it tough going against a gun like Gotti his current co-trainer
04:40Jose Luis de la Sagra twice fought against Wilson Rodriguez a draw a loss they liked each other
04:48pretty soon de la saga was in his corner can't beat him join him
04:52Arturo Gotti had an older brother Joe who became a contender couldn't quite win a title Gotti has made good on
05:05his father's pledge that one of his boxing sons would rise to the championship level
05:22ring record for Arturo Gotti 20 knockouts in his 24 wins he took the title in December here in Madison Square Garden
05:51in the big room next door in a tremendous 12 round bout against Tracy Harris Patterson in which he put
05:57Patterson on the deck in the second round had to hold on in the later rounds when Tracy started to land his
06:03right hand over Gotti's left and a couple of other biographical notes you can see that the young slugger
06:14gets most of his opponents in the first six minutes but he's not that difficult to hit at least by a quality
06:21fighter like Tracy Harris Patterson with whom he has promised a rematch in the fall now let's go to
06:31ring announcer Michael Buffer once again ladies and gentlemen main event Cedric Kushner promotions
06:37helps boxing promotions along with your undisputed undefeated king of beers Budweiser this
06:44Bugs for you present 12 rounds of boxing for the IBF junior lightweight championship of the world this
06:53bout is sanctioned by the New York State Athletic Commission chairman former two-time world heavyweight
06:59champion Floyd Patterson and the International Boxing Federation president Robert W Lee senior supervisor at
07:06ringside for the IBF is Marriott Mohammed the three judges scoring this contest on a 10 point must system will be
07:14George Colon Manuel de Casas and John Potter ray and when the bell rings the man in charge of the
07:22action referee Wayne Kelly all other officials at ringside shall remain the same and now ladies and
07:30gentlemen from the Mecca of boxing Madison Square Garden New York City
07:35let's get ready to rumble
07:42introducing first fighting out of the red corner wearing black trimmed with yellow and weighing in at 128 pounds he
07:55comes to us from Madrid España with a professional record of 43 victories against seventh beats with three draws 24 KOs to
08:05his credit to his credit he's ranked number two to his credit he's ranked number two in the world ladies and
08:09gentlemen introducing the challenger Wilson black label
08:16you want to win at that point of the match for the win in the world
08:19by the way that he's ranked number three of the world nice and striking out of the blue corner
08:24and across the ring fighting out of the blue corner wearing white trend with blue letters and weighing in at 130 pounds
08:30his professional record 24 victories with 20 kOs only one defeat ladies and gentlemen from Jersey City New Jersey the defending junior lightweight champion of the world
08:44Lightweight Champion of the World, Arturo Thunder Goddard!
08:57All right, Arturo Wilson, we're boxing for the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship of the World.
09:03I expect a clean fight.
09:05Obey my commands at all times.
09:07Protect yourself at all times.
09:09Shake hands.
09:09Come out boxing at the bell.
09:11Good luck.
09:1112 rounds.
09:14Good luck.
09:37Gotty came out with Thunder in round one against Patterson back in December.
09:42Then he did the radio broadcast of your debut performance here in Madison Square Garden January 12, Roy.
09:49Yeah, he had a masterful performance in December against a terrific fighter in Tracy Harris Patterson.
09:56He showed a lot of patience, which is usually hard to find in a young fighter such as Arturo Gatti.
10:03May have to show some patience tonight against the slicker, more experienced Rodriguez.
10:11Arturo is a very strong puncher.
10:21The other guy seems to know this and he seems to have respect for that.
10:32Rodriguez speaks no English, told us yesterday in Spanish that he would stay away from Gatti's left hook.
10:41Straight right hand over the top for Rodriguez.
10:46I guess after being married two or three times, this guy's gotten pretty slick.
10:51Because he's slipping all of Gatti's big punches early and he's not trying to hit Gatti too hard, just staying away and trying to pick him when he can.
10:59Hard right hand by Rodriguez.
11:01You'll find out about that marriage thing, Roy.
11:07That fiance of yours may not look like such a tough opponent right now, but just wait.
11:13Just wait.
11:25So far, Gatti having a little trouble getting off against Wilson Rodriguez, who stays away from the left hook by circling away from it and begins most of the exchanges when Gatti comes close.
11:36Wilson landed a great left hook there and Gatti's not really trying to get out the way of it.
11:44He's coming straight down the pipe, which is not really good for him.
11:48And Gatti's got a huge mouse under his left eye and it's swelling already and that's the product of those lead right hands by Rodriguez.
11:55And if Rodriguez continues to land the lead right, that's going to inhibit the left hook for Arturo Gatti.
12:06Gatti getting a little boxing lesson here in round one.
12:09Rodriguez has gotten bolder and bolder as the round has gone on.
12:12He thinks he's quicker and he throws the straighter punches.
12:17And so far, he's right.
12:25Tough round for the young phenom as the veteran from Europe puts him back on his heels a little bit.
12:32And Gatti goes back to his corner blinking with that closing left eye.
12:38Okay?
12:39Work with that body.
12:40You're going too much for the head.
12:42Right?
12:43Stay low.
12:44Stay low.
12:45Move that head and work me under.
12:47Understand?
12:48Uh-huh.
12:49You try too hard.
12:50Okay?
12:51When you go inside, don't try one punch.
12:54What do you mean combination to start?
12:56Watch with this guy jump.
12:58It's okay.
12:59It's nothing.
13:00Okay?
13:01It's nothing.
13:02Don't be nervous, okay?
13:04Don't get nervous.
13:06Our interpreter here is Hector Garcia.
13:09His eyes are already closed.
13:10And use that left hand.
13:12Quick, that left hand, and move to the left.
13:15Always.
13:16And keep moving to the left.
13:20Don't get excited.
13:23Gatti told us he didn't want to come out full speed.
13:26He wanted to be under control.
13:28But if he's going to get to this slick, experienced veteran,
13:32he's going to have to do more of what you just saw.
13:35Yeah, he's probably got to move his head more
13:37and put a little more pressure on this guy.
13:40And as cut man Joe Souza was working on Gatti's left eye,
13:44you heard the young fighter asking his trainer, Hector Rocha,
13:47what about my eye?
13:52Now he's moving his head a lot more.
13:59And lands the left hook for the first time in the fight.
14:03With head movement, he's got a chance to get inside on Rodriguez.
14:06Yeah, he does, but when he doesn't move his head,
14:08Rodriguez seems to still be able to catch him.
14:11Rodriguez landed nearly 40% of his punches in the first round.
14:14He's targeting that left eye with the right hand lead,
14:17and he's landing it.
14:18Now Gatti's other eye has a mouth under it,
14:22and it just doesn't look too good.
14:24I think Gatti is in real trouble
14:26unless he can do something dramatic, guys.
14:28He landed the right cross.
14:30Right foot.
14:31And it just doesn't look too good.
14:33I think Gatti is in real trouble
14:35unless he can do something dramatic, guys.
14:37He landed the right cross.
14:39Right under the shoulder blade,
14:40and now comes back with a left hook,
14:42but he's blinking both eyes.
14:43They're swelling with extreme rapidity.
14:45I don't know if I've ever seen a fighter swell up so much in this round.
14:46No, good hook.
14:47Back at it.
14:48That did hurt Rod Rieger.
14:49All right.
14:50Step back.
14:51Let him go.
14:52They better get out.
14:53Two end swells after this round.
14:55And he's going to get out.
14:56He's going to get out.
14:57He's going to get out.
14:58He's going to get out.
14:59He's going to get out.
15:00He's going to get out.
15:01He's going to get out.
15:02He's going to get out.
15:03He's going to get out.
15:04He's going to get out.
15:05He's going to get out.
15:06Two end swells after this round.
15:09That man Joe Sousa with a big job coming up.
15:12Gatti goes down on a short left hook inside.
15:16And he didn't see it coming.
15:18No, because his eyes are swollen so badly
15:21that he can hardly see it.
15:23How do you feel Arturo?
15:24Let's go.
15:27On the verge of superstardom,
15:29Arturo Gatti is in serious trouble
15:31in round two against slick European veteran
15:33Wilson Rodriguez.
15:34Gatti trying to come back with both hands.
15:36Taking a lot of punishment in return.
15:38Let him go.
15:39Step back.
15:40Step back.
15:46Fishes left hook to the body by Gatti.
15:49And it sets up another barrage.
15:51Let him go.
15:52Step back.
15:54Straight right hand landing again for Rodriguez.
16:09Gatti landed a right cross close.
16:12Backing Rodriguez up.
16:15Get him up.
16:16Get him up.
16:17Get him up.
16:18Get him up.
16:19Get him up.
16:20Get him up.
16:21Gatti with a low blow.
16:22Well down on Rodriguez's right hip.
16:23Oh.
16:24Both fighters were hurt there.
16:25And referee Wayne Kelly pulling Rodriguez away
16:31as Gatti went after it.
16:32And both fighters seem to go to the wrong corner
16:35after that exchange.
16:36The allies.
16:37I got it.
16:38I got it.
16:39I got it.
16:40Okay.
16:41Arturo.
16:42Keep your hand high Arturo.
16:43And punch in the body.
16:44Okay.
16:45Punch in the body.
16:46Come on.
16:47Let's work this guy.
16:48Do away please.
16:49Okay.
16:50Keep putting pressure.
16:51Stay close on him.
16:52Hey.
16:53Listen to me.
16:54Listen to me.
16:55You ain't got no time.
16:56You got to get out there and do it.
16:57All right.
16:58All right.
16:59He's okay.
17:00Okay.
17:01Okay.
17:02Okay.
17:03Okay.
17:04Come on.
17:05You want to get him Arturo.
17:06Put the pressure on him.
17:07Here's the knock down.
17:08A right hand followed by a left.
17:11A right hand followed by a left.
17:14A right hand followed by a left.
17:20As Gotti tried to go to the body.
17:24And you heard the cut man Joe Sousa saying,
17:26You got no time son.
17:28You got to do it.
17:29Hard right hand over the top by Gotti as he comes out.
17:33Swinging for the knockout.
17:35It's going to take some drama to rescue Arturo Gotti's star status here.
17:41Come on.
17:43All right.
17:44Break.
17:45They clean.
17:46I don't know.
17:47And Roy Jones, you look at Gotti swelling up so quickly and you wonder.
17:58Did this fight come too quickly after his war with Patterson in December?
18:05That's one thing you have to always worry about in a young fighter.
18:10He's showing his will.
18:12He's getting that left hook in there.
18:17He's doing the best thing.
18:18He's going for broke.
18:20He's trying to get this guy out of here.
18:22And that's exactly what he should be trying to do.
18:24He's not going to be able to see for too much longer if he can see it all now.
18:28He's doing the best.
18:29He's doing the best.
18:30Solid left hook.
18:31Rodriguez has got a pretty good chin.
18:32He's taking some thunder in this round.
18:33Again, the left hook lands after a counter right.
18:35This kid is showing a terrific heart.
18:36Has he got time to go to the body?
18:37Yes, Gotti does have time to go to the body, but Gotti is showing an excellent heart.
18:41He's got, he's got, he's got, he's got, he's got, he's got, he's got, he's got.
19:01Now he remembers to go to the body with a right and a left.
19:04Keep him up, keep him up.
19:08Proud chanting Gotti, Gotti, Gotti.
19:10They want to see the drama.
19:11They know what's at stake.
19:13This is the stuff champions are made of.
19:30It's going to take a near miracle against a tough guy to knock out.
19:36You saw the straight right land flush for Gotti.
19:43Rodriguez targeting the eye and throwing hard.
19:48Rodriguez is a very tough game veteran.
19:54And he's a very smart fighter.
19:57Sensational left hook by Gotti.
20:07Fabulous counter right by Rodriguez.
20:09This has been a time capsule round.
20:13It's hard to imagine that Gotti can last much longer.
20:29He punctuates the barrage with a body block.
20:32And this show has just become another five run home run.
20:36Back row in the body.
20:38Back row.
20:40Back, I say back row.
20:43Hey, don't push on me, God damn it.
20:44I'm pushing you.
20:45Wait, it's okay.
20:46Cover your left eye.
20:47Cover your left eye.
20:48All right.
20:49Cover your left eye or it's over.
20:50How many fingers?
20:51I said cover.
20:52How many fingers?
20:53Now.
20:54Stay in the body.
20:56Okay?
20:57Wagon the body.
20:58Okay?
20:59Come on.
21:00Don't pray so hard.
21:01He gonna stay.
21:03Here you see Gotti.
21:08Desperately trying to put some hurt on Rodriguez, but Rodriguez is standing in there like the
21:15tough old professional he is.
21:22This is world class stuff, folks.
21:24This is World War III, folks.
21:30Right eye appears almost closed.
21:32There are a lot of fights after midnight out there in the mean streets of New York, and
21:37I can promise you nothing is like this one.
21:42Nothing that I can think of.
21:44Gotti trying to load up on every punch.
21:47Gonna make it tougher for him to defend himself, but it's too late for that now.
21:52Yeah, it's much too late for that now.
21:55Excellent body shot by Gotti.
21:57Terrific right hand of the body.
21:58Rodriguez backs up, and the next two punches are pawing.
22:05Oh!
22:06Great right hand by Gotti.
22:11Great right hand by Gotti.
22:18Arturo Gotti boxing in the dark through nearly closed eyes here on Boxing After Dark.
22:28Great.
22:29Arturo is landing some great shots to his hips to slow him down, too.
22:34He's remembering to go to the body, and he's landing that left hook.
22:39He's hurt with another right hand there, Gotti was.
22:52TensorFlow.
22:53Hello!
22:54Go.
22:55Go.
22:56Go!
22:57Go!
22:58Go!
22:59Go!
23:00Go!
23:01Go!
23:02Go!
23:03Go!
23:04Go!
23:05Go!
23:06Go!
23:07Go!
23:08Go!
23:09Go!
23:10Go!
23:11Lots of the crowd on its feet through all of this round.
23:34Wilson Rodriguez.
23:41God is taking some punishing blows.
23:50What is keeping these guys up?
23:53I can't tell you.
23:56Oh, that hurt very fast.
23:58God is hurt.
23:59God is seriously hurt.
24:00Yep.
24:01He's wobbling now.
24:02Yes, he's seriously hurt.
24:03Rodriguez is about to put him out of there with accumulated punishment.
24:06He landed another one.
24:07And a vicious low blow.
24:08And he got away with it.
24:09Wayne Kelly was looking upstairs.
24:11And God, he finishes the round by pulling it out from nowhere.
24:16I don't know if this kid's going to have his title before this night is over, but he has
24:21sure shown us a championship heart.
24:22And he just showed up that he wants it.
24:25I don't know if this kid's going to have his title before this night is over, but he is sure showing us a championship part.
24:44And he sure showed up that he wants it.
24:47He's in agony over there as Joe Sousa works the inswell on that right eye, which has swollen up the several times its normal size.
24:54Look at me.
24:54How many figures?
24:55Two.
24:56Say it again.
24:57Two.
24:58Say it again.
24:59One.
25:00All right.
25:01Come on.
25:02I don't think he can go more than another round, Roy.
25:05Not with those kind of exchanges.
25:07Stay away from him.
25:08Stay away from him.
25:09Push him off before we go another round.
25:11That's what I mean.
25:12You have to push him off.
25:14Okay.
25:15Here's Rodriguez coming on.
25:17A veteran boxer sensing his big chance.
25:20All right.
25:21Seconds out.
25:23And here comes Gotti.
25:25Just when we thought he had all he could handle.
25:30Round five.
25:34And the way Gotti looked at the end of round one, it's something of a small miracle that he's made it this far.
25:49Twice the doctor has seemed on the verge of calling a halt to it, and twice Gotti was able to recognize enough fingers to keep it going.
25:56There was some more good body work by Gotti.
25:57I think his vision is getting a little better now.
26:09How quickly.
26:10Four rounds.
26:11How do you score it?
26:12Larry, three to one.
26:13Thirty-nine.
26:14Thirty-six.
26:15Wilson Rodriguez.
26:16I think that he deserves an extra point in round two for the knockdown.
26:19Certainly Arturo can't see the punches coming, so Wilson is winning most of the rounds.
26:23But boy, Arturo Gotti's got some heart.
26:25Arturo Gotti's one loss early in his career was to a slick boxer named King Solomon.
26:38Now he takes on a similar opponent and has nothing but trouble from the get-go.
26:53Gotti has been getting away with some blows, but Rodriguez doesn't seem bothered by them,
26:59and so the referee hasn't called him on it.
27:04But still, low blows are low blows, and he's been throwing well south of the border.
27:13Crowd trying to pick Arturo up.
27:19He's just left hook right across the point of the chin.
27:23Boy Rodriguez has got a pretty good beard, Roy.
27:27Boy Rodriguez.
27:28Rob Rodriguez has done a terrific job of keeping his swept eye open and his right eye from closing all the ways.
27:36Give credit to the Cutman, Joe Sousa.
27:38You all right? You all right?
27:40All right. Go.
27:42Both fighters landed more than 60% of their blows in route.
27:54Oh, there's a shot.
27:55A contact here.
27:57Rodriguez goes down from a body shot.
27:59Four, five, six, seven, eight.
28:05Tide has turned.
28:06Tide has turned.
28:08Body blows did it.
28:09Here comes Gotti.
28:12Can you believe this, kid?
28:16He got away with another low blow.
28:18He takes a hard one on the chin.
28:20And another.
28:21Rodriguez turns it around.
28:27Break out.
28:28Break, sit back.
28:31All right.
28:38Don't let him.
28:39Stand by.
28:40You want to stay.
28:42Arturo, don't win me.
28:43Just keep moving.
28:44Man, I'm going to start a plan.
28:45Keep moving.
28:46Arturo, when you miss like that, they're going to cast you, man.
28:50Stay in the body.
28:51Stay in the body.
28:51You don't want no more.
28:52You're going to win.
28:53You're going to win.
28:54You're going to win.
28:54Stay on the body.
28:56Okay?
28:57Hey, he has come in a bit like two in his body.
28:59You're winning this fight.
29:05You're winning.
29:05Keep the distance.
29:06You have to fight and keep the distance.
29:08Keep away from this man.
29:12Here's a knockdown.
29:15He went down, it seemed, voluntarily from a right that landed somewhere between the waist,
29:21Roy and the armpit.
29:22It wasn't real low.
29:24It might have hit him in the ribs.
29:26It was an excellent left body shot.
29:29Folks, when you see fights like the ones we've had in this series, it redeems all the bad stuff you ever hear about boxing.
29:36What we're seeing is the pure spirit and skill of terrific athletes.
29:44Noble stuff.
29:46Our interpreter, Hector Garcia, says that between rounds they asked Wilson Rodriguez why he went down,
29:51and he said, he hurt me to the ribcage.
29:55I think it was the left hook to the ribcage.
29:589-8 there on Letterman's guard because a point was taken away for low blow.
30:02If Gotti keeps doing what he's doing now, he may have a great chance of coming back and stopping this guy soon.
30:11You see the blood trickling from the left nostril of Wilson Rodriguez.
30:16Gotti's left eye is more open now than was the case two rounds ago.
30:23All of that is from excellent work in the corner.
30:28Unsung heroes of the sport.
30:30The cut man, Joe Sousa's a hero tonight in Gotti's corner.
30:37Al Gavin did it for Junior Jones in the earlier bout.
30:43Gotti's left hook just continues to zone in.
30:46Referee Wayne Kelly was behind Rodriguez when Gotti hit him with two more blows below the belt.
31:01The one thing that amazes me is that every time Gotti hits Rodriguez in the face,
31:08it seems like it has no effect.
31:10But the body punches are taking their toll.
31:13They are wearing him down.
31:18Crowd is lifting Arturo Gotti.
31:21Keeping him alive in a fight in which he could easily have been gone by now.
31:26Straight right hand.
31:28And another body shot that hurt Rodriguez.
31:36Down goes Rodriguez.
31:38What a left hook.
31:41He won't make it up from that.
31:44No way.
31:45Arturo Gotti.
31:47How about that?
31:48Comeback win.
31:54You'll never see better drama for a young prospect on his way to super starting.
32:01People will never forget this fight.
32:05It'll be showed over and over and over again.
32:08That is a remarkable achievement by this young, junior, lightweight champion.
32:16That is my new nominee for fight of the year.
32:23Well, Roy, we got another edition of Boxing After Dark coming up next month.
32:27Maybe it's a six-run homer.
32:31Wilson Rodriguez still on the mat after one of the great left hooks you've ever seen.
32:38By Arturo Gotti.
32:42I feel like I need a shower just watching those two fights.
32:48I think we should restrict this weight class for Boxing After Dark.
32:53Nothing over 160 pounds.
32:59Well, that keeps you on the big show, Roy.
33:01That's why I stopped at 160.
33:03Let's take another look at the left hook knockout.
33:20Here it comes.
33:21The body shots finally wore this kid down.
33:27Arturo Gotti did a superb job of staying in the body.
33:30Well, I asked you in the second or third round if he had time to go to the body,
33:34and you said, yes, he did, if the cut man could keep his eyes open.
33:38They did their job, and he did his.
33:40Bingo.
33:41Excellent teamwork by Team Gotti.
33:48Let's hope he takes a little time off before the next fight.
33:51Give those eyes a chance to heal.
33:56And while we're crediting Joe Souza, the cut man,
33:59let's also say good job by the New York State Athletic Commission doctor
34:06who let the fight go on rather than to stop it
34:09and deny Arturo Gotti his chance to come back.
34:13Letting a champion be a champion.
34:16Let's go to Michael Buffer for the particulars.
34:19In the tradition of the great championship bouts here at Madison Square Garden,
34:24the defending champion gets off the canvas to come back and win the official time.
34:31Two minutes, 16 seconds of round number six.
34:34Referee Wayne Kelly reaches the count of ten.
34:37The winner by knockout victory.
34:39And still, junior late fourth champion of the world,
34:44Arturo Thunder Gotti!
34:54At the time of the knockout,
34:58Wilson Rodriguez led by three points on two judges' scorecards.
35:04Arturo Gotti led by a point on one of the three judges' scorecards.
35:08But, in effect, Rodriguez was in control of the bout on the scorecards.
35:14Gotti brought the artillery.
35:16Here's Larry Murchis.
35:18Arturo, congratulations.
35:19How early did you know the situation was desperate and you had to stop him?
35:25I wish, it's when I got dropped that I would never believe that I would ever get dropped, you know.
35:30I guess, you know, I could get dropped and I got scared when I went down.
35:34Because I didn't know I was down until I looked around.
35:36I said, oh my God, I'm going to lose the fight.
35:38And when I started going to the body,
35:41and I was trying too hard, I think, loading up a little bit too much.
35:45And then when I started working just normal to the body, I started hurting him.
35:48Have you had this kind of problem with your eyes before?
35:51Because both of them were, seemed almost closed by the middle of the second round.
35:56I've done, I had problems that were against Tracy Battleston,
35:59but I had a great cutman on this fight, Joe Sousa, that did the job easier for me.
36:05How much could you see or couldn't you see?
36:07Because the doctor kept asking you in the corner, could you see his face?
36:10I could have seen.
36:11You could see everything?
36:12I could see everything.
36:13No problem.
36:14It's just, you know, I have to get adapted to his jab and to his rhythm,
36:18so I was getting confused a little bit.
36:20Just trying to follow him instead of doing my own game.
36:24Did the body shots turn the fight around for you?
36:26It definitely did.
36:27When I hit him to the body, he kept complaining he was under the belt,
36:30but I think all those body shots were on the belt, maybe once.
36:33But all those shots seemed to hurt,
36:36and that's when I knew when my trainer in the corner all around was telling me,
36:39hit the body, hit the body, you're going to do it.
36:40You wanted to quit after I was starting to hit the body.
36:43Did you feel I'm losing my title?
36:47In a way, that's when I got dropped.
36:49I told myself, man, I better wake up or else I'm going to lose this title.
36:52And I got scared because, you know, this title's been traveling pretty often.
36:56And I got scared.
36:57Did you know you had the stuff in you to do what you did?
37:00I have the heart, and I have what it's got to be champion, and I did it.
37:04I proved it tonight again.
37:05You sure did.
37:07Jim.
37:08All right, Larry Merchant.
37:09Roy, let me give you some spectacular numbers on your new nominee for fight of the year.
37:14Both fighters threw over 440 punches.
37:17Both fighters landed almost the same number.
37:19Gotti landing 236 out of 445.
37:22Rodriguez 237 out of 449.
37:24They both landed at 53%.
37:26They both landed nearly 60% of their power shots.
37:29You just don't see more action than that in a fight.
37:31You just cannot ask for a better fight or a better two fights than what took place here tonight.
37:37How much residual damage can a fight like this do to a young star like Gotti coming up?
37:44The residual damage won't be bad.
37:46It's just that he needs to take his time in between fights.
37:50You never can predict when a fight like this is going to occur.
37:54I'm sure he didn't think that he'd find himself on the canvas or with a swollen eye in this particular fight so soon.
38:02Not his first title defense.
38:03This is the kind of stuff that 10 years down the line will make a difference if you continue to do this back to back to back.
38:10And they might have learned something tonight about his eyes that will help them to schedule intelligently in the future.
38:16They were lucky that they learned it in a fight that he was able to come back and win.
38:20They were very lucky.
38:21All right, let's go back to Larry Merchant.
38:23Okay, Wilson, congratulations on an outstanding fight.
38:31How surprised were you that he was able to come back in the condition he was in with his bad eyes and you having knocked him down?
38:39How surprised were you that he was able to come back from the way he was in with his eyes closed and he was in bad conditions?
38:47How surprised were you that he was able to come back from that way?
38:50I don't understand how he was able to come back.
38:53But there was an assault that hit me in the hand and he was able to get less right.
38:59That's why he was able to come back.
39:02I couldn't stop him with one hand.
39:03He was very surprised that he came back the way he did.
39:07What happened was in one of the rounds, he got hurt.
39:10My hand got hurt and I just couldn't keep throwing my right hand.
39:14So that's what happened to me.
39:15Do you think your hand is broken?
39:21I think it's fractious because I can't even close my hand.
39:27He hit you with a lot of low blows, but you didn't complain.
39:31Should the referee have taken more points from him?
39:33He hit me below the belt at least six times and it was only once that he got one point taken away from.
39:54How would you describe this young man and champion that you fought tonight?
39:59How would you describe this young man and champion that you fought tonight?
40:03He's a true champ and he will go far.
40:22He just could not believe the way this guy came back to him and he will go very, very far.
40:27Thank you very much again, Wilson.
40:30Jim.
40:31Nice fellow, Wilson Rodriguez.
40:33We wish him well in his upcoming marriage, latest in his long string of marriages.
40:37Pretty good fighter.
40:38Wouldn't mind seeing him again.
40:39Very good fighter and he would be, I think, a very good fighter for several of these guys who are champions in the United States.
40:47What about Arturo Gotti?
40:48Do you see him sticking around at 130 for a while or do you think that body is headed up to the lightweight division at 135?
40:53I think that body is definitely headed back to 135, I mean headed up to 135, yeah.
40:59He's going to have a hard time with that muscular little frame making 130 over a long stretch.
41:04Roy, thanks again for another tremendous job.
41:06Thank you very much.
41:06And I just think I need to stay away from this telecast as far as being in the ring.
41:11These fights are much, much, much too difficult for me.
41:14You're standing in the ideal position for keeping yourself out of the ring on Boxing After Dark.
41:19The best position.
41:20Larry Merchant.
41:22First of all, news from elsewhere in boxing tonight.
41:25Oliver McCall with a five-round TKO over James Stanton.
41:29So McCall moves back toward contendership in the heavyweight division.
41:32I've got an idea.
41:34We'll do a second boxing series on HBO, put it late at night, focus on the lower weight classes.
41:39You think there'll be enough good fights to make it entertaining?
41:41Never work.
41:43No chance.
41:45The only thing I've got to say is this.
41:46We're in the small room of the garden.
41:48In the big room tonight is the circus, Ringling Barnum & Bailey Circus.
41:53With all its fabulous amazements, with its three rings.
41:58But I've got to tell you, folks, when you get fights like this, I'd rather be no place else in the world.
42:04This is all the amazement I can stand, Jim.
42:08Indeed.
42:08It was spectacular fun.
42:09One final note before we go away.
42:12For a word about upcoming programming on HBO,
42:14Wilson Rodriguez, loser in the fight, now headed to the hospital.
42:18We're told that he'll get x-rays on his right hand.
42:21Must have injured it while throwing one of those right hand leads to the face of Arturo Gotti.
42:26We'll be back in a moment with a final word on the sensational action here tonight.
42:30Let's look ahead on HBO.
42:34I grew up in New York.
42:36Whenever I'm back in town, I like to visit nostalgic places from my childhood.
42:40This is where I went to school.
42:42Corpus Christi.
42:43But I was too logical.
42:45Too logical for school.
42:47Because I had been there only about six months.
42:49And they were asking me questions.
42:50You know, they would call on you and ask you a question.
42:52And I said to them one day, I said, listen,
42:54why are you asking me all these questions?
42:56I came here to learn from you.
42:59I should be asking you.
43:00I don't know this stuff.
43:02Isn't there an adult around here who understands this material?
43:05The HBO Comedy Hour.
43:07George Carlin, back in town.
43:09Live from the Beacon Theater.
43:11Saturday, March 30th.
43:13Only on HBO.
43:15Yeah.
43:16I'm out of here.
43:18A storm is brewing in the Caribbean.
43:21And it's going to hit the hurricane force.
43:24The HBO World Championship Boxing Doubleheader.
43:27Whitaker vs. Rivera.
43:28Corte vs. Phillips.
43:30Live Friday, April 12th on HBO.
43:33The second edition of HBO's Boxing After Dark produced a sensational doubleheader tonight in the theater at Madison Square Garden in the first.
43:41A 12-round war between Junior Jones and Orlando Canisalas.
43:45Jones emerged with a popular hometown split decision and moved back to the top of the heap at 122 pounds.
43:53And then 130-pound rising superstar Arturo Gatti found himself in desperate trouble with both eyes nearly closed shut in the middle of the second round and came back on thunderous left hooks to ultimately knock out Wilson Rodriguez and rescue his superstar status.
44:12Coming up immediately following, Gatti Rodriguez here.
44:16Stay tuned for Night of the Running Man on HBO.
44:19HBO's World Championship Boxing Series returns next month when two welterweight champions showcase their unique talents in an entertaining doubleheader.
44:27In one fight, you'll see Purnell Whitaker, still one of the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
44:32In the other fight, check out Ike Corte.
44:34Many see him as a serious challenger to Whitaker in the near future.
44:38Then eight days later, the third edition of HBO's Boxing After Dark.
44:41In one fight, light heavyweight Virgil Hill returns to his native North Dakota to defend his light heavy crown.
44:47In the other, up-and-coming New York heavyweight Lou Savarese should get a test from slick-boxing Buster Mathis Jr.
44:55Note our 11.30 p.m. start time for that show.
44:59And now for Larry Merchant, Roy Jones, Harold Letterman, and Hector Garcia, I'm Jim Lampley saying so long from New York City.
45:06The executive producer of HBO Sports is Ross Greenberg.
45:18Tonight's coverage of Boxing After Dark was produced by Dave Harmon and directed by Mark Payton.
45:23Associate producers Kirby Bradley and Adam Berger.
45:26Assistants to the producer John Crystal and Thomas Odlefeld.
45:29The production manager was John McCallie.
45:31And the technical supervisor, Bob Hunter.
45:34The production manager was John McCallie.
46:04This has been a presentation of HBO Sports.
46:34The network of champions.
46:39The new Saturday night boxing series.
46:42HBO Boxing After Dark.
46:45Lou Savarese vs. Buster Mathis Jr.
46:48World light heavyweight champ Virgil Hill vs. undefeated top contender Lou DelVal.
46:53Live Saturday, April 20th on HBO.
46:56Some of the best in the business work the night shift.
46:59Next on HBO, when you make off with a cool million of the mob's money, you better be wearing sneakers.
47:07Scott Glenn and Andrew McCarthy.
47:09Night of the Running Man.
47:11Something special's on.
47:13Next.
47:14Watch out.
47:15In April 1996, HBO comes out swinging.
47:25Bringing home the biggest hits.
47:30See me now.
47:32The best originals.
47:33Please welcome Satchel Payne and Jackie Robinson.
47:37What do you know about love?
47:38I love love.
47:40The boldest contenders.
47:42For now, Sweet Pea's...
47:46...Rinica.
47:47...And the best comedy lineup on TV.
47:51You want it?
47:52You want a piece of me?
47:53Everybody hungry for donuts.
47:56Check it out.
47:57Scoring one hit after another.
48:07HBO in April.
48:09Something special's on.
48:10Hehehe.
48:11Hehehe.
48:11...
48:11...
Recommended
51:11
|
Up next
43:38
43:48