- 5 months ago
Shea Neary puts his WBU Jr Welterweight title on the line against Irish Micky Ward on HBO Boxing from London, England.
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00:00For featherweight champion Prince Nassim Hamed, tonight's fight against
00:06Weani Bungu could prove pivotal in a career which has been under the
00:10magnifying glass the past three years. Hamed's boxing performances have failed
00:15to upstage his flamboyant ring entrances. The Prince made his US debut in 1997
00:21against Kevin Kelly. A Madison Square Garden crowd waited in anticipation to
00:25see whether Hamed's skills could match his brash of style.
00:35Hamed's dramatic showing elevated him to immediate star status in the United
00:39States, raising expectations for coming fights. But beating 37-year-old Wilfred
00:45Avazquez four months later didn't add to Hamed's fame. The next opportunity to show
00:50off the heavy fists that stopped Kelly would come against Wayne McCullough.
00:54Dance, fire a power shot, knock the man back, dance a little more. Whether jet lagged or
01:00distracted by business upheaval, a lackluster Hamed failed to satisfy his
01:04critics, replacing showmanship with vulgar showboating. His popularity declining,
01:10Hamed took on fellow Englishman Paul Engel. The overmatched Engel bravely
01:14presented Hamed with an unexpected challenge.
01:16Until a late knockout preserved the Prince's undefeated record. The straight left hand shot off the middle. Too much for Paul Engel in round 11. But the performance gave his followers further reason to doubt. So by the time Hamed faced Cesar Soto, his image had faded. In what more resembled a wrestling match than a prize fight, Hamed was twice painted in the
01:46finalized for foul play. And if he rules it on sportsmanlike conduct, then the next instance of that could lead to disqualification.
01:53So tonight, all eyes fall on the champion as he takes on one of his toughest opponents to date. Amid mounting criticism, there is pressure on Prince Nassim Hamed, not just to win, but to do so in convincing fashion.
02:36Tonight from London, England, HBO Sports presents World Championship Boxing. Our evening begins with a junior welterweight bout featuring Liverpool's own Shane Erie against Irishman Mickey Ward of Lowell, Massachusetts.
02:55Then in our main event, featherweight champion Prince Nassim Hamed of Sheffield, England defends his title and his perfect record against former super bantamweight champion Fuyani Bungu.
03:05On a crisp, clear Saturday night in London, they enter via the Tower Bridge and other access routes into London to make their way into the spectacular Olympia Hall.
03:16Built 115 years ago, covered by 2,500 panes of glass, it looked like this this afternoon.
03:23But tonight it fills with more than 11,000 ticket buyers as Prince Nassim Hamed brings his show to English fans in London for the first time on HBO.
03:33Hello again, everybody. I'm Jim Lampley. We welcome you to this special edition of HBO's World Championship Boxing.
03:39Special because this is the first time that we've come across the pond to see Prince Nassim Hamed not up in the Midlands where he was raised,
03:47but rather here in London where he is scrutinized by the sometimes brutal British press.
03:52And tonight against one of his most qualified opponents ever, Fuyani Bungu, the former 122-pound world champion,
03:58who defended that title 13 times before moving up in weight to fight the Prince.
04:03Bungu hasn't lost a fight in eight years.
04:06Working with us as always, HBO Boxing analyst Larry Merchant.
04:10Larry, the opening of the show discussed the mounting public relations problems which face Prince Nassim Hamed.
04:16Later on tonight, we'll invite our viewers to answer on our website a simple question.
04:21Do they want to see the Prince win tonight, or would they prefer to see him lose?
04:26And where do you expect the chips to fall on that one?
04:28This way, Jim.
04:30Off with his head, especially with this.
04:33Because fans feel they've been sort of the victims of a bait-and-switch.
04:39That the Prince marketed himself brilliantly as a showman and a knockout artist.
04:46But in fact, as the competition has gotten stiffer, the KO punch has become more like an OK punch,
04:55and the Rockstar entrances have seemed merely like gaudy packaging for a not-quite-full box of goodies.
05:04That's the perception.
05:06The reality is that Prince Nassim Hamed is still regarded as the best featherweight on the planet.
05:14Indeed, criticize him, if you will.
05:15He's won all of these fights.
05:17And, of course, one of the key credos for a lot of professional fighters is it doesn't matter how you win.
05:23It only matters whether you win.
05:25For more on that, let's turn to one of the ultimate professionals.
05:28Two-time world heavyweight champion and world championship boxing expert commentator George Foreman.
05:33George, the Prince has won the fights, even while incurring all of this criticism.
05:37Are fans and media being too tough on him?
05:41Oh, no.
05:41If you're going to be great, you've got to understand the critics and criticism are going to follow you around.
05:46Don't worry about that, but I worry about it coming from his corner.
05:49A good shipment, you've got to have someone to stutter the hem, so to speak.
05:54And Emmanuel Stewart joining in on the criticism.
05:56I don't like that part of it.
05:58But as a rule, you're going to be great.
05:59Learn that the criticism is going to follow you around.
06:01Indeed.
06:02The Prince with two trainers trying to be co-equals, Emmanuel Stewart and Oscar Suarez.
06:07More on that as we get toward the main event.
06:09But first, let's turn our attention to our undercard bout,
06:12which could be a head-on brawl between Shea Neary and American Mickey Ward.
06:18And here's the tale of the tape for Neary and Ward.
06:21This fight takes place at the 140-pound level.
06:24You can see that both fighters are beyond the age of 30.
06:27They weighed in at 140 pounds apiece.
06:30Neary has put on 13 pounds since.
06:32Incidentally, those weights tonight at the bottom of our list here are provided unofficially by HBO.
06:37We use our own scale to do it, but we do ask the fighters to strip down.
06:42And Neary was in his skivvies when he weighed 153 tonight.
06:46Punch stat numbers, Larry.
06:48Here's a look at their activity.
06:51Neary, much, much more active than Ward,
06:54but against less well-done, less star opposition.
07:05And you can see again in the power punching,
07:08Neary almost doesn't throw any jabs at all.
07:11Throws a lot of punches.
07:13The question is, can he land them against someone as experienced as Ward?
07:17Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
07:20The Shane Neary-Mickey-Ward fight is scheduled for 12 rounds.
07:24There is no standing eight count, no three knockdown rules.
07:27Only the referee can stop the fight.
07:28And he cannot be saved by the belt at any round of the gym.
07:31The WBU uses a complicated 20-point scoring system.
07:34To make it simple, we'll use our usual 10-point scoring system.
07:39And there is Mickey Ward of Lowell, Massachusetts, entering the ring.
07:43If those punch stat numbers looked dismal to you,
07:46they came from two fights in which he was virtually nonexistent
07:49before suddenly pulling out victories against Alfonso Sanchez and Reggie Green.
07:55It's his first fight outside the United States.
07:58Incidentally, Reggie Green, the man he beat in his last fight,
08:01was used as a sparring partner by Shane Neary.
08:04Mickey Ward, 34 wins, nine losses.
08:07He's gotten better recently, 25 KOs.
08:10Won 13 of his last 15 fights,
08:13losing only to Zab Judah and Vince Phillips, both champions.
08:17And now Ward awaits his opponent, Shane Neary.
08:22Neary regards himself as the European Arturo Gatti,
08:27meaning that he is a head-on high-contact fighter
08:30who throws 70 punches per round
08:33and tries to use that activity rate to overwhelm his opponents.
08:38Neary's from Liverpool and should have a huge following here tonight.
08:41Green gloves, green lights.
08:49No doubt he spills green blood.
08:54He, too, is Irish.
08:55Neary told us that there's a large Irish community in Liverpool
09:07from which he hails.
09:08We asked him why.
09:09He said, well, because of the potato famines in the 19th century.
09:15Just a couple of hour boat ride from Ireland.
09:19They're playing it for what's all, for all it's worth.
09:38He is a very tough young man,
09:40beyond dedicated.
09:42There's a Spartan existence,
09:43and according to his promoters,
09:46does nothing but eat, drink, think, fantasize,
09:51dream of fighting.
09:54This is Pink Floyd right now.
09:56The Wild Irish Rover's rendition will follow
09:58the Pink Floyd borrowing that you're listening to here.
10:03Neary's only had one fight in the last 18 months or so, Larry.
10:07Why is that?
10:08According to his management,
10:12they say that he had no big money fights coming up.
10:17He had accomplished everything they thought he could.
10:20They were waiting for the right opportunity.
10:23They're looking for that right now,
10:25a victory they think could propel them
10:27into a big fight against Arturo Gatti or Kaskazu.
10:33Shane Neary has had 22 professional fights
10:36and won them all, 17 KOs.
10:39Mickey Ward's trainer,
10:40his half-brother Dick Eklund,
10:42says, we think that's an empty record.
10:44He hasn't fought anybody.
10:46And as you watch this telecast,
10:48we invite you also to log on
10:50to www.hbo.com slash boxing,
10:54our boxing website,
10:55to chat and score each round
10:57of Mickey Ward's trainer and later Prince Nassim Hamed
11:00against Kuyani Bangu.
11:01And while online,
11:02you can answer tonight's single website question,
11:06would you like to see Prince Nassim Hamed lose tonight?
11:10Yes, if you want to see him lose.
11:12No, if you don't.
11:13Incidentally,
11:14the one-hour chat with Steve Barhood
11:16on the website
11:17is for those of you
11:18only in the eastern and central time zones.
11:22And now let's go up to Michael Buffer
11:23for the official announcements in the ring.
11:27Ladies and gentlemen,
11:29welcome to Grand Hall Olympia
11:31here in London, England,
11:33where tonight
11:33Barry Hearn and Prince Promotions
11:36in association with Cedric Kushner Promotions
11:39present our co-feature of the evening,
11:42sanctioned by the BBBC and the WBU.
11:46WBU President John Robinson,
11:48Chairman and Supervisor J. Danny Gill.
11:52Timekeeper is Nick White.
11:53The three judges scoring this bout
11:55on the 10-point must system
11:57will be Reg Thompson,
11:59Arno Polkrant and Steve Weisfeld.
12:03And when the bell rings,
12:05your referee in charge of the action,
12:07Mickey Vann.
12:10And now, ladies and gentlemen,
12:1212 rounds of boxing
12:13for the WBU Light Welderweight
12:17Championship of the World.
12:22Introducing first,
12:24fighting out of the red corner,
12:25wearing white,
12:26trimmed with black
12:27and weighing in at 10 stone even
12:30or 140 pounds.
12:32His professional record,
12:3434 victories,
12:36including 25 by knockout
12:38with nine losses.
12:40He comes to us tonight
12:41from Lowell, Massachusetts, USA.
12:43Here is the challenger,
12:46Irish Mickey
12:48and his opponent across the ring,
12:56fighting out of the blue corner,
12:58wearing black and weighing in
13:00at 139 pounds
13:02or nine stone 13 pounds.
13:05In 22 professional bouts,
13:07he has a perfect record of 22 victories,
13:1017 by knockout.
13:13Ladies and gentlemen,
13:14the pride of Liverpool
13:15presenting the undefeated
13:18WBU Light Welderweight
13:21champion of the world,
13:23the Shamrock Express,
13:26Shane Neary!
13:29You both had your instructions
13:48in the dressing room.
13:49Shake hands,
13:49go back to corners,
13:50come out,
13:50we're near the bell,
13:51don't piss about.
13:52Come up,
13:53shake hands,
13:53both of you.
13:54Okay.
13:56As close as we just saw them
13:59in the middle of the ring,
14:01forehead to forehead,
14:03that's how close we expect them to be
14:06for as long as this fight goes on.
14:10But Mickey Ward does have some boxing skills
14:13that he's going to try to use
14:16early in the fight, presumably.
14:18Well, the big challenge for Ward
14:20is to get off to a faster start
14:22than is customary for him.
14:23Nicky Ward,
14:24a notoriously slow starter
14:26in big fights.
14:27Shane Neary,
14:27an ultra-fast starter,
14:29and that's the question
14:30that hovers over round one.
14:32Will Ward be ready for the fight?
14:37Ward in the white trunks,
14:39Neary in the black,
14:40and already Shane Neary
14:41starts taking it to him
14:42on the ropes.
14:43And Neary going to the body,
14:45which is Ward's specialty.
14:48Ward is pretty smart.
14:49He's not even putting power
14:50into his write-up
14:51because he's just touching him,
14:53and that's the worst way
14:54to get hit constantly.
14:55Touch him with the uppercut.
14:56You teach guys in the gym,
14:58but seldom do you see it.
14:59Just touch him.
15:00So he's doing it
15:01to break Neary's rhythm.
15:02His rhythm tries to mount the attack.
15:03Boy, you just, at all points,
15:05keep your hand on your man.
15:06If you can touch him,
15:07sooner or later,
15:08you can put power into it.
15:09And you saw Ward's trademark
15:11left hook to the body,
15:12which is by far
15:13his most damaging punch.
15:14It's the punch that beat
15:16both Reggie Green
15:17and Alfonso Sanchez
15:18in fights which Ward
15:19appeared to be losing
15:21as they went along.
15:24You touch a guy
15:2510 or 15 times
15:26with that hook, uppercut,
15:28finally you put some power,
15:29and it's a new story.
15:31Hey, Ward's alive here.
15:32He landed a big right cross.
15:34Neary was hurt
15:35by one of those body shots, Jim.
15:38He noticeably winced
15:39and moved backward
15:40after Ward got him
15:42with a left hook,
15:43and he appears to be
15:44in a spot of trouble here.
15:47It takes a minute
15:48to get your breath back
15:49with one of those body shots,
15:50but if you can weather
15:51the storm a little bit,
15:52you will come back better.
15:58Ward making good on his promise
16:00to start much faster tonight.
16:02He took Neary Stuffman
16:04the first 45 seconds
16:05of the round
16:06and now has come back strong.
16:08Setting the tone
16:10with the left hook
16:10to the body
16:11and landing that one
16:12big right cross
16:12that followed.
16:15Farhead to Farhead,
16:17and Eklund,
16:18and I'm sorry,
16:19Ward's,
16:20the right side of Ward
16:22is also red
16:23from the body punches
16:24being thrown by Neary.
16:28Up again!
16:29Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump!
16:32Jump!
16:33That's it, Bucksy!
16:34Get him, Bucksy!
16:35Jump!
16:36Jump!
16:36Jump!
16:36Jump!
16:37Jump!
16:37Jump!
16:38Jump!
16:38Move and roll!
16:39Move and roll!
16:40Move and roll!
16:41There you go!
16:41Jump!
16:41Jump!
16:41Jump!
16:42Jump!
16:42Jump!
16:42Jump!
16:42Jump!
16:42Jump!
16:42Jump!
16:43Jump!
16:43Go!
16:43Jump!
16:44Get out of it!
16:46Jump!
16:46Jump!
16:46Jump!
16:46Come on!
16:47Jump!
16:47Come on!
16:48Come on, go!
16:49This isn't gonna be
16:50any 33-punch round
16:51for Ward.
16:52That was his punch stat average
16:55coming in
16:56in the two preceding fights.
16:57He's coming out trying to match Neary blow for blow,
17:00and now Neary starts to come on
17:01and take the last 30 seconds of the round,
17:04but Ward lands a counter left hook.
17:06Blood from Neary's nose.
17:08And a big uppercut from Ward.
17:11Snaps Neary's head back.
17:12And another vicious left hook to the bodies.
17:15What a great round one.
17:18Whoa!
17:19It's seldom that a fight can speak for itself.
17:21I've got two words.
17:23Morales Barrera.
17:27Here's Dick Eklund,
17:30the half-brother of Vicky Ward and his trainer.
17:34What a personal story Eklund presents.
17:36You may remember, if you're a longtime fight fan,
17:40that more than 20 years ago,
17:43on July 18, 1979,
17:46Dick Eklund fought against Sugar Ray Leonard.
17:48Make it July 18, 1978, when he fought Leonard.
17:51And he took Leonard the distance, 10 rounds,
17:54in this, the 13th fight of Sugar Ray's professional career.
17:57Leonard winning the decision.
17:59Since then, hard times for Eklund,
18:01who wound up as a heroin addict.
18:03This, a scene from Eklund's stint in prison,
18:06following criminal activities
18:07related to his heroin addiction.
18:09But since that time, he's kicked, he's clean,
18:12he's working with his brother,
18:14he's a family man, he's back on track,
18:16and flashes a big smile every chance you give him to talk about it.
18:21And he has convinced Ward that his best shot
18:25is to go right at Neary.
18:27In round one,
18:31Shea Neary landed 33 of 81 punches.
18:34Mickey Ward, 42 out of 75.
18:37Between the two of them, they landed 67 power shots.
18:41Power shots defined by CompuBox
18:43as anything other than a jab.
18:45A hook, a cross, an uppercut, a body shot.
18:49Those are all power punches.
18:52Neary is most effective
18:53when he leaves off with a good left jab.
18:55Keeps Ward off balance, jab him here and there.
19:07He would do better to even jab,
19:09out jab him for two or three more rounds
19:11before he starts in with all of his powers.
19:14Little cut on the bridge of Ward's nose,
19:17not dangerous.
19:18Look, look, look!
19:20Come on, come on, come on, come on!
19:26Edward possess a dangerous finishing left hook.
19:29He taps you with the right,
19:32turns right back into position with that hook.
19:35If you don't have your defense up,
19:36you can really get hurt.
19:37So Neary better keep his right hand up.
19:39Keep, keep, keep, keep!
19:40Neary, like a lot of hyperactive fighters,
19:44tends to wing shots from the side from time to time.
19:48Ward, having seen that on tape,
19:50has obviously decided to focus his attack
19:52directly up the middle.
19:54Step back, kid, step back!
19:55He's cagey with that left hook
19:57because he puts his right foot in front
19:59when he throws it.
20:00That's why it's hard to defend against him.
20:06There you go.
20:08here we go.
20:10There you go.
20:16Round two, a slightly more controlled version
20:17of round number one.
20:18There's a good left hook by Neary
20:20as he stepped in on Ward.
20:28Ward suddenly switching to a southpaw stance.
20:31He has a lot of power on that side.
20:36So a lot of that is just leverage
20:37When he switches to the southpaw stance,
20:39you always have the impression
20:40he's getting ready to set up that left of the body.
20:43He's been through it hard.
20:46Another uppercut, this time with the left hand by Ward.
20:49Comes back trying to find the left of the body.
20:51Neary digging his own right hand to the body.
20:53They trade shots at close range.
20:56This rough and tough start is benefiting Ward more than anybody.
20:59He seems to like it.
21:01Got those big shoulders on top.
21:02Keep that job on that two, Jim.
21:04Watch him, watch him.
21:05He's this.
21:06Watch him.
21:07Come on.
21:07Discipline.
21:08Come on.
21:22Fast pace in the first two rounds.
21:32Why can't they keep it that way, mate?
21:34Do you work and get out of it?
21:38Work up the jab every time.
21:40It's working, it's easy.
21:42But don't wait, Jim.
21:43Don't stand looking.
21:44You're looking great to me with the jab.
21:46You've got to keep that jab going.
21:47Keep it going and bring them up yourself.
21:49You've got to keep it going.
21:51You've got to keep it going.
21:52You've got to keep it going.
21:52You've got to keep it going.
21:53You've got to keep it going.
21:54Discipline now, Jim.
21:54You've sucked him.
21:55Don't let him dictate the fight.
21:55You dictate.
21:56If we take him out early, take him out early.
21:58I don't know.
21:59We've got to knock him out.
22:00We don't want to go with no decision.
22:01all right keep your hands up and close none of this moving around like that
22:06pump the double jab that's right he's right there for you
22:10what
22:10get up deep breath he's right there for you try to jab
22:16both corners asking for more jabs concerned about how much punishment
22:23their fighters are taking dick ecklin knows about decisions he
22:28once lost a 12-round decision to dave davy green here in london if you want to go with
22:37the jab nair is going to have the nair is going to have the best of it he's the jabber he can
22:41use the jab ward want to mix it up catch him on the end of that left foot
22:52it's not terribly surprising that mickey ward who had such a low connect percentage
22:58against fighters like sanchez and green is connecting on half his punches here jay neary
23:04doesn't exactly try to hide from you
23:06if you're a decent fighter and you fight somebody like jay neary you ought to be embarrassed if
23:17you can't land half your punches he's right there water's a long way from home and the one thing you
23:22want to do is never try coasting don't coast in a foreign country well you know it's impressive that
23:29when he came out and threw as many punches as he did in the first couple rounds it's at tremendous odds with his previous performances but it raises the question can he fight at this pace for 12 rounds and ward wobbled there by a right cross from nary nary goes to the body and to the uppercut as he tries to finish mickey
23:47vicious body shots from nary good discipline worked by nary
23:55ward trying to trade his way back and ward seemingly getting his legs back although nary continues to pound
24:04away two big misses by nary and ward lands a counter as he still doesn't even try to move
24:14off the ropes i don't know if he can jim he's waiting for nary to punch himself out
24:20now he's coming back now he has regained he's restored some energy and he's ready to exchange
24:28and the left hook to the body and an uppercut lands and now he backs nary off
24:32and you mentioned barrera morales remember that seesaw round five of that one
24:37here's another round in which one guy dominates the first half of the round
24:42and then the other guy comes back and now nary comes back again
24:46and now ward
24:47this is like the movie fight
24:53this is like playing to the bone
24:55on a scale of one to ten i thought barrera morales was an eleven
25:10i'm still trying to figure out if there's a higher number for these guys although they're
25:15not quite in the same class yeah they're not as players they're not as skilled as
25:19over there for a round but...
25:26i think they hire eachother though...
25:27how about that george
25:29fuck him is right go out forgive me
25:31listen... hey...
25:33Mick don't take unneccessary punishment you're not a punching bag
25:36this guy you can tear his head with your hands up
25:39why are you letting him abuse you keep it
25:42let him hit you with your hands down you can destroy him with your hands on all right you know
25:48walk around all right you nailed him with the right hand you've got to go for that shot again
25:53choose his hand softball bang let the left you go concentrate now discipline oh jimmy jay
26:03when war turned southpaw he left himself open for that right hand punch
26:09that changed the tide of the early part of the round and led to this vicious pounding on the ropes
26:18right there you see it once again neary threaded right through the gloves of ward
26:26and you heard neary's trainer judas klotty saying when he goes southpaw hit him with the right hand
26:31lead again
26:36ward comes out in a conventional stance this time
26:42george they landed one jab in round number three so i think the jab isn't going to be much of a
26:46factor yeah but whoever can really get some of that jab if this fight go on and on and on
26:51the jab can be the telling point
26:52if either one remembers it neary's doing a good job pointing it here pointing to the body
27:05once again ward against the ropes as neary is free to attack
27:11neary's got to be careful to throw five shots while he's on the ropes you don't get him back up
27:16make him throw some with your defenses your defense sets make him throw some but don't be off balance
27:35step foot step step step step step step step up
27:39uppercut landed for neary amid the fusillade of punches on both sides
27:47And no, and no!
27:49There you go, Dolan Kante.
27:51That's better, and again.
27:54Nicky Ward lands a left and a right
27:57and backs Neria.
28:00Dolan's things are real close.
28:02Neria's getting the bet of it.
28:04When he steps back a little bit,
28:05Ward seems to catch it on the outside of those looks.
28:08Ward best keep close.
28:10Even when you're rested, stay close.
28:17They are trying to hurt each other with every punch.
28:25This is a test now of will, strength, conditioning.
28:32A lot of strategy.
28:34Neria can stay close.
28:36He will not get caught on the end of those shots.
28:39Now, roll! Come on!
28:41Fascinating, George, that you say a lot of strategy
28:43because the average fan would probably look at this and say,
28:46where's the strategy?
28:47They're just trading shots.
28:48Not at all.
28:49Neria's close.
28:50Elbows to his sides.
28:51He get hit with a good one.
28:52He blocks it.
28:53Ward hurt Neria with a body shot.
28:55Ward hurts him again with that left of the body.
28:58Neria is wobbled.
29:01Come on.
29:02Come on.
29:03Come on.
29:04Come on.
29:05Come on.
29:06Come on.
29:07Come on.
29:08Come on.
29:09Now, Neria gets his legs back,
29:11and he lands two important jams.
29:12Entertaining fight.
29:13I wouldn't want to have to be charged to try to score it.
29:19Entertaining fight. I wouldn't want to have to be charged to try and to score it.
29:31You don't fight this fight again. Step back that half a step back.
29:35And off your jab, bring him up.
29:41Jim, you're fighting too much, mate.
29:43OK, let's stand up and box with him. Mix it up very the way.
29:47You know, he doesn't want to box. He wants to fight all the time.
29:51Jimmy, you're going to go into his fight.
29:53It's easy for him. Confusion with your boxing.
30:00You see that Ward has suddenly become effective.
30:03What in effect is an uppercut.
30:06He seems to start it as a hook in the previous round.
30:11More and more uppercuts.
30:13And, Jim, you heard in the corner of Neary,
30:15they're telling him to box Ward because Ward wants to make a war out of it,
30:21which is an unusual turn of events for a fighter of Neary's type and reputation.
30:28Yeah, absolutely. Rather incredible that you hear Shane Neary's corner telling him,
30:32no, no, you should box this guy.
30:34Harold, how'd you score through the first play?
30:36Jim, this one's a doozy.
30:37Jimmy McClannan must be loving this fight.
30:40Jim, 38 to 38. Two rounds apiece.
30:43I thought Mickey Wood clearly won the first round.
30:45And then Shane Neary came on and showed us why he's Shane Neary.
30:48Mickey Wood came back with the body punches to clearly win round four.
30:52Two rounds apiece. I got it either.
30:54No doubt Neary is a better boxer.
31:01Better with a left jab.
31:03Moves around better.
31:06And here he bangs Ward to the body to once again hit him against the ropes.
31:15And now Neary fades to the left and comes with the right hand,
31:19and Ward pulls his way off the ropes.
31:22And Neary's got to understand this came about by way of boxing,
31:26and get it going again on your boxing stance.
31:29Big right hand over the top by Ward.
31:32And there's that uppercut. Boom, boom, boom, three times for the uppercut.
31:37Still just trying to land it, not trying to blow it away.
31:41Making contact. The power will come a little later.
31:44It just went out.
31:48And here's the next round.
31:49To the sides.
31:51There you go, now counter.
31:53Get out, McCoy, come down now.
31:54To the sides and counter...
31:55Get this, get this, get this, get this, get this.
31:58There you go, now counter.
31:59Get out, McCoy.
32:00Get this, get this...
32:01There you go, then.
32:02Get out.
32:03Put your nose, you're crowded, not to get with your...
32:05I know we're near, now, King.
32:06Come out, King, now, King.
32:07That's fast, fast, fast.
32:10As you can see, Neary's corner gave him good advice.
32:12He can get hit with two, he can lay on a better.
32:16In case you've just tuned in, we're in London England.
32:20This is round five of an undercard bout
32:22between Shea Neary and Irish Vicky Ward.
32:25Ward from Lowell, Massachusetts, and the white trunks.
32:28Neary from Liverpool and the black trunks.
32:30Later on, Prince Nassim Ahmed against Wiani Bungu.
32:33But in the meantime, this is a pitch battle.
32:36This is a pitch battle.
32:39As if the Prince didn't have enough trouble,
32:42he's got to follow this act.
32:44He's got a lot of body shots below the belt.
32:49And El Neri lands his jab. He can double jab.
32:52He can do anything with his left hand.
32:54But for some reason, he's lured into a fight.
32:56He's got to follow this act.
32:58He's got to follow this act.
33:00And a lot of body shots below the belt.
33:03And El Neri lands his jab. He can double jab.
33:05He can do anything with his left hand.
33:07And for some reason, he's lured into a fight.
33:10Because that's what he is, George.
33:13Sometimes if you want to win,
33:15you've got to be something that you're not.
33:17Straight right hand lands for Ward.
33:20And another give-and-take round
33:24in this totally toe-to-toe battle so far.
33:28St. Paul's Cathedral in the Westminster section of London.
33:31Where Mickey Ward and Shea Neary may want to go together
33:34tomorrow morning, knowing each other as well as they do
33:37and as well as they will by then.
33:44Sixth round, Dick.
33:45Oh, yeah.
33:46Keep back.
33:47All right?
33:48Good.
33:49Ready?
33:50Feel good?
33:51Huh?
33:52Yeah.
33:53Man, when you're in there like this, right?
33:54Snap punch!
33:55Snap punches!
33:56You know what I mean?
33:57Head, body, head.
33:58Remember that in my mind.
33:59Head, body, head.
34:00This kid's going to go.
34:02You keep letting him hit you, you're going to get banged up.
34:05You don't need to get hit.
34:06You're not a punching bag for nobody.
34:07Your hands are much faster than this.
34:09Nick, can you show me some speed?
34:11All right?
34:12Ten seconds.
34:13No problem.
34:14Keep moving.
34:15Keep moving.
34:16Keep moving.
34:17Keep moving.
34:18Keep moving.
34:19Keep moving.
34:20Keep moving.
34:21Stay away.
34:23Over time.
34:24Stay away.
34:25Over time.
34:26Referee, the man in the red shirt is Mickey Van.
34:27Not the game.
34:28Not the game.
34:29Not the game.
34:30Not the game.
34:31Big pass.
34:32Jump, jump, jump.
34:33Come on.
34:34Generally regarded as a pretty good referee.
34:35Highly questionable as a judge.
34:36He had Julio Cesar Chavez the winner over Brunel Whitaker in San Antonio in September of 1992.
34:44That alone is enough to make him questionable as a judge.
34:47Oh, good body shot by Neary.
34:50And an excellent job of boxing.
34:52If he so chooses to do so, box.
34:55Now setting up with the jab is Neary.
34:58Now setting up with the jab is Neary.
35:00Come again.
35:01Come on.
35:02Be fast.
35:03Don't wait.
35:04Keep facing the jab.
35:05He says it's right.
35:06That's it.
35:07Keep it long.
35:08I got him.
35:09That's nice.
35:10Right hand upstairs.
35:12Left hook to the body by Neary.
35:16Ward not able to deal with him very well when Neary stands at range like this.
35:20Boxing.
35:21And uses the skills that George Foreman's been talking about.
35:24Do you want to box a fighter and fight a boxing?
35:29And Ward most definitely is a fighter.
35:33Which is why Neary's corner has been telling him to box.
35:36And why George Foreman's telling him to box.
35:38Every now and then you come down and you get a little win and you go toe-to-toe.
35:45But you go back to what you do.
35:47They've tested each other's will.
35:50Now they're testing each other's skill.
35:53Round five.
35:54Both fighters were averaging more than 70 punches per round.
35:58Now Ward is trying to step back and be a counter puncher.
36:01That's what you want if you're Neary.
36:03Make him want to box.
36:04Make him decide, I'm gonna catch you with a trap shot.
36:07He doesn't have it in his repertoire.
36:09So keep him boxing, boxing, and thinking.
36:12He's testing the jack.
36:13He's testing the jack.
36:14He's testing the jack.
36:15He's testing the jack.
36:16The way it comes forward.
36:17Move away from the ropes.
36:18Thaw it all over again.
36:19Thaw it all over again.
36:20Thaw it all over again.
36:22All of those punches are to create a hard straight right hand upstairs by Ward.
36:34Harry's punches landing, but Ward walking through them for the most
36:42for this part, and Mickey Ward points out,
36:45I'm a lot better once I get past the seventh round.
36:48Shane Neary in his 22 wins
36:50has never had a knockout past the seventh round.
36:54Ward is standing back, waiting to counter that right hand.
36:57That's what you want him to do. Box him around the side.
36:59Hit him in the chest. He's waiting for a top shot.
37:02Go down to the chest when he's waiting on the head shot.
37:04Big right-hand lead by Neary.
37:06Landed flush on Ward's chin.
37:08Ward just stood there.
37:11The way this fight is going, Jim,
37:14Ward is going to have to do something dramatic
37:17late in the fight, as he has before,
37:20because it's going to be very difficult for him
37:22to get a decision in Neary's home country and hometown.
37:29He don't know where he is. Let's go. That's all right, Mick.
37:32Come on, we got it beautiful.
37:34All right, let's go. Be back. Be back.
37:37Don't worry about nothing.
37:38Mickey can't be lazy like that in there.
37:39Put your hands down on that.
37:41You got to remember, Mick, you're in this country.
37:43That's right. We got to take this side home in a knockout, okay?
37:46You train hard for this, Mick.
37:48All right? Don't let him punch you. You don't need to.
37:51Legs me down. Be back.
37:54He's higher than you, Mickey.
37:55He's throwing this uppercut when he comes in.
37:56You got to throw that, and you straighten him up,
37:58and throw your left hand. You're nothing.
38:02Ward may be putting distance between himself.
38:06I'm sorry.
38:06Neary may be putting distance between himself and Ward
38:10at this point in the scoring, landing with shots like that.
38:14Big right hands.
38:17And for the first time in round six,
38:19there was a dramatic separation
38:21between the two fighters and punch output.
38:23Neary continuing at the high rate of work
38:25through 72 punches in the sixth round.
38:28Ward dipped to 41,
38:30perhaps marshaling some energy for the later rounds.
38:35Both guys are landing their right-hand leads
38:38pretty much at will.
38:40That's what you want from Ward.
38:41Occasionally, let him have a good right hand.
38:43It's that left hook you got to worry about.
38:47None of those punches landed.
38:49Chap! Chap in! Straight punches there!
38:52Straight punches there!
38:53Straight punches there!
38:54Straight punches there!
38:55So cold, Jim, right down!
38:56Red body shot by Neary.
38:57He's thirsting the champ again!
38:59That's it! That was the job!
39:01He's thirsting the champ again!
39:02Round! Round!
39:04He's thirsting the champ again!
39:06Throw your jobs! Give him a punch!
39:07Puff that champ up! Puff that champ up, Jim!
39:09Come on, Jim! Come on!
39:10Come on, next one!
39:11That's it!
39:12Like a man or though that time with Neary.
39:16Moves to the side, come back with a body shot.
39:18Come on! Come on!
39:20Give him up! Give him up! Give him up!
39:21Give him up! Give him up!
39:22Two of those body shots below the black on Ward's trunks.
39:26Nicky Vann stands and watches.
39:27Hey, that's it! It's you!
39:30Get out! Get out!
39:32Hard right hand lands flush again for Ward.
39:34This time, he follows with a left hook.
39:36Come on, make the shot!
39:38Yeah, when you're fighting a good left hooker,
39:40you keep him confident in his right hand.
39:42Nothing's gonna happen to you.
39:44Just don't allow him to get effective with that left hook.
39:48If Ward can't seriously hurt Neary with his best right hand,
39:54as he did about 15 seconds ago,
39:57he's gonna have to pick up the tempo
40:00and beat him with volumes of punching.
40:05I don't think Ward brought any volume over this time.
40:08It's all about one or two good ones.
40:11Here and there.
40:14There we go!
40:16Push it back!
40:18Push it back!
40:20Push it back!
40:22And the right hand lands across the top for Ward.
40:25And again...
40:27Oh, just that left hook
40:28that he's aiming to do it with.
40:30It's four hard right hands
40:32and Ward has belted Neary with in the last minute.
40:36I mean, four clean shots.
40:39Boom!
40:40Come on! Come on!
40:41But Neary's still handling him pretty well.
40:43And as George Foreman points out,
40:45it's the left hook that poses the biggest danger.
40:51It's like fighting Joe Frazier,
40:53and everyone is saying,
40:54he's hitting you with his right.
40:55Don't worry about that.
40:56That's not what he's gonna do.
40:57Now, there's the left hook that landed upstairs.
40:59Ward, for the moment,
41:00has dispensed with going to Neary's body.
41:03And it's his left hook to the body
41:04that one of these fights against Green and Sanchez.
41:06Whoa!
41:07Another big right hand across the top.
41:10Seems that Ward has abandoned our left hook.
41:13He's going wholeheartedly in the right hand.
41:14And Neary starts to get right hand conscious against Ward.
41:17Now Ward will get a chance with his left hook.
41:19There you are.
41:20That's great, man.
41:29Clean that time.
41:30Keep your eye open every time you do this.
41:33Drink it, drink it, drink it.
41:35To the iron.
41:36I don't move it, wait.
41:37See if you get that a shrill.
41:38You feel okay?
41:39All right?
41:40Dig deep now, Jim.
41:41Look.
41:42You gotta go through this guard.
41:43Here we see Neary going to the body, going to the body, going to the body, going to the body, and ultimately leaving himself open for those right hands in the last round.
42:08The guard may have found a real weakness in Neary as he looks to go to the body.
42:13He's going right over him, George.
42:14Amen.
42:15Give me the towel.
42:17Give me the towel.
42:19Harold Lederman.
42:20Jim, I've got it very close.
42:2267, 66, four rounds to three.
42:24Shane Neary.
42:25You know, Jim, I thought he clearly ran rounds five and six with that effect of aggressiveness, meaning Shane Neary.
42:40But in round seven, those right hands of Mickey Ward certainly should have won in the round.
42:45I mean, Mickey Ward landed dynamite right hands.
42:48So, I don't know.
42:49Very, very close.
42:50Now it's become the punching power of Mickey Ward against the aggressiveness and clean punching of Shane Neary.
42:57Three judges at ringside, one from Germany, one from Great Britain, Steve Weisfeld of the United States.
43:10Neary's got to get back, settle down, go back to your box.
43:13Make sure your head is sore.
43:14You've been hit with a couple of good right hands.
43:16Stay on track.
43:18Stay on track.
43:19Stay on track.
43:24Here he's body shots are blocked.
43:25The left hook landed upstairs.
43:30There you go.
43:31I want the one-two.
43:32Ward's punch output slowing down again.
43:35Come on.
43:36Put your eggs.
43:37Ward is best when he lands those effective shots to get away like he just did.
43:42Get far away.
43:43Make Ward walk to him.
43:45Come on! Come on!
43:47Come on! Come on!
43:49Keep the tights you're in!
43:51Get them off! Get them off!
43:53Gary with a left hook to the body.
43:55Watch your head, you're in!
43:57Now going back upstairs.
43:59No, no, no!
44:01Ward trying to put more steam on his uppercut now.
44:03No!
44:05Push it that way! Push it that way!
44:07Ward has the temperament of a heavyweight.
44:09He just doesn't believe his size.
44:13He does fight like a heavyweight.
44:15A strong heavyweight.
44:19Fewer punches, harder punches.
44:21Come on!
44:23Keep your eyes out!
44:25Look at that!
44:27Come on!
44:29Keep there!
44:31One, two, one, two!
44:35Gary's got it.
44:37Staying dedicated to making Ward find him.
44:39Follow me around. Find me.
44:41Oh, big uppercut by Ward!
44:43I told you he was putting more mustard on the uppercut.
44:47And that one lands Neary on his butt.
44:51First time in 23 professional fights that Shane Neary has been down.
44:5523 seconds remaining in the round as Mickey Van wipes off Neary's gloves.
45:01Ward lands a huge left hook.
45:03And another uppercut.
45:05Goes to the body with the left hook.
45:07Lands the uppercut again.
45:09Neary down for the second time.
45:11Mickey Van's gonna stop it right there.
45:13Irish, Mickey Ward with a big eighth-round TKO.
45:21He's done it again.
45:23He's done it again.
45:25Mickey Ward coming over to touch gloves with George Foreman.
45:29Just like one heavyweight to another.
45:31I mean, he is a heavyweight.
45:33This guy has no kind of image of a lightweight or flyweight or featherweight.
45:39He started it all with a hook to the body.
45:41His bread and butter.
45:43Then that big uppercut after tapping Neary with the uppercut all night long.
45:47In this round, he cut it loose.
45:49And that became the difference.
45:51Once he was able to get those left hooks on track,
45:53oh, it's been a bad time for Neary.
45:57The grinding, gutty Mickey Ward pulls out another big victory.
46:03And that is a major victory
46:05because that could launch him into a big showdown fight
46:09with an Arturo Gatti or Acosta Zoo.
46:13Who wouldn't want to see him fight Gatti or Zoo?
46:15And he's never been better.
46:17Well, he's got his brother out of prison,
46:21sparring with him, working with him on a daily basis.
46:24They have a very close relationship.
46:26Dick Eklund has been very good for Mickey Ward.
46:30Here's knockdown number one, Larry.
46:32Yeah, coming off those right hands he was throwing in the previous round,
46:37and suddenly he went to his power punch, the left hook.
46:42Mm, mm, mm.
46:44Oh, that's a good combo.
46:46Mike Tyson used to throw that combo in his heyday.
46:49Left hook to the body, left uppercut.
46:51You know?
46:52They make that sound down there and have you weary of your body
46:55and go up top.
46:56You know, Southern George, he's 34 years old,
46:58but as you've said before, old isn't old anymore.
47:02Nope.
47:03Well, not the way he fights.
47:05It's happening in the millennium now.
47:06Some things are different.
47:07Woof!
47:08That was a great fight.
47:09He had to win this.
47:10You talk about committing to the body punch.
47:12I love it.
47:13And he beat a strong, dedicated, good fighter.
47:18Who fought a good fight.
47:19Excellent fight.
47:20Fought and he boxed.
47:22Yet he still lost.
47:23So, Irish Mickey Ward landing 20 of his 34 power shots down the stretch.
47:37Closed it out with a TKO victory over Shea Neary, the first two knockdowns of Neary's career.
47:44Let's go to Michael Buffer for the official particulars.
47:48Ladies and gentlemen, before we go to the official time, a round of applause for two Irish warriors who put on one hell of a show here in London.
47:59The official time, two minutes, 55 seconds of round number eight.
48:04Referee Mickey Vann calls a halt to the bout.
48:07The winner by TKO victory and new WBU light welterweight champion of the world, Irish Mickey Ward.
48:18Final punch that numbers will tell the story of an all out war in a little under eight rounds.
48:32They landed more than 400 punches.
48:35They threw nearly 1100.
48:37Both fighters landing at an extraordinarily high connect percentage.
48:40And in power punches, the story of the fight, they committed to the body.
48:44They both landed upstairs.
48:46Mickey Ward with a bit of an edge, landing 41 more power shots than Neary.
48:51And in the end, the left hook to the body and the uppercut made the difference.
48:56Let's go to Larry Merchant at ringside with Mickey Ward.
48:59Thank you, Jim.
49:00Congratulations, Mickey.
49:02Why did you win this war of attrition?
49:06I wanted it.
49:07I mean, I trained hard for it.
49:09It was long due since I started in 1985 on ESPN shows, you know.
49:13You know, I think Teddy Brennan passed away.
49:16He gave me the shot.
49:17He started me off on the top rank, and I just kept going.
49:20But it was all that combined.
49:21All the stuff I went through, the losses, that's what it was.
49:24It was just hot.
49:25Are you saying that your experience in having fought a better class of fighter was what told in the end?
49:32Right.
49:33I think so.
49:34You've got the best in the world, and you fight a Zab Judah.
49:36Ain't no one better than that.
49:37I don't care what anybody says.
49:38Ain't no one better than that man.
49:39And fighters like that, Vince Phillips, the Charles Murrays, all the guys that I fought,
49:45Frankie Wines, all of them.
49:46That all just came out now, you know?
49:48Were you convinced by your brother who trained you that you had to press the attack and stop him to get a decision in his home country?
49:59Right.
50:00Most definitely.
50:01You've seen the first round.
50:02Usually I feel him out.
50:03I move around a lot.
50:04This fight here, I caught him on the body the first shot.
50:06I mean, the first round.
50:07And I paralyzed him.
50:08I could feel him.
50:09And I knew it.
50:10I said, right there, I gotta stay here.
50:11I know I'm gonna take some, but hey, that's the game.
50:13You gotta take some.
50:14But, you know, I've taken a lot of punches from a lot of guys.
50:16I knew I could do it.
50:17Just keep my hands high, you know?
50:18I got careless one round.
50:19He caught me with a good shot.
50:20But I knew who I was, and I knew, keep my hands up, and just move back a step.
50:23That's all.
50:24You hit him with four or five clean, hard right hands in the previous round to the knockout.
50:30You think that that softened him up and enabled you to hit him with the lefts that stopped him?
50:35Right.
50:36Yes.
50:37I hit him with a lot of flush right hands, doing a double jab, part of jabbing him, bang over the right.
50:41I have to thank Dr. Magos and his Leahy clinic for getting my hand back, you know?
50:46Fifteen years a pro.
50:48What does this feel like?
50:49This is what it's about.
50:51It took longer than I wanted to, but I get it.
50:54I mean, I just hope, you know, it puts me into better things.
50:57That's all, you know?
50:58He's a great fighter.
50:59I don't say I'm a better fighter.
51:00I'm not better than anybody.
51:01I just come here, do my job, do the best I can do.
51:03I was a better man tonight, taking nothing away from him, and that was that.
51:06Thank you, Mickey.
51:07Thank you for a great fight.
51:08I said hi to my daughter, Casey, at home.
51:09I love you.
51:10And hi to my mother.
51:11I couldn't be here.
51:12I love you, man.
51:13Jim.
51:14All right.
51:15Thank you very much, Larry.
51:16Thanks, Mickey Ward.
51:17Here's an interesting look at the judge's scorecard, scoring on an unusual 20-point must system.
51:22The English judge, Mr. Thompson, gave each of the first six rounds to Shea Neary.
51:28And Neary was ahead by eight points on his card.
51:31The German judge had Neary ahead by a point.
51:33So Neary was headed toward a possible decision victory.
51:36Steve Weitzfeld had Ward ahead at the time at which Ward knocked Neary out.
51:42What an unbelievable brawl between Shea Neary and Mickey Ward in our preliminary bout tonight.
51:50Tough act to follow.
51:51Prince Nassim Hamed and Buyani Bungu as those two fighters get ready to come out of the dressing room and enter the ring.
51:58How could it possibly be more entertaining than this eighth round TKO victory for Mickey Ward?
52:05So it's one down, one to go on this special London calling edition of World Championship Boxing.
52:13And now let's get ready for the main event.
52:15Coming up, Buyani Bungu, the former world 122-pound champion from East London, South Africa,
52:22against Prince Nassim Hamed of Sheffield, England, supreme in the world at 126 pounds.
52:28Now let's look ahead to some upcoming programs here on HBO.
52:33For boxing, mark these dates on your calendar.
52:35March 18, when super featherweight champion Floyd Mayweather meets Goya Vargas.
52:39April 1, when heavyweight Vitaly Klitschko faces Razor Ruddock.
52:43And April 15, when Fernando Vargas defends his junior middleweight crown against former welterweight champ Ike Quarte.
52:49HBO, the heart and soul of boxing.
52:52Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel premieres March 20.
52:54Among the stories you'll see, the Black Widow, otherwise known as Jeanette Lee,
52:58one of the top female pool players in the world who creates quite a following everywhere she goes.
53:03Also featured, the tortured and tragic story of college basketball player Luke Recker.
53:09Real sports where nothing is out of bounds.
53:12And then on April 17, Sports of the 20th Century presents Bill Russell, My Life, My Way.
53:18A documentary which explores the life, philosophies, and principles of one of the most compelling figures ever to play any American team sport.
53:27We are in London, England, and another look at...
53:31We are in London, England, and another look at...
53:32...
53:50...
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