- 7 months ago
James Page makes the first defense of his WBA Welterweight title against No 1. contender Jose Luis Lopez on Showtime Boxing
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00:00:00The one in the front is a sacred heart to take care of me in the front of me.
00:00:09The one in the back is a virgin Mary to take care of my back.
00:00:12The one on my right is with my wife, taking care of me here in this world.
00:00:17The one on my left is with my mom to take care of me upstairs.
00:00:21That's in heaven.
00:00:22Can I say something?
00:00:23I have a machine at home if you guys want to try it.
00:00:26It makes no difference to me.
00:00:27Hey, I'll help you guys out.
00:00:28Ha, I'll just kill you.
00:00:32How do you like your fighters?
00:00:35Boxers?
00:00:38Punchers?
00:00:41Boxers?
00:00:43Punchers?
00:00:45Johnny Tapia?
00:00:47James Page?
00:00:49Why not the best of both?
00:00:51Conadu vs. Tapia.
00:00:53Page vs. Lopez.
00:00:54Next, only on Showtime,
00:00:56America's number one boxing network.
00:00:59Who says you have to choose?
00:01:01Who says you have to choose?
00:01:01Johnny Tapia.
00:01:02He has the porosity and the precision.
00:01:05The skill and the design.
00:01:06Johnny Tapia.
00:01:07He has the porosity and the precision.
00:01:11The skill and the desire to succeed in the world's toughest business.
00:01:36He takes his profession personally.
00:01:39Wears his emotions like an open wound.
00:01:42And now, going for his third world title,
00:01:46he's not planning to take any prisoners.
00:01:49He's next on Showtime,
00:01:51Kaffi and Chip Boxing.
00:01:52You have been warned.
00:01:53You have been warned.
00:01:54We are ready.
00:01:55We areavait at the time.
00:01:55We are essas scènes rob псих care.
00:01:56Well, you are steps in your mind.
00:01:57And now?
00:01:57We are to blush in your mind.
00:01:59We are to slip in your mind.
00:02:00He has to run Harris,
00:02:01when the launch is Ready..
00:02:06No man can take any 1960s.
00:02:09Kennedy..
00:02:11The Back..
00:02:12Maybe our park will shoot him
00:02:13Aắn Service,
00:02:13which was a perfect entry.
00:02:14And whose,
00:02:15In the 90s,
00:02:16When you have to kill him,
00:02:17a purchase of him,
00:02:17którzy would supportangler,
00:02:18the thieves harvory,
00:02:19arrange rescueable CivilMake,
00:02:20additions to him.
00:02:21I gave him
00:02:22showtime is back in atlantic city new jersey it's our final telecast of 1998
00:02:48but our first one here since 1990 when a fighter by the name of evander holyfield knocked out
00:02:54seamus mcdonough whatever happened to that holyfield guy anyway tonight we offer a world
00:02:59championship doubleheader and our main event three-time world champion nana kanadu will defend
00:03:04his wba bantamweight title against undefeated junior bantamweight champ johnny tapia first up
00:03:10hard-hitting james page with one punch ko power will put his newly acquired wba welterweight crown
00:03:16of the line against formidable number one contender jose luis lopez and we welcome you to the new
00:03:24atlantic city convention center just a few blocks away from the famous boardwalk of atlantic city
00:03:29as the fans settle in sellout crowd expected of about 6 000 we'll see we're pleased to present
00:03:36the first boxing event in this arena and it promises to be a good one with the elements of two very
00:03:42competitive bounce hello again everybody i'm steve albert good to be back here it's been too long this
00:03:52is definitely a good old-fashioned atlantic city type of fight card tough gritty veterans and a new
00:03:57champion with startling punching power will be center stage in two championship contests in our main event
00:04:03a fearless fighter from ghana with the distinctive name of nana will square off against one of the most
00:04:08emotional and charismatic world champions today nana kanadu meets the unbeaten johnny tapia to
00:04:14determine arguably the best bantamweight in the world no question the talented tim austin and the
00:04:19remaining 118 pound champions have different views in any event tapia the ibf junior bantamweight champion
00:04:26a human dynamo who attacks the sport with unbridled passion steps up in weight in quest of a third world
00:04:32title no easy task as he faces a champion built from the same highly competitive mold as his fellow
00:04:38countrymen ike corte and azuma nelson and with that let me bring on my ringside partners first the fight
00:04:44dr ferdy bacheco and ferdy nana kanadu does he represent the toughest test in the undefeated
00:04:49career of johnny tapia by a long shot he comes out of africa and you mentioned those great fighters also
00:04:55dick tiger also bose edwards those guys come calm collected quiet and destroy you inside the ring
00:05:01this guy brings cold fury planning he's had a good career he's been up against tough guys and he's made
00:05:08the the move and won all almost all his fights got a tough chin it's going to be a great fight all
00:05:13right we turn to our other partner bobby chezz and by the same token has kind of do ever fought anyone
00:05:19the likes of johnny tapia no stevie has not he really has not steve he has the speed of
00:05:25a of a flyweight of a bantamweight of a light weight he has everything he needs he has power
00:05:30he has conditioning like no other fighter has in that division he's undefeated he's hungry he's in
00:05:35the truest sense of the word he's a competitor a very very hungry guy who wants to win he'll do
00:05:39anything and wears his emotions on his arm so he fights with his heart well if you've seen johnny
00:05:44tapia fight you know how entertaining he can be if you've never seen johnny tapia fight you're in for
00:05:49a treat with more on tonight's main event let's check in with our other broadcast partner jim gray jim
00:05:54all right thank you steve as bobby just said he wears his heart on his sleeve you know your emotional
00:05:59state it can be a great strength and a great weakness what is your emotional state as you enter this
00:06:05fight tonight johnny well first of all i'd like to give a lot of thanks and praise to jesus christ for
00:06:08guiding me and protecting me my great strength is to do what i do best and that's fight and your
00:06:13emotional state is what then it's to tell you the truth i don't know right now i'm going to go in and
00:06:18do the best i can try to keep my emotions to myself and try to get this fight over you're moving up in
00:06:24weight is that a problem for you no not at all because i feel bigger and stronger now he's very
00:06:29dangerous early i know that all of your trainers have told you that what are you going to do to
00:06:32protect yourself early i'll go at him it's uh i have no fear the only fear i have is in jesus christ
00:06:39but you know right now i'm going to try to take it to him and trying to bring my title back to new
00:06:42mexico all right johnny good luck to you tonight thank you back out to you steve all right jim thanks
00:06:47very much here's something really special for you showtime subscribers with internet access
00:06:52we once again invite you to judge every round of every fight online log on to showtimeonline.com and
00:06:58link to the boxing area once there you can vote for the fighter who you think is winning the round
00:07:03your entry will be added to those of other participants and instantly update the scoring
00:07:07web page the results will also be announced and shown here live on showtime during the event
00:07:12due to time zone considerations tonight's voting will only be available to showtime subscribers
00:07:17viewing our east coast live feed of course your voting is for entertainment purposes only
00:07:22and will not influence the outcome of timeonline.com all right let's get to it ready for our first bout
00:07:29the wba welterweight championship he calls himself the mighty quinn james page versus the number one
00:07:35contender jose luis lopez both are big hitters and let's get into the ring here's the challenger jose
00:07:45luis lopez of durango mexico second attempt at this title october 97 earned a draw with the imposing ike
00:07:52corte but lord corte twice he had never been down before lopez one-time wbo welterweight champ with perhaps
00:07:59his best performance against yuri boy compass a sixth round tko but he tested positive for marijuana
00:08:06following that win came back to beat former champions jorge vaca and aaron davis since the
00:08:10draw with corte three early ko victories and birdie one of the things that really jumps out here lopez's
00:08:18opposition far outweighs page's opposition in terms of quality oh yeah it's like a guy playing on a
00:08:24university football team playing a high school football team that other guy has no idea of the
00:08:29quality fighter that lopez has page is taking this as a champion to me in our interview he took it
00:08:35very mildly like he's just another day in the park well he's got news waiting for him if he goes in there
00:08:40thinking this is going to be easy this is two big bangers don't move from you says one of them is going
00:08:45to go yeah page was very blasé and here he is the champion out of pittsburgh california off the
00:08:51impressive one punch ko of the number one contender andre pestrayev of russia in the second for the
00:08:56vacant belt a vicious countering left hook rapidly gaining a reputation as the hardest hitting
00:09:02welterweight today converted southpaw but as mentioned caliber of opposition a question mark
00:09:07with a few exceptions so why is he here number one he's champion number two he has one punch ko power
00:09:12but bobby tonight we find out what he is really made of against a proven fighter like lopez you know
00:09:17tonight clearly is a coming-of-age fight for page even though lopez is not the champion he has faced better
00:09:23opposition that is a big factor but pound for pound he might be one of the best punchers in the world
00:09:27page that is his key tonight their chins their endurance and their box abilities will be tested
00:09:31the winner will become a major player in this division all right bobby let's check the numbers
00:09:37lopez only 25 two years younger than page lopez turned pro at 15 but he's been in a lot of wars
00:09:43page scores big in the height and reach departments two inches taller at 5 11 tall for a welter
00:09:49biggest disparity five and a half inch reach advantage page the weight almost even the rules
00:09:54no standing eight count no three knocked down fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round
00:09:59if an accidental headbutt occurs before the end of the fourth the fight is a technical draw if it
00:10:03happens after the end of round four they go to the scorecards incomplete rounds are not scored so here at
00:10:09the new atlantic city convention center getting ready for the wba welterweight championship it's james
00:10:14page versus jose lopez lopez let's get the formal introductions from our ring announcer jimmy lennon jr
00:10:29ladies and gentlemen a very good evening to you and welcome to the new atlantic city convention center
00:10:36in atlantic city new jersey as we present an exciting night of world championship boxing
00:10:42and it's all brought to you courtesy of don king production in association with valley's park place
00:10:49at this time we present the first of our featured attractions it is sanctioned by the world boxing
00:10:54association president hilberto mendoza supervisor bolivar y casa in conjunction with the new jersey state
00:11:02athletic control board the chairman is jerry gormley commissioner larry hazard senior now introducing to
00:11:09you our judges scoring this battle from ringside deborah barnes guillermo perez and cesar ramos introducing
00:11:18to you at this time a referee in charge of this battle he'll be giving instructions after the
00:11:22introductions working in this his 99th world title bout tony perez
00:11:28all right fans here we go 12 rounds of boxing for the wba welterweight championship of the world
00:11:40introducing to you first on my left the challenger fighting out of the blue corner entering the ring
00:11:46wearing black trunks with white trim he weighed in at already 146 and one half pounds his record stands
00:11:54at 42 wins at 42 wins three losses and two draws with 33 wins coming by way of knockout here is tonight's
00:12:02challenger the former wbo welterweight champion of the world currently ranked the wba number one welterweight
00:12:10contender from durango durango mexico introducing jose luis maestrito lopez
00:12:26and his opponent across the ring on my right is the defending world champion fighting out of the red
00:12:32corner wearing dark blue trunks with white trim he weighed in at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds even
00:12:40his record includes 22 wins three losses with 18 big wins coming by way of knockout tonight
00:12:48he is making the first defense of his title fresh off of a spectacular knockout victory from pittsburgh
00:12:55california introducing the wba welterweight champion of the world known as the mighty quinn here is the hard
00:13:05hitting james paine once we get a referee in charge tony pett is now to give instructions 12 rounds of boxing
00:13:18schedule one-on-one one-on-one only
00:13:25okay fellows we went through the instructions in the dressing room i caution again
00:13:30we were going for the unified rules that means not standing eight no city of that rule and not
00:13:36serving by the ball all right now no no blows is the borderline right here okay and any questions
00:13:43any questions check hands good luck to both of you
00:13:49final instructions from tony perez james page his last six wins by ko 15 of his 18 kos in three rounds
00:13:57or less six in the first began 98 with a tko in just 35 seconds over an opponent named bill bradley
00:14:04who did have 17 losses entering the fight final prayers from jose luis lopez only two first round
00:14:11knockouts however 24 of his 33 kos in four rounds or less off a third round tko over an overmatch ed
00:14:18goynes including three knockdowns here we go round one scheduled for 12 for the wba welterweight
00:14:25championship lou duva trains lopez in the black trunks with the white trim told us the plan is for lopez
00:14:31to attack from the opening bell they want page coming in that lopez is sensational inside he can
00:14:37exchange with anybody has a great chin knows how to avoid punches as he did against compass
00:14:42lou says that he has been working on him more than bob and weave to get down keep from standing up but i
00:14:48don't think you can change an old fight like this this guy once he gets his goes back to fighting just
00:14:53as he always has he's a tough tough mexican fighter they really want to see what happens the first time
00:14:59page hits lopez and lopez hits back he just threw a sharp hook which missed did lopez but that's the kind
00:15:06of business he wants to get into his short hooks lopez said that the better chin and better punch will be
00:15:12the two biggest factors in his fight he doesn't believe the page to take his power well page like
00:15:18lopez does have power he told us he's taking a more conservative approach said he was tense in his last
00:15:23fight against lopez he says i don't want to go out and wing it i want to be relaxed sharp
00:15:28used the quick snappy jabbed and combinations after used my speed as well as power well this will
00:15:35be a little bit of captain after both being so dangerous especially early when the guns are full
00:15:39they're going to look at each other very carefully big chess match early page very cocky with us
00:15:45yesterday he said if it goes more than six rounds i'll be surprised will he rush the trainer of page
00:15:53told us he didn't feel lopez's power was on a par with pages he said if lopez
00:15:58comes in that's good we don't have to chase him i look for james to knock them out early he said
00:16:03his friend of willy ron right now james is doing what he's got to using that long rangey jab
00:16:11stuffing it keeping lopez that bang that's what the fight is for him and when he gets inside to whip that
00:16:18oh nice little left hand followed by right in by lopez
00:16:22right on the button uh i don't know if it's a habit page keeps slinking his eyes
00:16:28i'll tell you something real cute he's throwing a sneak lead right hand and stuffing a jab right behind
00:16:33it's been very effective so far we'll keep an eye on that uh eye situation keep flicking it i'm not
00:16:42not sure that's his nervousness right now that left hook blocked by the well-schooled thinking
00:16:49fighters nine-year veteran jose luis lopez precisely sets up his attack
00:16:55we call him the typical mexican fighter who never quits two good overhand rights by lopez
00:17:01page did not react badly at all page a straight stand-up fighter with a rock-solid body watch out for
00:17:08that lethal left hook
00:17:13did not hurt it
00:17:19round one of the books come on man you got to move out for weight now
00:17:24we'll follow james page to the corner
00:17:26come on come on come on come on come on come on come on come on come on come on put your leg dog relax
00:17:32i got the mouthfeet you got the mouthfeet take deep break
00:17:37you're looking good james but don't wait on it though don't wait on it you're looking good
00:17:42and when when when when you throw that jab right hand when you back up he all you got to do step right
00:17:48back in with the overhand right turn that right hand and go
00:17:51that's it turn that right into a hook
00:17:58let them bob and weave let them bob and weave and get close with this guy okay
00:18:08they're saying to bob and weave and come in under the guy's punches under pages punches
00:18:14pages corner seems very satisfied and uh both places in both places there's they seem to
00:18:21to have been satisfied with the first round they both seem to think they did what they wanted
00:18:25out of the first round i gave the edge slightly to page he would as bobby said putting that left
00:18:31jab in there very very good stuffing it and then following on the right page is certainly establishing
00:18:37the jab in round one let's see what uh transpires from this point on page says his offense is his best
00:18:44defense he does have a tendency to drop his left hand this could be a good spot to see just what kind of
00:18:51chin this kid has from pittsburgh california to sound outside open see what what there's notice
00:18:57lopez sometimes just puts his hands up and draws page into him let's page come in because he's got
00:19:02to close the gap whether page comes in and close before or he makes the moves he's not doing as much
00:19:07bobby leaving a lot mike tyson to get inside he's just kind of like walking to page believing that his
00:19:12chin and his defense are going to work after that wild swinging of s off the left hook by page again the
00:19:17heavy blinking and then these wide shots that he's throwing the pages throwing is leaving wide open
00:19:24if lopez was faster on his reflex he can nail him really hard once he's uh winging punches miss
00:19:31then he's wide open good left by james page that connected to the face of loco right now it is my sincere belief that
00:19:40page is still the better of the country there's a a right hook by by james page and a straight left
00:19:49by lopez and countering left there's that left hook well now that that was strong that was a bomber and
00:19:55that back lopez up and lopez beginning to feel the heat now of james page oh a straight left hand right on the button by
00:20:03page that's that lead right here my left behind he does that one two in reverse it's very sneaky and
00:20:07very effective and that shows he does not respect the power of jose luis lopez when you throw that lead
00:20:14you got to be ready to eat something in return remember this guy's a natural left-hander he can go
00:20:18anyway anyway yeah converted this southpaw and he's got that great power on the left and the blinking
00:20:26continues but it's not hurting it's punching it must be america's twitches over here but he's certainly
00:20:31doing very well this one straight left by lopez page walked right into it it did seem to bother
00:20:43now lopez moving forward combination missing left coming forward and a nice countering left by
00:20:49pain but pain got nailed a very good left hand by lopez very good left hand
00:20:56and uh and did the reverse to stop blanking
00:21:02i get i get the feeling lopez has not opened up yet i get the feeling he hasn't turned this thing in
00:21:07the third gear and going there you know your big punchers if you start missing big punches
00:21:12as page has got a little nice left up a bit if you start missing pumpkin dig it tight and it quickly
00:21:16to take one to your throne maybe lopez is waiting and lopez coming on towards the end of round two
00:21:26okay
00:21:32okay
00:21:34Okay, okay
00:21:46Early in the round we watch as the
00:21:50Work and start to get his hook going now what he wants to do is hit him hard with left hook
00:21:54Keep your eye on his left hand see the hook there bang
00:21:58I mean it's it is a
00:22:00Wing he's throwing it with all he's got and he's missing most of them
00:22:03But when he is it's the shot
00:22:09M.O. Over the years smart patient tries to wear down his opponent economical with his punches
00:22:17Starting to take its course that again the the heavy blinking by James page as he comes out for round three
00:22:25Page is coming out a little while but heavy-handed big box
00:22:31A little scrolling into the right
00:22:33Oh
00:22:39There but
00:22:41See
00:22:43Page
00:22:45Pressing the attack a right hook to the head
00:22:47Of Jose Luis Lopez
00:22:49He had to feel the sting of that one
00:22:51That was a poppin that was a real sound punch
00:22:53Page is starting to get a little over aggressive sometimes he seems to feel he can do what he wants
00:23:01Already he's in a hurry he gets into here and every once in a while he opens himself up to a countering shot but Lopez is not taking advantage
00:23:09They get combinations to the head by a very confident James page
00:23:17To the belly with a left uppercut
00:23:19He's left hand dangerously low page seems to be inviting trouble but
00:23:23He goes back to his garden once he gets close
00:23:27See right here Lopez is allowing page to rest and page wants to rest he can't do that
00:23:31He's got to force the issue make page guitar phone his big box press him because he lets him rest and unload
00:23:39Oh my god
00:23:41Every once in a while I notice page opens himself up for a right hand
00:23:45Let's see if Lopez can
00:23:47Take advantage
00:23:51That punch the left hook blocked
00:23:53But that's got to wear out the arms
00:23:55Ludovic sitting next to him
00:23:57A little exasperated says well, we're trying to get him to get started
00:23:59He won't get started
00:24:01So, uh, he's giving away the first two rounds
00:24:03He's fought it up far well enough, but he's certainly not carrying around so he's got to get started
00:24:11This man dropped out court tape twice
00:24:13Got a draw
00:24:15Retaining the title
00:24:25See when page misses like that big swinging hook
00:24:28Lopez is not making him pay you have to make him pay every time he misses make him earn what he gets
00:24:35Oh
00:24:37A right uppercut to the chain
00:24:47Now left down he goes
00:24:49Go on
00:24:51Go on
00:24:53Go on
00:24:55Go on
00:24:57Go on
00:24:59Go on
00:25:00Go on
00:25:01Go on
00:25:02Go on
00:25:03Go on
00:25:04Go on
00:25:05Go on
00:25:06Go on
00:25:07Go on
00:25:08Go on
00:25:09Go on
00:25:10Go on
00:25:11Go on
00:25:12Go on
00:25:13Go on
00:25:14Go on
00:25:15Go on
00:25:16Go on
00:25:17Go on
00:25:18Go on
00:25:19Go on
00:25:20Go on
00:25:21Go on
00:25:22Go on
00:25:23Go on
00:25:24The next time in his career in 25 fights, he's been down.
00:25:28Give me that seat. Come on down, man.
00:25:29The strength and the knowledge of how to finish a fighter.
00:25:33In Lopez's case, the experience took him right to the knockout, to the first knockout.
00:25:39Had he been enough time, another 10 seconds, and this would have been over with.
00:25:42And this is what we predicted at the beginning while we said the other guy was a little lack of days ago.
00:25:46Let's listen to Paige this corner.
00:25:47You gotta move your hand, bro.
00:25:49Move your hand.
00:25:49You gotta move your hand.
00:25:50All right, here's a replay of the damage as it's done now.
00:25:54There's a solid right hand.
00:25:55There it is.
00:25:56That's the one that really got him in trouble.
00:25:58Now comes a shower of uppercuts, rights and lefts, up to the...
00:26:01He gets on the ropes.
00:26:03He doesn't know how to tie up Lopez.
00:26:06He doesn't know how to get away from him.
00:26:07In comes the uppercuts, the hooks, every kind of shot.
00:26:10You see a birdies that right hand over that left hand that was down.
00:26:13We talked about it.
00:26:14Lopez saw it.
00:26:15Paige dropped it, and there was the right hand on the butt.
00:26:19Round four.
00:26:20In round three, Paige down, 233 and.
00:26:24He's got the overhand right at the end of the rain of punches by Jose Luis Lopez.
00:26:31Lopez goes right back to work.
00:26:34Now going to the party.
00:26:36Paige just able to survive the last round of him, wobbling to his corner.
00:26:42He has to box smart now.
00:26:43Get his feet on him.
00:26:44Get his head clear.
00:26:45Stump that jab.
00:26:46That's it.
00:26:47Stump that jab.
00:26:47That's what he has to do.
00:26:51Let's check the...
00:26:51He doesn't look good, Bobby.
00:26:52He doesn't look good.
00:26:53He doesn't look sharp.
00:26:54He's in a haze.
00:26:56He's in a haze.
00:27:02There's a nice punch there.
00:27:04Knee-baring him to get left again.
00:27:06He didn't want to lift this, but he got his attention.
00:27:08He might.
00:27:09He might be recovering, but I doubt it.
00:27:11What he's got in front of him is a guy that knows how to finish.
00:27:14The folks at home had a 2-1 page, but Jose Luis Lopez, huge here now in round four.
00:27:22Why the 2-1 page, too, but even on the score?
00:27:24Because it is the point where they're knocked down.
00:27:27That's exactly right.
00:27:28That 10-8 round evens things up.
00:27:31The lower lip of James Page is split.
00:27:36Lopez should be a little bit more aggressive.
00:27:38He's just not pressing up to the action.
00:27:42It's like he knows it's coming, and he's not going to hurt.
00:27:46Lopez just shoves him off.
00:27:54See, Lopez still has to pay every time he comes in.
00:27:57He's going to try and keep him off the box.
00:27:59Oh, that was very low.
00:28:01That was a low blow.
00:28:02Oh, and Lopez, Lopez buckles, but Tony Perez doesn't do anything.
00:28:08He didn't see it.
00:28:08He's in fact, he's going to see it.
00:28:09That's the second time that's happened.
00:28:12This one, of course, was the worst of the two.
00:28:17Oh, that's too bad, because Lopez should have had time to recover.
00:28:20But he marches on.
00:28:22All right, within a minute.
00:28:24What's amazing is the recovery of Page.
00:28:26While he doesn't look sharp, he doesn't look fast, still, he's fighting enough.
00:28:29And the main thing is he isn't getting hammered.
00:28:33He's winning a round right now because Lopez isn't doing enough.
00:28:37And there's that left cuff by James Page.
00:28:40Nice recovery by Page after being brutalized in the last round toward the end.
00:28:51Right hand over the top.
00:28:53Seen the wobble.
00:28:54Page a little bit.
00:28:55He did a few funny things on his feet.
00:28:57Boy, there's some kind of ebb and flow to this point.
00:28:59That's the 20 seconds left in round four.
00:29:03Now, Lopez coming back.
00:29:04Oh, a vicious straight right hand by Lopez to the chin.
00:29:08A combination to the face by Lopez.
00:29:11Lopez coming out strong.
00:29:12A straight right by Lopez.
00:29:13He's got Page back up against the ropes and he covers away.
00:29:16And the foul.
00:29:18And he hit him after the foul.
00:29:21And that was his shower of punishment.
00:29:23And Page walks slowly back to the corner.
00:29:25Let me tell you, none of that is calculated to make him feel good.
00:29:29He goes back with hurt.
00:29:30That might be one of the most difficult rounds of box for score.
00:29:35James, you still will let him get you on.
00:29:38You won't stick and jab and move.
00:29:40You just saw your time.
00:29:40You just stand in there jab and you stand in there.
00:29:43Use your left hand on the move.
00:29:48Well, Bobby, as this punishment rained on him, I can tell you, he took the round in my card because he inflicted such damage on him.
00:29:56And before that, it would have been a nothing round.
00:29:57But in the first two minutes, Page clearly outboxed him out, banged him, hit him out the wheel.
00:30:01You're right, you're right.
00:30:02You're right, you're right.
00:30:03In the last 10 to 15 seconds, you love him.
00:30:04Well, I don't think this is going to be one of those fights you have to worry about a decision, Bobby.
00:30:08I agree with you.
00:30:08I'm going to call that one an even round.
00:30:10No, I hate to score an even round.
00:30:11To me, I go with Lopez on that one.
00:30:17Page's legs were wobbly again as he walked back to his corner at the end of round four.
00:30:21Let's see how things are as we go into round five.
00:30:26Duke was trying to heat up the action in the corner.
00:30:29He told me, got the guy.
00:30:30Why do you wait until the end of the round?
00:30:32Start off with stuff.
00:30:33Start off.
00:30:34That's part of the problem.
00:30:35You start off, you got to walk through some big punches from...
00:30:38Page's wings and heavy leather.
00:30:39You know, I don't think he's got as much on his punch anymore, Bobby.
00:30:42There's a combination by Page.
00:30:44Yeah, I think he's got a little bit on there.
00:30:46The zip that they had in the first two outs.
00:30:48Page coming back strong.
00:30:49Missed with a while left.
00:30:55Punching shots by Page.
00:30:57He backs up.
00:30:58Lopez who scorns out of the corner.
00:31:03Lopez so wild, he's trying to avoid these punches, but he just can't.
00:31:06Lopez can work in the storm.
00:31:08He's got a great chin, but I'll tell you what.
00:31:10No one's going to take those goals down.
00:31:12Lopez has never been down.
00:31:15Lopez has never been down in his career.
00:31:1947 fights.
00:31:20Page trying to do it.
00:31:23Page was down into the third.
00:31:26Well, Page is finally winding down.
00:31:29He did what he could.
00:31:30Look at the bounce by James Page.
00:31:32No answers from Lopez.
00:31:37I'll tell you what.
00:31:39I still think Lopez, his mind is pretty clear.
00:31:42He has taken some punishment, though.
00:31:44You can only do that for so long before your body has to give out.
00:31:46What heart by the Mexican, Jose Luis Lopez, standing in against these hard shots by James Page.
00:31:56Back comes Lopez.
00:31:57He missed with that combination.
00:31:58Now he doesn't look...
00:31:59Now he's coming back.
00:32:01Unbelievable.
00:32:02As Page lets up, allows Lopez to bounce back.
00:32:09Maybe Page punched himself up.
00:32:11And that's Lopez.
00:32:12That's one of the problems, one of the factors.
00:32:15What a chin on Jose Luis Lopez.
00:32:19If he's got anything left after all of that, since when we thought Page was running out of gas,
00:32:23he came on with a huge spurt, and now he's back to being slow again.
00:32:28After that huge expenditure of energy, back comes Lopez.
00:32:31Perilous.
00:32:32Jose Luis Lopez finishing the fifth round strong.
00:32:37And now Page is fatigued.
00:32:42But what punishment Lopez took.
00:32:44It's unbelievable that he has anything left.
00:32:46But look at him, he's throwing punches and hard punches.
00:32:50That's what we're talking about experience, and that's what we're talking about Mexican fighters.
00:32:52It's just when you think they're through, they get something out of their insides, and they keep coming back.
00:32:57Conditioning is so tough.
00:32:58Conditioning is going to be an automatic factor in this one.
00:33:02There's just no way to absorb and give this much without having the fatigue factor set in.
00:33:07Less than 10 seconds remaining in round five of this floor.
00:33:10What a tough fight this is.
00:33:12Back and forth.
00:33:13This round is classic.
00:33:14Back and forth.
00:33:15Back and forth.
00:33:15And here comes Lopez.
00:33:16Wow.
00:33:17What a round.
00:33:22This is early in the round when all of a sudden, when he looked like he had nothing left,
00:33:49in comes Page, and he's got dynamite in his fist, and he's hammering away.
00:33:54Lopez trying to avoid most of those punches, but, boy, he does get hammered several times.
00:33:58What a jaw.
00:34:00Same sequence for a close-up.
00:34:02You see Page is starting to miss a lot of those two.
00:34:04That's going to, again, factor in the fatigue factor.
00:34:07He's getting tired with those big bombs.
00:34:09He cannot miss those.
00:34:10Hey, this is like the football game I started at the University of Miami Beach, you know,
00:34:15UCLA in a fight, and now we come to a fight, the same thing.
00:34:18You punch, I punch, you punch, I punch.
00:34:20Wow, what a fight.
00:34:22Rock'em, sock'em robots here.
00:34:24Round six.
00:34:24Page came out impressively in the first minute and a half of round five.
00:34:29But did he lose any power from the knockdown back in late round three?
00:34:32Who knows if Page hadn't been knocked down, what power he would have had on those punches?
00:34:37The question is, why was Lopez waiting?
00:34:40Why did he take that shellacking?
00:34:42Because he never even punched back.
00:34:43And when he had the other guy in front, all he needed to do was step on the gas a little bit.
00:34:47I'll tell you what, we wouldn't adventure a guest right now
00:34:50that if Lopez actually punched as good as Page, that Lopez would not take that.
00:34:55Page a great puncher.
00:34:57She's not suspect per se, but the power to Lopez is this thing.
00:35:01He doesn't seem to be the same.
00:35:03And still hurting Lopez.
00:35:04Lopez, only 25.
00:35:07He turned pro at age 15 back in 1989.
00:35:10Oh, what a whack.
00:35:11An overhead right, a right cross sorted by James Page that nailed Lopez on the left jaw.
00:35:18Landed right on the jaw and it didn't do anything to him.
00:35:22Lopez landed right there, right where you want it.
00:35:25There's a right by a Page that flipped Lopez again along the left ear.
00:35:30Lopez can't win the fight back enough.
00:35:32That's just not going to happen.
00:35:33He doesn't have the reach or the range he's done for.
00:35:36It just doesn't happen.
00:35:37Two very offensive-minded fighters.
00:35:42This fight is going back and forth.
00:35:45Tremendous action.
00:35:46That's a nice left jab there by James Page looking to set up the right.
00:35:52Page seems to have something at the beginning of every round.
00:35:54Then he starts to wind down.
00:35:56And that's when Lopez gets broke.
00:35:58Ooh, a combination of the head for a second.
00:36:00I think Page was going down.
00:36:01But I think Lopez's punches are hurting Page, whereas Page is not hurting Lopez.
00:36:06I mean, you get a combination.
00:36:07All of a sudden, you get that funny look in Page's face.
00:36:10He straightens up.
00:36:11He gets hurt.
00:36:12He feels it.
00:36:13Look at that shot.
00:36:15Now, Page was on the canvas, so to speak.
00:36:19Love touched the canvas.
00:36:20It's 2.33 into round three.
00:36:22Lopez refused to go down for the first time in his career the next night.
00:36:26That right hand followed by the straight left jab has been working all night long.
00:36:30Somebody in Lopez's corner has to make an adjustment for him.
00:36:35Look at that.
00:36:36It must be slippery.
00:36:38It must be slippery there where the pain is.
00:36:41This is perhaps the first lull in the fight with 30 seconds remaining in round six.
00:36:48Well, they deserve it.
00:36:49They deserve a break.
00:36:50I'll see you that way.
00:36:52And back comes Page.
00:36:54Tough shots to the body, but pretty much blocked by Lopez.
00:36:57Look at this exchange.
00:37:02Oh, a straight right hand by Page.
00:37:05Page is having so much success finding Lopez's head that he's left the body completely long,
00:37:10except for a couple of low blows.
00:37:11Not really working about it.
00:37:12And that's Lopez with a left hook to the head.
00:37:16And that rocks Page.
00:37:18A little too late, Steve.
00:37:19Look at the way he walks back to this corner, herky-jerky.
00:37:22Come on.
00:37:22This guy always nails him at the end of the round.
00:37:25Tell him what I'm saying.
00:37:26Here you are, please.
00:37:27Come on.
00:37:27Here's right there left, son.
00:37:29Well, 1999 kicks off with Mike Tyson on pay-per-view.
00:37:32Saturday, January 16th, Showtime Event Television presents the return of Mike Tyson, the former
00:37:38undisputed heavyweight champ of the world and the most controversial fighter in boxing
00:37:42will be entering the ring for the first time in 18 months to face former IVF heavyweight
00:37:46champion Francois Botha.
00:37:48The return of Mike Tyson on pay-per-view Saturday, January 16th, 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific,
00:37:55live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
00:38:00You don't lay there for him to throw something back.
00:38:02That's how he catches you when you lay there.
00:38:05You understand?
00:38:06You don't lay there.
00:38:07Come on.
00:38:07We can't do that.
00:38:09Come on now.
00:38:09We got to get out of here.
00:38:10Come on.
00:38:10Be busy and know what you're doing.
00:38:17James Page in his first title defense is fighting Jose Luis Lopez, a much tougher opponent
00:38:22than Andre Pastraev.
00:38:24Knocked out in round two.
00:38:28Page starts almost every round the same way.
00:38:30Comes straight to the middle of the ring, right hand, followed by a straight left.
00:38:34Your unofficial scores at the halfway point.
00:38:37I have it 4-1 and 1-1 even.
00:38:38Here's how the fans see it as we hear from Purdy.
00:38:41I have it 57-56.
00:38:43I keep it by round, by points, not by round.
00:38:46As you saw, Page up 4-2 on the online.
00:38:494-2 is what that previously.
00:38:51So here we go, round seven.
00:38:54In a terrific battle, James Page, the champion in the all-black trunks,
00:39:00the challenger, number one contender, Jose Luis Lopez, in the black with the white friend.
00:39:05I wonder what he's going through, Page is mine.
00:39:10Remember how confident he told us he'd be surprised if this goes past six.
00:39:13Well, I bet he's surprised.
00:39:16He can't worry about it.
00:39:16Look out.
00:39:17Now that's that slippery part of the paint.
00:39:20You know, they paint these canvases, and when they get wet, it gets to be sliding.
00:39:23Go with this one.
00:39:25Go with this one.
00:39:25And you know what?
00:39:26They should stop doing that.
00:39:28Well, they should stop painting the thing, because the kind of paint they use is a, uh, just makes it slippery.
00:39:35I mean, I've seen that year after year after year.
00:39:38You saw the stumble by James Page, and it was not from a punch, it was from that sign.
00:39:43It's a combination, too, Steve.
00:39:44When they put water down in Page's pants, he gets up and boxes dripping out, making that paint extra slippery.
00:39:49But that paint doesn't need to be there, Bobby.
00:39:51It's a method of income, and that's about all it is.
00:39:53It has nothing to do with boxing.
00:39:55Nobody can see it from this, but the television people.
00:39:58All right, here we go.
00:39:59We resume with a minute and a half remaining in round seven.
00:40:04The kidney shot there by James Page.
00:40:06Those things add up.
00:40:09Beautiful combination to the face by Page.
00:40:11That was not flopped by Lopez.
00:40:15Oh, no, it kind of caution is in Page's mind almost every round.
00:40:19He gets in trouble a little bit one way or another.
00:40:21I mean, every time he feels his punches.
00:40:23I wonder how he's...
00:40:25But you're right, Lopez's punches are having more effect on Page than vice versa.
00:40:31If he was punching as much as Page was punching, this might have been over.
00:40:36But this guy waits for long to get started punching.
00:40:41All right, Page setting up now, being conservative.
00:40:43He's hands down a bit, usually keeps that guard up in that many floors.
00:40:55A nice right hand straight right by Page to the head.
00:40:58Page is using some nice pain, nice movement.
00:41:02Get him to pick his hands up, and then firing him.
00:41:05That was close.
00:41:06That was close.
00:41:06It's a little bit closer now, and down goes Page.
00:41:10He's been down once.
00:41:11233 into round three.
00:41:13Survived the final seconds, but was very wobbly.
00:41:19This corner pleading with him, Fraxton.
00:41:21Pleading with him.
00:41:22When he punches, he can do something, but he won't punch.
00:41:24Therefore, he's losing these rounds, and therefore, there goes any chance to win the title.
00:41:28Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go.
00:41:31Lopez, former WBO welterweight champ, 42-3-2 with 33 knockouts.
00:41:36His second try at the WBA welterweight title.
00:41:38Yeah, no, no, no, no.
00:41:39There you go.
00:41:42Coming up next, our main event, Conadu versus Tapia.
00:41:47As we go behind the scenes into the dressing room with a challenger, Johnny Tapia,
00:41:50who liked the champion, making his Atlantic City debut tonight,
00:41:53fighting mostly out of his hometown, Albuquerque or Las Vegas.
00:41:56He's 44-0-2, unbeaten, 24 knockouts, moving up to 118 for the first time in a title fight.
00:42:03Very engaging, just enjoys himself.
00:42:07Terrific boxer, brimming with confidence, approaches the game with such emotion.
00:42:12But tonight, his biggest challenge against the African Nana Conadu
00:42:18for the WBA bantamweight championship.
00:42:21He works there with a guy who is a ferocious fighter, Freddie Roach.
00:42:26I want to take him under here to comment as the fight's about to start
00:42:30on the passing of Chris Dundee, four-time champion he had.
00:42:34He was also a promoter of great legendary fame
00:42:36and responsible for bringing Bobby Chez to my attention
00:42:39and putting him on NBC, Bobby.
00:42:41He's a good man.
00:42:41He trained down at Miami Beach with him and BoJack.
00:42:44A brother of Angelo Dundee, a legendary figure.
00:42:46I know you always speak glowingly of Chris Dundee, and he'll be missed.
00:42:54All right, round eight.
00:42:56Nice right hand and left hook to start for Lopez.
00:43:00Lopez needs to get inside that reach, work to the body hard.
00:43:03No, no, no, no, no, no.
00:43:03That is not a knockdown to get a slip on the logo.
00:43:07Lopez is not staying inside that big range of punching and the power of the page has.
00:43:11He stays in the end of the punches.
00:43:12He can't win the fight.
00:43:13He's got to get inside.
00:43:14He tried working the body, ripped the uppercuts up, come upstairs.
00:43:18The chin on page doesn't seem to be as good as is Lopez.
00:43:22The questions are, is Lopez doing what he needs to do to take the title away from Paige?
00:43:28Bobby's keys to victory included get inside Paige's reach, work hard to the body,
00:43:33and uppercuts on the inside.
00:43:36We are now going to see what happens in the final championship corridor
00:43:40because Lopez has been there a lot and never has Paige been pressed
00:43:45like he's going to be pressed at the end here.
00:43:47So we're looking at the real stuff.
00:43:49Picture perfect right hand by Paige.
00:43:51Lopez, look at him, shook it off as a napkin.
00:43:54If Paige ever had to hit himself, it would be a terrible lifelong.
00:43:57Paige has never been past the 10th round.
00:44:00Now, the lecturing by Tony Perez.
00:44:03He's going to have to hit him in the break, okay?
00:44:05Go!
00:44:07A minute and a half remaining in round eight.
00:44:14Paige with knockouts in six of his last seven fights.
00:44:25He's trying to unload that devastating left hook there
00:44:29with a half left hook, half crossed by Paige.
00:44:34See, Paige is staying on the outside now.
00:44:35He's using that jab on the outside.
00:44:37He's boxing smart.
00:44:39Paige is looking good boxing from that.
00:44:42He's also doing what corner men love to say.
00:44:45You first.
00:44:45You first.
00:44:46You pop first.
00:44:48While you're popping, the other guy's not.
00:44:49That's what he's doing.
00:44:50Usually there's no same.
00:44:51He who gets there first, gets their best.
00:44:53And Paige continues to get off first.
00:45:00Every time.
00:45:02What is Lopez waiting for?
00:45:04Lopez watches the punches go by, but he doesn't come back with anything.
00:45:08Well, you know what?
00:45:08In all due fairness, Lopez is on the receiving end of some heavy, heavy leather, gentlemen.
00:45:12That will make you hesitate all day long.
00:45:15Even though he's only 25, as we've mentioned, he's been in a lot of wars, could they be taking their toll?
00:45:21Absolutely.
00:45:22Absolutely.
00:45:23When you get that many wars, but he's 25.
00:45:26And the other thing is, he's from sides of the border.
00:45:29Those guys have their own time clock in their body.
00:45:32There's a tough man.
00:45:34Again, 30 and Bobby.
00:45:35Lopez has never knocked off his feet.
00:45:38It almost happened in the fourth round.
00:45:41A little staring contest there at the end of the round.
00:45:45Four, four, three, four, four!
00:45:48Let me tell you something.
00:45:49I'll see you again.
00:45:50Listen what I say.
00:45:52Rene, tell them what I'm saying.
00:45:53You're losing the fight.
00:45:55You're losing the fight.
00:45:5674, one, three, two.
00:45:59I'm trying to throw in water from here.
00:46:01That's what he's doing.
00:46:0276-year-young Lou Duva very blunt in the face of Jose Luis Lopez.
00:46:11You can win the fight.
00:46:12This guy can't stand up when you let him get away with it.
00:46:14You've got to punch!
00:46:15You understand
00:46:30Well, it's now getting away from 77 to 74 my card that's hey, you got a three points
00:46:35He's gonna get started
00:46:38He's gonna take one
00:46:40Lotova has trained 18 world champions with the simple instructions. You've got a punch
00:46:48Page is doing all the punching. There's a combination to the face of lopez lopez has to wake up
00:46:55He's got to let it hang out at some point time here between 12
00:46:57He's got a little and just maybe take a few wild swings here. He comes
00:47:03But he doesn't follow it up
00:47:05That's right here he comes doesn't follow it up. That's the description that fits this fight so far
00:47:10Here he comes and he doesn't follow it
00:47:12It was just like in the corte fight while he did floor corte twice. He just wasn't abundant enough with the punches
00:47:20Forte the heavily oh, he slips again for the third time this one
00:47:25The worst slip of the night by pages across that logo
00:47:29That was it a knockdown not at all not at all
00:47:45I don't think anybody was watching the fight
00:47:50That was bizarre
00:47:52Tony Perez called that an official knockdown and it didn't page make it out of his game now thinking he lost two pounds
00:47:58Now bobby now all he's got to do is take the rest of this round and he's got himself a two-point round and he's back in the fight
00:48:05All he's got to do is take the rest of this round that was a knockdown by budweiser
00:48:10Not by Jose luis lopez
00:48:14The two points are not a mandatory deduction even though a lot of people like to do that
00:48:18Especially if this is meeting around all the way through four pages ahead even if some of the judges missed it out of the clear slip
00:48:25It just wasn't slip well
00:48:27Oh
00:48:35Backing cage up page comes back
00:48:41Now setting things up with the jet combination
00:48:45The whole repertoire
00:48:48The crowd urging lopez on
00:48:50That's what you will do for you. Where is page getting the strength?
00:49:19Just when it looks like he's about to get
00:49:29This is strictly
00:49:33A two-way battle one man chin and one man's power
00:49:43All right, let's take a real close look at this at this fall
00:49:48All right, let's take a look. Well, you didn't we start too soon. That was too soon
00:49:52We just really didn't get a look they looked like they were squaring off and he slowed down. Let's look again now. That was the right hand
00:49:59This is the end of the round this is around he was in trouble. This is where I gave him a 10-8 round because he went down. I'm sorry
00:50:05That's it 10-8 well that
00:50:08Wait a minute you gave lopez a 10-8 round. I gave him the 10-8 round
00:50:11We got no referee sleep and he got the punch off page page got off two punches and it was a slight jab by lopez
00:50:19But that i'll tell you what the referee's in the right position tony smith one day doesn't warrant it not mr
00:50:23Perez just made a goal
00:50:25That's a 52 second mark of round nine
00:50:27Perez called it enough down. It was a clear slip on the rest of the fight. It was touch and go
00:50:31So I gave it the 10-8 man in 85 84, but let me tell you bobby's right. It's all up in the air depends on
00:50:39I gave the round to lopez, but not by two point and you hear the crowd booing
00:50:46And they have a right to move round 10
00:50:53Things getting awfully interesting here and I wonder what the position the judges would take
00:50:57If they have to see a referee call and knock down on something that's clearly a slip with their creditor fighter, even though
00:51:04They knew it was a mistake
00:51:06Let's check the online page up 6-3
00:51:15That's why i've got 6-3 but the mathematics
00:51:19Page has been to the 10th round only three times in 24 fights
00:51:27Now page beginning deep to jazz which he has never done yet
00:51:40I mean because the other guy's never been throwing jabs yet now he's throwing jabs
00:51:46Looking like the right hand is going to come at any mile
00:51:49Does it as sure as the sun comes up that right hand is going to come flinging after a left jab
00:51:55Page just glanced down looking at that uh beer logo and trying to uh sidestep itself on top of the fact he's got lopez in his face
00:52:03He's trying to stay out of the way
00:52:05He's a little wobbly steve
00:52:07Here comes lopez lopez with the flurry right above us
00:52:12Lopez all over the place now all over the body of page
00:52:16And page feeling the effects page is still dangerous and that's what lopez is worried about
00:52:21Page looks a little slow here's that straight shift left jab by lopez
00:52:25There's no question there's a hunter and there's a honey in here and a hunter is lopez
00:52:32And page is being stalked
00:52:35Page answers back with a straight leg but lopez isn't doing enough right now
00:52:40What a left by page
00:52:42What a chin he's got he blocked the left but the right went through and lopez withstands the pressure
00:53:02He has spent his whole round with that right hand cocked and hasn't thrown one wonders why what does he throw that right hand
00:53:07What's the matter with oh there's another slip for the fourth time and it's not a knockdown
00:53:14Come in with that
00:53:16Page has been doing a lot of switching back and forth jumping in from the southwest stance cocking that left hand using it from both sides
00:53:23It's been very effective and awkward let me tell you something if they don't do something about this based on what's happening here
00:53:29There's something wrong they've got i know there are a lot of problems in boxing
00:53:32But this is one thing they can correct get rid of those logos
00:53:36Yeah, he came
00:53:37We're doing over here. Tony came over here to warn ludova about the water luthers. What about the other guy?
00:53:42You think it's just one guy with water both guys got water pouring out of them. I'm not against the paint
00:53:48I'm not against free enterprise, but
00:53:50Rearrange it in another way somehow. Yeah, put it somewhere else. This is very detrimental and dangerous to the fighters. Obviously. No, wait, wait, wait
00:53:57Wait, wait, wait, wait, what happened? No, it's the end of the round of the bell round
00:54:03Okay, well that's the way you can get disqualified if you're not sure look out now
00:54:07Somebody's throwing what a throwing a thing or throwing things piece of gum
00:54:12Peanut, come on, come in a fight. I'm just worried about the bottles
00:54:20You got to keep you dead and don't go around don't stand that weight on water water don't stand that weight on him
00:54:27Don't wait on him
00:54:33Don't wait on him. We got
00:54:35We got to put some more water
00:54:38Okay, come on don't get killed wait on him
00:54:48You know there was no fighting during the final 32 seconds of that last round
00:54:52I
00:54:54Don't
00:54:56Time out to the timekeeper the timekeeper kept the time
00:55:01That's another
00:55:02For tonic
00:55:03He's a very good referee to be doing things like this. He said he missed the terrific
00:55:09Look whoa, which doubled up Lopez and then he called the knock down
00:55:13There's not got nine but 30 seconds go up to clock what's happening?
00:55:17All right, the championship rounds is round 11
00:55:21In a strange bizarre fight and boy does he need this does lopez need this to win this fight
00:55:30That was not a slip fellas that was that was a little light in the knee no page was definitely rocked
00:55:35He did slip afterwards, but he was rocked don't know why lopez didn't jump on that
00:55:39He had to see and that's been the case throughout the evening
00:55:43He has not followed up. He is he is fighting like he's oh, he's fighting like his feet are in guacamole
00:55:49I've never seen a guy
00:55:52The other opponent probably so much and not rushing to finish the page showing a very solid shit
00:55:57He slept with the right foot in the very same place
00:56:02He slipped four previous but there was no response from lopez when he had him right there
00:56:06I mean his hands are not fast. He is methodical and he is
00:56:11Trying to load up on everything and maybe that's why he's not fast
00:56:15He's trying to load up on everything page's power has saved him
00:56:19Immeasurably tonight gentlemen, his power has been the key lopez would have heard him so
00:56:24He's always said his offense is his defense as page ventures into uncharted territory
00:56:29Round 11 for the first time in his career
00:56:31I
00:56:34Bouncing around a little
00:56:44There water dripping off my face so I can see why the referee said something to the corner now
00:56:48He slipped in that same spot the water off the trunks of both fighters cascading onto the
00:56:53The advertisements on the right
00:56:57Tough fight to score close
00:56:59Because lopez is getting this guy in trouble but page is fighting his way out of every round every round
00:57:07Board page is going to earn this if he if he walks away with his title
00:57:11He will certainly learn a lesson don't don't wait for a guy to get knocked out in six and may go 12
00:57:16I
00:57:20Money lower left james page that's been there most of the fight a split left a wild swing and a miss with a left of the elbow put down
00:57:29And I don't know why lopez doesn't run after him charge he's got a man off balance
00:57:35No matter what you just have to take a shot at that opportunity little or no gas left to the tape
00:57:39You gotta move
00:57:41For lopez my only guess
00:57:51All right, let's check the the water difficulty we've been
00:57:55Talking about it all night. There it is. What a mess
00:58:00Ripping all over that thing
00:58:02What i'd like to know also, bobby's what kind of shoes these guys
00:58:05You don't get that but if they don't have weather and they got rubber on it boy, it's nothing but a roller skate that you got on
00:58:20I mean you know in the old days you had this regular
00:58:22You had these regular shoes they look like rubber
00:58:25You had these regular shoes where you could do that
00:58:29Take it easy james take it easy don't spit that down all right
00:58:35He's done six the ball load up for what he's gonna be charging
00:58:48Well here we go round 12
00:58:51The 12th and final round in a wild fight for the wba welterweight championship james page in his first title defense
00:59:00on the lefty screen against the veteran jose lopez the number one contender
00:59:05And if he fights for a long time, he isn't going to have any harder fight to list to keep this title
00:59:12Oh, there's a left hook that great left hook by james page one shin by lopez
00:59:17Pages has so much power. He's taking lopez out of his game completely. He has to worry about the big bond page wants to end it with a knockout
00:59:26But he's in trouble. He's the only one that gets in trouble
00:59:29He can't risk blow to the east ahead of his fight. All he has to do now is win this round
00:59:36And here comes pace slipping and punching as he slips his ice all over the place in the ring
00:59:42That was incredible right in and lopez just took it like it was nothing incredible
00:59:47Amazing courage by jose lopez the page has to be so frustrated
00:59:54He says why doesn't this guy go down and his and and lopez this corner and howard and white is in the box
00:59:59Why in the world does he stay there after two three punch combinations your turn you bunch
01:00:04Look at this that's what he should be doing punching with a puncher
01:00:09Left hook by page
01:00:11But lopez refuses to go wow this guy got concrete in his head or what
01:00:19I mean like that's some kind of aztec statue
01:00:26What punches he's taking
01:00:31Now a body shot left hook by pain
01:00:34lopez doesn't flinch but lopez running out of time a minute ten
01:00:38He's running out of time he's running out of time he's running out of gas
01:00:43Well he's got a minute to do something or else his value of effort will be for naught brilliant left hook by james page and it said nothing
01:00:52My trainer tommy parsons has always told me he's a bobby event to the 12th round we have one ounce left and he left it
01:00:57He left it in the ring he should have left in the ring should not have one ounce left
01:01:02Let's see if lopez has anything left in the final 44 seconds
01:01:06That's the fifth or sixth time that's happened to pay
01:01:19They're gonna have to get a zamboni
01:01:21Well
01:01:23Hey listen, this is the reason so exciting that next one's gonna have to be
01:01:28The punishment that lopez took is probably taking something out of his energy boxes this team has been
01:01:38Rockefeller center eight seconds to go
01:01:41I think put it in the books for james page. I believe so. Yeah, I think page wins this
01:01:59We're not in las vegas anymore
01:02:00We've seen some bizarre scoring out there. We'll see how it goes here
01:02:06It's in the hands of deborah barnes of homedale new jersey guillermo perez of panama city panama and cesar ramos of payable puerto
01:02:18Well i've got it 115 to 111 and that's a pretty big margin for a fight this tough and this hard
01:02:25But a very entertaining fight without question a lot of ebb and flow in the early and middle rounds and then lopez ran out of gas
01:02:31I don't think he ran out of gas as much as what bobby said
01:02:33He was getting hit some bombs and those bombs take it out of you
01:02:36They put a lot of abuse a lot of wear and tear a couple years in this fight
01:02:41His wear and tear is definitely
01:02:44Definitely definitely heightened by this fight but young mr
01:02:48Page learned a lesson he earned his money tonight, too
01:02:50He learned a lesson they aren't any of them easy until it's over
01:02:55This guy made him earn his living
01:02:58The question is
01:03:01How would one of these guys do against de la jolla or trinidad oscar said he doesn't want to get in there with lopez and i can see why after this
01:03:09What heart what guts what a chin well, it's a de la jolla doesn't want to fight him at all. I don't see why not
01:03:14I don't think he'll be too ready to fight page either. No, no
01:03:20But I see no reason why you wouldn't fight lopez. I mean lopez is beatable as this kid just showed he's tough. He's durable
01:03:26Well, trinidad's in the crowd here tonight the ibf welterweight champ
01:03:30Love to see that fight between one of these guys
01:03:32All right, let's let's take a look at round three. Let's see what that round that that was the legitimate knockdown
01:03:38This is the legitimate and that's the right hand hook
01:03:41Uppercut underneath another right hand that landed another hook another right hand that landed and finally it starts to wear out
01:03:49Young mr
01:03:49page page about to go down beautiful uppercut inside uppercut does a lot of a lot of damage income the hooks another hook another right hand another hook right left
01:04:00Another right hand while he's down
01:04:02Guy's down and he got hit but he was down. Yeah, that was almost similar what roy jones jr
01:04:07Did in this overhand right?
01:04:08We talked about it that left hanging page has to tighten up the defense and that right hand got him in trouble
01:04:13And here he did is his lack of experience
01:04:14Maybe he didn't know how to get out of it hold or tie up
01:04:17He tries to hold here a little bit, but what he does is open himself up to the big right uppercut lopez
01:04:21lopez keeps using good field with the jab hook on the inside and there
01:04:25Well, you know, he was sitting on the rope and nothing was touching the ground. That's actually a legal shot
01:04:30Well, the knockdown came 233 and around three and page survived it
01:04:35And we are just about set for the decision. So let's go up to our ring announcer jimmy lennon jr
01:04:44Ladies and gentlemen before I read the score totals we've all seen an outstanding 12 rounds of action
01:04:49No matter who the winner is they both deserve a round of applause
01:04:53James page and jose luis lopez
01:04:59Well fans after 12 rounds of action we have a unanimous decision here the score totals
01:05:05judge of ringside guillermo perez scores about 115 to 112
01:05:11judge cesar ramos scores about 115 to 111
01:05:17deborah barnes scores about 116
01:05:20to 111 all three in favor of the winner
01:05:23the winner and still the wba welterweight champion of the world the mighty quinn james
01:05:34The james page pros he is for real and a genuine force in the welterweight division
01:05:44Got to admit even after his one punch knockout of pestrayev in october
01:05:48There was still some doubt but now after disposing of former wbo welterweight champ jose luis lopez a high-quality contender
01:05:56That doubt is erased
01:05:59Page in his first defense retains the title now 23 and 3
01:06:04On his career and coming up next for the new convention center in atlantic city main event conadu tapia the wba bantamweight championship
01:06:12nana conadu against the unbeaten johnny happy
01:06:15We take you backstage into the dressing room of the champion
01:06:21How to do following a successful amateur career which included the ghana national title won six of his first seven pro fights by knockout that only led to early frustration
01:06:32Nobody wanted to fight him decided to quit boxing his mother of all people convinced him to continue as he serenaded by
01:06:40the uh
01:06:41ashanti warriors from his native ghana
01:06:45And tonight he puts his wba bantamweight title on the line against unbeaten johnny tappy
01:06:51that should be another good one
01:06:53we are set now for post-butt reaction from our first bout so let's swing it up to jim gray in the ring
01:06:59all right thank you very much steve james congratulations on your fight love you baby hey jane
01:07:04i love you you had told us yesterday
01:07:06that if this went longer than six rounds you would be very very surprised are you surprised of the performance of jose
01:07:12yes
01:07:12i was surprised i was surprised but uh
01:07:15once i hit him with a couple of shots i felt how strong he was somebody told me he had put on 25
01:07:19pounds so i figured he was 170 pounds and when i came into the fight i was only 153 pounds i was only pulling like six pounds so
01:07:25when i would hit him
01:07:27yeah usually i hit guys with those shots and they at least wobble he wouldn't buzz so i knew he was strong
01:07:31and i stepped back and i said man he's gonna be tough so i'm gonna have to box and use my jab
01:07:35they kept putting water on the floor so i just kept back before we get to the water let's go to
01:07:39the third round he knocked you down the first time you've been down in your career on a clean shot
01:07:44how scared and how frightened were you that that could be the end because he had you on the ropes
01:07:47going pretty good it wasn't a knockdown with him it was a straight slip there was water on the floor
01:07:53i slipped and i was throwing a punch at the same time but he's a strong fighter he's a good fighter
01:07:58he fought quartet to a draw i beat him so you're talking about the ninth round i'm talking about
01:08:01the third round did i go down yeah i don't even remember i don't even remember i i don't even
01:08:07remember that's how much into the fight i was in did i go down good enough fight you're you're allowed
01:08:11not to remember let's let's talk to you about the slip that seemed like you were slipping quite a bit
01:08:15was it all the water that he was using or was it the paint here on the budweiser sign what was a lot of
01:08:19water on the budweiser's line and i just kept trying to use the jab keep my legs up under me that's the way i
01:08:24fight it was a lot of water on the canvas but i won the fight i'm happy he's a tough fighter i showed
01:08:30that i'm i'm tough i could box i had a good jab i got power i got the heart and any other welterweight
01:08:35out there i'm going to fight to the end let me ask you you seem to be blinking quite a bit in the
01:08:40early going was there something in your right eye no there was nothing in mind i just i just had to
01:08:45keep stay focused just stay up focused at all times just stay focused keep watching them keep the jab
01:08:51going but i could get the right off catch them and that's what i did i wanted to fight what next
01:08:55now don and and james what next i don't know you know uh i would love for a unification fight you
01:09:01know there hasn't been a unification fight in a while i would love to fight corte trinidad de la
01:09:06joa don said after i beat lopez the world is mine so we're gonna see if you give me all right don what's
01:09:10it gonna be well he's gonna fight each and every one of them we got trinidad sitting in the wings
01:09:13trinidad would love to fight they got to all prove themselves now we got another super spectacular
01:09:18walterweight on the scene and we got tito trinidad back in the fold and we'll have more from you in
01:09:22a little bit at the end of the show but let's get jose here jose just jose just left the ring
01:09:33put on a great fight don't worry about it go ahead finish up your thoughts then don yeah you
01:09:36know what i mean we don't wait on nobody what we're going to do is to bring the best in boxing
01:09:39we're going to continue to do what we have to do and uh and welterweight division is wide open now
01:09:44with ike water de la hoya philix trinidad and james page the sensational james page let's bring in
01:09:51tony perez and just ask him all the slipping that was going on out here uh tony tonight you called a
01:09:56knockdown in the ninth round on the slip we'll take a look about under the monitor right here tell us
01:10:01what you were thinking and did you make a mistake here he touched him with the jab right there touched
01:10:09him with the jab and then he slipped so you don't think it was the slip into the jab it was one close one
01:10:15look here tony there there he starts to slip and he's hit
01:10:23it's a flash knockdown so i got to call it even if he's sleeping he touched him in the jaw when
01:10:26i was going down was there too much water being used tonight by lopez by the corner of lopez they
01:10:32take it i broke the water and they were throwing in top of him and finally in the 10th round did you
01:10:36lose track of the time a little bit because of the water did it seem as though they didn't fight for 30
01:10:41second i called time tried to drive this in and when i told him to go fight he's telling me the
01:10:45round was over tony thank you you're welcome all right steve congratulations to you james don we'll
01:10:50talk to you in a little bit let's send it back to steve albert show time all right jim thank you very
01:10:56much in that controversial ninth round two of the three judges had it 10-8 for jose luis lopez
01:11:01diemo perez and cesar ramos the other judge deborah barnes had it 10-9 for lopez here's how the online
01:11:07scoring results went the folks viewing at home had page winning it convincingly nine rounds
01:11:13to three james page retains his wba welterweight championship
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