- 2 days ago
The Pittsburgh Kid Paul Spadafora defends his IBF Lightweight Title in his hometown against Mike Griffith on HBO KO Nation.
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00:00With its exclusive home movies, premieres July 17th on HBO.
00:07All right, y'all. That was a wonderful, wonderful first fight for HBO's KO Nation Live.
00:12But right now, ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for three lovely young ladies known as The Knockouts.
00:30Beat the bus, beat the bus, beat the bus, beat the bus, beat the bus.
00:35Watch words, we on now, bringing the storm now. We're a new phenomenon like a baby was born now.
00:44A lot of corny burgers, y'all been yapping too long now. Coming to the spot and all the circus is born now.
00:49Come on now, probably work at somebody's store now. Singing my song now, while you're mopping the floor now.
00:53We need a bunch, I hope you know this is war now. Bust big balls, quickly settle the score now.
00:58Up all the hot, you got the spot, they're warm now. You never shoot, you should be rockin' for law now.
01:03Only the live guys really belong now. Used to be rich, walk around poor now.
01:08We doin' it like never before now. Stack cheddar, headliner, national tours now.
01:13Flip most water, so just keepin' it raw now. Bounce while I take y'all evil, straight to the core now.
01:17You don't know just really what you want, all right.
01:20Come and do the bus, bus, all right. Come and do the bus, the bus, all right.
01:25Let me see, I need a bus, the bus. I know just really what you want.
01:27All right. Come and do the bus, the bus, all right. Come and do the bus, the bus, all right.
01:32Come and do the bus, the bus, all right. Let me see, I need a bus, the bus, all right.
01:37Jump back in the street now. Push the S5 with the big body kit now.
01:41Never stop, you know it's only hit after hit now. Gotta spend chips if you want me to spit now.
01:46A lot of others you really need to just quit now. Cause they don't know your lies how much they look like I eat now.
01:51Quick now, y'all suckers. Just be makin' me sick now. Worthless savvy, cause it's only throwin' up bricks now.
01:55Hold those suckers. Wanna come around, takin' my flicks now. I only do them things with my flip mode. Click now.
02:00We used to be illegal, but you know we legit now. I never leave the crib without my Glock and my clip now.
02:05Messin' with these wild chicks, havin' a fit now. Model chicken be tryin' to get all in my whip now.
02:09Ready to flip now. Ready to strip now. Slow the whip through the traffic, we doin' the dip now.
02:14Get a grip, sucker, and just hope you don't slip now. Flip mode, comin' fully equipped now.
02:19Cheers to all of my people, takin' a sip now. The bus, the bus, the ticket, these are all on a trip now.
02:24There's a couple things that we can really explore now. Show love if we could put your face in the floor now.
02:29Flip mode squad, soldiers keepin' it raw now. Bounce while I take y'all people straight to the corn now.
02:33I know just really what you want. Alright, coming to the bus, the bus, alright.
02:39Come and do the bus, the bus, alright. Let me see you do the bus, the bus.
02:43I know just really what you want, alright. Come and do the bus, the bus, alright.
02:44Really what you want all?
02:46Come into the bus.
02:48Baby come into the bus.
02:50Let me see you do the bus.
02:52I know just really
02:54what you want.
02:55Come into the bus.
02:58Come into the bus.
03:00Let me see you do the bus.
03:01I know just really
03:03what you want.
03:05All right, ladies and gentlemen, let's have a nice
03:07can for the knockouts. Give a nice
03:09round of applause, Fitzberg.
03:11All right, let's take it back to Fred.
03:13All right, Ed. Well, we all know this is what the 8500 here at Mellon Arena have been waiting for.
03:20IVF lightweight champion Paul Spadafore defending his crown against Michael Griffith.
03:25Spadafore, the hometown kid, and Kevin, we talked about this earlier.
03:29We know what the advantages are of fighting at home in your own backyard.
03:33Can there be any disadvantages?
03:35There could be only if the fighter allows it to be at a disadvantage.
03:39If the fighter allows a lot of fan-based people around him, a lot of distractions, a lot of media attention around him,
03:47and puts a lot of unwanted pressures on himself.
03:49But if he goes and stays maybe into a gym where the people don't see him, or maybe the public can't reach him,
03:56he could train and keep his mind where he's supposed to be.
04:00Living here is what got him to be world champion, and actually training here sometimes can keep him being world champion
04:05because he knows why he's fighting and what's the purpose he's fighting.
04:09But if you need to, you gotta go to camp. Can't knock him. Go to camp.
04:13Okay, Kevin, we know for his first title defense against Renato Cornette, he trained here in town.
04:18For this title defense, he decided to go down to Houston.
04:22We will see if Paul Spadafore is ready for battle.
04:25Let's send it up to Ed Lover for the official ring announcements.
04:28Thank you, Fran.
04:29Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for our second fight of the night?
04:34Give it up for Cleveland's own Mike the Hammer Griffin!
04:41Good job, bro!
04:57Listen to me.
04:59Hey, yo, my song's on.
05:01What's up?
05:01Oh, three buckets of mama, we get it.
05:04Come on, dog, boy.
05:05Come on, come on.
05:07Come on, come on.
05:07Come on, come on, come on.
05:08Come on, come on.
05:09Griffith comes in with a record of 23-6, but this is only his third fight as a lightweight.
05:17He's fought his heaviest weight, 148 pounds, but he decided he would try to get more power
05:22and drop down to the 135 rank.
05:25Kevin, will that give him more power?
05:28Well, I don't think it'll give him any more power, but I do believe that finding out welterweight
05:32was not his bodyweight, original bodyweight.
05:35He'll realize he probably is really a lightweight.
05:37And now, he said nobody will fight him at 140.
05:40That's why he went to 47.
05:42And, lover, I think the champion is ready to come out.
05:45All right, thank you, friend.
05:48We asked everybody to vote online, and you voted online.
05:5258% voted online for Paul Spadafora to walk out to tear the roof off by Busta Rhyme.
06:00Ladies and gentlemen, world lightweight champion, Paul P.K.
06:05Scott Rhyme.
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07:03Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for fight number two. The judges score tonight's fight from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dana DePaulo.
07:21From Muncie, Indiana, Fred Jones. From Vento City, New Jersey, Paul Pasquale. And our referee in charge of the action from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ernie Schrift.
07:41Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to get on the ropes and off the hall.
08:01First to challenge that, fighting out of the blue corner. He hails from Lorraine, Ohio, with a record of 23 wins.
08:09Nine of those wins coming by a knockout. He's 27 years old, weighing in at 134, one-half pounds. Give it up for Mike, the Hammer, Griffin.
08:21And ladies and gentlemen, fighting out of the red corner. He hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
08:39His record stands at 29 wins, no losses. 14 of those wins coming by Naga.
08:45He's 24 years old, and he weighed in at 135. Ladies and gentlemen, the world lightweight champion, the Pittsburgh Dead Bulls!
08:57All right, fellas. You can see your instructions in the dressing room.
09:17I want you to obey my command at all time and protect yourself at all time.
09:21Any questions? None. Any questions, sir?
09:24All right, this is a championship fight. Shake hands and come out, fight like champions. Let's roll.
09:34Spadafore, the tactician inside the ring, the southpaw.
09:39Loves to counterpunch and Griffin, he'll be headed straight ahead.
09:44Nicknamed the Hammer for a reason.
09:45It seems to me that Griffin's forward acting style, he comes forward, there's lots of punches, lots of punches.
09:55It's very tough.
09:57And being he's fought welterweight, it's just like guys that hit very hard.
10:00So, um, I don't know if he'll have a problem, much of a problem, but Spadafore's punch, not known to be a puncher.
10:08Spadafore gets a left hand in.
10:10Spadafore, lock your hands.
10:11Spadafore, lock your hands!
10:12Spadafore, lock your hands!
10:14Spadafore, lock your hands!
10:15Spadafore, lock your hands!
10:17Spadafore, lock your hands!
10:18You got this!
10:19Matt talked to Spadafore, earlier, he was talking about just being teaching about dunking high behind his shoulder.
10:21You can see his chin tucked and basically his shoulder.
10:25Right hand that time by Spadafore, right away, the crowd getting behind their man, chanting, spotty.
10:34And being torn, being 5'9 for his weight, he can eventually grow into a bigger frame.
11:04Maybe 140, maybe even welterweight.
11:06He's 40!
11:08He's 40!
11:09Kevin, can you ever increase your punching power just by running away?
11:14No.
11:15The rule is clinically proven that just because you get heavier, don't mean you're going to hit any harder.
11:20If you can't punch that lightweight, you're not going to punch that welterweight.
11:25Driftit decided to drop.
11:26Driftit decided to drop down on weight, said basically he didn't have the power to stay up
11:32and walk away at the junior walk away zone.
11:35So in shape, he came down and weight.
11:37And he's won both fights in his hands already as a lightweight.
11:41He has to punch Spadafore's body and he hasn't put an attack in there, aiming for the head.
11:48Head is the heaviest, hardest part of the head of any opponent.
11:52He needs to bring it to the stomach area to try to slow down Spadafore at the later rounds.
12:06Spadafore did say in our meeting that he would be standing right in front of Griffin.
12:10He's got great movement, Spadafore.
12:13I don't know why he's going to stay inside, but Griffith maybe feels that Griffith has to punch or to punch his power to hurt him.
12:21Griffith, step back for him, no punch.
12:23Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on.
12:27Come on, Mikey!
12:30Griffith, he starts out on a lot bigger than this, a lot more busier.
12:35Spadafore usually lets his punches go.
12:37Both fighters feeling their way around the ring in round one.
12:50You're just trying to show too much.
12:52Make more feints and get more demand with your punches, you know what I'm saying?
12:56Where you're touching the body and touching the head.
12:58You're too squared off.
12:59Stay to the outside of his lead foot.
13:01All right?
13:02Keep swinging him now, swinging him around.
13:05Get that rhythm going.
13:07Come on, get loose, son.
13:09In and out.
13:11Get the right hand up.
13:12Set it up with the jab, move, get in position.
13:14Fire it quick though.
13:15And coming back with your hook, you're doing a good job.
13:17All right?
13:18All right, watch his counters.
13:19Fake him and do a counter on the counter, okay?
13:21Mm-hmm.
13:22All right, big guy.
13:23All right, bucket out.
13:24Okay.
13:25There you see who our internet audience believes we'll win this fight.
13:40All right.
13:41Spadafore landing just 9 of 51 shots in the round.
13:46Griffith, 14 of 53, 63.
13:49Spadafore only 2 of 19 jacks.
13:52I gave Griffith the first round.
13:55Um, he's taking a fight to Spadafore.
13:57Spadafore is just waiting.
13:59One, two shots.
14:00Not you like the jab.
14:01I thought that he would come out like the matadour.
14:04Watch the back of here.
14:05You tame Griffith.
14:06Griffith, you touch with the jab.
14:07I don't see that.
14:08I don't see that.
14:09Well, we heard Spadafore's trainer, Jesse Reed, tell him, keep his right foot on the outside
14:15and don't stand too square.
14:18Shift his body sideways.
14:20What exactly does you mean there, Kevin?
14:22Okay.
14:23Spadafore is a softball, and the rule is your right foot should be outside and his right
14:28and his left foot because he can't hit you from that angle.
14:31But the one thing that Griffith is doing, he's doing straight right hands, which is the counter
14:36for every right-handed fighter that fights his south foot.
14:40He's got a right hand and a left foot.
14:42And that's what Griffith is doing first.
14:44You see that Spadafore is getting hit with straight right hands.
14:48And that seems he's not utilizing his jab, Spadafore.
14:51So he's not keeping Griffith so he can hit him.
14:56Two trade lead shots here in the second round.
15:00He's scheduled for 12.
15:01A lightweight championship between Paul and Spadafore making his third title defense against Mike Griffith.
15:09Spadafore going to work on the body.
15:11That's exactly what he's breathing and told Spadafore to do.
15:15Hit and step to your right.
15:17That's what he's not doing.
15:18He's going to his left, going into a power shot right there.
15:21And Griffith, with a right hand, is gonna land on Spadafore.
15:26Spadafore needs to go to his right.
15:28He's going right into the right hand.
15:30See, they're gonna right hand thrown by Griffith.
15:32Almost caught him again.
15:33Of course, Spadafore is dead in the jaw again.
15:36Spadafore is leaning right into the power shot.
15:40And Griffith is throwing it pretty straight.
15:43That reminds me.
15:45Right hook behind him.
15:48Right hook behind him.
15:50Left hand, right hook.
15:51Keep that hand out.
15:52Keep that hand out there.
15:54Push!
15:56Spadafore gets through with his straight left hand.
16:01But he's not utilizing his jab.
16:03He's kind of pouring with the jab.
16:05Spadafore has a very good jab, but he's not utilizing it at all.
16:08And twos and threes, and then sidestepping, which got him to win the world title.
16:13Against Peter Pagona.
16:15Push!
16:16Push!
16:17Push!
16:18Push!
16:19Push!
16:20Push!
16:21Push!
16:22Push!
16:23Push!
16:24Push!
16:25Push!
16:26Push!
16:27Push!
16:28Push!
16:29Push!
16:30Push!
16:31Push!
16:32Push!
16:33Push!
16:34Push!
16:35Push!
16:36Push!
16:59Push!
17:00And our knockout dancer, Maria Davidson.
17:33We begin round three, and Kevin, our punch dad numbers in round two indicate that Kirkus
17:54has thrown more punches in that round, and he's landed more.
17:58And that's what we knew based on our copy box punch dad numbers from their previous fights.
18:03We're just going to bring gentleness that I gave that round to Spadafora.
18:08I believe Spadafora, and I was in control of that round, he's starting to establish his
18:12left hand, he's starting to put his combination punching together.
18:16He's still pulling the jab, he's not, he doesn't have a serious jab.
18:19He seems to be relying on his left hand, he just did.
18:23And he's content, which is what he's doing.
18:26Rift a lot of punches, but he does have a tendency to take quite a few because of his in-your-face
18:33style.
18:34And he took a sharp left hand that time from the champion.
18:37He's very tough, and he's got his hammer on his waistband, but he's not known for a punch.
18:43He's got that name because he's a copy dog.
18:45So, it's kind of funny.
18:48Left uppercut in Spadafora, stuck through him, and there you see some of the slick defense
18:53of Paul Spadafora.
18:55Tough guy to hit when he's backing up.
18:57It's kind of funny to get a nickname like the hammer from the job and not the boxer.
19:03So, respecting a big punch out of Mike the Hammer, I don't know if you'll see it tonight.
19:11Incidentally, for Griffith, he is the construction worker of Parker, as you mentioned.
19:16And this is the first fight where he actually took time off to train.
19:19Normally, what you do is go to work 9 to 5, 9 to 6, and then go to the gym to try to work
19:27for Spadafora.
19:28This fight, he knew it was serious enough that he had to take the time off, take the
19:32month off, and actually train full time for Spadafora.
19:37I believe that a fighter should be totally, totally concentrating on his training and not
19:43on a job.
19:44It's very hard to have a job and training if you're tired.
19:47You can't give 110% to your training if you're tired from work.
19:52So, that's why I think we're seeing a lot better Mike the Hammer Griffin.
19:57tonight than we've probably seen in the past.
20:00I'm sure he's very happy in the work either.
20:03He's working tonight, does his job tonight, trying to lift the title from Spadafora.
20:08I see a cut over the right eye of Spadafora.
20:12Step back clean, both of you.
20:13Step back clean.
20:14It doesn't look too bad.
20:15He's bleeding down the side of his face, so it's not in his vision, so I don't think the
20:22doctor is a dangerous cut, and it's not very dangerous at all.
20:24So, Griffin's getting the Spadafora, as you see blood straighter down the left side, right
20:31side of the championship.
20:32Sit down.
20:33Legs out.
20:34Paul.
20:35Paul, you're stationary, you.
20:36So, punch and spin, punch and spin.
20:39He's a strong guy, but he's not skillful.
20:40You've got to use your angles on him.
20:41All right?
20:42Let those combinations go.
20:43Here.
20:44Okay.
20:45How do you feel?
20:46Okay.
20:47How do you feel?
20:48Get that out.
20:49Okay.
20:50So, Griffin's getting the Spadafora, as you see blood straighter down the left side,
20:53right side of the championship.
20:54Sit down.
20:55Legs out.
20:56Paul.
20:57Paul, you're stationary, you.
20:59So, punch and spin, punch and spin.
21:01He's a strong guy, but he's not skillful.
21:03You've got to use your angles on him.
21:05All right?
21:06Let those combinations go.
21:08Here.
21:09Okay.
21:10How do you feel?
21:12Get that flow going, son.
21:14I don't want one punch at a time.
21:15I want four and five.
21:17Don't wrestle with him and don't bend at the waist.
21:19Stay upright.
21:20All right, Kevin.
21:21Let's take a look.
21:23It's a big headbutt that time by Griffin.
21:26So, that's how Spadafora got cut.
21:30You're first.
21:31There's a different angle, you can see.
21:33All right.
21:34The headbutt from Griffin.
21:35Let's get back inside the corner.
21:37Let's go.
21:38Let's go.
21:39Let's go.
21:40Let's go.
21:41Let's go.
21:42Let's go.
21:43Encounter when you spin.
21:44Keep spinning and countering.
21:45Let's go.
21:46Let's go.
21:47Let's go.
21:48Let's go.
21:49Give me the grease.
21:50Hey.
21:51We start the fourth round here.
21:52Paul Spadafora cut over his right eye because of a headbutt from Mike Griffith.
22:03Let's talk to Julie Letterman.
22:04Julie, how do you have the fight for him?
22:06Well, Fran, I see Griffith up by one round.
22:10As you can see, there is a cut.
22:12If we get through the fourth round, then this will go to the scorecard.
22:15So, let's just see what happens with that.
22:16But Griffith is the aggressor.
22:18I think the blood was starting to bother Spadafora.
22:21Griffith is moving forward.
22:22It's landing first, landing quicker shots.
22:25So, we'll see how this fight progresses.
22:27Okay.
22:28Griffith, at a time, gives us a slip.
22:30Without a knockdown.
22:35Break, break, break.
22:36Cut to be the opportunity to be in a bad or dangerous spot,
22:40which the fight could be stopped from the side of his face,
22:43but the blood could be bothering him.
22:46Um, it could enhance his performance,
22:49but this guy will adjust the hand cut.
22:51Griffith going to work down inside the corner.
22:56I have explored one round for Spadafora right now.
23:00I thought he won the last round.
23:02Just as a champion with a much action,
23:05but we made a tiny hit.
23:07Griffith told us the way he thought he could win the fight,
23:10going to Spadafora's body.
23:12What we haven't been seeing this evening,
23:15um, he's been mainly staying to Spadafora's head.
23:19Instead of mounting an early attack to Spadafora's body,
23:22which I thought...
23:24...the legs, there go one body punch.
23:27Um, we don't see a combination of body punch on the inside.
23:31Well, he's a tough guy to hit though, Kevin, too,
23:33because he moves around.
23:34Well, Spadafora is right in front of him for this fight.
23:36He hasn't had much leg movement,
23:39much spinning, or much turning.
23:41He is right in front of him.
23:43Which is rare for Spadafora to do.
23:45In between rounds, you heard Spadafora's crown,
23:48Jesse Reed tell him, move your feet,
23:50stand on the outside, and spin to the right.
23:53He said, Carl, you're standing too much in front of this guy.
23:56Well, what Spadafora is doing wrong is his outside right foot,
24:01and the left foot is inside Michael Griffith's left foot.
24:11Back right there.
24:12Spadafora is also...
24:14Griffith is backing up Spadafora.
24:16Spadafora is popping a jab, stepping to his right.
24:20Instead, he steps to his left,
24:21and after Michael Griffith hits him with the left right hand,
24:24and he just landed again.
24:26He's landing with the right hand all night in Spadafora.
24:30The blood now starting to smear over Spadafora's right eye.
24:39Griffith is not being deterred by a jab.
24:41No, he's cut.
24:42He's cut over the right eye as well.
24:44Griffith is cut.
24:46Griffith down, but that is not a knockdown.
24:48It's a slip.
24:51At the end of the fourth round.
24:53Both fighters cut.
24:55We'll see how it plays out.
24:57He's cut.
24:58He's cut.
24:59He's cut.
25:00He's cut.
25:01He's cut.
25:02He's cut.
25:03He's cut.
25:04Damn it.
25:05Turn this way.
25:06I'll take it.
25:07Just take this way.
25:08Do that.
25:09Don't worry about it.
25:10It's only good job.
25:11Just gotta stay in front.
25:12Get the jab working, and get off, and get back.
25:15The doctor's serious.
25:16Turn this way, Mike.
25:17The doctor's serious.
25:18There you go.
25:19I love you.
25:20Paul.
25:21Combination to stay to the right.
25:22You're staying in front of me.
25:23Spin your legs and go to work.
25:24I got it.
25:25I got it.
25:26Take it off.
25:27I'll get it.
25:28Hey, Paul.
25:29All right.
25:30Let's take a look at how Mike Griffith got cut.
25:32There you see the heads colliding right there.
25:35Kevin, with two fighters that stay in that close, Griffith especially, is this normal?
25:37Well, it's very normal.
25:38Spadafore is standing right in front of Griffith, which he thought he'd be moving this time.
25:55As we begin the fifth round, possibly the most important guys in both corners can be
26:02the two toughness.
26:06He's trying to get to a bloodbath right now.
26:08I wonder if the referees saw or acknowledged the headbutt of Griffith.
26:13That Griffith just got cut on the headbutt, and so does Spadafore.
26:18So both men have cut on headbutts.
26:20If it goes, if it goes in past the fourth round, it's allowed to go to the scorecards if
26:25the fighters stop for any reason.
26:27Griffith now with a one-two combination, and he jabs the left-hand and Spadafore is
26:34off.
26:35Tries to go to the body there.
26:39Like you said, Griffith has break for the center.
26:49There's a little bit of going out there.
26:51A little antics by his battle forward on the inside.
26:543-8, 8-8!
26:57Fight!
26:58Fight!
26:59Fight!
27:00Fight!
27:01Fight!
27:02Fight!
27:03Fight!
27:04Fight!
27:06Fight!
27:07Fight!
27:08Fight!
27:09Fight!
27:10This is actually turning into a pretty good fight,
27:13and a lot of viewers going probably as battle forward
27:16of sticking and moving to have a round of link.
27:20And Havan at this rink appears to be fighting a lot better
27:23videotape here than I've ever seen him fight on a videotape.
27:27At most of it.
27:28Great, great, great!
27:29Step back, please!
27:30He took for the IBC title,
27:31he fought for the U title,
27:33but he has some accountants to his credit,
27:35and he's done some things.
27:38He's definitely a danger at this 135.
27:43Well, he told us yesterday that he felt great,
27:46he felt relaxed, he felt stronger at 135.
27:50And Tom Gray, as trainer, acknowledged he probably should have
27:53been fighting down at 135 a lot sooner.
27:56So he said to me that he was at 140,
27:58and he couldn't get any fights.
28:00And that's why, that's the reason he fought at 147.
28:03Behind yourself!
28:04Maybe a lot of opponents thought that he was very dangerous.
28:07He just got the coming style and forward motion.
28:10He's very tough.
28:11He's hard to knock out.
28:20And in June of 99, Griffith was over.
28:24And Ireland taking like Shane Neri as fast forward gets off to the bottom.
28:29And they're going home.
28:30The crowd now showing some light.
28:33The fight is starting to get hot.
28:37And that Neri-Griffith fight, Neri winning at 142,
28:41Griffith at 137.
28:43But on the actual fight day, it was 160 for Neri and 146 for Griffith.
28:49Griffith was knocked out in the fourth round.
28:51And that's what he said he is.
28:52He had to drop down and wait.
28:54And it seems to be working for Michael Griffith tonight in Pittsburgh.
28:58He was at 147uição pret наб enter,
29:00from ForkWinBest.
29:01putting up the belmonta Pfford.
29:03He was hired for three rounds.
29:04He was at 157.
29:06He was!
29:07I want to 360-60 and look.
29:08He had to hit two, he's as fast as well.
29:09And he was, what are my biggest opening ahead!
29:10That was a round smile!
29:11Make that photo, too!
29:12Don't hit me!
29:13That was close.
29:14Again, thanks to Buffisonaux!
29:17Don't hit millions of dollars!
29:19So you guys got up.
29:23When he was having bail on board of college and you got theÂ
29:25defendants of Zaragoza,
29:27urgency because the thing is you just got to keep sliding in when you hit it don't stand there and
29:31just get your shots up running right into the punches all right when you get inside don't
29:37reach the hole bend down low and start digging down here okay baby you can do it yes paul just
29:44keep boxing him he's all yours he's over as he's starting to swing he took the car out of there
29:50we start round six of a 12-round lightweight championship between michael griffith and
30:05paul spatterboard in between rounds kevin i believe we heard mike laquatra griffith's veteran
30:12fight man showing that they may stop the fight after this round if the cuts are too severe i think
30:22it's just a spare time to get in between small 20 rounds i for the last round a spot of four
30:29but i think it's just a way to get him behind motivation when you see the blood now coming
30:35from the right side of griffith's head the cut man with their work cut out for him
30:42spanky de leo in spatterboard's corner and the proctor and griffith come on
30:47griffith's corner seems that spatterboard is starting to set the pace of the fight
30:53he's landing better punches he's landing combinations he's starting to find himself in the ring
30:59spatterboard lands and left uppercut
31:05nary has had some problems with cuts before in the fight back in july of 97 against raphael
31:16roales he needed four stitches to stop a cut and they ended that fight the second round
31:24he needed ten stitches to stop bleeding in a fight against desi ford back in august of 98
31:32he won that fight and then as we mentioned in the nary fight griffith needed nine stitches to stop a cut
31:40when he was stopped in the fourth round well here spatterboard is not known to be a heavy puncher
31:48he's not known to have a lot of knockout powers and uh he's not letting his hands go
31:52go to the points but i tell you griffith is definitely in this fight
31:59he's landing clean shots on the inside he landed to the bottom
32:03there's one punch i don't see on the better four which i'm very shocked i don't see
32:14i don't see the jack great great step back clean he's a boxer and i don't know why i don't see the
32:19jack play right
32:22also i haven't seen a lot of counterpunches from scouting for national special but
32:26maybe the pressure from when he looked good in front of his fans in his hometown
32:32trying to get a knockout here maybe that's why he's settled in he's trying to go power shots with
32:37his left hand
32:46griffith lands a right to the body as we come to a close here in the sixth round
32:51michael griffith very much alive and it's championship power
33:08you're looking good it's nice come on and you're looking at carl griffith
33:13the brother of michael griffith carl griffith was a boxer himself he lost to australia in 19
33:22he's the reason that michael griffith
33:24stay with the body get the head shot
33:29motivation always
33:30i don't know you got him you got him if you want to stay focused you guys all right
33:37you know now you're winning rounds keep winning them search and destroy
33:42energy all up shots all right up shots listen don't wrestle with him punch your way in and
33:47punch your way out and spin make him look like a fool all right
34:01the action's starting to heat up here now in the seventh round
34:04in that last round spadafora threw 50 punches landed 18
34:10griffith once again more active 78 punches thrown 24 landers
34:16one thing about griffith he's coming he's definitely coming
34:23it's hard to turn him from not walking forward spadafora is not utilizing a jab a lot which is
34:30allowing griffith to come forward big left hand that time by spadafor
34:40griffith did not seem to be ball hit by the left hand he landed
34:42he just keeps coming
34:48spadafora working the body jesse reed telling him in between rounds work the body and spin moves
34:57comes up with a left hook it seemed to be that uh battle four had two body shots and it looked to me that
35:05griffith rinsed a little bit so maybe he takes a great shot to the head but the key to this fight
35:10might be for spadafora to go to the body
35:14griffith has only been knocked out twice in his career he's had 29 fights once against luellis and the
35:21other time against jay neary as mentioned
35:42this is not unfamiliar territory kevin for paul spadafora in his last bout against victor
35:47sosa spadafora went down twice in the third round conceivably the fight could have been over
35:55the referee allowed spadafora quite a bit of time to regain his composure but spadafora told us
36:00yesterday he didn't get his legs back until the ninth round he was able to win a unanimous decision
36:06and retain his title but spadafora definitely has been in a situation where he's had to come back
36:11from being down well it comes to show that he's a true champion and a true champion because come back
36:18having no legs after nine rounds oh i can only imagine what he went to
36:22but i think even if spadafora misses the crowd will roar
36:50it's about a four starting to get to a groove here as we come to a close at the end of the seventh round
37:06just keep those hands working oh you have to win the box there you go you see what you got to do
37:12inside inside do not get to where you're just throwing one punch at a time throw four or five
37:17keep your hands working all right all right all right wait till you get up listen to me that was
37:30good but you can do better i want your hands you work combinations and i want a good jab you can bust
37:36him up and then move punch and move make him have a hard time fighting right now when he hangs on he's
37:43out hustling you with those box punching let's take a look kevin at his left hand action a lead left hand
37:49right there here's another angle he throws a nice straight left hand but he does not come back with
37:56anything so this is why snapping grippett's head back coming right back for more like he said he's tough
38:12spadafora comes out in the eighth round trying to pick up where he left off throwing the one two
38:18combinations
38:24julie letterman how do you have it through seven
38:27man i have a 67 66 spadafora spadafora now is going to combinations like you just saw the left
38:35hands um griffith must be aggressive in round one three and six but now spadafora is coming on with the
38:42left hand and he's winning the last round and this round and you can see right here what aggressive
38:48thanks julie kevin your thoughts i got a score at 65 68 spadafora oh for two rounds i could
38:55this started very close round but i gave the last round of spadafora he's starting to really pull
39:00heavily to the fight he's starting to land his left hand coming back with his hook
39:16Butch
39:24butch
39:25butch
39:25butch
39:26so
39:31and the crowd getting fired up.
39:36It seems to me this battle forward
39:38goes to Cricket's body.
39:41He slows Cricket down a great deal,
39:44but he doesn't go down there enough to the body.
39:46He's trying to stick to that hip
39:47with that straight up hand.
39:52It seems like Mike the Hamper
39:54does not like him to the body.
39:56Like they say, hit him in the bread basket.
40:15What has Michael Griffith
40:17gotten away from here in the game?
40:19Simply just attaching that
40:21the battle forward to pick up the pace a little bit.
40:23Going punches downstairs,
40:25breaking the punches upstairs,
40:27missing his punches up.
40:28He's listening to Jesse Lee as well
40:30by throwing combinations.
40:32Here's that battle forward.
40:33Battle forward is starting to pick the pace up.
40:35And Michael Griffith
40:36is starting to fall a little step behind.
40:41Both fighters trade shots to the head.
40:45Griffith missing right up.
40:46He's got a four now.
40:49And down the three-punch combination.
40:51Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
40:56Mike Griffith is also not sticking to what got him in.
40:59Straight right hands and left hooks.
41:00Battle forward trying to take control
41:02of this Ivy Ref lightweight championship box.
41:10Let's go!
41:13All right.
41:14What?
41:14you're working working working to get your shot in
41:43left hand and right hand I want some uppercuts inside come on don't
41:52have to wrestle with him that's what he wants
41:54our internet audience commenting on hand speed of fighters Mosley and Ming when they're there
42:14he's starting to use it now but his handspeed dominates all the time I haven't seen the speed that Spadafore has shown us in the past
42:28through eight rounds Griffiths has thrown nearly 100 more punches and he's landed nine more but Spadafore had a higher percentage of 20 and Griffiths is 24
42:40it seems to be Spadafore has wanted to go power punches rather than go fast quick combinations
42:48could be because we all in Pittsburgh he wants a knockout or it could be because he believes he's going to knock out of Michael Griffiths
42:58break clean break clean move for you break clean watch your hands break
43:02he told us against Sosa he got caught up in wanting to put on a show he wanted to take him out
43:08basically realized he needed to stay alive in that fight well that will get you in trouble
43:14trying to please others always get you in trouble trying to please others always get you in trouble
43:18you have to please yourself first before you can please anybody else
43:20blood now starting to trickle down the right side of Spadafore's face
43:24as he takes three shots from Griffiths
43:36Griffiths is now mounting an attack again
43:40Spadafore being he's abandoned the chest is allowing Griffiths to walk forward again
43:47and when Spadafore won the championship last year against Fido Fardona
43:54Fardona said that he expected Spadafore to run
43:58Spadafore has said I will do no such thanks stood in there and unanimously defeating Fardona for the belt
44:04and it looks like he has no plans of running tonight
44:11but this fight is not going as easy as Fido Fardona would
44:15Fido Fardona seemed to quickly get off
44:18Michael Griffiths gets off first
44:20he's attacking, he's costing, applying a lot of pressure to Spadafore
44:25Spadafore is not utilizing a jab like he used in a Fido Fardona fight
44:29he's abandoned the jab
44:31Griffiths bullies Spadafore into the corner
44:34well finding multi-weight is definitely helping him here
44:37he's used to big him in and strong him in
44:39there you see Spadafore trying to stay on the outside and slip around to the right side
44:52his plan to attack the body and he's sticking to it through nine
45:05punch
45:07punch off to the right when you're moving move to the right and punch and use your uppercuts
45:24Paul you're trying to reach out and wrestle with him you're fighting his fight you got to start getting your hands moving
45:30I'll work him inside while you have him
45:33Paul, move to the right
45:34look at me
45:35get into the flow
45:36start like you're hitting a speedball
45:37look at him
45:38don't even think of power
45:39look at me
45:40get around a little bit
45:41start moving your hands
45:42punch him inside
45:43it don't look as good as you can be
45:45now get busy
45:47one round
46:01give me one round
46:02give me one round
46:03give me one round
46:05give me one round
46:06check it out
46:10Spadafore's older brother Carl
46:13asking for one round
46:15Kevin
46:16hey
46:17I was talking about Spadafore earlier and I had told him the way he moves
46:25I told him nothing for his nationality but he reminds me of a little bit of white chocolate Jason Williams on the court
46:32with his movement
46:33he's got great lateral movement great hand speed
46:36move like point away
46:37Jason Williams the guard for the Sacramento Kings
46:40he's got great movement great tricks
46:43we're not seeing him tonight
46:45it seems like he's trying to get a knockout
46:49there was a headbutt that time from Spadafore
46:51and Griffith complaining to referee Ernie Sharif
47:01you have the guard that's up at all times
47:03he dropped his guard and Spadafore went right up
47:05and Griffith upset about the headbutt now blood trickling from his right eye
47:15the Cleveland-Pittsburgh rivalry heating up here in the 10th round
47:22this round
47:24back on the fade was just like he doesn't even have to go
47:27he thinks he's gonna do this
47:28but he has to be careful
47:32but as we've seen as well, that probably going happen
47:34with Griffith
47:36well, he's got to be careful about
47:38that cut
47:39looks worse now
47:40it's much further over the eyes
47:42I like to trickle into the eyes
47:44The doctors will probably look at it this round
47:46and consider whether they want his fight to continue
47:49Spadafora with a big left hand that time,
47:52and now the blood is coming down on Mike Griffin.
47:58The cut is wide open.
48:00It looks like it's about two inches,
48:02maybe two or three inches open
48:05and about three inches long, four inches long.
48:08It definitely was a headbutt that opened up
48:11the eye of Michael Griffin.
48:14Spadafora snaps his head back with a jab.
48:17I don't know if the doctors are going to allow this fight
48:20to continue.
48:21That cut is very bad in his eye.
48:23Very bad.
48:31I wonder if Spadafora is going to start aiming
48:35for the open cut.
48:37It seems that Griffith being cut now is in desperation.
48:40Griffith, two right uppercuts.
48:43He's in desperation.
48:47He knows that the doctor has stopped his fight.
48:53We've documented Griffith's problems
48:56with cuts in the past,
48:57and a headbutt here in the 10th round
49:00has opened up the right eye of Mike Griffin.
49:04the other side of his lady.
49:12Hey!
49:16Hey!
49:24Hey!
49:25Hey!
49:26All right.
49:27Let the doctor in here.
49:28Let the doctor in here.
49:29Let the doctor in here.
49:31Go in.
49:32Let us know what happened.
50:02Let's take a look at where the headbutt occurred, right there, in the tenth round, and Griffith
50:31immediately complaining, saying Spadafora caught him with his head and not a punch.
50:40Kevin, you saw the size of that cut.
50:42Do you agree with the doctor's call?
50:44Oh, yes.
50:45I mean, that cut was really open.
50:47It was big.
50:48It could have flood his vision.
50:51Look, it had gotten to his eye.
50:53The cut did it out worse.
50:54I mean, the cut is wide open.
50:56But people don't know that a boxing cut comes from the inside of his skin, not from the outside
51:03ink.
51:04So that cut is all the way down to the bone.
51:06All right.
51:07Julie, how do you have it?
51:09Brad, I have it 96-94.
51:13Paul Spadafora.
51:14This fight was back and forth, back and forth.
51:15I think the blood was affecting a lot of the fighters.
51:16But Paul was a lot stronger with his counterpunching.
51:17Griffith did have to move forward.
51:18So we'll see how the judges have this.
51:19But this one's close.
51:20All right, Julie, thank you.
51:35Our Internet audience also agrees with the decision to stop the fight.
51:39They believe it was fair.
51:45So now it's up to the judges' scorecards.
51:48Judge for yourself out there.
51:50We got it.
51:51You heard Tom Gray, Michael Griffith, trainer, saying,
51:56Judge for yourself.
51:57We got it.
51:58Griffith Corner believing they won the fight.
52:03Every round, baby.
52:05Every round.
52:11Kevin, regardless of what happened, what happened with the decision, not the way...
52:16Let's go in now to Ed Lover, who has the decision.
52:19Okay, ladies and gentlemen.
52:20Before we go to the official card, can we get a nice round of applause for both of these boxers?
52:25Okay, here we go.
52:26Judge Joe Pasquale from New Jersey scores about 95-95.
52:40Judge Fred Jones scores about 98-92.
52:47And Judge David DiPolo scores about 98-92 for the winner.
52:56And still, IBF World Lightweight Champion of the World, Paul P.K. Spatafora!
53:05All right, so Spatafora holds on to his championship belt, the winner by majority's decision after the fight was stopped in the 10th round.
53:28Let's take a look at the judges' scorecard.
53:33Kevin, what do you think there?
53:35Asquale had to fight 95-0, but two judges, so six-point differential.
53:40I had it scored four points of Spatafora ahead on the scorecards.
53:45I thought he had a little bit comfort of the lead, but like you say in Boston, you never know what the judges are watching.
53:51So, Paul Spatafora holds on to his belt. He moves to 30-0 in front of the home crowd here inside of Mellon Arena.
53:59Not the performance I think Spatafora would have liked to have had in front of the home crowd, but nonetheless, he goes home the victor.
54:06And in the earlier fight, we saw Clifford, ATN, do his thing against Lehman Brewster, an unbelievable 10-round heavyweight foul to kick off the premiere of KO Nation.
54:17Let's send it back now to Ed Lover. Ed?
54:20Okay, thank you very much. Pittsburgh, you've been a wonderful crowd. Give yourself a nice round of applause.
54:27We want to thank the viewers at HBO for helping us kick off KO Nation the right way.
54:32We want to thank the internet viewers for watching the show and voting for what they thought Paul Spatafora might walk out to.
54:39And we want to thank you to us, Pittsburgh, for making our first KO Nation a resounding success.
54:44Remember to keep God first. Everything else will fall into place.
54:48We'll see you next time on KO Nation. Bye-bye!
54:52We'll be right back!
55:09What's up.
55:11We'll be right back!
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