- 3 months ago
Fernando Vargas defends his IBF Jr Middleweight Title against Ross Thompson on HBO Boxing After Dark
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00We bring you back to ringside at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, which over the course of the past couple of years has become home to some of the biggest fights in the sport, including, of course, Felix Trinidad versus Oscar De La Hoya.
00:12Fernando Vargas got his huge win over Ike Quarté earlier this year to vault to superstar status.
00:19He'll be trying to protect and enhance that status when we see him coming to the ring in just a little bit.
00:24But while we're here in Las Vegas this week, we'd be remiss if we didn't take a moment to look back with sorrow on the passing of one of the sport's better-known referees here in Las Vegas this past week.
00:3633-year-old Mitch Halpern had grown as a referee in recent years and had been the third man in the ring for some of the biggest events to have taken place here in Nevada,
00:45including, as you see there, the second fight between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, including, as you see there, Oscar De La Hoya's pitched battle with Ike Quarté a couple of years ago.
00:56And earlier this week, apparently beset by personal problems, Mitch Halpern, for reasons we'll never fully understand, took his own life.
01:06So it is with great sadness that we comment now on the passing of Mitch Halpern. Larry?
01:11Well, he was a dedicated, very, very intense young man, almost joyless it sometimes seemed to me.
01:19One of the things we learned this week about him, something I never knew, that he had had well over 70 world title fights,
01:25and yet he continued to go to the gym to practice as a referee in sparring sessions, which shows just how serious he was about his craft.
01:36And there's a great deal of mourning in the boxing community, especially out here in Las Vegas.
01:43And now for the Nevada State Athletic Commission's response to the death of Halpern and other sorrows.
01:48Let's go into the ring for Michael Buffer.
01:54Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please.
01:56In this past week, the boxing world lost two of its best.
02:02On behalf of HBO Sports, the Nevada Commission, and main events, our heartfelt condolences to their families.
02:11At this time, we would like everyone to please remain silent as we toll a memorial ten bells
02:17for world-class referee Mitch Halpern and legendary former Nevada commissioner and chairman Duke Dearden.
02:26May they rest in peace.
02:54Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
02:56And so now, in the wake of that, we get ready to turn our attention back to the second fight of the evening,
03:08which will match Fernando Vargas against number one contender Ross Thompson.
03:13Now, if you were not with us at the beginning of the evening,
03:15you may not have seen our video of the dust-up that took place at the news conference a couple days ago.
03:20Let's quickly look back at what happened when Ross Thompson stormed onto the dais and tried to get a piece of Fernando Vargas
03:28before they could even get into the ring with each other.
03:30Conflicting reports as to exactly who hit whom, how many times.
03:34But there was blood in Vargas' mouth.
03:35There was blood in the mouth of Vargas' promoter, Gary Shaw.
03:38And Ross Thompson was the one who created all that.
03:41There are some who say, Manuel Stewart, that Ross Thompson came here with the specific purpose of creating that ruckus
03:48because perhaps he wanted to throw Vargas off-stride.
03:50Vargas is a young man who presents wildly mixed signals.
03:54He's had tremendous difficulty with his life outside the ring.
03:57He's facing a felony assault charge, presently unresolved, in his hometown of Oxnard, California.
04:02But in the ring, he's been unbelievably controlled and calm for a fighter of 21, 22 years old.
04:08So which one, Emanuel, is the real Fernando Vargas?
04:11Both are the real Fernando Vargas.
04:14First of all, Fernando Vargas got into boxing when he was 10 years old.
04:17Well, he was kicked out of school for fighting.
04:20And his parents got him to a boxing gym.
04:22He loves to fight.
04:23And both he and Ross Thompson come in the backgrounds of being street guys, so to say.
04:29But I've been with Fernando when he trained up at the Big Bear Crunk Gym.
04:33And he's a very, very tough kid when he's not in the gym.
04:39Okay?
04:39And when he's boxing, he's one of the most disciplined boxers I've ever saw.
04:42In fact, probably in professional boxing today, he's probably the most disciplined boxer.
04:46That includes all of the veteran fighters.
04:48Very patient.
04:49But outside of the ring, he does have a wild streak.
04:51The answer, of course, is keep him in the ring.
04:54And that's exactly what Ross Thompson wants to do when he gets in there with Vargas tonight.
04:59Larry, when this match was made, Thompson immediately began making obstreperous noise from his home in Buffalo
05:05and created so many instant headlines with his animosity toward Vargas that Vargas asked of some reporters,
05:11just exactly who is this guy anyway.
05:13And it's not a bad question.
05:15Who is this guy?
05:16He's an unknown underdog who, let's face the reality of it, has transfused some blood into what otherwise seemed like a lifeless exercise about to happen.
05:31He's an unusual young man in his background, some of which we'll go into later.
05:38But he's changed the question of the fight from, how did this guy get here?
05:42Who made him a mandatory challenger?
05:45Two, he said, what?
05:48He said, Vargas is a bum?
05:50An ordinary fighter?
05:52Overhyped?
05:53I guarantee a victory over him, which goaded Vargas into replying, he's a crackhead, and brought this counter, counterpunch.
06:04I'll crack him in the head.
06:06One of those uplifting street dialogues.
06:10Jim, it's a pretty good idea now for Thompson to have some bark to go with all that, or some bite, excuse me, to go with all of that bark.
06:20Yeah, and we'll see if he does as we get ready for the tail of the tape between Fernando Vargas and Ross Thompson.
06:28And you can see that Vargas remains one of the youngest champions in the sport of 22 years old, five years younger than Thompson.
06:35Vargas with an inch advantage in height, three inches of advantage in reach.
06:39They both struggled yesterday to make weight.
06:41Thompson had to take extra time after the weigh-in to go to a steam room and lose weight to get down under 154.
06:48And look at that, he's put on 20 pounds almost since the weigh-in yesterday.
06:53Vargas coming up to 163.
06:55I can't believe Ross Thompson's going to get into the ring at 173 pounds, a light heavyweight tonight, fighting in the junior middleweight division.
07:04Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Lederman.
07:07The ferocious Fernando Vargas-Ross Thompson fight is scheduled for 12 rounds using the unified rules of the Association of Boxing Commissions.
07:15There is no standing eight count, no three-knockdown rule.
07:18Only the referee can stop the fight, and you cannot be saved by the bell in any round, including the 12th and final round.
07:25Jim.
07:25All right, Harold.
07:28Now, Ross Thompson will not be able to pick a fight with Vargas before the opening bell here unless he wants to do it as Vargas comes into the ring.
07:38He can't walk in here like he walked onto the dais yesterday or two days ago and go striding right up to Vargas to make business.
07:47Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Ross Thompson.
07:51Emanuel, what does it say to you when a fighter puts on 20 pounds overnight?
08:06He can't walk in here.
08:36four fighting brothers who were introduced to boxing by their father long ago he fought as an
08:41amateur at nine years old eventually had a win over david reed in the amateurs when reed
08:47was a much younger fighter two of his older brothers who were boxers were killed in separate
08:53incidents 12 years ago he has great sorrow over that as well as over the death of his father at
08:58only age 52 and ross thompson sees his battle tonight as an emotional crusade on the part of
09:04all the boxers in his family i don't think there's any doubt about that jim that somehow this is
09:16this is the climax of his family's sad history so let's take a closer look larry
09:26we were all supposed to be champions he said
09:29in an almost painful way to us yesterday and now he's the only one left who's boxing and so he added
09:41that this night is for all of the family who had hoped one day to make it big in this game
09:49ross thompson waits in the ring for a fernando vargas who will enter the ring weighing according to
09:59the scales tonight 10 pounds less than thompson and vargas is no scrawny junior middleweight
10:10now in recent fights fernando vargas has been experimenting with theatrical entrances we call
10:16this the nazification of the sport and he is a participant in it so i'm told there'll be trumpets
10:26and there will be rap music and as you can see there's a lot of smoke
10:35but he is not smoke and mirrors he is real
10:40he's waiting for the trumpets to play right now before he'll enter so somebody cue the trumpets
10:48meanwhile jim he has promised
10:53to torture and then knock out thompson tonight right now he's upset because the walk-in isn't happening
11:02exactly the way he wanted something else
11:13he's
11:26This is a game when someone insults you
11:56You can legally beat him up for it, which is plainly what Vargas has on his mind I told you he's got a fight on his mind before the opening bell
12:26The man with the black skull cap on and the head of Vargas' entourage is world lightweight champion
12:52Zab Judah dominating the screen right at this moment
12:59They were teammates at the Olympics
13:01And you can see Mike Tyson behind Vargas at Fernando's right shoulder
13:07Tyson apparently with his left hand on Vargas' left shoulder
13:11And now Vargas breaks away from the entourage and comes into the ring
13:18And let's take a closer look at one of the spectacular young champions in boxing
13:26Just 22 years old, this is already his fifth title defense
13:33But two of his last three fights have gone the distance and the other one 11 rounds after a spring of knockouts
13:41So he has two hits left to Trinidad
13:46He has to beat Thompson tonight
13:48And then he has to resolve that felony dispute in his hometown in the next couple of weeks
13:56And as you watch this telecast, you can log on to www.hbo.com slash boxing
14:02Where you can score every round of tonight's fight and join a live chat
14:05Also listen to the live streamed trainer audio from last weekend's wild title fight between Prince Nassim Hamed and Augie Sanchez of Las Vegas
14:13Our newest feature captured all the poignancy and drama from that night
14:17So log on and hear it for yourself
14:20Let's go to Michael Buffer for the official introductions
14:23Ladies and gentlemen from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino of Las Vegas
14:2912 rounds of boxing for the IBF Junior Middleweight Championship of the World
14:39Presented by Main Events and Miller Lite in association with HBO Sports
14:45Sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission Chairman Dr. Elias Ghanom
14:49Commissioners Amy Ayug, Glenn Carano, Dr. Flip Womansky, and Dr. Luther Mack
14:54Executive Director Mark Ratner
14:56The three judges at ringside scoring this bout on the 10-point system will be
15:02Dr. Ruben Garcia, Chuck Jampa, and Jerry Roth
15:08And when the bell rings, your referee in charge of the action, Joe Cortez
15:14And now ladies and gentlemen from Mandalay Bay Resort Casino of Las Vegas
15:20For the thousands in attendance and the millions watching around the world
15:25This one's for Mitch and Duke
15:27Let's get ready to rumble
15:31Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, wearing black trimmed with silver
15:44He weighs 153 and one half pounds
15:47His professional record stands at 24 victories including 16 knockouts with 3 losses and a draw
15:55From Buffalo, New York, ladies and gentlemen, here is the challenger, the IBF number one ranked welterweight in the world, Ross the Boss Thompson!
16:12And his opponent across the ring, fighting out of the red corner, wearing black trimmed with white Aztec calendar, weighing in at 153 pounds
16:27This 1996 Olympic team member has a perfect professional record consisting of 19 bouts, 19 victories including 17 knockouts and he is recognized pound for pound among the best in the world today
16:44Plus he is the youngest to ever hold this title
16:48Ladies and gentlemen, from La Colonia boxing gym in Oxnard, California
16:53Presenting the reigning and defending undefeated IBF junior middleweight champion of the world
17:03The Aztec warrior ferocious, Fernando Vargas
17:12All right, this one is for Mitch, Mitch, we love you, we miss you
17:29Gentlemen, we went all the rules in that dressing room
17:32All right
17:33I expect a good clean fight
17:34Obey my commands at all time
17:36Any rough tactics, any enforcement, any enforcement-like conduct will cause you points
17:42Touch him up, God bless
17:44Touch him up, come here
17:45Come here
17:46Come here
17:47Hold
17:48Fernando
17:49Fernando
17:50Fernando
17:51He's refusing to touch gloves with Thompson
17:54Come here
17:55Come here
17:56Come here
17:57Come here
17:58Come here
17:59All gonna go
18:00All has been said
18:02This is turning out to be a very interesting fight
18:05Now let's see what gets done
18:07Yes
18:09As they would say, let the beatings begin
18:15How much more difficult did this assignment become for Vargas
18:19When Ross Thompson rose to 173 and a half pounds, Matty
18:23Yeah, a middleweight and a light heavyweight.
18:25Isn't that something?
18:26Fighting for the junior middleweight championship.
18:28In fact, a big middleweight even.
18:30A big middleweight and a light heavyweight fighting for the junior middleweight championship.
18:33Yes.
18:34This is the world of weigh-ins 30 hours before the fight.
18:38So, Vargas rocks Thompson with a left hook.
18:42But, you know, I don't think that Thompson has ever been knocked out,
18:45so he's going to be very interested to see what happens in this fight.
18:47Even after fighting fighters such as James Page,
18:51which is a physically big beltweight and a big puncher,
18:54he's still never been knocked out and I don't think ever seriously hurt.
18:57And the left hook lands from Thompson to Vargas,
19:00and Vargas smiles as if to say, it's on, brother.
19:04Well, in fighting Vargas, he's fighting what I think is one of the best counter-down fighters in the world.
19:09A very good, solid, basic fighter.
19:12And the speed and balance, I think, is going to be a big factor for Vargas as the fight goes on.
19:17In his two big wins over Yoriboy campus and Ike Quartey,
19:22Vargas was able to reap the dividends of a style that allowed him to stand back
19:28and wait as a stand-your-ground counter-puncher for guys who came at him
19:31and committed and gave him opportunities.
19:34It won't be the same tonight, according to Thompson.
19:36No, well, Thompson is an aggressive fighter.
19:38The only thing that I've noticed in studying films and roles,
19:41after he finishes up punches, he's off balance a lot.
19:43Very much on his heels when he finishes up punches.
19:47Vargas stepping inside with a left hook.
19:49Rocks Thompson back into the ropes and goes to attack him.
19:53Fernando Vargas loves to get his opponent against the ropes
19:55and muscle him with left hook to the body.
20:01See, every time that Ross throws a punch, he actually jumps and he fumbles in and loses his balance.
20:06And that's going to be a big disadvantage to him as his fight goes on.
20:10Because Fernando has very good balance.
20:12Very good balance.
20:13I think one of the best balance outfighters in boxing today.
20:20Vargas has landed his left hook twice in the first round.
20:23Come on, come on, come on, come on.
20:24Watch your hands inside.
20:26That's his biggest weapon.
20:29Digging it for the ribcage there.
20:30Joe Cortez says keep it up.
20:33Vargas short with the right hand.
20:34Thompson ties him up.
20:35Even motivated as he is by anger, Vargas doesn't storm his opponent.
20:48Nope, he's fighting a very patient fight.
20:50Shows his basic patience.
20:53And I have to give credit to Thompson.
20:55Thompson's fighting a very good fight.
20:56At this point, it's almost tit-for-tat.
20:59Even though Vargas is a little bit faster,
21:01a little bit of better balance,
21:02but Thompson is landing his own shirt.
21:06Thompson digging away with right hands to Vargas' body
21:09as Fernando leans in.
21:26Vargas' anger simmers to the surface again.
21:29If Thompson's goal is Fernando wild-eyed with Fury,
21:35he's accomplished that.
21:38And as we go to Vargas' corner,
21:40where trainer Eduardo Garcia speaks Spanish,
21:42our interpreter is Ray Torres.
21:44All right, very calm.
21:47You've got to work that left hand.
21:48Don't get overexcited.
21:49Be cool.
21:53You've got to keep working with that left hand.
21:55He's a son of a gun.
21:57He's going to get it.
21:58You've got to keep working with that.
22:00Come on.
22:01Then go with your stuff.
22:02Now, his head's going to move.
22:03His body ain't going to move.
22:05Don't be afraid to tap him on that body.
22:07He's about to burn very, very well.
22:09Very, very well.
22:10Just do it.
22:11Just do it.
22:11Fain him, fain him.
22:12Do what you're doing.
22:13You're doing it fine.
22:14A couple of left hands
22:15by Vargas in that round
22:17indicated the edge he has
22:20in quickness.
22:21Both occasions
22:24came away clean.
22:27And oftentimes,
22:28just because Wells has such a bad balance
22:30when he exchanges,
22:31it may look like he's being hurt
22:32because he falls off balance
22:33when he, in all actuality,
22:36isn't.
22:38It's interesting.
22:39That's something you learn all about
22:40when you're training Prince Nassim, huh?
22:41Balance.
22:44It's interesting that the punch
22:45that was missing to me
22:47singing in the first round
22:48was the left jab.
22:49No one was jabbing.
22:50Everyone was going
22:51for the knockout.
22:52And this round,
22:53Ross has come out
22:54and started to box a little bit.
22:56Thompson landing
22:57a couple of right hands
22:58to the body.
23:01Once again,
23:02Ross Thompson
23:02leaping in
23:03to throw punches.
23:04Suddenly from being a fight
23:07that really didn't appear
23:09on paper
23:09to be an interesting fight,
23:12this has turned out
23:12to be a very interesting
23:14and exciting fight.
23:15They trade left hooks
23:16and again,
23:16Thompson lunges forward
23:17and Vargas taps him
23:18with his right.
23:20Thompson is basically
23:21trying to get
23:22from what I see so far
23:25Vargas to do the leading.
23:30And Vargas is trying
23:31to make him do the leading.
23:33But I've studied
23:34the films of Thompson.
23:36Thompson is pretty much
23:36a guy who pretty much
23:37sets the tone.
23:38He doesn't play
23:39too much of a role.
23:40He's going to be,
23:41I think,
23:42more aggressive
23:42in the fight.
23:43Good right hand
23:44to the body
23:45by Vargas
23:45as Thompson once again
23:47was off balance
23:48having fired
23:49while leaping in.
23:54Vargas is taking
23:55his opportunities
23:56as they come
23:57when Thompson
23:59chooses to engage.
24:00Only Thompson
24:01has really begun
24:02to try to work
24:02the jab at all.
24:04And there he lands
24:04a straight right hand
24:06over the top
24:06on Vargas.
24:07This is turning out
24:08to be a very good fight.
24:10Definitely not
24:10a 30-to-1 fight
24:11the way that
24:12some of the odd
24:12makeers have made it.
24:13That's right.
24:13You know,
24:14when you consider
24:15that both guys
24:16had good amateur
24:16backgrounds,
24:18Thompson himself had,
24:19I think,
24:19about 90 fights,
24:20was three times
24:21national amateur champion.
24:23And he started boxing
24:24when he was about
24:24nine years old.
24:26The biggest disadvantage
24:27he's got probably
24:28is his inactivity level.
24:29Well,
24:30Thompson's losses
24:31were to Obacar,
24:32outstanding fighter.
24:33You've seen him
24:34against Oscar Deloitte
24:35and others.
24:36And that fight
24:37went the distance.
24:38Another loss
24:39was to James Page,
24:40who won a welterweight title.
24:42Hard puncher,
24:43good fighter,
24:43and that fight
24:44went the distance.
24:45Another loss
24:46was to Adrian Stone,
24:47who has been a contender
24:49and were it not
24:49for a bad loss
24:50against Vernon Forrest,
24:52would still be ranked
24:52as a contender.
24:53So Thompson's pedigree,
24:55even in the pros,
24:55isn't all that bad.
24:57That's correct.
24:57And you know,
24:58you really can see
24:59the difference
24:59between the 10 pounds
25:01and weight.
25:06So far,
25:07this fight
25:09resembles
25:09the American test
25:13for anti-missile weapons.
25:16There are more misses
25:17than hits.
25:19With bad intentions,
25:20though.
25:23Marcus has already
25:32scored once
25:33for hitting Thompson
25:33on the back of the head.
25:35Came close to doing it again.
25:38On Tuesday,
25:39September 12,
25:40Real Sports
25:41with Brian Gumbel returns.
25:42Among the stories,
25:43a look at controversial
25:44gymnastics guru,
25:45Bella Corolli,
25:46the leader of the United States
25:47women's team in Sydney,
25:48who's on a quest
25:49to recapture the magic
25:50of the Atlanta game.
25:51Also,
25:52an investigation
25:52in the Sammy Sosa's
25:53Charity Foundation,
25:55which is being scrutinized
25:56now for mismanagement
25:58of donations.
25:59Real sports
26:00where nothing
26:01is out of bounds.
26:02There you see them flailing away
26:15with left hand.
26:30So far,
26:31this fight has been
26:32the calm
26:33after the storm.
26:48Through round two,
26:50Vargas throwing punches
26:52sparingly.
26:52He's only thrown a total
26:53of 64 punches
26:54through two rounds,
26:56landing 26.
26:57Thompson throwing 81 punches
26:59through two rounds,
27:00landing 15.
27:01Those are CompuBox numbers.
27:02Remember,
27:03this is the same
27:03Fernando Vargas
27:04who,
27:04in beating Quarté,
27:06threw more than 90 punches
27:07in the 11th round
27:08and came back
27:09with nearly 100
27:09in the 12th.
27:10So he's a high-activity fighter
27:12when he's on.
27:13But he's not boxing,
27:14and I think he's gotten
27:15too wrapped up
27:16in the hype
27:16and it's his desire
27:18to knock out Thompson.
27:19But he's not even boxing.
27:21He's basically just fighting
27:22punch for punch.
27:23And in all honesty,
27:24to what I can see,
27:25I don't know what
27:25the scorecards are showing,
27:27Thompson is holding his arm.
27:28They flurry,
27:34they move apart,
27:35they flurry,
27:36they move apart.
27:38Neither man has been
27:39definitive in the exchanges
27:40so far.
27:44And Vargas is not
27:45using his jab
27:46to set up
27:47his other artillery.
27:48He's trying to just
27:48land big left hooks
27:50and counter right hands
27:51and straight right hand leads.
27:52And you could easily
27:53end up in another situation
27:54very similar
27:55to the last fight
27:56where both guys
27:56end up colliding heads.
27:57the way that they'll fight him.
28:00Oh, no,
28:01what a great night
28:01that would make it.
28:03Well, let's just have
28:04the possibility of that.
28:05No.
28:10Go, go, go.
28:18If the action
28:19stays slow like this,
28:21the booing will begin
28:22in about the 6th
28:23or the 7th.
28:27crowd here is
28:29profoundly pro-Vargas.
28:32You know,
28:32I wonder what it feels like
28:34for Ross Thompson
28:34to be in a fight like this.
28:35Not only what a
28:36pro-Vargas crowd,
28:39the promoter
28:40is Vargas' speaker.
28:42He's led into the ring
28:43by Zab Judah,
28:45one of the star
28:46young fighters
28:46coming up.
28:48also Mike Tyson
28:50is also
28:51leading Vargas
28:52into the ring.
28:53So already
28:54Vargas has been
28:56goaded
28:57into losing a point.
28:59Yep,
28:59Joe Cortez
29:00penalizing Vargas
29:01a point right there.
29:02for holding and hitting
29:06or for hitting
29:06behind the head?
29:07For hitting
29:07behind the head.
29:08Yeah,
29:08I think that's right.
29:10Vargas needs
29:11to settle down
29:12and take his time
29:12and needs the boxing.
29:13He's too emotional.
29:15There it is.
29:16Puts a left-right
29:17combination together
29:18just the way
29:19you're supposed to.
29:20Jeff Thompson
29:21goes there.
29:21He should box.
29:22Absolutely right.
29:26That's boxing.
29:28That was a combination.
29:29And Thompson
29:33grabs and holds
29:34as Vargas
29:35does damage
29:36along the ropes.
29:42Second knockdown
29:43comes just
29:44as the round
29:45comes to a close.
29:46Four,
29:47five,
29:49six,
29:50seven,
29:52eight.
29:53And Ross Thompson
29:54almost sat down
29:55when there was
29:55no chair
29:56underneath him.
29:58Vargas
29:59waiting in the
29:59neutral corner
30:00until he finally
30:01goes to his corner.
30:02Crowd comes to life.
30:03Fernando knocks down
30:04Ross Thompson
30:05twice in that round.
30:07Vargas has yet
30:08to go back
30:09to his corner
30:10even though
30:12the bell rang.
30:17I think Vargas
30:18is unaware
30:19that the round
30:19was over
30:20and was ready
30:21to go back
30:21and hit some more.
30:22Yeah,
30:23very, very emotional.
30:24That would have been
30:25a 10-7 round
30:26except that a point
30:27was taken away
30:28from Vargas
30:29so it becomes
30:30a 9-7 round
30:32for Vargas.
30:32How are you doing here?
30:33All right.
30:34One more,
30:34something else.
30:34Any fun of me?
30:35That second knockdown
30:36at the end of the round
30:37potentially critical
30:38on the scorecards.
30:39Here's another look,
30:40Larry.
30:42Very suddenly
30:43a high right hand
30:45and now Vargas
30:49comes out
30:49to see just how
30:51stable Thompson is
30:52early in the fourth round.
30:54better but not
30:56totally there.
30:58If Vargas can land
30:59another one-two
31:00he might have
31:01something going here.
31:03Thompson beginning
31:04to get his legs back
31:05and now throwing
31:07punches again.
31:08But it's just
31:09going to be a matter
31:09of time.
31:10He's still a little
31:10too slow
31:11and very vulnerable
31:11to Vargas'
31:12short punches.
31:14I just hope that
31:15Vargas doesn't get
31:15too excited
31:16and do anything
31:16that can possibly
31:17get him this
31:18follow-time.
31:18Well,
31:18he needs to set up
31:19with the left
31:20and throw the right
31:21and he does it again
31:21and there's the third
31:23knockdown of the fight
31:24and Fernando Vargas
31:25is buzzing with energy
31:27and Thompson starts
31:29yelling at Vargas
31:30again as he gets up.
31:34I guess Vargas
31:35isn't mad enough
31:36to shoot Thompson.
31:37He wants him more so.
31:40Fernando wants to
31:41finish right now.
31:42Thompson wants to
31:42hold on.
31:43Joe Cortez
31:44rocking closely
31:45and this is going
31:46to be it.
31:48Fernando Vargas
31:49with another
31:51fiery rim statement.
32:01Vargas knocks out
32:02a fighter
32:02who outweighed him
32:04by 10 pounds
32:05coming into the rack.
32:06That was a very
32:06impressive knockout
32:07to me.
32:08A beautiful
32:08short combination
32:09very long distance
32:11and he and
32:14there's going to be
32:15one good fight.
32:17I'm not sure
32:18he's satisfied
32:18to knock Thompson
32:19out once.
32:20He wants to go back
32:21and knock him out again
32:22a second time.
32:22What he's yelling at him
32:23is who's a bum now?
32:26Who's a bum now?
32:38All that emotion.
32:40All that fire.
32:41You can harness it
32:42the right way,
32:43Emmanuel.
32:44He's a fantastic
32:45fighter.
32:45In fact,
32:46he's maybe
32:47my favorite fighter
32:48next to probably
32:48Lennox
32:49and Nassim Ahmed
32:50and Felix Trinidad.
32:52And the thing
32:53that's so beautiful
32:53about Fernando,
32:55he loves to fight.
32:57The same as
32:57Felix Trinidad.
32:59Felix Trinidad
33:00loves to fight.
33:01And that's what's
33:02going to make us
33:02a great fight
33:03for most of the fight.
33:04It might be
33:04December 2.
33:05It might be
33:06December 9.
33:07It'll certainly
33:07be the attraction
33:08of the year,
33:09Larry.
33:10It's a big one.
33:11It'll be a great
33:12one to end the year
33:13on.
33:18And instead
33:19of this becoming
33:20a routine victory,
33:22this one will
33:23launch him
33:24toward Trinidad
33:26because in round
33:28three we're showing
33:30you the knockdowns
33:33in round three
33:34first so that you
33:35can catch that
33:36again.
33:38That was the second
33:39knockdown in round
33:40three.
33:40Nope.
33:41That was round
33:41four, Larry.
33:42We're in round
33:43four, Larry.
33:43All right, well
33:45we're getting
33:46different advice
33:47from the truck.
33:48That was round
33:49four.
33:49Finally, you can
33:50see Thompson
33:54submitting
33:55with his
33:59blinking eyelids.
34:00Vargas
34:00taunting him
34:02right now.
34:06And then this
34:07is the flurry
34:08that ended
34:08the fight
34:09and prompted
34:10Joe Cortez
34:11to stop it
34:12as Thompson
34:13couldn't hold
34:13on and Vargas
34:14started going
34:15to work
34:16left and right.
34:18Even though Thompson
34:19was not physically
34:20able to compete
34:21any longer,
34:21he still was
34:22mentally and
34:23emotionally still
34:24very upset
34:25and still fighting
34:26back, but he just
34:27couldn't fight
34:27back physically.
34:37The flurry
34:38of punches
34:38once again,
34:39unanswered
34:40by Thompson.
34:41Cortez
34:42stepping in
34:42to call a halt
34:43after Vargas
34:44had knocked
34:45Thompson down
34:46three times.
34:47And now let's
34:48go to ring announcer
34:49Michael Buffer
34:49for the official
34:50particulars
34:51on the TKO.
34:52Ladies and gentlemen,
34:53referee Joe Cortez
34:55has to step in
34:56and call a halt
34:58of the bout.
34:59The official time,
35:00one minute,
35:01seven seconds
35:02of round number
35:03four.
35:04The winner
35:04with victory
35:05number 20
35:06in 20 bouts,
35:08he is still
35:09the reigning
35:10and defending
35:11undefeated
35:12RBF junior
35:13middleweight
35:15captain of the
35:16world
35:17from La Calonia
35:18Boxing
35:19Jim Oxfam,
35:20California,
35:21Perocious
35:22Fernando Vargas.
35:27Final CompuBox numbers
35:42and you can see
35:44that Fernando Vargas
35:45more than doubled
35:47Ross Thompson
35:48in punches.
35:49Landed only
35:50through 106
35:50so he landed
35:51at a connect rate
35:52of 49%.
35:53In retrospect,
35:55a very patient
35:56performance
35:56by a fighter
35:57who's capable
35:57of throwing upward
35:59of 90 punches
36:00around
36:00when he's engaged
36:02in a fluid
36:02give and take.
36:03Here,
36:04they fought
36:04in flurries
36:05and Vargas
36:06made the most of it.
36:07Let's go to Larry
36:08Merchant on the ring.
36:09Thank you very much,
36:10Jim.
36:10Congratulations,
36:12Fernando.
36:14This had the look
36:15of a routine tune-up
36:17going into
36:19the biggest fight
36:21of your life
36:21in December
36:22with Trinidad.
36:23What did it become
36:24for you?
36:25Well, you know,
36:25definitely,
36:26that's what it was.
36:26You know,
36:27Ross Thompson
36:28said a lot of things.
36:30Got me pretty pissed
36:31off outside the ring.
36:33But I've told you before,
36:34I've never lost
36:34my head inside the ring.
36:36I'm not saying
36:36outside the ring
36:37that I haven't.
36:38But inside the ring,
36:40I've always been able
36:41to keep my cool.
36:44The early rounds,
36:45what did you see?
36:46What kind of a,
36:48what were you confronted
36:49with?
36:50Did you think
36:51you would get to him
36:51that quickly
36:52because he seemed
36:53to not want
36:55to get into
36:55any real exchanges
36:56with you?
36:57I know,
36:57Ross Thompson's
36:57never been knocked out,
36:58never been down.
36:59I think that shows
37:00what type of
37:01junior middleweight
37:02I am.
37:04For your information,
37:05did you know
37:05that he came into
37:06the ring weighing
37:07173 pounds?
37:08No,
37:09I didn't.
37:10Well,
37:10it doesn't really matter.
37:12I feel that I could
37:13take a good shot.
37:14I've never been down
37:15in my life.
37:15I've never been hurt.
37:16So, you know,
37:18I definitely am
37:18happy with my performance,
37:19but it's bound to
37:20bigger and better things,
37:21Larry.
37:22All right.
37:23We have this
37:23on our monitor.
37:25Would you
37:26explain to us
37:27what happened here
37:29at the end of the fight?
37:30Well, you know,
37:31I had him hurt.
37:32So I was just
37:32trying to weigh
37:33down a good shot
37:33and, you know,
37:35I was trying to
37:36set him up
37:36with some shots.
37:38I took that
37:38right hand down
37:39and that's a shot
37:40that my junior
37:40Lordo Garcia
37:41taught me
37:42and said
37:42that people
37:43are going to
37:43mimic your
37:44shots when
37:46you pull down
37:48the guard
37:49on somebody
37:49like I did.
37:51And you know
37:51how to show
37:51what type of fighter
37:53I was.
37:53You know,
37:54he said
37:54I was nothing.
37:55He said
37:56that I was
37:56no type of fighter,
37:58that I was a chump.
37:59I guess this chump
38:00could fight
38:00a little bit.
38:01Were you ever
38:02as angry
38:03going into a fight
38:04before?
38:05I was angry,
38:06I think,
38:06with the fight
38:07with Omarquez
38:08but angrier
38:08for this one.
38:10He just
38:11disrespected me
38:12left and right
38:12and I think
38:14I just showed
38:14what type of fighter
38:15I was.
38:15I had to show
38:16him that
38:16an Aztec warrior
38:18doesn't go down
38:19for anything
38:19when he goes out
38:20there and fight.
38:20Did you think
38:22that, well,
38:22what he's really
38:23trying to do
38:24is not psych you
38:25out
38:26but psych himself up?
38:27I think he was
38:28definitely trying
38:28to psych himself up
38:29but I know
38:30that I'm,
38:31I mean,
38:32I fought the best
38:32and the hardest
38:33fighters in my division,
38:34Larry,
38:34and I will not
38:35duck anyone.
38:36At the end of my career
38:37I want to say
38:38to myself,
38:38Fernando,
38:39I'm content.
38:41Am I content
38:42with my career?
38:43I'm going to say
38:44to myself I am
38:44because I fought
38:45everybody.
38:46Now we're moving
38:46on to bigger
38:47and better things
38:47and I think
38:48you know
38:48what I mean,
38:48Larry.
38:49All right.
38:50Talk for a moment
38:51about Felix Trinidad.
38:54You guys are pals?
38:56You know what?
38:56I met Felix Trinidad
38:57as a kid.
38:58As a kid
38:59I was just an amateur
39:00and he was the nicest
39:01guy in the world
39:02and I think he's
39:03a great human being
39:04and I think that
39:06in the ring
39:08there's no friends.
39:09In the ring
39:10when we fight
39:10you're going to see
39:11two lions
39:12fighting over two stakes
39:13and that stake
39:14is his belt
39:14and his belt
39:15and when I step
39:18into the ring
39:19I'm going to be
39:19his worst enemy
39:20he's ever had,
39:21worst nightmare
39:22and I know
39:22that he's going
39:23to be mine
39:23so I just want
39:25to be in there
39:25and show
39:26what type of fighter
39:27I am.
39:27I want to beat
39:28these guys.
39:28I'm not afraid
39:29of any fighter
39:29and that's why
39:30I step up
39:30to the plate,
39:30Larry.
39:31Thank you very much.
39:32Congratulations again.
39:33Brother Boucher
39:34we did it one more time.
39:35All right.
39:36Just this final comment.
39:39It occurred to me
39:40that Mr. Shakespeare
39:42had this right
39:44400 years ago
39:45when he said
39:46about a mouthy warrior
39:49thy thundereth
39:51with thy tongue
39:52but thy sword
39:54withdraw it all.
39:56Another way of saying
39:58when you talk the talk
40:00you better be able
40:02to walk the walk
40:04and fight the fight
40:05we saw tonight
40:07that only one
40:09of these fighters
40:10could fight
40:11the real fight.
40:13Jim?
40:14All right, Larry.
40:15Let's take a quick look
40:16at how the judges
40:16scored the first
40:17three rounds.
40:18Judge Garcia
40:19gave eight points
40:20to Ross Thompson
40:21in round three.
40:22The other two judges
40:22both giving only
40:24seven points
40:25to Ross Thompson
40:26in round three
40:26as was the norm.
40:27All three judges
40:28found Thompson
40:29winning a round
40:30thus Vargas'
40:31small margins
40:32after three rounds
40:33en route
40:33to a fourth round
40:34TKO.
40:35But this is behind us.
40:36Let's start
40:37the three and a half
40:37month build up
40:38now to what might be
40:39the fight of the year
40:40between Fernando Vargas
40:41and Felix Trinidad.
40:42Manny, the way I see it
40:44Trinidad is a hard puncher
40:46with both hands
40:46slow starter
40:47but maybe a harder puncher
40:49than Fernando.
40:50Fernando is more fluid
40:51moves better in the ring
40:52it seems to me.
40:53How do you see the fight?
40:54What kind of a battle
40:55should it be?
40:56It's a very interesting fight
40:57because they pitched
40:58my two favorite fighters
40:59in that weight area
41:00together.
41:01And what makes it
41:02interesting
41:02not only are both
41:03guys are good fighters
41:04but they both love
41:05to fight.
41:06I think these are guys
41:07that even if the money
41:08wasn't even involved
41:09they would love
41:10to fight each other.
41:11But also
41:11it's such spirit
41:12and high emotions
41:13are going to be
41:14involved in the fight.
41:15I see the fight
41:16basically normally
41:17in everything else
41:18going towards Trinidad.
41:20Then you think
41:20for a moment
41:21Trinidad is a little
41:23shaky early
41:23in the real fight
41:24when he starts off.
41:26Fernando Vargas
41:26is very dangerous
41:27at all times
41:28and it's going to be
41:29very interesting
41:29to see what happens
41:30the first five rounds
41:31of a fight.
41:32But right now
41:32I'm like right down
41:33the middle
41:34but it's going to be
41:34a very explosive fight
41:36with a lot of emotions
41:37involved
41:37the Mexican
41:38Puerto Rican rivalry
41:39and this and that
41:40and you got Vargas
41:41with this personal thing
41:42against Oscar De La Hoya
41:43where he's going to do
41:44what Oscar didn't do
41:45and all of that
41:46and he's not going to be
41:46a running Mexican
41:47and all of that
41:47so it's going to be
41:48a great exciting fight.
41:49One final thing
41:50I thought
41:51when Vargas' Olympic classmate
41:53David Reed fought Trinidad
41:54that he was physically
41:55ready for Felix
41:56but not mentally ready
41:57for him.
41:58This is a different thing
41:59right?
42:00Fernando Vargas
42:01is a legitimate
42:01junior middleweight
42:02in fact
42:03I'm really concerned
42:04about him
42:04even holding
42:05the junior middleweight
42:05he's a very strong kid
42:07grown a lot
42:08very thick
42:09and I believe
42:10that Trinidad
42:11is going to be
42:11in a very dangerous
42:12situation
42:13in the first part
42:13of the fight
42:14because Fernando
42:15not only punches good
42:16but he has good balance
42:17good instincts
42:18and if he can get
42:19Felix when Felix
42:20is very vulnerable
42:21in the first part
42:21unlike when David Reed
42:23had him hurt
42:23and David backed off
42:24and waited
42:25Felix is going to be
42:26in big trouble
42:27because Fernando
42:27is going to go all out
42:28stay tuned
42:29it's likely to happen
42:30December 2
42:31or December 9
42:33of this year
42:34we'll have a final word
42:35on what took place
42:36in boxing here
42:37in Las Vegas
42:37tonight in a moment
42:38let's look ahead
42:39to some upcoming programs
42:40two heated matchups
42:42on one explosive night
42:44that's the heart and soul
42:45of boxing after dark
42:47now gutsy former champ
42:49Kevin Kelly
42:49who burns for another crown
42:51and dynamic undefeated champion
42:52Eric Morales
42:53battle at fever pitch
42:55for the world featherweight title
42:56plus unbeaten junior lightweight title holder
42:59Diego Corrales
43:00dances with the devil
43:01as he defends
43:02against the blazing fury
43:03of Angel El Diablo Manfredi
43:05it all happens live
43:06Saturday September 2
43:08HBO Boxing After Dark
43:10Dan if you're going to be a part
43:12of the inside the NFL team
43:14it's critical that you understand
43:15our game plan
43:16first the formation
43:17Nick is wide left
43:18I'm split right
43:19and Lenny and Chris
43:21they sort of clog up the mill
43:22you're in the rookie seat
43:23know your assignment
43:24get the job done
43:25no mistakes
43:26and another thing Dan
43:27no slouching
43:28sit up
43:29now look at the perfect form
43:31that Chris displays here
43:32the hand gesture
43:33never speak without a hand gesture
43:35and you've got to come up
43:36with your own signature move
43:37something like
43:38like this
43:38and Dan you have to begin
43:40every sentence with
43:41when I play the game
43:42because the viewers love that
43:44okay let's practice
43:45you've got to be ready
43:46for anything
43:47Dan Marino
43:48looking to make his mark
43:49on inside the NFL
43:50premieres Thursday night
43:52at 8 and 1130 on HBO
43:53now when I play the game
43:55Saturday September 9
43:58HBO's newest boxing series
44:00KO Nation is back
44:01watch as Clifford Etienne
44:02takes on Cliff Houser
44:03and Bronco McCart
44:04goes up against
44:05Ronald Winky Wright
44:06don't miss it
44:07on HBO
44:08the heart and soul
44:08of boxing
44:09on September 12
44:10catch the premiere
44:11of Real Sports
44:11with Bryant Gumbel
44:12among the stories
44:13a look at
44:13controversial gymnastics
44:14coach Bellacaroli
44:15and his quest for gold
44:16for the US women's team
44:17in Australia
44:17and a look at
44:19Sammy Sosa's
44:20charity foundation
44:20being investigated
44:22for mismanagement
44:22of donations
44:23Real Sports
44:24where nothing
44:25is out of bounds
44:26once again
44:27earlier this evening
44:28you saw a big
44:29disappointment
44:29in the first fight
44:30of the evening
44:31as Vernon Forrest
44:32and Raul Frank
44:33fought for a vacant
44:34welterweight title
44:35and it remains vacant
44:36after the two
44:37butted heads
44:38in the third round
44:39and produced
44:40a no contest
44:42so then
44:44Fernando Vargas
44:45had to take
44:46center stage
44:47and try to provide
44:47the evening's excitement
44:48and going in
44:49against a Ross Thompson
44:50who had goaded him
44:51and baited him
44:52in the days leading up
44:53to the fight
44:53and overwhelmingly
44:54angry Vargas
44:56pounded Thompson out
44:57for a fourth round
44:58technical knockout
44:59he's unbeaten
45:01looking ahead
45:01to Felix Trinidad
45:02coming up
45:03immediately following
45:04our show
45:04stay tuned for Arliss
45:05followed by Oz
45:07and now for the
45:08entire HBO crew
45:09I'm Jim Lampley
45:10saying so long
45:11from Las Vegas, Nevada
45:12the executive producer
45:14of HBO Sports
45:15is Ross Greenberg
45:15tonight's edition
45:16of Boxing After Dark
45:17was produced by
45:18Kendall Reed
45:18and directed by
45:19Mark Payton
45:20associate directors
45:22John Crystal
45:23and Thomas Erdelfelt
45:24assistant to the producer
45:25George Jakovic
45:26production manager
45:27Mark Hayden
45:28technical supervisor
45:29Roy Otake
45:30and the technical director
45:32Doug Gess
45:53and the technical director
45:54was worked with
46:10and he was
46:13in the podcast
46:14and he was
46:18in the podcast
46:18and he was
46:20in the podcast
46:22This has been a presentation of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
46:43Next on HBO, behind every great pro athlete, there's a great sports agent, Robert Walsh.
Be the first to comment