- 2 months ago
Johnny Tapia returns to face Famosito Gomez in a Super Bantamweight Fight on Showtime Boxing, in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico
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00:00Well this evening our venue the Albuquerque Convention Center the fans anxiously await our main event
00:06But first let's get it up to our ring announcer Jimmy Lennon jr. For a special remembrance
00:14Ladies and gentlemen your attention please for a solemn moment as at this time we bring to your attention that the boxing community
00:22Lost a popular and respected friend this last week when Phil Berger lost his battle
00:30With cancer the former boxing writer for the new york times was also an accomplished
00:36Author and screenwriter among as many accomplishments he wrote blood season mike tyson and the world of boxing and he
00:44Collaborated with joe frazier and larry holmes on their autobiographies
00:48Recently phil also wrote the screenplay for price of glory a feature film about the life in the world of boxing
00:55Phil was a devoted father and one of boxing's true gentlemen, and he will be dearly missed
01:02Ladies and gentlemen at this time we ask you to please stand
01:05Remain silent as our timekeeper tolls 10 in honor of phil berger
01:11Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen may God rest his soul
01:33And we here at showtime extend our deepest condolences to the family of phil berger who is survived by his daughter julia mother fanny sister
01:43Cynthia and loving partner veronica he will be missed
01:49Coming up next from the convention center in albuquerque our main event johnny tapia comes home to fight famacito
01:56gomez
01:58Well, johnny tapia is at the crossroads of his career after holding or vying for a title in 25 of his last 26 fights dating back to
02:071994 tapia finds himself in unfamiliar territory
02:11His battles with weight and time have left him without a title his battles with paulie ayala may have stripped him of his feeling of invincibility
02:18But he is wiser for the experience as he prepares for the future and his quest for a fifth world title in the third weight class
02:28And the new wba vantamweight champion paulie
02:39Ayala
02:41At the age of 34 four-time world champion johnny tapia is now facing the many obstacles of an aging fighter
02:48My age is just a number i really enjoy what i do i i enjoyed it this long and i still got the hunger for the game
02:56So that's why i'm starting here for the first time in his brilliant 13-year career he has to deal with defeat
03:02Having recently lost his title and two disputed decisions to paulie ayala winning's everything to me
03:08i don't like the second place
03:11uh coming in second place because that's not me but
03:14you know when you take a loss you can't keep a good man down you got to get back up on that horse it's like falling off a horse
03:19if you fall you got to get back right on it and ride it again having won championships at 115 and 118 pounds
03:26these weight classes are now a distant memory for despite fighting tonight at the 124 pound range
03:32making weight for the five foot six inch tapia remains an arduous endeavor
03:36yeah i don't like guys at all but i think the hunger out of the meanest though my wife don't like me then but
03:45changes your pocket changes your looks it changes your act i just don't like it i just hate starving
03:51and once he does make the super bantamweight limit his quest for a fifth world title will pit him against
03:56bigger stronger and harder hitting opponents when you go up higher the guys hit a lot harder
04:02so you gotta look at the film to see what they have so that you can study them to see which way
04:09you can go without getting hit with that one solid punch as he embarks on this final chapter of his
04:15career will johnny tapia overcome the obstacles of age and weight will he be able to psychologically
04:21rebound from his two defeats and be able to conquer bigger opponents tonight will provide him and us
04:27some of the answers i try to overcome life every day i know what i've been through you know i've been
04:32through a lot of tragedy in my life i've done everything you basically can think of and i'm still alive today
04:44so now the questions remain is tapia ready to step up to his third weight class and challenge for
04:49that fifth world title and of greater significance in a life that was once spinning out of control
04:54will he continue to stay on the right path back here with my partner bobby ches what are tapia's
04:59prospects for the future and how difficult will it be for him to achieve his goal well i think his
05:05prospects for the future are probably limitless right now up to a degree he's an exceptional was
05:09an exceptional world champion not just an ordinary world champion in several different weight divisions
05:13four times he's colorful he's bankable and he's popular now i think him winning a fifth world title
05:18is a no-brainer 75 to 80 percent of a johnny tapia in his prime beats an ordinary champion and today in his
05:24prime the thing that's going to be a problem with johnny tapia if he takes one of the bigger fighters
05:28that's in his prime that's also exceptional he could have bitten off a little more than he can
05:32chew all right let's get your keys to victory for tapia gomez johnny tapia is looking to stay
05:37sharp in his quest for yet another world title while gomez tries to play the spoiler
05:44for johnny tapia overall speed is always a key hands and feet he's blazing also box smart from the
05:49outside gomez cannot keep up with him from a boxing standpoint and lastly counter punch effectively he's
05:55a great counter puncher here against torres torres going to come in throw a right uppercut which johnny's
06:00going to block almost effortlessly and he's going to wait on him for a double left hook first to the
06:04head then to the body here he blocks the uppercut no problem and he waits on torres just waits on him
06:11and he feels him there's the left hook to the head then the body now torres is going to try and
06:16attempt another overhand right that johnny's going to get out of the way of and he's going to fire
06:20back johnny is so good at it he'll fire right hand to the side of the head then he'll throw another
06:24double left hook and basically counter punch torres right to the floor
06:32again he goes to the body back to the head and the right hand basically you just counter
06:36punches him going backward which is very difficult to do right to the floor
06:39gomez needs to take the fight to the inside he can't beat johnny from the outside in any way shape
06:49or form and work the body maybe slow down johnny's legs and arms and also he's got a pretty good right
06:54hand with a little pop on it see this distance is not where gomez needs to be he needs to close that gap
07:01and get inside he can't win the fight from the outside with johnny here he throws a nice lead right hand
07:05against ackerman which lands very effectively all right now he's moved in with that right hand he
07:12came in and now that gap is shut he throws a nice uppercut and left hook on the inside he has a little
07:17bit of power and ackerman tastes some canvas
07:23he's got to get inside and work johnny hard or he's gonna have a long long night
07:26as this fight draws closer the fans getting uh antsy here is famacito gobez from mexico city
07:37famacito means the little famous one his father a former fighter was the famous one famoso he has
07:43not sidestepped the tough opposition including tapia nemesis corny ayala and jorge julio although
07:49losing the vote he lost to ayala by close decision he's 12 and one since he has won numerous
07:55minor titles former mexican flyweight bantamweight champ but in his lone world title appearance
08:00lost by majority decision to then wbc bantamweight champ and local favorite yasui yakushiji in japan
08:07in 95. bobby he is experienced he's got a quality of opposition he's got four more fights than tapia
08:14but he comes off a tko loss to a relative unknown he cuts easily he's fought mostly at 118 or lower
08:21he's on tapia's turf he doesn't have the quickness of tapia is he is he just in over his head or do
08:27you see things about him that can diffuse tapia's stretch well steve on paper it appears that this is
08:32just a tune-up a showcase for tapia but sometimes tune-ups have their own ideas johnny tapia hasn't
08:38prepared well he's wrestling in his world don't miss becoming here he's tough he's reportedly in very
08:43good shape he's got a little pop on his punches but i'll tell you what here in albuquerque i would
08:47be shot if johnny tapia can lose the decision well he's up against it isn't he famicito
08:54gomez from mexico city the crowd is wrapped up for the always theatrical thunderous entrance of johnny tapia
09:13so
09:24so
09:28Oh, my God.
09:58There he is, he says here in Albuquerque, the crowd goes so crazy, the adrenaline's
10:16gone.
10:17It's really hard to keep your cool when you get into the ring.
10:21Keep your emotions in check.
10:22His plan is to stay focused, but it is tough.
10:25As he fights through that crowd, crowd of fans and friends who just want to get a touch
10:32of Johnny Tapia as he tries to make his way to the ring.
10:36Funny, is there a danger of Tapia being too caught up?
10:40Let's see, one of the things that Tapia addressed in our meetings was the fact that, number one,
10:45he can't let his desire to get back into title contention please his hometown crowd, the
10:50inspiration to deploy Al's decision, and his natural, emotional, passionate behavior,
10:55let him get out of his game.
10:57If he does, I'll tell you what, he's in that problem.
10:59And Mr. Gomez has to wait it out.
11:02Doing some shadowboxing while he waits for Tapia to finally get through the ropes, and there he is.
11:07And some last-second praying.
11:17I'll tell you what, one thing about Johnny Tapia, it's like every other fighter,
11:20when you get hit that first really good shot, sometimes you revert back to what comes natural,
11:24and he does like to grow.
11:26At 34, time running thin.
11:31Is a preparation fight like this for a world title though really necessary for him?
11:36Even at 34, he has to stay sharp, keep making money, and do what he needs to do to keep himself right.
11:42He can't take every fight out of the box against a top contender or a champion.
11:45That's too tough on the body.
11:47All right, Bobby, let's size him up as we go to the tail of the tape.
11:51Tapia turned 34 last month, four years older than Gomez, who goes five, two and a half,
11:57giving away four inches in height.
11:59Tapia, three-inch reach advantage at yesterday's weigh-in, both equaling their heaviest fight time weights.
12:04Tapia, a plus six at 130.
12:06Gomez, no change, 123.
12:08Unified rules, no standing eight count, no three knockdown rule.
12:12A fighter can have to be saved by the bell in any round.
12:14If an accidental head fight occurs before the end of the fourth, it's a no contest.
12:17After the end of the fourth, they go to the scorecards.
12:20So here at the Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we are getting ready for our main event,
12:26Johnny Tapia versus Pompocito Gomez.
12:28Let's get the official introductions from our ring announcer, the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.
12:33Ladies and gentlemen, good evening to you, and we welcome you to the Convention Center here in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
12:45for the featured bout of the evening, brought to you by Don Jargon Productions and Fresquez Productions,
12:53in association with Showtime Championship Boxing.
12:57This bout coming away is sanctioned by the New Mexico State Athletic Commission.
13:02The chairperson is Joanna Aguilar.
13:05Commission members are Max Madrid, Jim Lilly, Leo Dow, and General Melvin Montano.
13:11The executive director, Henrietta Leos.
13:15Introducing to you our three judges scoring the bout from ringside.
13:19From Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jim Ash.
13:21Also from Albuquerque, Bill Gantt.
13:24And from Las Cruces, New Mexico, Levi Martinez.
13:29Introducing to you the third man of the ring, our referee in charge.
13:33He will be giving instructions after the introductions, Al Martinez.
13:39All right, fans, here we go with the main event of the evening,
13:4410 rounds of boxing in the Superbadhamweight division.
13:48And now, ladies and gentlemen in attendance, and boxing fans joining us around the world,
13:54live from Albuquerque, it's Showtime!
14:00Introducing to you first on my left, fighting out of the blue corner,
14:13wearing red trunks with gold trim, hailing from Mexico City, Distrito Penital, Mexico.
14:20He weighed in at 123 pounds, with a record of 48 wins, 8 losses.
14:27He has 28 wins coming by, way of knockout.
14:31Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the WBC number 5 ranked band and weight contender.
14:37Introducing Cuauhtemoc, Famocito Gomez.
14:47And his opponent across, living on my right, fighting out of the red corner,
14:52really needing no win introduction.
14:54Injuring to green, wearing black trunks with silver trim.
14:58Bradley representing his home of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
15:03He weighed in at 124 pounds, with a record of 48 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws.
15:11He has 25 wins coming by, way of knockout.
15:14Ladies and gentlemen, here is the exciting four-time world champion,
15:20El Campeon de la Gente.
15:24Introducing Johnny, Mi Vida Loca Tapia.
15:29And once again, a referee in charge, Al Martinez.
15:41Now to get instructions, 10 rounds of boxing schedule.
15:44Okay.
15:45I want everybody out.
15:46I want everybody out, except for one chief referee.
15:48I want everybody out.
15:50Everybody out.
15:51Clear the ring.
15:52Let's go.
15:53Blackie, clear the ring.
15:54Just one.
15:55One chief second.
15:56One chief second.
15:57Okay, Johnny, listen to me.
15:59This is low.
16:00From here down is low.
16:01Okay.
16:02So watch yourself on the low goes there.
16:03I'm going to permit up to right here.
16:04Okay.
16:05Vamosito.
16:06Aquí está bien.
16:07De aquí para abajo no.
16:08Está muy low.
16:09Okay.
16:10Okay.
16:11Ya fuimos por las reglas en la dressing room.
16:12We went through the regulations in the dressing room.
16:14Johnny.
16:15I want you to obey my commands at all times.
16:17I want you to protect yourselves at all times.
16:20Now shake hands.
16:21Good luck to both of you.
16:22You really think Johnny was listening?
16:23The crowd will react to almost anything Tapia throws.
16:39Only one knockout, his last ten fights, his last four the distance.
16:43He usually starts fast, likes to send a message early.
16:46Very religious, as you can see, with the billboard for religion all over his body.
16:49Meanwhile, Favacito Gomez looks to wear you down with hooks and uppercuts.
16:55He can hit hard with both hands.
16:57He can take a shot, excellent chin, but he can be outboxed, which is Johnny Tapia's forte,
17:04as Gomez tries to start fast.
17:09Gomez with the propensity to cut, also watch for low blows.
17:13He's stronger early and tends to fade as the fight progresses.
17:17He hit Johnny with a nice right hand, and what did Johnny do?
17:19What did Johnny do?
17:20Get right back in there.
17:21Get his pound of flesh back.
17:22Also lay him in a pretty good right hand.
17:25They are going at it here at the opening bell.
17:28Tapia with a puncher's mentality, but doesn't have a big punch.
17:32His game is predicated on speed and movement, energy and emotion.
17:36Tell you what, I've reviewed a lot of tapes of Tomasito, and he didn't look as quick as
17:40he does right now in any of those tapes.
17:42He's much slower, much more deliberate.
17:47Tapia, a very, very good defensive fighter, will block a lot of punches.
17:54The crowd worked into a frenzy here.
17:59Therefore, Tapia has to remain composed and not get too up.
18:03And stay and hit his game.
18:05Keep Virginia to work with his speed behind the jab, because that sets everything up,
18:09and if it makes fun to see to start missing a lot, as he eats a good right hand,
18:14will make the fight a lot easier for Johnny working behind that jab.
18:24Gomez missing with a right and a left.
18:27Watch it, watch it, watch it, watch it.
18:29They banged heads accidentally.
18:30Johnny came with a lead uppercut, which is not a good thing to do.
18:33And there's some blood near the left eye, I believe, of Gomez,
18:37that has come down to his chest area.
18:43So right off the bat here in the first round, the heads clashed,
18:46and there's a bloodied Gomez.
18:52A cut open up on the left side, might be over the left eye,
18:57over the brow of Gomez.
19:00Hard to see exactly where it is.
19:07As I mentioned, oh, big right hand by Gomez.
19:10Nice right hand back by Tapia.
19:12Really got Gomez's attention.
19:15Tapia with a beautiful countering shot.
19:18There's a little bit of hurt still in the eyes of Gomez.
19:20A lot of blood streaking down the left side of Gomez's face and into his eye.
19:30Obscuring the vision.
19:31Johnny's loading up again, getting back into one of those brawls.
19:35Some blood on top of the head, too, I think, Steve.
19:37Yes, that may be where the cut originates.
19:39And it's coming all the way down the side of his face and into his left eye,
19:45and he's getting tagged.
19:46A straight right hand by Tapia.
19:48Final seconds of round one.
19:52Johnny doing what Johnny does best.
19:54Just out to Gomez.
19:55Hey!
19:56Hey!
19:57Hey, Doc!
19:58Get on the right hand by!
19:59Doc!
20:00The face does not have anything.
20:01The hit is on top of the head.
20:02No, no, no.
20:03Don't worry about it.
20:04You're cut on top of the head.
20:05You're going to be ok.
20:07How do you feel?
20:08Don't worry about it, you're cut on top of the head, you're going to be okay.
20:20How are you feeling?
20:25Okay, wait a second, that doesn't look too bad.
20:33You're going to see those heads just banging one another, Johnny comes in with a right uppercut,
20:43and leaves his head open, and Famasito comes in leaving his head open, and they collide.
20:48Johnny at the end of the round, lead right hand, big, left hook on the inside.
20:53Best punch of the round for Johnny, and I think that really hurt Gomez more than he wanted to let on.
20:59Gomez's cut man, Jose Reynoso, earning his money there, it's on the top of the head.
21:07He's so short at 5'2 1⁄2", he comes in underneath, and it's going to happen, particularly with Tapia.
21:15Nice right hand to the body.
21:19Gomez needed to come up with a left hook there, might have done some better damage.
21:29Right hand lands by Tapia, to the head of Gomez.
21:35Gomez doing some talking, but he's eating a lot of leather.
21:40Gomez, you can see sitting on the hook, and he caught Johnny pretty clean.
21:43What a pace here.
21:47Toe-to-toe.
21:49Tapia getting the better.
21:51This is not a feeling outplay.
21:53They're going right at it.
21:55Roll that up.
21:58But it's Gomez getting tattooed.
22:01Watch your head, watch your head, watch your head,
22:03watch your head, go.
22:05The heads continue to clash.
22:07I think there are a few forums in here as well, Steve.
22:09Some roughhouse tactics all around.
22:12Frustration early.
22:15Well, Famicito showed that he came here to fight, not just get a payday.
22:21That cut opens up again at the top of the head,
22:24and blood starts to trickle down the left side.
22:30He's game.
22:35Good right uppercut that got into the chin of Tapia.
22:38And there's that left hook.
22:39Gomez has been pretty effective countering Johnny's right hand.
22:45A lot of head movement from Tapia.
22:49Gomez again connecting with a straight right hand.
22:51Johnny getting hit a lot more cleanly in this fight
22:54than he has for quite some time.
22:56A little sloppy off bounce there.
22:58It was a stumble.
23:00Gomez lands again with a right hand.
23:02Gomez has been scoring here in round two, less than a minute.
23:06Tapia with a lead left.
23:09Shotgun jab, I would call that.
23:11Power jab.
23:13Johnny's waiting too much, not starting with the jab.
23:18He's sitting here waiting, looking to strictly counterpunch.
23:22He's supposed to fire and then counterpunch.
23:24Not fighting his fight right now.
23:25Blood all over the face of Tomasito Gomez again, as that cut reopens.
23:33Battle seconds round two.
23:34Right hand by Gomez that got in.
23:35To the left jaw of Tapia.
23:36A left hook by Gomez.
23:37And it lifts Tapia back.
23:38Boom.
23:39He's not starting with the jab.
23:40He's not starting with the jab.
23:41He's sitting here waiting, looking to strictly counterpunch.
23:42He's supposed to fire and then counterpunch.
23:43He's supposed to fire and then counterpunch.
23:44Not fighting his fight right now.
23:45Blood all over the face.
23:46As that cut reopens.
23:51Battle seconds round two.
23:53Right hand by Gomez that got in.
23:56To the left jaw of Tapia.
23:59A left hook by Gomez.
24:01And it lifts Tapia back.
24:02It appears to be the stronger of the two-steam.
24:05A good round for Gomez.
24:08He's trying to get you in the trading match.
24:11You're beating the shit out of him when you box.
24:13You can set up those hard shots.
24:15It's boxing, Johnny.
24:16Listen to me.
24:17Settle down and box.
24:18I don't want you to get cut.
24:19Use your skills and move to the right.
24:22When you move, turn your shoulder and then throw it.
24:24This is why I gotta jump down.
24:25Yeah.
24:26Bend your knees.
24:27Bend your knees.
24:28Use the up jab sometimes.
24:29And get underneath that right hand countering.
24:31All right.
24:32Hey.
24:33When you got him on the ropes, move to the right.
24:35Hook right down the middle.
24:36You'll kill him with it.
24:37Then come with the right hand over the top.
24:39Okay.
24:40All right.
24:41A little bit of blood underneath the neck.
24:42Watch a little rough house on your side.
24:44There's a little elbow and shoulder by Gomez.
24:46On the way in there, he tries to use his head.
24:48Here's Johnny with a little elbow back in the face.
24:50You, good for me, good for you.
24:52Both fighters being a little dirty.
24:54Good strategy by Gomez as he tries to induce Tapia into a brawl
25:01and get him out of his game, which is boxing.
25:03Now they touch gloves for round three.
25:05That's usually the signal for the last round.
25:07Yeah, that's unusual.
25:08Maybe they decided now they're going to start playing nice.
25:13But I doubt it.
25:14Oh, good left-right combination.
25:15The left landed by Gomez.
25:16Let's see if Tapia goes back to his boxing style,
25:22which is more suitable for him.
25:25Otherwise, he was getting lured into a slugfest.
25:28Now Gomez appearing quicker than the tapes I've viewed
25:32and also stronger.
25:33Appearing to be stronger than Johnny, who's heavier,
25:35and Tamasito fighting at much lesser weights.
25:37Gomez, 48-8 with 28 knockouts.
25:41Tapia, 48-2-2 at 25.
25:44Johnny's throwing one and done there.
25:46He's getting counted back.
25:47There a hand by Johnny Tapia.
25:52The jab the right hand followed the combinations.
25:55He steps back.
25:56A quick flurry by Tapia.
25:58And then he recruits a left hook to the midsection by Tapia.
26:02So Tapia recovering well after a tough second round.
26:06Less than two minutes remaining in three.
26:09Tapia up on his toes.
26:14You heard Jesse reading the corner saying,
26:17you're beating to death from the outside.
26:19Don't get inside.
26:20Don't get cut.
26:21Don't fight his fight.
26:22That is more of Tamasito's fight.
26:24Where he gets in trouble, Johnny's pride and emotion.
26:27You get the better of him many times.
26:28That's what Gomez told us he wanted to do
26:30to try to get him into a street fight.
26:39Right hand lands by Tapia right on the head of Gomez.
26:43He did a good job with the cut.
26:50Johnny's not supposed to lead him with those big shots.
26:52There it is.
26:53One, two.
26:54Two, three.
26:55That's Johnny's style.
26:56Speed and numbers.
26:57Gomez signals.
26:58Is that all you got?
27:00There's a good right hand that sent Tapia back.
27:04Got his attention.
27:06There was a right shoulder by Johnny Cappie too.
27:11Followed by a left hook.
27:12He got away with it.
27:14Now Martinez didn't say anything.
27:21He's telling Gomez to keep the punches up.
27:24Those were on that ball line.
27:25I thought they were pretty lean.
27:29Gomez knows.
27:30He's got a...
27:31He's got a knockout Tapia.
27:32Why is it going to win a decision?
27:34Not in Albuquerque.
27:35Not in Albuquerque.
27:36Not in Albuquerque.
27:37I'm not a...
27:38I've been knowing the bet before.
27:39I've never been to lose a decision here.
27:41He knows the score.
27:42And if it's somewhat close, forget about it.
27:49Tapia nearly walked into one.
27:57They banged heads again there by action.
27:58Again, Johnny leading that right up.
28:00He's got to leave his head open.
28:03Tapia got hit, but then he stumbled off.
28:05Ballas continues to hit Gomez after the ball.
28:08On Tapia comes.
28:09One standpoint million vitex.
28:10Allen attacks.
28:11FOUR知道ars two times running after the ball.
28:17And our thoughts.
28:19BJ인� unpacked some dirty tactics here by Tapia.
28:22Four arms hitting after the ball.
28:24The Sunsh.
28:26Try.
28:27he's slowing down a little bit
28:39okay no problem okay everything is okay
28:50happy has never been stopped or ko'd and he's been dropped only once in 52 fights in his
29:08second fight against a fighter named james dean so it is very unlikely that gomez can't
29:16pull it off jimmy dean had him on the canvas jimmy dean jimmy dean
29:23too much moisture in the corner of gomez
29:31so both fighters to the neutral corners
29:35you've got ice cubes all over the place a slip on that could be a bad thing
29:42and they touch gloves again show of respect
29:50tapia blocking that right hand with his left
29:54they thought in gomez's corner that tapia was slowing down
29:57right uppercut by gomez that snapped tapia's head back
30:01gomez fighting at a less deliberate pace than what i've seen in the tapes
30:06used to be a lot more deliberate not as active and here he's fighting much better
30:09and he felt gomez would be a good guy for tapia to showcase his talents
30:16and he looks good early then fades he's not in tapia's caliber
30:23but gomez felt tapia was not as effective at this particular weight
30:28124 good slashing right cross that's scored by tapia
30:31you saw gomez waving in and tapia obliged him
30:34another right hand that glanced off the top of his head
30:37wild miss by gomez i'm surprised that johnny not working a little more
30:46a little more diligent work i think would be extremely beneficial for tapia
30:50maybe he's trying to let gomez because he has a reputation getting a little tired
30:53tire himself out but i don't think that's smart
30:55could the weight change have anything to do with that
30:57jesse reed said he's faster and stronger
30:59but could the weight change make the slower
31:02certainly i think so i don't think he's any faster at this weight
31:06must must be a unique solution they have because you can't get stronger and faster
31:10in-gain weight you do all those things i think you might be beating some laws of science
31:15tapia's 130 for the fight he walks around at 140 he's been as high as 153
31:21but he's being able to spend their lives
31:23in the 503
31:24a lot of times
31:26and that's what he talked about
31:28he's a lot of times
31:30oh low blow by gomez
31:33with the right hand
31:34has been the right thigh
31:36he's gonna fight
31:37you think this is good body
31:42i told you earlier watch for the low blows by gomez there was one
31:55johnny really not working being outworked a little bit here by gomez in this round
32:01nice left uppercut on the end of that combination
32:03back gomez's attention tappy you see his expression that that really didn't hurt me
32:12interesting exchange here just before the bell
32:28when he comes to you it's better encountering better
32:32try to set smith with the wife and manager of johnny tappia theresa
32:37get inside steve she's very interested in what's going on because she wears a couple of hats
32:44uh teresa what do you think of johnny at this weight you know i think this is a good weight
32:48for johnny he doesn't have to starve himself he feels a lot stronger and healthier and the most
32:53important thing he hasn't lost his speed and should he be brawling less boxing more in this to stay out
33:00of trouble what do you see with the style tonight that he's bringing definitely johnny needs to box
33:05more but johnny is a crowd pleaser he always has been and this is just something that he likes to
33:09give back to his fans of course you know our whole team wants in the box but this is johnny toffee
33:15you can't take it away from him okay so tapio try to please the crowd we'll see how it comes out in
33:22the end steve i got all right tim well that is the best strategy against happy a force of raw lure him
33:27into a slugfest like poorly ayala did and that's what gomez is trying to do as we hit round five scheduled for ten
33:35toffee seems to be ahead of the fight but gomez did look good in round two
33:47it looks like could very well be two to two uh two one and one over the last round was even
33:52maybe a slight edge i even thought gomez maybe i worked johnny and johnny waited a lot
33:56and here's he's working and that's what he's supposed to do beautiful jabbing by johnny taffy
34:06let's check the pressure of scoring john o'clock from the albuquerque journal eddie
34:11edgar thompson albuquerque trip rick wright from the journal there it is they've all got taffy ahead
34:18but it's close tapio opens up
34:30everything he throws the crowd will react oh headbutting by tapio
34:37a blatant headbutt by tapio
34:39and gomez has taken gomez is tough and he threw two or three elbows in there too i'm very sneaky
34:48we leaned down and laid up and i pushed off with the forearm and the elbow
34:51johnny fighting a little dirty himself very dirty illegal tactics by tapio
35:01he's getting it lured into a crawl he's trying to create please the crowd and that is not good for tapio
35:07what he did a little while ago he threw a nice combination coming in backed up and
35:12stepped in with another combination and then the third that's johnny tapio that's vintage tapping
35:17look at the face of govez a bloody mess but yet undaunted
35:25that's johnny tapio at his best make it miss make it bang
35:28he just slapped the mouthpiece right out of gobez's face
35:32and the referee al martinez says get it back they gotta wash it with the law of action
35:39blood dripping off the face of gobez johnny tapio yelling at the referee to give him his mouthpiece back
35:44i would have punched him
35:48come on johnny let's go that's amazing after all the fouling tactics
35:51but then again i wouldn't hit him with my head or my elbows
35:53right 30 seconds left in a wild fifth round i think his nose is split too big right hand there
36:02by gomez yeah and a push by tapio tremendous heart being exhibited by five foot two and a
36:08half bobacito gomez has taken it like a man you're talking about resolve and he's up on his toes no less
36:18and he's getting tagged repeatedly by tapio
36:24what guts
36:27by gomez
36:35clean up his face
36:36the doctors are in there
36:44call me up again if you're really bad
36:46okay welcome another champ
36:47okay for now
36:48okay
36:52okay
37:00he doesn't want to stop the fight they said they'll stop it if he wants to he said no
37:27a gutty tomasito gobez earning the respect of johnny tapio round six
37:38gomez opens with a jab and a right hand to the head of tapio
37:42only meaning to getting your pounds of flesh and gomez working that jab nicely
37:48he's looking to set up johnny right hand you can see him setting
37:58johnny switching the southpaw here briefly
38:01no matter what happens from this point on gomez's stock goes up
38:06the heads come together perilously again
38:08rake rake and back box
38:13tapio has to box
38:16all the trouble he's had gomez in is via boxing the jab a combination of counter punching not slugging it
38:22out but he's one of those passionate people that throws strategy out the window sometimes
38:28that right hand by tapio did not land cleanly grazed off the neck of domes
38:34no knockdowns
38:39there's a great jab by johnny don't need to load up with the right hand
38:45there's a headbutt by johnny no johnny no headbutts no headbutts
38:48i'll both of you take it easy now and it's not the first come on fight box right
38:56gomez's face is evidence
39:03now they're both digging into the body
39:04a flurry of body shots by tapio most of that was blocked there was more of a
39:13something the holly's would do for show called a shoe shine
39:17gobe's still dancing around what kind of fuel is this kid running on this is high octane
39:26shotgun jab by tapio that's the second time he offered that one up tonight
39:30it's effective and it bloodies the nose of gomez some more but gomez so game he just ate a right
39:38hand to gomez a body shot he comes well and back toe to toe center of the ring
39:43tip for cat i'll tell you what he gave johnny as good as he got almost in that combination
39:47in that sequence blood comes flying our way it's off gomez's face great fans fight but a trainer's nightmare
40:01we come up to 20 seconds remaining in round six in a bloody affair
40:11gomez's nose split open he's got a cut on the top of his head yet he keeps pressing forward
40:17he's got a cut on the top of his head
40:22tapio with his hands down dancing the ball they're on round six let's see the doctors will go back in
40:28there let's see if they let it continue
40:36so i'm not sure it should be
40:37the one on the top of the top of his head
40:44and the nose
40:45you can't even breathe i think that's it that's it bobby let's stop the fight
40:55and johnny tapia is the winner he does his
40:59his backward flip which is traditional for johnny tapia after a victory
41:05so pavacito gomez very game very courageous
41:17beautiful as the fight stopped
41:20love you coming up bob good yummy chubby
41:24get them up get this one johnny great job man
41:29we're not exactly sure who stopped the fight was it the doctor uh and then the referee i think the
41:35doctor suggested to the referee either that or the corner said stop the fight i think it was uh i think it
41:41was the doctor who suggested it and i think the corner and the referee both agreed they all concurred
41:50there's teresa tapia the wife and manager of uh johnny they've been married about nine years
41:57and johnny uh come on in again bouncing back after the loss to paulia
42:05he's trying to invite all of his friends and family into the ring he's got he's got to have one of the
42:11largest entourages in boxing he's a people person he surrounds himself with a lot of folks as they
42:17continue to work on the uh the bloodied nose of famacito gomez
42:24wasn't the cleanest fight in the world that's for sure a lot of roughhouse tactics by johnny tapia
42:31and gomez
42:32and it started early johnny tapia doesn't really have a reputation to be a dirty fighter but here
42:42you see a little see a little shoulder there gomez too but there johnny johnny giving a blatant butt
42:49and johnny usually retaliates that way he doesn't start it that way well yeah you're coming inside you
42:55see now look at it there's a shoulder there's a little bit shoulder first and that's a blatant
42:59but i mean it doesn't get more blatant than that but the referee if he took a point would probably
43:02get killed you see johnny's stuffing that jab right on that nose just busting with a shotgun jab as i
43:09call it big power jab well tapia will probably uh will probably say that the famacito gomez started it
43:16and he was just uh retaliating and there is traditional trademarked that backflip
43:22he even have a statue out front i saw with his backflip i have a picture of it in my pocket very
43:29nice let's get it up to jimmy lennon jr for the official numbers
43:39ladies and gentlemen this bout has been stopped at the end of round number six a referee in charge
43:44al martinez stops the contest on advice of the ringside position due to multiple cuts on the
43:51opponent therefore ladies and gentlemen the winner by way of technical knockout
43:56the champion de la gente johnny mi vida loca tapia blowing kisses to the crowd johnny tapia again
44:09gives the hometown folks reason to celebrate as the famacito gomez has the fight stopped on multiple
44:16cuts he was slouched there uh dejectedly in the corner and uh a nice show of sportsmanship by
44:22tapia here gomez countered much more quickly than i thought he could and he's much more combative
44:27despite that i thought he's going to be able to be johnny at the same time didn't fight the fight i
44:31thought he would fight but johnny's done gomez made it exciting as tapia goes to 16 and 0 here in albuquerque
44:39bounces back five months after the bitter second loss to paulie ayala goes to 49 2 and 2
44:45and for gomez it's almost famacito
44:52his ninth loss he drops to 48 and nine two straight defeats what's on tapia's mind for the future not
44:59exactly sure perhaps wbc super bantamweight champ willie horren if tapia decides to fight at 122 or
45:06perhaps prince nassim hamed at 126. he said his main goal is to win a fifth world title 122 though may be his
45:13best bet his best bet for a bigger money higher profile fight would be to fight at 126 i would
45:21sense well you know it comes to mount down to a matter of what you want you want the fifth world
45:25title i believe he'll go down to 122 win the fifth world title then jump up and grab somebody like the
45:30prince somebody bigger where he may have a world of trouble winning but he'll get his payday for retirement
45:36let's get it up to tim smith tim well steve this fight ended in a crimson tide but it was a crowd
45:43pleaser and johnny it didn't take you long to get the crowd into it or the crowd to get you into it
45:51did they energize you i started kind of slow you know uh the guy hit real hard he was throwing a lot
45:58of lunging punches but once my crowd got into it i didn't stop after that that was beautiful for me did
46:04you want to box more and he just drew you into a brawl or i was catching him with a lot of better
46:09shots while staying right there inside and out but he just didn't let me box he just wanted to brawl
46:13me so i kept my glove up and everything else and i got him now about the fifth round a couple of times
46:20you motioned to the rep to stop it what were you thinking well there's been a lot of bad accidents
46:26happening now in the boxing sport boxing a lot of people getting blood clot great page we pray for you
46:30a lot of fighters are going with blood clouds and stopping it just in time so i was hoping that he
46:34would stop it i don't got nothing bad with the ref but i was feeling bad for myself so you wanted him to
46:39stop it i sure did because he was taking a big beating he had a big heart i didn't want him to go out and
46:43stretch it now was he tougher than you thought he was maybe his hand speed was a little bit faster than
46:48you anticipated he was a tough tough tough hard hitter and threw for lunging punches and you know i just
46:54started blocking it with my own and started doing my head movement and my legs and they got back into the rhythm
46:58now do you feel like this was the kind of performance that puts you back on track for a
47:02world championship i wanted to show where i was at you can't keep a good man down no matter how much
47:06times you fall you can still pick yourself up if you're successful and that's what i'm doing for
47:09myself now one day at a time okay you got a couple of options here you're 124 you can go up for the loot
47:17face the prince or you can fight for a world championship do you go for the money or you go for the glory
47:22i love the glory money comes with the glory fame comes with the glory it's just a matter of taking
47:29one fight at a time and be able to see if i can have something after all this is done so you take
47:35a world championship fight first sure i would take any fight first if it's the money if it's the title
47:40hey man i'm ready to do whatever my promoter tells me to do okay steve johnny tapia on a night
47:47where it needed to be spectacular was a little bit more than spectacular and now he's on pace for
47:52world championship or the loop all right tim we appreciate it thank you very much is johnny tapia
48:01and his uh crowd over there and it's a big crowd celebrate the victory john johnny tapia victorious
48:09over famacito gomez we're attempting to get the uh the scoring just for the the sake of knowing what the
48:16scoring was up to that point it would be nice how effective was uh mr tapia at this new way 124-ish
48:22well he was pretty effective at the 124-ish when he wanted to be when he boxed him behind the jab
48:26we threw the combinations but the machismo in johnny tapia sometimes just throws him right in harm's way
48:31it really does so you were surprised a little bit at the uh the uh aggressiveness the toughness of
48:37papacito gomez as johnny tapia was i was more surprised with the speed with which he reacted in some of the
48:42the tapes that i engaged and watched him he didn't react that quickly his counters weren't that quick
48:46he wasn't that active in this fight he was much less deliberate much more active and i'll tell you
48:50what i think even johnny you could tell in his interview was surprised by the power you think
48:54you'd have problems with the the prince and i see him i met if he uh stepped up and stayed at 126
48:59everybody would have a problem with the prince because the prince is awkward and also great but he'd have
49:02a better shot at winning a title if he went down a few pounds at 122 but i'm not so sure he wants to do that
49:09sometimes want and need or they vary but i think what he'll do is get its 122 title
49:14add the fifth title get the prince win lose or draw bow out how do you think you'd do against a uh
49:20a kid like willie horin of sacramento the wbc uh 122 pound champ i think we're in is beatable for
49:26a guy like tappy i think tappy's skills are just better i think we're in is much more of an ordinary
49:31champion than an exceptional champion and having said that early in the prelim we saw somebody who should
49:36have beaten or in and didn't get the decision all right and well i just want to say we apologize for
49:41the uh the folks uh online who were trying to get in and score because we had a technical uh difficulty
49:46here did you break it again i did it you sat on that thing again again okay now it's uh unfortunately
49:51it uh it went down and uh we couldn't uh have you participate what are you going to do and uh i'm i'm
49:58tap dancing here to get the uh to get the scores but i guess uh they're not going to get them to us all
50:03all right let's take a look at the final results right now a final recap from albuquerque new mexico
50:08and our co-feature oscar lario spoiled saint patrick's day for ireland's john lloyd maintained
50:12his strong status at super bantamweight at the same time he kept himself in line for another title shot
50:16but i don't think his stock went up i think it was a very awkward performance not one of his better ones i
50:21agree and in our main event hometown favorite johnny tapia made the successful transition to 124 pounds
50:29and began his quest for a fifth world title he always likes to win in colorful fashion his color
50:36was red yes johnny tapia has his options there before him he'll make the decision or his wife will
50:42and we'll see him somewhere down the road crimson as tim spith so aptly put it is red and crimson as
50:48the floor here at the convention center well showtime championship boxing returns this friday march 23rd
50:55with a heavyweight doubleheader from las vegas david tua restarts his climb toward a world title
51:01as he faces daniel nicholson in a 12-round ibf heavyweight eliminator at stake the ibf number one
51:07ranking and one of the most talked about heavyweights on the scene clifford the black rhino etienne makes his
51:13showtime debut against fresno cano also in a 10-round uh heavyweight bout that's friday march 23rd
51:20at 11 p.m eastern and pacific we hope you will join us quickly the scores
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