- 2 days ago
David Tua faces Danell Nicholson in an IBF Heavyweight Eliminator Semi Final bout on Showtime Boxing
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00:00The team.
00:04I love boxing. Boxing's in my blood.
00:09You know, that's my life.
00:12He was billed as the Samoan warrior.
00:15The drums and the horn brings the inner strength down to me, brings the best out of me.
00:21And it can only signify one thing, and that is it's time to go to war.
00:31Many consider David Tua with his aggressive style and lethal punching power to be the future of the heavyweight division.
00:38But in last year's much-anticipated world title bout with Lennox Lewis, Tua's fabled aggression mysteriously disappeared as Lewis dominated his seemingly docile opponent.
00:50I hate losing.
00:52I can't take that because, you know, to lose to Lennox, to know that he was a better man.
00:58And I tried my best.
01:00You know, I can take that.
01:01You know, I can take that.
01:03But with the way that I lost and I lose to Lennox, you know, I'm not satisfied with it.
01:10I'm not satisfied with it at all.
01:12Now, as he trains for his first fight back, Tua knows in order to fulfill his potential and realize his dreams, he must not forget that disappointing night.
01:24I kick myself about every night since the fight because, you know, I messed up.
01:33You know, there isn't anything I can describe or how I can express what happened that night.
01:38But, you know, I'm very mad with myself, you know, to know that I'm not the fighter that I showed that night.
01:48And what we're wrong, you know, I can't put my finger on it.
01:52But for me to learn from it, I got to move on.
01:55Well, due largely to boxing's politics, Tua again stands at the foot of the door.
02:08Will he politely knock or just knock the door down?
02:12In the Lewis fight, he was woeful.
02:14Nicholson needs to establish an effective jab.
02:16He's got to keep Tua off him with a good jab.
02:18And also set the distance.
02:19He's the taller man.
02:21Keep Tua at bay.
02:22Also boxed smart from the outside.
02:23That's his best fight.
02:24He is a very good boxer.
02:26Here against a shorter guy like Tony La Rosa, much like Tua, short in height, keeps his distance wide.
02:31Uses a jab, works him behind it well.
02:33Fires a right hand down the middle.
02:35Then he follows it up with more jabs, right hands, and a double left hook.
02:39Being very accurate with his combinations against a shorter La Rosa.
02:47As he comes in, he keeps the distance where he needs to be.
02:49Pumping that jab, firing down the middle, very accurate.
02:53Hook around, double to the body.
02:55Now he steps back still.
02:56This is his distance where he can be effective.
02:58He can reach La Rosa, and La Rosa can't reach him.
03:01He has to do the same with Tua, and he fires again.
03:03Jabs down the middle, right hand, and then he just sort of jabs him off.
03:07Keeps the jab in his face, keeping him at bay where the shorter man cannot be effective.
03:11Tua wants to close that gap.
03:16He wants to get to the inside.
03:17He's a shorter, bigger slugger.
03:19Also, when he gets in there, he has to work the body, maybe take the legs away from Donnell Nicholson.
03:23And lastly, just land that big left hook.
03:25It is so powerful.
03:28Tua on the right here against Obed Sullivan.
03:30Does not want this distance.
03:32This is where this taller man can be effective, and he cannot.
03:35He wants to shut that gap down and come in.
03:36And here he does it with a big left hook and right hand, getting him to the inside.
03:45Now he's on the inside.
03:46There's not a big distance or gap between him.
03:48He comes in with a powerful left hook that stuns Sullivan,
03:51and then a second left hook, which puts him on the floor.
03:57There you see that double left hook, and the fight is pretty much over right there.
04:01Very powerful, David Tua.
04:06David Tua, by his admission, returning to his roots.
04:15No fanfare, no drums or horns of Samoan Warriors.
04:18No hype, all business.
04:20It's called being humble.
04:22He kept a very low profile all week.
04:24Says he doesn't even mind entering the ring first.
04:27While Tua is the marquee name.
04:28Nicholson's ranked higher and comes in second.
04:30Tua got his wake-up call against Lennox Lewis, entered to a chorus of Samoan drummers.
04:36He exited to a chorus of boons.
04:39In his words, he underestimated Lewis, couldn't get inside and hurting, and didn't have a plan B.
04:45His manager, Kevin Barry, brought in Joe Goosen after seven-plus years with Ronnie Shields.
04:50Goosen stripped Tua down, started again.
04:52And he put Tua as he praised it through hell.
04:55Bobby, well, one thing baffles me is Tua does some last-minute praying.
05:00How can you underestimate Lennox Lewis?
05:02You know, Steve, I believe he probably chose the wrong words when he said he underestimated Lewis.
05:07I think more appropriately, he miscalculated much of Lewis's abilities.
05:10His timing, his speed, and, of course, his power.
05:13As well as his difficult nature to hit a man that tall that cleanly.
05:17And having no backup plan, he was in a real bad place, sort of out of a boat out in the ocean with no paddles.
05:23And it turned out to be a long, horrible night for him.
05:25Well, Nicholson is no Lennox Lewis, but some feel anything short of an explosive performance by this man will be insufficient.
05:32Even though Danel Nicholson is number three, Tua is number five, he's a 9-to-1 underdog.
05:48He feels he's underrated, overlooked, and deserves more respect and recognition.
05:52He can change all that tonight.
05:54Unbeaten since 96, 15 consecutive wins, 12 by knockout.
05:58But questionable opposition.
05:59His last five have ended inside two rounds.
06:02He's a member of the 92 U.S. Olympic team, won his first two in Barcelona.
06:07That loss by close decision to legendary Cuban Felix Savone.
06:10Former high school basketball star, had scholarship offers, but went to prison for four years for armed robbery.
06:16That's where he learned to box.
06:18Bobby, the book on Nicholson, good overall skills, but he's been inconsistent.
06:22Doesn't always fight his fight, which is a fast-paced, worth the jab from long range.
06:26Box and move.
06:27Also, he, too, has a suspect chin.
06:30Well, Steve, his chin is suspect.
06:31I guarantee you it's going to be tested tonight as early as often as possible.
06:35David Tua has something to prove.
06:36Also, Nicholson is going to need to be consistent all night long, because Tua is always dangerous.
06:41He's on a mission.
06:42He's sort of a reinvented fighter.
06:44In the meetings, he was almost reinvented humble.
06:48I think that Donald Nicholson has to go out there and stay sharp.
06:51All right, Bobby, let's size them up as we check out the tail of the tape.
06:56David Tua at 28, five years younger than Nicholson.
07:01But Tua gives away six and a half inches in height and 11 inches in reach.
07:05At yesterday's weigh-in, Tua, 247.
07:08Outweighed Nicholson by 24 pounds, while the weight is high.
07:11Tua says he dropped 9% body fat.
07:14Key rules, no standing eight count, no three-knockdown rule.
07:17A fighter cannot be saved by the belly in any round.
07:19If an accidental headbutt occurs before the end of the fourth, it's a no contest.
07:23After the end of the fourth, they go to the scorecards.
07:26So here at Texas Station, we are getting ready for our main event.
07:31David Tua versus Donnell Nicholson.
07:32And let's get the official introductions from our ring announcer, the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.
07:45Ladies and gentlemen, a very good evening to you.
07:48And welcome to the Texas Station Gambling Hall and Hotel in North Las Vegas, Nevada
07:54for the featured bout of the evening brought to you by America Presents
08:00in association with Cedric Kushner Promotions, along with Showtime Championship Boxing,
08:07Budweiser, the undisputed king of beers, and Station Casinos,
08:12the leading entertainment company in Las Vegas.
08:16This bout coming away is sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation,
08:20the president, Hiawatha Knight, supervisor, Daryl Peoples,
08:24along with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
08:26The chairman is Dr. Elias Ghanom, commissioners Amy Ayoub, Glenn Corrano,
08:31Dr. Flip Omansky, and Dr. Luther Mack.
08:35The executive director, Mark Ratner.
08:37Our three judges scoring this bout from ringside,
08:40all of them from Las Vegas, Nevada, Carol Castellano, Dwayne Ford, and Art Lurie.
08:47And the third man of the ring, our referee in charge of this bout, Joe Cortez.
08:53All right, fans, here we go with the main event of the evening,
08:59an IBF Elimination Heavyweight Attraction, scheduled 12 rounds of boxing.
09:05And now, ladies and gentlemen in attendance,
09:07and boxing fans joining us around the world,
09:11live from the Texas station,
09:15it's showtime!
09:17Introducing to you first, on my left,
09:27fighting out of the red corner,
09:30he is wearing red trunks with white trim,
09:33and fighting out of South Auckland, New Zealand.
09:37He weighed in at 247 pounds,
09:40with a record of 37 wins,
09:42two losses,
09:43he has 32 big wins coming by,
09:46way of knockout.
09:48Ladies and gentlemen,
09:49please welcome the hard-hitting IBF,
09:52number five ranked heavyweight in the world,
09:55known as the Tua Man.
09:58Introducing,
09:59David
10:00Tua!
10:02And his opponent across the ring on my right,
10:13fighting out of the blue corner in this 12-round attraction,
10:16wearing white trunks with blue lettering,
10:19fighting out of it,
10:20representing Chicago, Illinois.
10:23He weighed in at 223 pounds.
10:27His record stands at 39 wins,
10:29three losses with 30 wins coming by,
10:32way of knockout.
10:33Here is the IBF number three heavyweight contender,
10:38introducing Danelle,
10:40Doc Nicholson!
10:46Once again, Joe Cortez,
10:48our referee in charge.
10:51All right, gentlemen,
10:52we run all the rules in the dressing room.
10:54I expect a good, clean fight,
10:56obey my commands at all times,
10:59guys, these trunks here,
11:00they're a little high,
11:01punches here,
11:04a little,
11:04they're good here,
11:05right here,
11:06these are a little high.
11:08Okay, guys,
11:08give me a clean fight,
11:09remember, guys,
11:10I'm fair,
11:10but I'm firm,
11:11touch them up.
11:15Although David Tua weighs
11:16two pounds more than he did for Lennox Lewis at 247,
11:20he does look more cut and sizzled tonight
11:22for Danelle Nicholson,
11:24and no secret to his style,
11:25likes to start fast,
11:27heavy-handed,
11:27with the aggressive hooking,
11:29swarming style,
11:30big left hook to the chin,
11:31the big imposing Nicholson,
11:33not a one-punch KO guy,
11:36he's a boxer mover,
11:37very athletic,
11:38big right hand,
11:40but a tendency to throw it wide,
11:42riding a string of five straight second round knockouts.
11:45Let's see how David Tua starts the fight here.
11:51Nicholson up on his toes,
11:53two or more flat-footed,
11:55just searching Nicholson out.
11:56You know,
11:58Steve,
11:59every time I used to fight,
12:00the first round,
12:01always a huge round for me,
12:02there were a few things
12:02that I always wanted to find out immediately,
12:04just how hard my opponent could punch,
12:06just how well he could take my punches,
12:07and his speed,
12:08gauging his speed to me was always key,
12:10and I think for a guy this short,
12:11fighting a guy this tall,
12:12he's gonna have to do that too,
12:13he's gonna have to gauge speed right away,
12:15very important.
12:16And although he couldn't against Lewis,
12:20Tua likes to apply pressure,
12:21and not step back,
12:22as you can see here,
12:23he has the one punch KO power,
12:26but as he found out,
12:26can't always rely on that,
12:28if things aren't going his way.
12:35Well,
12:35Donnell Nicholson is moving that much,
12:38as long as Donnell's moving that much,
12:39he cannot be that powerful,
12:40he cannot make a big bomb.
12:41Gonna be more of a tap-tap here,
12:43pat-pat there,
12:44get the punches in,
12:44get out,
12:45hit and not be hit,
12:46but it's not gonna be any power shots.
12:48Nicholson should be highly motivated for this one,
12:51but can he stand up to the extreme power,
12:54that Tua has exhibited in the past so far,
12:56Tua has been very quiet.
12:58Now he lets fly with a couple of jabs,
13:01Nicholson stopped twice in his career,
13:03by Andrew Gulotta and Jeremy Williams,
13:05his other loss by decision to Kirk Johnson.
13:08A diving left hook by David Tua.
13:10He didn't make any major changes as far as his style,
13:19but he went back to basics,
13:20doing what he used to do better,
13:21and I think one of the things he really does need to do,
13:24quite honestly,
13:24is lose some of that weight,
13:25increase his speed a little bit,
13:26because part of the reason he's so effective,
13:29especially in the Ruiz fight,
13:30the speed with which he let those bombs fly.
13:32Quite frankly,
13:32I was a bit surprised to see him at 247.
13:35He told us in the Funder meetings yesterday,
13:37he'd be in the 230s.
13:39But it's a much better looking 247,
13:41if there's any consolation.
13:42I also spoke about the fact that with his body shape the way it was,
13:46he, if he was training well,
13:48something had to be wrong with his diet.
13:49And he told me in the Funder meetings that his diet indeed was bad.
13:54For the most part here in the first round,
13:56Nicholson's quickness in boxing style making two a miss.
14:00Two of his goals are to get respect back from the boxing community
14:03and win back the confidence of the fans.
14:05We approach the final 30 seconds of round one.
14:13And David Tua already beginning to hear some of the boos.
14:19Nicholson's not being incredibly effective,
14:21but just the fact that he's throwing a few punches,
14:23he's winning the round.
14:25Tua's not really doing much of anything,
14:26and he needs to work him behind the jab.
14:28He can't just jump in.
14:29Men like Lewis,
14:30men like Daniel Nicholson,
14:31they're too big to jump and hit from long distance,
14:34from the back short,
14:35that's why we've done that good screen.
14:37Pass up, yeah,
14:37Tua unable to catch.
14:39All right, bring out, bring out, bring out, bring out, bring out.
14:41Let's go, sir.
14:42Come back.
14:51Here's, here's a couple of things that are going to help you out.
14:53Let me have a towel and some water.
14:55Here's a couple of things that are going to help you out.
14:56Start sliding over to your right.
14:58Okay, which way does he want to turn out?
15:00He wants to turn out that way.
15:01You've got to stop him.
15:02You've got to force him.
15:03You've got to force him to go to his right more.
15:05I need you, I need you to put on the pressure.
15:07Once you come in, slide over here a little bit more.
15:10You notice that left hand is down real low.
15:12Do you not?
15:13Try to go over it after a couple of jabs.
15:16That's it.
15:16Now, this is what I'm saying.
15:18Chin down and keep the jab going.
15:20I want more jab.
15:21Double and triple the jab.
15:23And keep on turning him.
15:24Keep on making him turn.
15:25No cold.
15:26Keep on making him turn.
15:27I want him in the middle of the ring, Doc.
15:29You understand what I'm saying?
15:30Drop the quick right hand, and spin out of there.
15:33But keep the jab going.
15:33That's what I want.
15:34You see how easy it is?
15:36This ain't nothing, baby.
15:38Slide over to your right a little bit.
15:40Very calm, direct instructions from Tua's brand new trainer, Joe Gushin.
15:45Tua and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad in the corner and in the face of Connell Nicholson.
15:54And he told Nicholson what Franco Kendo did very well in that first fight.
16:00He kept Etienne in the middle of the ring and was able to score knockdowns.
16:05Nicholson getting the same advice from Muhammad.
16:07And Gushin was pretty smart, too, telling Tua you've got to slide to the right and make Nicholson go to his right
16:13because he's not nearly as effective going to the right as he is going to the left of that jab.
16:18But either way, he's got to throw punches, Steve.
16:21He's just not firing.
16:23So far, a fairly listless David Tua.
16:31Being very cautious.
16:35And selected.
16:37He's hardly thrown any punches.
16:42Misses with that right hand.
16:48Nicholson with a right cross that scored to the two.
16:50See, so far, Nicholson's been pretty effective set in the ring.
16:53See how much distance he can keep between him.
16:55Tua can't reach.
16:56There you see it.
16:56He's jabbing and missing.
16:58And then Nicholson can hit him.
17:01Tua looking to return to number one of the IBF.
17:04But according to IBF Championship Committee Chairman Joe Dwyer,
17:07does not automatically become the mandatory challenger for the title.
17:12Big right-handed, partially landed on the glove, partially got a piece of the shoulder in the head of Donnell.
17:17And Tua's not throwing enough punches, not working, not making Donnell get tired,
17:21not forcing him into a slugfest.
17:22Bobby, this is the round in which Nicholson has won his last five by knockout.
17:28Well, maybe Tua saw what happened in the first fight to Etienne,
17:34who had a similar style to the pre-Lewis Tua.
17:42Tua just tapping to the midsection of Nicholson.
17:45Nothing effective there.
17:49Nicholson throwing the jab.
17:51Tua missing with the left hook.
17:54Pitter pats to the stomach.
17:56Overhand right, nicely done.
17:58There's a good left jab by Tua.
17:59That snapped Nicholson's head back.
18:04Tua really just isn't being busy enough, Steve.
18:06And one of the reasons he was always effective was because when he came to, he was punching.
18:11Fight with Ibiabuchi, I know I talk about it a lot,
18:13but the amount of punches thrown were amazing.
18:15And I don't know what he's thinking or what he thinks of Donnell Nicholson.
18:20Now he's starting to work.
18:20Bring out, bring out, bring out, bring out, bring.
18:22Sit back, sit back.
18:26Final seconds of round two.
18:29And the lackluster display by Tua continues.
18:33Let's go.
18:36Let him out, let him out, let him out.
18:39Let's go.
18:42There's a good smack in right just before the bell bite to him.
18:46His best punch.
18:47Well, let's go to Jim Gray with talented Olympians from the class of 2000.
18:51Jeff Lacy, Francisco Panchito Bajaro.
18:55All right, thank you very much, Steve.
18:56I'm joined by these two along with Rocky Juarez, Malik Scott, and Juan Diaz.
19:00They represent some of the future of boxing.
19:02I'll be fighting here on Showtime.
19:04Let's turn to Jeff first.
19:05You're 2-0.
19:06Are you concerned at all that you might be being rushed along a little bit too quickly,
19:09young in your career?
19:10No, I don't think I'm being rushed along.
19:12As long as we get, you know, some good stiff opponents in there,
19:15I'm going to continue to do what I'm going to do.
19:17I train hard all the time.
19:18I train up in Big Bear with my coach, Roger Blubber.
19:22I'm ready for anything that comes near me.
19:24And how about you?
19:25Let me ask you about the pressure that you might feel
19:29trying to live up to the expectations after coming off the Olympics.
19:32Well, it was pretty tough first trying to come up from a loss.
19:37So it was just basically trying to get back on the horse.
19:40And it just felt great having that first win
19:43and all the attention that I've been getting from not having a medal.
19:46So that also gives you all kinds of pressure.
19:49So I'm just going to keep trying hard so I can do my best on each fight.
19:53Best of luck to you, Penn.
19:54See you're only 17 years old.
19:55He's got a long ways to go.
19:56Steve, back to you.
19:57Thank you, Jim.
19:58And we'll be seeing those guys down the road here on Showtime
20:01as we enter round number three.
20:03And the first two, Nicholson has stuck nicely to his game plan
20:07and his keys to victory.
20:09Setting the distance and boxing from the outside.
20:12So even when he uses a jab like that and he doesn't land,
20:15he keeps Tua at the end of that jab.
20:17That's the distance that Tua cannot reach him.
20:19He can only be the one who landed.
20:21There's the jab by Nicholson.
20:25Tua ended the last round, the second round, nicely.
20:29Oh, stop, stop, stop.
20:30With his best punch of the night.
20:32Watch your heads inside, guys. Let's go.
20:36But goes back to the sluggish approach here in round three.
20:42I am surprised.
20:48I thought the Tua would come out
20:50and try to make a statement here tonight, Bobby.
20:52You know, I always joke about it
20:53and it's one of my favorite things to say,
20:54but Hal Hefton and Fury, like, whatever,
20:57and the fighter has something to prove, okay?
21:00He's not proving anything.
21:01He's just doing exactly what he did in the fight,
21:04walking forward and nothing.
21:07There's no punches.
21:08Once in a while, he loads up with a big bomb,
21:09but that's not going to win the fight.
21:11That's not even going to win the round.
21:15Missing wildly with that right
21:16as Nicholson just ducked underneath it.
21:18Hold on, hold on.
21:19Come here, hey, come here.
21:20It was telegraphed.
21:20What you got?
21:21Come here, come here.
21:22Nicholson claiming Tua throwing the elbow.
21:24I got no rough tackles, you understand?
21:26Let's go.
21:26Tua, I believe, frustrated right now.
21:29He's using the elbows and forearms.
21:30Eddie Mustafa Mohamed says Tua's a one-dimensional fighter
21:35with the left hook.
21:36Hey, if you stand in front of him,
21:37he'll knock your brains out.
21:38But Nicholson's not doing that.
21:40He's standing anywhere but in front of him.
21:43Here comes Tua.
21:46One more two punches.
21:49But nothing after that.
21:53That was largely due to the fact that
21:54Donette held on pretty tight.
21:58Tua missing with that overhand right.
22:00But he's starting to make the fight a little better.
22:03He's starting to make...
22:04Getting a little busier.
22:05Yeah, he's starting to make Donnell fear for his life
22:07a little bit in the corners,
22:08make him fight back.
22:10Making Nicholson think a little now
22:12as he backs Nicholson into the ropes.
22:14That's not where Donette wants to be
22:16as he flicks the jab out
22:17and extricates himself from danger.
22:23Beautiful jab work by Nicholson.
22:28And Goopman around the ring.
22:30Digging punches to the body by Tua.
22:36Big left hand by Tua to the body
22:38and Nicholson holds on.
22:40You know, Tua can walk you around
22:41and chasing Nicholson a little too much,
22:43not cutting off enough of the ring,
22:44stepping out and banging,
22:45stepping out and banging side to side.
22:49Perfect.
22:49Perfect.
22:51Good.
22:51Hey, dude.
22:52Better than I thought.
22:54Perfect.
22:55His jab, his eye is swelling up.
22:58Hold his cup out, champ.
22:59His eye is swelling up.
23:00You understand what I'm saying?
23:01I need more of them jabs
23:03and keep stepping around.
23:04I want that chin down.
23:05I want that chin down, dog.
23:07You understand what I'm saying?
23:08I need that chin down.
23:10You understand what I'm saying?
23:11I need that chin.
23:12But it gets a little bit of sneaky tactics.
23:16Here comes the elbow.
23:18Right.
23:18That's not that bad.
23:21I think he just got tangled up.
23:24The elbow hit him in the side of the jaw
23:25or the cheek and
23:25that's completely unintentional.
23:28Nicholson looking for every angle,
23:30every angle right now.
23:32Long.
23:33Great.
23:34Yeah.
23:34I want to see more of that.
23:35Here we go.
23:36Right here.
23:41Continues to be very composed
23:43in that Tua corner.
23:45I have a feeling, though,
23:46if this continues,
23:48it's going to get a little louder there soon.
23:52It had better.
23:55Round four.
23:56It has been mostly
23:58Donnell Nicholson
23:59utilizing his boxing style
24:01from the outside.
24:02But he's not really being too effective, Steve.
24:04He's tapping on the gloves
24:05and just more
24:06more than he's being effective
24:08against Tua
24:08he's being effective
24:09by just keeping Tua away from him.
24:11Bottom line, though, Bobby.
24:12Is he winning the fight?
24:15Right now, this is
24:16about as even as it gets.
24:18The last round could have gone either way.
24:20Toward the end,
24:21Tua closed with some great
24:21body puncher combinations.
24:23Donnell hasn't landed anything really clean.
24:25Power punches are more
24:26scored more
24:27and more effective
24:28in winning fights
24:29than our jabs.
24:30Donnell hasn't really
24:31thrown any power shots.
24:32Right hand there
24:33by Tua
24:34that's going in.
24:35And it was on the chin.
24:39Nicholson does have
24:40a questionable chin.
24:43He's been down once or twice
24:45by his recollection.
24:47Tua has never been down.
24:51Tua looking very determined right now.
24:53trying to get on the inside.
25:00Big right hand,
25:01but it was a grazing blow.
25:02Not a clean shot by Tua.
25:04And Nicholson turned with it, too,
25:05which makes it even less.
25:10Tua missing with that left hook.
25:12That's his big punch.
25:13That's his big punch.
25:16His big knockout punch for the most part.
25:18The left hook,
25:19David Tua in the red.
25:20A sledgehammer punch there
25:34with the right hand by Tua,
25:35but not having that much impact.
25:38Beautiful flicking of the jab.
25:40Two-three in a row there by Nicholson.
25:42Bothersome.
25:44See, there comes a point in time
25:45where Tua's just got to say,
25:46okay,
25:47you got to just walk to him,
25:48stop the punches,
25:48and bang.
25:49Stuff him and bang.
25:50And not let him hold.
25:51Because if Tua's hands are moving,
25:52it's going to be much harder
25:53for Nicholson to hold.
25:55This with the left hook, too.
25:58For the most part,
25:59this is the David Tua
26:00we saw mostly against Lennox Lewis,
26:02but folks,
26:04this ain't Lennox Lewis.
26:08That's what's troubling.
26:18All right, bring out, bring out, bring out.
26:20Come on, guys.
26:21It could be quite possible
26:22that Lennox Lewis has laid down
26:24a blueprint of how to beat Tua
26:25for other fighters
26:26with similar assets.
26:29Interesting point.
26:31Danelle Nicholson, I'm sure,
26:32studying those tapes closely.
26:35There's an abrasion under the left eye.
26:36Beautiful right cross by Nicholson
26:38under the left eye of Tua
26:39that is developing.
26:42But it's in a good spot
26:44underneath the eye.
26:46Oh, hey, hey, hey.
26:47None of that, none of that.
26:49Coming up on Showtime Saturday,
26:51April 28th,
26:52we'll come to you from Cardiff, Wales,
26:53for a European super middleweight doubleheader.
26:55WBO super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghi
26:57defends his title
26:58against top contender Mario Veit
27:00in a 12-rounder
27:01and former WBC 168-pound champ
27:04Richie Woodall
27:04takes on Topso Woe
27:06in a 12-round bout.
27:07Catch the special,
27:08same-day coverage,
27:09Saturday, April 28th,
27:1010 Eastern and Pacific.
27:12Saturday, May 5th,
27:13we'll bring you a 130-pound twin bill.
27:15Two of the best of the division,
27:16WBO champ,
27:17Ocelino Freitas,
27:18WBA Kingpin,
27:20Joel Casamayor
27:21defend their titles
27:22en route to an eventual
27:23championship unification showdown
27:25that Saturday,
27:26May 5th,
27:2610 p.m.
27:27Eastern and Pacific.
27:28Please join us.
27:31Speaking of the talented
27:33Joel Casamayor on hand
27:35along with many
27:36boxing luminaries
27:37to watch the action here tonight.
27:39He is slicked.
27:42Round number five
27:43scheduled for 12.
27:51And Nicholson opens up
27:52the round again
27:53with that jab.
28:02I'm still going to maintain
28:03that the fact that
28:04David Tui,
28:05even though the body's
28:06been rearranged,
28:07looks better,
28:07maybe he's less fat
28:09but still weighs more.
28:10He cannot generate
28:11the speed necessary
28:12to cut the distance
28:13down on these guys
28:14and catch them
28:15with his punches
28:15before they get out of the way.
28:16He's got to lose
28:17some weight, Steve.
28:19He's had 247.
28:20He was 245
28:21for the Lennox Lewis fight
28:23in November.
28:25His high 253
28:27a few fights ago
28:27against Obed Sullivan
28:29whom he stopped
28:30in 51 seconds.
28:37After four rounds,
28:41the press has it scored
28:42in favor of Nicholson,
28:44Ron Borges,
28:47Michael Rosencull,
28:49Ron for the Boston Globe,
28:50Wally the New York Post
28:52and Michael the L.A. Daily News.
28:56Well, Steve,
28:57I have this exactly dead even.
28:59I thought that the first round
29:00was clearly Nicholson's.
29:01The second two,
29:02I gave to Tui.
29:03He was a little more effective
29:04like that on the inside
29:05working.
29:06I thought he outworked Nicholson
29:07and the last round
29:08was all Nicholson.
29:11See, a lot of the jabs
29:12aren't landing
29:13so they're not really
29:14that effective.
29:15Some of the power shots
29:16are a little more
29:17as far as what they count
29:18and this is a terrible fight
29:19to have to score
29:20because there's so little action.
29:23Tui is still demonstrating
29:24as he smacks him
29:26in the head
29:26with the right there
29:27for the most part
29:29largely Bobby
29:31that he still does not
29:32know how to handle
29:33a tall boxer tuck.
29:36Well, he is proving
29:37that he's got nothing
29:38but trouble
29:38with a tall boxer
29:39and he's tall.
29:41And he's a boxer.
29:43Missed with the right
29:44did to him.
29:45Hold it, hold it, hold it.
29:46Let's go.
29:47Come on, come on.
29:47Right now, he's, I think,
29:49at a stage where he's
29:50trying to end it
29:50on one punch.
29:52And that's a mistake,
29:53especially against a boxer
29:54that gets out of harm's way
29:56so quickly.
29:57Nicholson's very fleet of foot.
29:58Oh, he got it
29:59with the left hook.
29:59Down goes Nicholson.
30:02A leaping, lunging
30:03left hook.
30:04Five, six, seven, eight, one.
30:11He makes it at nine
30:12with 32 seconds to go
30:14in the round.
30:17He felt the wrath of Tua
30:19who tries to end it
30:20here in round five.
30:21And he still hurts, Steve.
30:22You can see in his eyes
30:23they're still glassy.
30:24He wants to get out
30:25of harm's way
30:26in a big way.
30:26His legs seem okay
30:32as he looks to survive
30:33ten more seconds
30:35of the round.
30:37Door missing with the left.
30:39The right was blocked
30:40by Nicholson.
30:41And Nicholson wisely
30:42holds on.
30:43Let him out.
30:44He'll make it to the belt
30:45but on some unsteady lifts.
30:50Sit down, sit down, sit down.
30:52Sit down, sit down.
30:53Relax, relax, relax.
30:55Nice and relax, right?
30:57Go through.
30:59Got it.
31:00You got your hand down
31:02and your chin up.
31:03All right?
31:04Mr. Doc, hey.
31:06Good, all right?
31:08Doc, in the middle of the ring.
31:10Get his leg, get his leg, get his leg.
31:12Get his leg over there.
31:14Well, the chin finally got tested.
31:16David Luuk to his lethal left hook.
31:19That, you know what?
31:20That's not even a good left hook
31:21which, if you notice,
31:22Nicholson's head was up so high in the air
31:24that his neck snapped viciously.
31:26Watch.
31:27See, his head is leaning backward.
31:29His head is separated from his body.
31:31Bobby, could you call that
31:32a left jaw to the hook?
31:33I'm telling you.
31:35There you see it.
31:36You see how his head snaps?
31:37Nicholson didn't have his chin tucked.
31:39That was not even a good left hook.
31:40Not even close.
31:41It was an awkward, off-balanced left hook.
31:44But Nicholson's chin was in a bad position.
31:47Raised high in the air.
31:482-10 marked around 5.
31:52A lunging left hook by David Tua.
32:00You see a little swelling around David Tua's left eye
32:02from the jab when it's being effective.
32:05Right now, Nicholson may be totally cleared out the cobwebs,
32:09but we're going to find out
32:09because you know Tua's going to test him.
32:11That's what he's supposed to do.
32:12And right now, Tua has to be priming with confidence.
32:14Another left hook.
32:15Now goes Nicholson.
32:16Can he get up from this one?
32:18He's not getting up from this one, Steve.
32:19He's done.
32:19Slat in his back three.
32:21It's over.
32:22Scott Cortez waves it off.
32:24And David Tua, after looking sluggish,
32:27able to knock out Tua-dell Nicholson
32:29early round six.
32:31So David Tua looking to redeem himself
32:52after the lackluster performance
32:54against Lennox Lewis in November.
32:57Hugging another heavyweight success for the plate,
33:02Mount Whitaker.
33:05KO round six, unofficially 34 seconds.
33:08Donnell Nicholson, who was showing a nice boxing style,
33:12nice jab and good movement,
33:14a frustrating David Tua throughout.
33:16And then he was knocked out at the end of the fifth
33:19and then knocked out at the beginning of sixth.
33:24Nicholson there being comforted by his wife, Marva.
33:27And it's hungs around for David Tua able to bounce back.
33:33And I tell you what,
33:34over the first five rounds or so,
33:36there were some anxious moments.
33:37This is good night, sweet Prince.
33:50Nicholson, again, keeping his head high.
33:52That is a clean left hook.
33:53Head high.
33:54You cannot keep your head high.
33:55Keep your chin separated from your body.
33:57You gotta tuck your chin in.
33:58You look at it again.
33:59Watch how high he's got his head.
34:03The fans reacting on the big screen, seeing it.
34:07Last look.
34:11Nichols, look how high his head is.
34:15Right on the chin.
34:17Slush.
34:19Perfect left hook by David Tua.
34:23So David Tua back in the wind, Colin.
34:27After suffering the loss to Lennox Lewis.
34:30Let's get the official numbers from ring announcer Jimmy Leonard Jr.
34:35Ladies and gentlemen,
34:37we have the time of 34 seconds in round number six.
34:41The winner by way of knockout,
34:44the Tua man,
34:46David
34:47Tua.
34:52David Tua ends it in emphatic fashion.
34:55Beats the number three IBM contender,
34:57Donnell Nicholson,
34:58lifting his record to 38-2
35:00with 33 knockouts
35:01as Nicholson falls to 39-4.
35:04Hold on, hold on.
35:05Tua joining Jeremy Williams,
35:07Andrew Galata,
35:08and Kirk Johnson
35:08as the only fighters to beat Nicholson.
35:11Two of the number five IBM contender.
35:13Now, that's the David Tua.
35:15His fans know and love.
35:16Well, we're all going to dry clean.
35:18Automatically, he jumps to number one,
35:20but not the mandatory for the title.
35:22Next, Bobby.
35:23He told us he wants to fight only guys in the top ten.
35:27Well, I think the IBM was talking about him
35:28fighting the winner of the Chris Bird-Maurice Harris fight.
35:30That would be an interesting fight.
35:31Those are two movers,
35:33excellent boxers,
35:34great speed,
35:34hard to hit.
35:36But they're not quite as tall
35:37as the Lennox Lewis and Donnell Nicholson,
35:39but they could be interesting battles.
35:41Birds are the top ten
35:42in two world organizations.
35:45Harris, unrated,
35:46and they'll be fighting for the USBA title
35:48to become the mandatory, perhaps.
35:51Let's get it up to Jim Crabb.
35:53All right.
35:54Thank you very much, Steve.
35:55David, how would you assess
35:57your performance tonight?
35:59What can I say?
36:00I got lucky.
36:01Well, to a lot of fans,
36:02to a lot of fans,
36:03it may appear like that
36:04because it seemed rather lackluster
36:05up until that hook in the fifth round.
36:07Well, first of all and foremost,
36:10I give glory and victory
36:11to God Almighty
36:12for helping me out with the fight.
36:14And I thank everybody
36:15from the trainers,
36:16Dan, everybody,
36:17American Percet, everybody.
36:18I mean, you named Team Tua
36:19for putting in the effort
36:22and disciplining themselves
36:22for getting me in great shape
36:23for this fight.
36:24Yeah, well,
36:25I mean, what can I say?
36:25I mean, I expect it was going
36:26to be a tough fight
36:27because the simple fact
36:29that Donnell Nicholson
36:31has got the style of
36:33of Lennox Lewis,
36:34which gives me a lot of problems
36:35in the title fight.
36:37But therefore,
36:37I had worked very, very hard
36:39in the gym day in the day.
36:40I would,
36:41with no disrespect to Joe Moses,
36:43now Moses.
36:44And, you know,
36:44he grinds me
36:45and he breaks me
36:46and rebuilds me every day.
36:47So I was ready for this fight.
36:48Before we look at the knockdowns,
36:50is it your assessment
36:51that you've improved?
36:52These big guys do give you a problem.
36:54The jab keeps you away
36:55and it's hard for you to move in.
36:57Do you feel as though
36:57you have improved
36:58since you fought Lennox Lewis?
37:00Yes.
37:01I truly believe
37:03that it's a long time coming.
37:05A hell of a learning experience
37:06from the Lewis fight
37:07where I've got a new crew now
37:10with no disrespect
37:11around the shoes.
37:11But I've been working
37:13very, very hard
37:13with Joe,
37:14Kevin,
37:15Marty,
37:17Brian.
37:17I mean,
37:18you name it.
37:18I mean,
37:19you know,
37:19everybody plays a special part
37:20to get me prepared
37:22and ready for tonight.
37:24Let's take a look
37:24at a couple of these knockdowns
37:25right here, David.
37:26First and the fifth round.
37:27You described it as lucky.
37:28Here it is.
37:30As my father always says,
37:32son,
37:33you got lucky.
37:35Two minutes back.
37:38And then in round six,
37:39it seemed as though
37:40he couldn't get the cobwebs out
37:41and it was just a matter of time.
37:42Was that your assessment?
37:43I think it was only a matter of time.
37:45I mean,
37:45he was running from me,
37:46but I didn't want to
37:48get into a stage
37:49where I was trying to
37:50lead too much
37:51with my punches
37:52and trying to get lucky.
37:54David,
37:54what do you think
37:54it's going to take
37:55from you
37:56to get the respect back
37:57from the boxing public
37:58who was pretty upset
37:59after the Lennox Lewis fight?
38:01Dan,
38:02what can you say, Dan?
38:03Hey,
38:04Jim,
38:04and I know David
38:06has been saying it all along.
38:09Like Danell Nicholson,
38:11number three in the world,
38:12we want to go after
38:12every top ten guy right now
38:14and earn the right
38:15to fight for that world title again
38:16because the bottom line is
38:18is that
38:19this is something that
38:20David was so disappointed
38:21in November 11th.
38:22We're not ashamed to say
38:24that we were disappointed
38:25and we're not ashamed to say
38:26that we're going to overcome it
38:27and prove to the fans
38:29that we're going to go out there
38:30and show them
38:31that we're going to give them
38:33a tremendous performance
38:34to climb back to the top again.
38:35Were you ashamed?
38:37Was I ashamed?
38:38I was beyond shame.
38:39I was devastated.
38:40I mean,
38:40I was devastated
38:42not only for myself
38:43and my team,
38:43but I was devastated.
38:45I was devastated for the fans
38:46and I was hurt for the fans.
38:48I mean,
38:48tonight I had to come out
38:49and win the hearts
38:50of the fans back
38:51because, you know,
38:52if it wasn't for them,
38:52David Tua,
38:53his career wouldn't be
38:54where he's at today.
38:55And what will you do now, David?
38:58I've got to go home
38:58and see my mother.
38:59In terms of your fighting.
39:00Oh, I'm sorry.
39:02Well,
39:03I don't know.
39:03Right now,
39:04I've just got to go back
39:04to the drawing board
39:05and keep learning.
39:07Keep working hard.
39:10Congratulations tonight, David.
39:11Showtime.
39:12Joe, thank you.
39:13Dan Goosen, thank you.
39:14All right.
39:15Back over to you, Steve.
39:16All right, Jim.
39:17KO round six.
39:1834 seconds
39:19for David Tua
39:20over number three,
39:21Donnell Nicholson.
39:23Let's give you some numbers
39:24at the time
39:25of this stoppage.
39:27The official ringside judges
39:28here at Texas Station
39:30in Las Vegas
39:30saw it this way.
39:32Carol Castellano,
39:34Dwayne Ford,
39:35and Art Lurie
39:37had it 47-47
39:40across the board.
39:43Even all the way through
39:44for Castellano,
39:45Ford,
39:46and Lurie.
39:47Bobby, I believe you had it that way,
39:49yes?
39:49Actually, no.
39:50I had it 48-46.
39:52I had a slight edge
39:53with the knockdown
39:53for Tua.
39:54All right,
39:55and after five rounds,
39:57the press
39:57had it scored this way.
40:01Ron Borges
40:02had it for Tua.
40:03Wally Matthews
40:05had it even,
40:05and Michael Rosenthal
40:06had it for Nicholson.
40:08So three
40:08different opinions,
40:10although obviously
40:11very close
40:12on the part
40:13of the representatives
40:15of the media
40:15ringside.
40:17Interesting.
40:17and let's check
40:18the online scoring results
40:19from our main event.
40:21Right there,
40:22David Tua ahead,
40:24three rounds
40:24to two.
40:25So close throughout,
40:26and that's pretty much
40:27how Bobby Chez had it.
40:28If you took part,
40:28thanks for your participation.
40:31So quite a night.
40:35And looking ahead,
40:36we've got more action
40:37coming up.
40:38Here's what's coming up
40:38on Showtime
40:39Championship Boxing.
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