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Undefeated WBC Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes defends his title against unbeaten Scott Frank on NBC Sports Boxing. Plus an interview with Marvis and Joe Frazier

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00:00Hutchings now, record of 23-1, 16, by knockout.
00:07And back live in Atlantic City, we'll be back in just a moment to talk with Muhammad Ali.
00:21Out for the first, atmosphere's heavy.
00:26World title lays on the line.
00:30Strong and proud, he is much older.
00:34I'm the faster, I'm in my pride.
00:41Third round late, he starts to tire.
00:46Open cut over his left eye.
00:49Smelling blood, attack is relentless.
00:54In the box seats, I see his girl cry.
01:00Crying, no mercy, no quarter.
01:05No place to hide from me or the man.
01:09Right and wrong never, can order.
01:13No mercy, take it while you can now.
01:17No mercy, take it while you can.
01:20Pick it up, pick it up.
01:34Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up.
01:36Ow!
01:36You say, llevar, go me.
01:37You say, love.
01:37Oh!
01:38More than that.
01:40Thank you, mate.
01:46Oh!
01:46Woo!
01:47You say, love.
01:47Oh!
01:50Yeah, my love.
01:52Oh!
01:54Thank you man.
01:56Oh!
01:56Oh!
01:57I wish another could do this thing for me
02:15His eyes are flooded, God, he can't even see
02:19I've hunted this tile, but now it don't seem right
02:23I fight back tears while I destroy his life
02:29Watch me destroy
02:31No mercy, no corner
02:35No place to hide from me or the man
02:38Left and right's never here and order
02:43No mercy, take it while you can now
02:47No mercy, no corner
02:50No place to hide from me or the man
02:54Right and wrong never
02:57Came in order
02:58No mercy, take it while you can now
03:02New Jersey, Marv Alvin with the fight, Dr. Ferdy Pacheco
03:10And we are closing in on Larry Holmes and Scott Frank
03:14And for Scott Frank, his feet tonight of $350,000
03:18Easily the biggest payday of his boxing life
03:22So for Scott Frank, it's a long way from his days of club fighting around the state of New Jersey
03:29Frank's first year as a pro, 1978, saw a win by decision over veteran Chuck Webner
03:38A man who also fought for the title in similar circumstances to that of tonight
03:43March of 1982, Scott Frank and Ronaldo Snipes fought that bizarre draw that had its comical moments
03:51And in Scott's last bout in July, he won by decision over Ken Arl, but not an impressive performance
04:03Scott, are you bothered by people poking at you about the fact that you have this title shot?
04:11Well, nobody's really been poking at me, so not at all
04:15In terms of the fact that people could look at your record and say, yes, he's undefeated
04:20But aside from Ronaldo Snipes, where are the other quality opponents?
04:25And yet here you have quickly moved to a point where you're fighting for the heavyweight title
04:29Well, let me put it this way
04:31If you look at my record, let's look at them all
04:34Jerry Cooney, Tex Cobb
04:37I mean, I fought a better opponent than they did
04:39Scott, are you bothered by the fact that many people don't take this fight seriously?
04:44Well, I could give you a couple of reactions, but we're on camera, you know
04:48Something that could be noticed
04:49Well, it doesn't matter to me, and after the fight, you know, people, you know
04:54They're just, whatever they say, it's opinions, you know
04:58So, you know, and everybody has an opinion
05:00And everybody got something else, too, you know, but it doesn't mean nothing
05:03Now, you were cut in training about a week and a half ago
05:08Do you think Holmes might go for that cut, try to get your bleeding early in the bout?
05:13No problem with that
05:14He could try, that means he has to change his style of fighting
05:18And start bringing up uppercuts
05:20Now, in a way, I'm doing a favor
05:22I'm screwing up his style, I'm mostly jabbing my hands
05:25Now he has to start working an uppercut
05:27And he's going to do things he's not been used to doing
05:29Is there a fear of being embarrassed in the ring?
05:34Well, I'll be honest with you
05:35I have approached most of my opponents all the same thing
05:38See, when you people look at the fight
05:40You're looking at Larry Holmes, the heavyweight champ
05:43You know, he has this, he has that
05:46I'm in reality, I know what it is
05:49He's fighting, he got a couple good breaks
05:50He's a good boxer, that's who I'm fighting
05:52A guy with a good left hand and a good right
05:53That's who I'm fighting
05:54You people are the ones that project this mighty man
05:58I fought one time and I got my jaw broken in the second round
06:02Ninth round, I knocked the guy out
06:03I fought seven rounds with a broken jaw
06:05It was nothing
06:06I'm being honest, it was nothing
06:07You know?
06:10Scott Frank trying to give the impression
06:13It's just another fight that is upcoming
06:16Atlantic City, New Jersey
06:19There's Barbers Frazier on the right
06:21And his dad, pretty fair fighter
06:23Thought about the name of Joe Frazier
06:25Larry Holmes slated to go against Barbers in November
06:28Right now though, let's go to NBC News in New York
06:31Atlantic City, New Jersey
06:35Larry Holmes getting the gloves on
06:38In his dressing room
06:39As we near Fight Time
06:41Holmes and Scott Frank upcoming
06:44In a circus-like tent
06:46That is alongside Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino
06:49And we are just moments away from Fight Time
06:53Let's take a look at the career of Larry Holmes
06:56A career that began in 1973
06:58A career that has produced a record of 43 and 0
07:02Larry Holmes won the WBC Heavyweight title
07:08In June of 1978
07:10By out-slugging Ken Gorkman
07:12Holmes taking a 15-round decision in Las Vegas
07:15After successfully defending by knockout
07:19Eight straight times
07:20Larry had some adventures
07:22November of 81
07:23Stunned by Ronaldo Snipes
07:25Taken down in round seven
07:27But Holmes was able to recoup and rally
07:33To stop Snipes in the 11th
07:36Although Snipes felt the bounce
07:41Should not have been stopped
07:42June of 82
07:48The well-publicized heated matchup with Jerry Cooney
07:51And for Larry Holmes
07:52A high point in his career
07:54Cooney stopped in the 13th
07:56A sweet victory for the champion
07:58November 1982
08:08Holmes threw the shutout
08:10Against Randy Tex Cobb
08:12A fight that went 15 rounds
08:14March of this year
08:18Scranton, Pennsylvania
08:19Another easy victory for Holmes
08:21But not able to knock out
08:22The lightly regarded Lucian Rodriguez
08:24So it went the distance
08:25And then this past day
08:27In Las Vegas
08:28The remedy who felt the champion
08:30Got the benefit of the doubt
08:31Against Tim Witherspoon
08:32Bringing us to this evening
08:34Larry, you've trained about
08:35Four weeks for this fight
08:37Do you think that's enough
08:38For a heavyweight championship fight
08:39Or is it that you're taking
08:40Scott Frank a little cheap?
08:42Well, I'm not taking him cheap
08:43It's that I've been training
08:45I've been in training
08:45And I got four good weeks of training
08:48That's the point
08:49Will the cut that they talk so much about
08:52When Scott Frank under his chin
08:53Will that be a factor?
08:54I don't think so
08:55Because it's not running down
08:57In his eye
08:57And it won't blur the vision
08:58So I don't think that cut
09:00Will be a factor
09:01Unless it really opens up
09:02To be a real good cut
09:04But I'm not even
09:05Going to concentrate on that
09:06I'm concentrating on
09:07Taking him out of there
09:08As soon as I can
09:08Larry, are you looking past
09:11Scott Frank
09:12To the fight in November
09:13With Marvis Fraser?
09:14No, I don't look past anybody
09:15I like to take one step at a time
09:17And I don't care what the critics say
09:19Or the people say out there
09:20This guy is a serious opponent
09:22He's going to come out there
09:23To try to take my head off
09:24This is an opportunity of a lifetime
09:27And this guy is going to be serious
09:29And this is why I trained very hard
09:30For this fight
09:31I'm not taking no fight lightly
09:33I learned my lesson
09:34When I did that before
09:35Larry, the fighter
09:37Is the last to know
09:38When to get off stage
09:39You think you're the man
09:40You were three or four years ago
09:42You're getting hit more
09:44It means your reflexes
09:45Are not what they used to be
09:47You can't put people away
09:48Your strength isn't what it used to be
09:49Do you find that you're not
09:51The fighter you were
09:52A few years ago?
09:53No, that don't indicate
09:54To me that I'm coming
09:56To the end of my road
09:57It's just that
09:58Fighters are changing styles
09:59And what not
10:00They're studying a little bit more
10:02And I probably wasn't
10:03In the top shape
10:04As I would normally be
10:05And we all
10:07Slow down
10:10You know, with age
10:10And what not
10:11But I felt that
10:12With my slowing down
10:12I'm much smarter than boxing now
10:14I used to do a lot
10:16Of movement
10:16And what not
10:17Now I stand flat
10:19And once you stand flat
10:20You're vulnerable to punches
10:21You say you're a smarter fighter
10:23You think you're smart enough
10:24To do what everybody else
10:25Hasn't been able to do
10:26Get off stage in time
10:27Oh yeah, I know
10:28I know I'm smarter than that
10:29Because I've seen
10:30And I sat back
10:31And took notes
10:32On what happened
10:33To other fighters
10:34When they try to prove themselves
10:35That they can be
10:36Something that they're really not
10:38One thing we cannot beat
10:39And that's farther time
10:40And I feel that
10:41When that time comes for me
10:42I feel that
10:44I have enough people around me
10:45Good people around me
10:46Like Eddie Fudge
10:47And Keith Cleary
10:47My doctor
10:48But matter of fact
10:49Besides all that
10:50I have myself
10:51My family
10:51To say, hey Larry
10:52That's enough
10:53I can't keep going on like this
10:55And besides Freddie
10:56I got in this game
10:58For money
10:59And I made money
11:00So I'm just doing it
11:02Now to do it
11:03For the rest of the year
11:04And then we're going to
11:05Think about what we're going
11:06To do next year
11:0623-year-old Larry Hull
11:11Boy in Cookburg, Georgia
11:13Living in Eastern Pennsylvania
11:14Getting set to defend
11:16His heavyweight title
11:17For the 16th time
11:19Coming off the controversial
11:2112-round split decision
11:23Over Tim Witherspoon
11:24Back in the day
11:25In Las Vegas
11:27And Scott Crank
11:28Making his way
11:29Toward the ring
11:30Here in Atlantic City
11:32Scott Crank
11:3325 years old
11:35From Passaic, New Jersey
11:36Now living in
11:37Oakland, New Jersey
11:38With a family of seven
11:41A record of 20 and old
11:44One draw
11:4514 by knockout
11:47His last fight
11:49July 14th
11:5010-round decision
11:51Over Tim
11:51But an unimpressive victory
11:54For Frank
11:55Looks sluggish
11:56As he did in his previous fight
11:57Against Steve Zowski
11:59Last January
12:00Also a 10-round decision
12:02For Frank
12:02Clearly his most noteworthy bout
12:04A bout that we televised
12:05On NBC
12:06A 10-round draw
12:08Against Ronaldo Snipes
12:10Also controversial decision
12:12Back in March of 82
12:13Fight that had several
12:14Comical moments
12:15As we mentioned earlier
12:16So the quality
12:19Of his opponents
12:20Can certainly be questioned
12:21And here he is
12:22Fighting for the heavyweight championship
12:23It gives you some idea
12:25Of the thinness
12:26Of the heavyweights
12:27When this man is ranked number 10
12:29And he's undefeated
12:31A man that's ranked number 10
12:33By the WBC
12:34And undefeated
12:34Naturally is in line
12:35For a title shot
12:36But when you look at the list
12:38Of the WBC
12:39Seven of the top 10
12:40Lost in the last
12:41Two or three months
12:42So it's
12:43The heavyweights
12:45Are really thin
12:45At this point
12:46I believe also
12:48The fact that we have
12:48A double championship
12:49Going with dokes
12:50In one division
12:51And Holmes in the other
12:53Eating up challengers
12:54Twice as fast
12:55Has something to do
12:56With that also
12:56In the meantime
12:57He has come in
13:00Virtually silent
13:01Here
13:01Scott Frank has come in
13:03And if his relatives
13:04Are here
13:04They certainly haven't
13:05Made themselves known
13:06Because he snuck in
13:07Scott
13:09Incidentally
13:10Not a fan
13:11Of the rigors
13:11Of training
13:12In fact
13:13He retired for a while
13:14Following disagreements
13:15With battered
13:15For Lou Duba
13:16They did part
13:16For a period
13:17Of time
13:18Duba is back
13:19In his corner
13:20But the feeling is
13:22That may not last
13:23Very long
13:24And he's also
13:24A press agent's nightmare
13:26Because for some reason
13:27He decided not to give
13:29Interviews this time
13:29Not to talk
13:30And came to this fight
13:32Virtually unheralded
13:33By virtue of his silence
13:36Scott Frank actually
13:39Called Larry Holmes
13:41To pitch himself
13:42For a title shot
13:44And Holmes went for it
13:45Larry jokingly said
13:47It's the first time
13:47Anyone ever called me
13:49To get beat up
13:50That remains to be seen
13:55The music's up
13:58It's queued
13:59And now comes
14:00The entrance of the champion
14:01Larry Holmes
14:05This is outside
14:12The tent structure
14:13Alongside the
14:14Harris Marina Hotel
14:16Casino
14:16And Larry Holmes
14:18From the
14:19Refabricated
14:20Structure making his way
14:22Forward
14:23To the
14:23Attack of the
14:24Now the crowd
14:35Is picking it up
14:50And never
14:52To the
14:54Out
14:55Into the
14:55Angers
14:57Of the
14:58Angers
15:00Of the
15:00토� brothers
15:01That really
15:01I'm
15:02Not
15:02Don't
15:03плох
15:03You
15:03Towards'
15:04Before
15:04The
15:04Angers
15:07That really
15:16We've got to do it.
15:22So, Scott Brown and the champion, Larry Holmes, in the ring.
15:27And we'll be back in just a moment.
15:33Heavyweight Championship fight is brought to you by the 1983 Volkswagens.
15:38Nothing else is a Volkswagen.
15:41By Schlitz malt liquor.
15:43No one doesn't like the bull.
15:46By Commodore Computer in more homes than any other home computer.
15:51And by Shure, Shure Antiperspirant in three convenient forms.
15:56They'll keep you dry all day.
16:01Larry Holmes and Scott Frank now awaiting the official introductions.
16:08And we're set, so let's go to Ed Darien in the ring.
16:15Ladies and gentlemen, Murad Mohamed Incorporated and Bob Andrioli Productions proudly present the scheduled 15-round World Boxing Council Heavyweight Championship bout.
16:31In the ring at this time, the man in charge of the scheduled 15-round title bout, referee Tony Perez of New York.
16:41And now, boxing fans, introducing the principals first in the blue corner, wearing the light blue trunks with the red and blue trim.
16:51He weighed in at 211 and one-quarter pounds.
16:58This young man is undefeated in 21 professional bouts with one draw and 14 knockouts.
17:06He is ranked 10th by the World Boxing Council and is currently the New Jersey State Heavyweight Champion from Oakland, New Jersey.
17:16Ladies and gentlemen, the challenger, Scott Frank.
17:22Frank!
17:27And his opponent in the red corner, wearing the white trunks with the red trim.
17:34He tipped in at an even, 223 pounds.
17:38This young man is undefeated in 43 professional bouts with 30 knockouts.
17:46From Easton, Pennsylvania, defending his title for the 16th time, the World Boxing Council Heavyweight Champion, Larry Holmes.
17:59This title bout, ladies and gentlemen, is scheduled for 12 rounds.
18:0812 rounds.
18:11So the correction made by the ring announcer, Ed Darien, who originally reported a 15-round schedule bout, but this scheduled for 12.
18:20The referee, Tony Perez.
18:22Quick check of the tail of the tape.
18:30We mentioned the Holmes weight.
18:32Heaviest of his career, 223.
18:34Frank coming at a 211 and a quarter.
18:38Scott Frank does have decent power, but the question, can he get to Holmes?
18:43He is an effective body puncher, but the man has not been in with anyone with the credentials of a top-ranked heavyweight.
18:51So we're up the way in round one.
18:57Frank figures to come out and try his stuff while he's got a chance.
19:02Larry wants to put him away as soon as he can.
19:04He doesn't want to risk having to stick around.
19:09This is a night of upsets.
19:10Walk with upsets here.
19:11There are many who have felt that Scott Frank's only chance would be to try and get Holmes involved in a street-like brawl, but Holmes said that won't matter.
19:28Oh, he's got a lot of fat around the midsection.
19:36It would be hard to carry that for 12 rounds.
19:41Of course, Larry says it just makes him stronger.
19:45Larry Holmes went at his prime.
19:49Very, very smooth with an excellent left jab, followed up usually by the short right course.
19:55Not a devastating contraband.
19:57Has that good knockout record.
19:59And always piles up points with the jab.
20:03Larry looking to sucker.
20:05Scott Frank with that right hand.
20:06As soon as he comes in, he triggers it off.
20:08He missed him the first two times he's thrown it.
20:11If it lands flush on the chin, it would be tough for Mr. Scott.
20:14And there are some boxing people who felt that Holmes did not properly train for tonight's fight because he has no fear of Scott Frank.
20:37So similar to the situation against Lucifer Rodriguez, there's a question concerning Holmes' concentration.
20:44But does it matter?
20:47We'll soon see.
20:48Holmes' jab is starting to find its mark.
20:51Early in a fight, Holmes dominates with his jab.
20:56And for less than a minute left in this first round.
20:59Oh, a good right hand by Holmes.
21:01That's the most telling blow of this first round.
21:05That's what he was looking to do, sucker that right hand, and he's loading it up again.
21:11There it went.
21:14There it went again.
21:20Nailing.
21:20Scott Frank.
21:23Connecting through the gloves of Frank.
21:26Frank's waiting too long.
21:28Frank's got to fight.
21:29He's got to be throwing things or LT is going to get cleaned up.
21:32So Larry Holmes doing whatever he has wanted to do in this opening round, using the jab very effectively.
21:45For round two to meet up with Scott Frank, who was told in his corner, you have to throw more than one punch.
21:51He must throw in bunches or else Larry will pick him apart with that right hand.
21:57It was a good opening round for the champion, whose brisk jab is doing its job as it usually does.
22:04Larry looking to drop that right hand and finish the fight as early as he can.
22:08Look at the fierceness of that jab.
22:09Larry Holmes getting in with that jab right from the opening foul.
22:16And they make contact under the chin of Frank, and he does cut easily.
22:21He's coming off that cut sustained during training camp, which raised several questions.
22:27Well, as Scott Frank said in the interview, it doesn't make any difference for him when it's cut.
22:34And Larry Holmes said, I'm not aiming for him.
22:35I just want to knock him out fast.
22:37It looks like that's what Holmes wants to do.
22:39He doesn't care about the cut.
22:41Good right hand by Holmes.
22:44Looking much more aggressive than he did against Lucian Rodriguez.
22:53Of course, Frank providing more of an inviting target than Rodriguez.
22:57Well, he's standing still.
22:59And if he doesn't come in punching two and three, he's just going to get picked apart.
23:02His chance is a street fight, and he's certainly not going to get it sitting around waiting for the punches to land.
23:08No sign of any intent of getting involved in that type of role by Frank.
23:15Midway point, round two, scheduled for 12.
23:19And it's been target practice for Holmes.
23:27Scott's corner has said, don't wait for him punch two and three times.
23:30Scott has not done that.
23:31He's got to come in, not only behind the jab, but throwing the right hand and the hook after him.
23:35practice lunging with his left, but no shot of getting any impact at all.
23:49And a great shot at getting hit with a counter right hand, which Larry is beginning to measure him with again.
23:55Less than a minute left, round two.
24:09It's been a cover-up round for Scott Frank.
24:13Larry is sweating profusely.
24:15The heat is rather unbearable under these lights.
24:22First two rounds have been brisk.
24:24Good rounds for Larry Holmes.
24:30And coming up to ten seconds left.
24:33In the second round, crowd responding because Frank did connect with a right hand.
24:39But Holmes not bothered by it.
24:40The German engineers who built the Volkswagen Scirocco were obsessed with aerodynamics.
24:49Of course, most of those 12 knockouts were earlier in his career.
24:53That has not been the case in recent years.
24:56Two good right hands by Scott Frank, landing on Larry Holmes in the final seconds of the second round.
25:02Scott Frank's starting to have a lot of trouble with a left eye that's beginning to close up.
25:06You can see it's turning black and blue.
25:08It will be closed in about another round or so.
25:11Those jabs of Holmes landing right on target.
25:15Ace Murata in the corner.
25:16Scott Frank has been putting that cold top press, that cold iron end swell on it.
25:22And I'm afraid it's too late for even end swell.
25:24That eye will be closed in about another round or so.
25:28Holmes doubling up with the left hand.
25:31Then trying to connect with the right.
25:32His corner got excited, Scott Frank, because he landed two strong right hands at the end of the round.
25:39And it looked like that they had reached Holmes.
25:44Holmes countering off the left hand of Frank.
25:48Larry Holmes opened up by painting.
25:52Scott Frank with the jab.
25:53Good right hand.
25:54And that rocked Frank.
25:57This is round three.
25:59Minute gone by.
26:00Larry Holmes defending for the 16th time.
26:03Marv Albert with the fight jockler.
26:06Bernie Pacheco.
26:07We're live from Atlantic City.
26:09Every time Frank gets close to landing, the crowd responds.
26:15Now Larry's in command of this fight up to now.
26:19No question about it.
26:24Good uppercut by Holmes.
26:26Nice.
26:27Two right-hand combinations to the side and then the uppercut.
26:35Trickle of nose coming from the blood of Scott, from the nose of Scott Frank.
26:44You can see the eyes closing up.
26:47Although, for some reason, Larry Holmes has abandoned that stinging jab.
26:50And there it is back again, followed by the right hand.
27:01Larry doing a very workman-like job on Scott Frank.
27:08Wonder what thoughts are going through the mind of Marvis Frazier.
27:12And Joe Frazier as they watch this workman-like exhibition of the champion, Larry Holmes.
27:17Marvis Frazier is slated to face Holmes in November.
27:27And we approach 15 seconds left, round three.
27:32And there are the Fraziers looking out.
27:43Final second, third round.
27:47Scott Frank, as he comes out for round four.
27:52And there's a terrific absence in his corner.
27:55Lou Dubbo, the great motivator and corner man who was supposed to work in his corner, has not come in.
28:00And we wonder what significance that has.
28:03He's not being motivated in the corner.
28:05Good right hand by Larry Holmes.
28:06Oh, and the left hand following up.
28:09Larry wanting to stop this fight right now.
28:10He wants to get his knockout.
28:12Keep in mind, Holmes has not put anyone down since he dropped Jerry Cooney.
28:17And that was back in round two.
28:18Cooney did not go down in that 13th and final round.
28:21So that's some 50 rounds of boxing through Cooney, Todd Rodriguez, and Riverside.
28:27So Holmes would love the knockdown.
28:30Holmes is going for that knockdown.
28:32He's got all the power of the old Holmes going.
28:36He's as early in the fight.
28:37He's warmed up.
28:38And he is letting fly the old Larry Holmes power in that right hand.
28:42Scott Frank looking to protect the left eye.
28:59Has the glove up high.
29:01He's looking to protect his entire body.
29:03He's getting creamed by Larry Holmes almost every round.
29:07Thus far, that cut, much advertised it was going to open, did not.
29:13And several crunching uppercuts have hit there.
29:20Larry slowing down some.
29:21Wanting to work the body so his hands will come down.
29:26No offense whatsoever on the part of Scott Frankheyer.
29:29That well-advertised attack, that street fight that he said he was going to get into,
29:33has not materialized.
29:34Oh, the jab setting up the right, but Holmes not able to collect, connect that time.
29:41As we approach a minute remaining in the round.
29:45All Larry's trying to do there is get that arm down.
29:48He's holding it way up, as you pointed out, Marvin.
29:50He's trying to get it down by the attack to the flank.
30:00It has been a very quiet bout for the referee, Tony Perez.
30:04His presence has not been needed.
30:09I have no idea what Scott Frank is waiting for, because if he doesn't launch an attack pretty soon,
30:13he's just going to be beaten down.
30:18It's possible that he misses a Lou Duva in the corner, telling him to get out there and go and do and die.
30:23Well, pretty reportedly, Lou Duva had another falling out with Frank.
30:28There have been a few of those in the career of Scott Frank.
30:32All right, we'll be back in 30 seconds, and we'll visit in the corner of Scott Frank, who is taking a hammer here at the end of the round.
30:50Although Scott says he's all over.
30:52No problem, all right?
30:56You've got to choose the jab coming in.
30:59Take a nice deep breath.
31:00Hold it in and out.
31:01Come on.
31:02You've got to use the jab.
31:03Put the Vaseline in those, Tony.
31:05Well, Joe Fariello in the corner of Scott Frank, capturing what he said, Scott, you're doing nothing.
31:14Fariello goes back to the custom auto days with a large heavyweight fighter by the name of Buster Mathis.
31:21This is round five, and at the end of round four, Holmes able to successfully unload on Frank.
31:32It looked like he was going to put him out.
31:33If he had enough time at the end of that round, he might have.
31:36The combinations were crisp.
31:37They were landing and jolting.
31:39Scott Frank, although he tried to make light of it, make it look like he wasn't really getting hurt.
31:46It has been a shutout thus far for Holmes, scoring on the 10-point call-off with right hand by Holmes.
31:53Scott Frank says it wasn't anything.
31:58This out of the pages of his count against the Ronaldo Snipes, but he is getting hurt.
32:04He's a better actor than he is a fighter.
32:10Holmes feels it.
32:11He feels his knockout.
32:13He's right there.
32:13Holmes, as this is out of the pages of Tex Cobb now.
32:17Oh, look at that right hand.
32:18Was hit by the right hand of Frank, and now Frank is covering up.
32:24Right in his...
32:25Can't give a standing eight, but he's counting it out.
32:28His eye is...
32:29He's been thugged.
32:30He's talking about he's been thugged.
32:33Scott Frank.
32:34Clanting, he's thugged.
32:36And Tony Perez says, okay, continue.
32:39But Frank covering up the eye.
32:44Clark, Clark, Clark, does it.
32:45That's it, says Tony Perez.
32:47Oh, and Scott Frank does not agree.
32:51He's training.
32:52He was thugged.
32:53There is the standing eight that can be used.
32:58Tony Perez, not one who believes in the standing eight, so he did not use it.
33:03Instead, he started a count, and then when he saw that Frank was complaining about receiving
33:13the thumb of the eye, he did stop the count and then said continue, and now Perez has called
33:21it, so it is all over in round five, and Larry Holmes having his way from the opening bell
33:29with no problem at all, throwing a blank at Scott Frank.
33:34Three more out tomorrow.
33:35Three more out tomorrow.
33:36Don't go away.
33:39Well, they're checking out Scott.
33:40And we'll get another look at those final punches of the bout.
33:49You see, Holmes has Frank trapped in the corner.
33:52There's a right hand that got Frank in the left eye.
33:55He'd been having problems with the eye from earlier in the fight, and now Frank looks to
34:00cover up, and right here he says he was thumped.
34:04And Perez stepped in, not allowing Holmes to unleash.
34:10Frank says, I was thumped.
34:11Perez checks it out, starts the count.
34:14We'll get another look at this.
34:15And here's Frank trying to express the fact that he was thumped.
34:21First, the overhand right by Frank that missed.
34:24There's the punch by Holmes that got into the eye of Frank.
34:29As I said, Tony Perez could have utilized the standing eight, but he is one who says he
34:36does not believe in it, and so he did not go for it.
34:39So, that's the story here at Atlantic City.
34:44We'll be back to talk about it with the principals after we pause for these messages.
34:54This is winning.
34:55Atlantic City, New Jersey.
34:56Marv Albert with the fight.
34:57Dr. Ferdy Pacheco.
34:58The official time, one minute, 28 seconds of round five.
35:03Larry Holmes stopping Scott Frank, and the champion is alongside Ferdy in the ring.
35:09Why didn't you pick us up like that?
35:11Congratulations.
35:13Thank you, Doc.
35:13A knockout, which you have been long looking for.
35:16Oh, yeah, and I had a little bit to prove this time.
35:18You know, I only had four weeks of getting ready, but I got ready.
35:21Scott Frank deserved the shot.
35:23We gave him a shot.
35:24Strong, determined young man.
35:25And if he stays at it, work at it, Freddie, you'll hear a lot more from him.
35:28Now, what do you think about his claim?
35:30You thumbed him.
35:31He went down with a thumb, and he couldn't get up, and so forth.
35:34Well, you know, fighters always find an excuse when a good punch land in the eye.
35:38I mean, from the first round, his eye was puffing, swollen, and, you know, he needed an excuse,
35:43and he got it, and he got on out.
35:45But, you know, that's boxing.
35:47You know, some guys can take it better than others, and some can't.
35:50At the end of one of those rounds, he landed two crunching right hands.
35:54Did they bother you at all?
35:55Oh, he hit me high on the head.
35:56It shook me up just a second, but it didn't really hurt me.
36:00Like, it really hurt me, but it shook me up a little bit.
36:02I knew I got hit.
36:04Do you think it was smart of you to let Marvis Frazier in here and watch this?
36:07Well, hey, Marvis Frazier still thinks he can whoop me, his father, and his whole family.
36:11But let him keep thinking.
36:12You know what?
36:13I'm better all the time.
36:14I'm better with age.
36:15I'm smarter.
36:15I don't have to move as much.
36:16I serve my energy.
36:18And Marvis Frazier will get knocked out just the same way.
36:20And it's up to his father, put him in there, and our contracts are signed, and we're ready
36:24to do it again on NBC.
36:26So we will see you in November.
36:28I'd like to say one more thing.
36:30I'd like to say hi to my mom and my kids, and hi to Die King.
36:33It's a knockout of his show, NBC.
36:34Eddie Fudge, a great, venerable trainer that's had so much to do with so many great fighters.
36:41How did you see your charge this time?
36:43Well, I saw him taking his time and keeping the fight under control all the way.
36:48He set Frank up for the right hand with the continual jab and the faint and the occasional
36:54left hook, and it was just a matter of time before I thought that he would cut him down.
36:59Did you think this kid was ever in the fight at all?
37:01And do you think Scott Frank was ever in this fight?
37:05He tried, but Larry had him under control at all times.
37:09Wouldn't you say that the difference in class is gigantic between the two fighters?
37:12Well, there was a definite difference in class.
37:16All right, Eddie, always a gentleman.
37:17Always glad to see you.
37:18We'll see you in November.
37:20Marvis Frazier in November with Larry Holmes for the title.
37:26We wait for him while we go back to Marv Albert at Bringside.
37:30All right, Ferdy, this about that ended at 128 of round five.
37:36I mentioned that the referee, Tony Perez, could have used the standing eight when Scott
37:42Frank complained that he was thunk in the eye, but he chose not to.
37:45In fact, the standing eight has been a point of controversy.
37:48Recently, the state of New York prohibited the standing eight.
37:51Let's take a close-up look at the pros and cons of the standing eight count.
37:56In the rush to institute safety measures, the WBC adopted the standing eight count.
38:16Almost immediately, the boxing society arose as one to object to this measure.
38:20The standing eight count is invoked when a fighter is judged to be in trouble or out on his feet
38:26and is scored as one point, not a two-point as in a knockdown.
38:31Take the Arguello prior title fight last year.
38:34Alexis Arguello, taking a fearful beating from a fired-up Aram prior, just won't go down.
38:39The referee could have stepped in and given him a standing eight count, but what have he had?
38:44Would that have allowed Alexis to recover and maybe turn the fight around?
38:50Or might it have resulted in a longer and more fearful beating and possibly grievous injury to Alexis Arguello?
38:58Well, I think for that particular fight would be bad because, you know, I was really in a bad condition.
39:06And, you know, I think the referee did the right thing, and it was a terrible moment.
39:13And I think for me, for the referee, he did his good job.
39:17He stopped the fight in the right moment, and he was a blast for me.
39:20Complete curse because he gives the guy a second chance to the round.
39:24If you give eight counts, we would have had a loss in the Hurts fight.
39:27When you give a guy a standing eight count, you're just prolonging the misery.
39:30I think that if a guy's hurt, stop the fight.
39:33The standing eight count was invented for the amateur ranks, and it belongs in the amateur ranks.
39:39I think that the standing eight count only prolongs the punishment that a fighter may be taking,
39:45only to have him come back and receive more punishment.
39:48I think that a well-experienced referee who is well-skilled in his craft knows when he should stop a fight.
39:55When you got a guy hurt, you should get him out of there
39:58because some guy's got the tendency of coming back, and you can lose behind it.
40:03And then they've got a tendency of coming back and taking more punishment.
40:06So I think that standing eight count is not a blessing.
40:09I think that's in the amateur rules, and I think that should stay in the amateurs.
40:13The standing eight count is simply the wrong wrench for the right nut.
40:17Standing eight count was developed for amateur fighting,
40:20where the object is not to hurt the other man, but to outpoint him.
40:24In professional fighting, the object is to stop your man as soon as possible.
40:28By giving a standing eight count, you could conceivably cause that which you're trying so hard to avoid,
40:35serious injury in boxing.
40:38So, referee Tony Perez concurring with the views of the fight doctor on the subject of the standing eight.
40:46Moments ago, it was Larry Holmes successfully defending his heavyweight title,
40:50stopping Scott Frank at 128 of round five.
40:54Scott is alongside Ferdy.
40:56Let's get back to the ring.
40:57Scott, the thing that is on everybody's mind is the way you went down and held your eye.
41:02Were you thumbed?
41:04Uh, yeah, you know, I don't know if it was in purpose, probably an accident,
41:07but he has a habit.
41:09When he throws open up the thumbs, it was a, you know, it was a good thumb.
41:12It was a good thumb to the eye.
41:14Yeah.
41:14Now, when you went down, did you think they should have given you time for your eye to clear up?
41:18Do you think Tony Perez should have given you time?
41:20Uh, my own opinion, yes.
41:22But this is the way boxing is, and nothing I can say about it, he was a good ref in there.
41:26I can't say nothing bad.
41:27All right.
41:28You were trying.
41:29Your game plan, as you had told me, was to pass the time for about five rounds
41:33and open up in a street fighting kind of way.
41:35You think that was some kind of a mistake?
41:36Those first five rounds were blazing.
41:39Yeah, it was a fast pace.
41:41I could have picked it up.
41:41But, you know, when you make plans, you're supposed to stick by them.
41:44I was just going to, you know, Larry's a strong puncher, but he can't really hurt you.
41:47You know, he throws some nice combinations.
41:50And I hit him twice in a second.
41:51I knew I hurt him.
41:52So I said, let this guy get a little more tired, a little more confident.
41:55And once I had his confidence up, then I was going to bomb away.
41:58You know, it's a 12-round fight.
41:59So then you take it.
42:00All right.
42:01Now, the ref is going to be, there's a tremendous difference in class between you and Larry Holmes.
42:05Do you feel that difference in class?
42:07There isn't.
42:07He's a boxer.
42:08I'm a brawler.
42:09I mean, you know, he's a good boxer.
42:12But, you know, a guy like him, you let him go for five rounds and throw a lot of punches, he gets tired.
42:16In all his fights, he gets tired.
42:17You know, and he wasn't in the greatest shape of his life today.
42:20You know, hey, I knew I'd get him.
42:21I caught him in the second round with a couple of right hands.
42:23I know I hurt him, but I didn't want to go after him with right hands because then he would just go away, go away all night.
42:28So I want to get him confident again to sucker him in for right hands.
42:31You know what?
42:31You should have tried to have out-talked him.
42:33You can have out-talked him in a minute.
42:35But you give it your good shot.
42:37You have nothing to be embarrassed about.
42:39And we throw back to Marv Albert at ringside.
42:44All right, Ferdy, obviously the Scott Frank philosophy.
42:46He felt he had Larry Holmes right where he wanted him.
42:49But eventually he would have gotten tired of punching him.
42:51We'll be back here at Atlantic City, New Jersey in just a moment.
42:55Where earlier it was Larry Holmes successfully defending his heavyweight championship against
43:09Scott Frank, 128, round five, the official time.
43:14Next for Larry Holmes coming up in November is Marvis Frazier, who is alongside the fight doctor.
43:20Marvis, you think it was wise of you to come here and take a look at that awesome exhibition of the champion Larry Holmes?
43:27Well, I felt that Mr. Holmes looked extremely good, you know.
43:30He's the champion of the world, and he did as such.
43:33But he's not going to be fighting Scott Frank on November the 25th.
43:37He's going to be fighting Marvis Frazier.
43:39You fight three minutes of every round.
43:41Every time I've seen you, you go just like this guy here, three minutes of every round, just like your old man Joe.
43:46You think that Holmes can stand up to three minutes of every round pressure like you put on people?
43:51Well, I don't think so.
43:53But you know what they say, Chip, don't fall far from the block.
43:55And here's the block, and he's getting to be a big Sequoia all by himself.
43:58You're getting bigger with age.
44:00Well, not really.
44:01You mean bigger, fatter?
44:02I ain't going to say fatter to you.
44:04You're too tough.
44:05You beat too many of my fighters.
44:06I don't want to say nothing to you.
44:07I'm getting better in whatever I do, you know what I mean?
44:09If you're just running down the road and walk back.
44:11All right.
44:11Now, Joe, you were always, always a full-action fighter.
44:15Your son's the same way.
44:16I imagine you train him the same way.
44:17And in the corner, you're the same way.
44:19Now, you got any kind of game plan for him to beat Holmes?
44:22I don't want any secrets now.
44:23Well, the game plans we're going to do are Holmes, Mr. Larry Holmes, a great champion.
44:30You have the belt long enough.
44:31It's time for new ideas, young ideas now.
44:36I step down.
44:37All other champions step down.
44:39It's time for him to move.
44:40And from that, from the great Joe Frazier, one of the great heavyweight champions of our time, we go back to Marv Albert.
44:47All right, Ferdinand, we do have a busy boxing October and November coming up here on NBC.
44:54You know, these past few years, our boxing coverage on NBC has brought forth a number of odd moments, both in and out of the ring.
45:03So our crack staff, spending many hours, has assembled the very best of the bazaar.
45:11We have had some intriguing openings to our boxing programs.
45:21And all of a sudden, I came out with my sensational 1-5.
45:24You ever seen my 1-5?
45:251-5!
45:261-5!
45:272, 3, and 4, I got it.
45:29My wife and I go to a lovely restaurant twice a week.
45:32Little candlelight, little wine.
45:33She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.
45:35I am so excited to be here today.
45:37These two guys are the two sexiest, best-looking, hottest numbers NBC has got.
45:42And I'm talking about Merv and Freddy.
45:47Away from the ring, Mustafa Hampshire, now a restaurant entrepreneur, showing his skills.
45:54Johnny Dancing Machine Carter pulling one out of the annals of Rocky.
45:58An animal-fletcher's mother who brought enthusiasm and mother love to new heights and decibel volume.
46:13The fight doctor meets his match.
46:15A colleague of his, a witch doctor from Uganda.
46:19Heavyweight Ronaldo Snipes has certainly had his ups and downs in the ring.
46:40Best disappearing act.
46:42Mysteriously, Ted Sanders did not show up for his rematch with Alex Ramos slipping out of town in the middle of the night.
46:50Back to Ronaldo Snipes, who found Jumbo Cummings to be a biting opponent.
47:00The Loblo Festival, or why boxers retire early.
47:04In Tampa, Dwight Walker finds out if Frazee is wearing his protector.
47:10Ooh.
47:10Most abused boxer, Wolford Sipian, who was not pleased about the ring technique of Mustafa Hampshire.
47:25Hard Rock Green training for Bubbles Shaughnessen.
47:36Unfortunately, he had to fight animal-fletcher, and predictably, he lost.
47:40And Thurdeus had his share of low-key post-fight interviews.
47:50The best body in boxing belongs not to Ali, not to Holmes, not to Sugar Ray, but to my broadcast partner, Marvell.
48:04So, when do you find time to work out with your busy schedule, Marv?
48:13Well, Ferdy, you know, I haven't been working out as feverishly recently.
48:18That's an old photo.
48:19We'll be back to take another look at the fifth and final round of Larry Holmes and Scott Frank.
48:30Comparing...
48:31I don't think that anyone would categorize what we saw tonight as a surprise.
48:36Perhaps the way it ended, the fact that Scott Frank took the thumb of the eye.
48:40But most people will say what happened was inevitable.
48:43I think so.
48:44It probably had...
48:48Holmes had the patience to wait till he got tired, as Scott Frank had planned.
48:52And he now goes into the Scott LaDue Hall of Fame, along with Cobb, waiting for Holmes to get tired while they were getting beaten to a pittance.
49:04All right, let's take a look at what turned out to be the fifth and final round.
49:10And Larry Holmes had his way throughout, throwing the shutout.
49:14He opened very strong with that left jab.
49:17Scott Frank did get a couple of good right hands in, ran a portion of the second round.
49:21But really not much.
49:23It was all Larry Holmes.
49:24And that's the fifth and final round.
49:27I think Larry anxious to prove, and especially with Marvis in the audience, a little, certainly an impressive performance that Marvis can go home and daydream about for a little while now.
49:37He was out to prove that he could knock somebody out fast.
49:40He came out blazing.
49:42His jab was very strong and authoritative.
49:45And the right hand followed.
49:47And there was nothing that Scott Frank could do to neutralize him.
49:51Of course, Scott Frank had his viewpoint, as we heard in his post-fight interview.
49:56But again, I think people will say, well, yes, Larry Holmes carried the extra weight.
50:03Yes, he had no real problem with Scott Frank.
50:06But what did tonight prove?
50:08Did it prove anything?
50:09He beat a club fighter.
50:10What he did tonight was have a tune-up fight in the tradition of all the heavyweight champions in the world.
50:16He tuned himself up.
50:17He's now feeling good about himself.
50:19He got confidence in his punch.
50:21Now he goes back to serious training for Marvis Frazier.
50:23And I think we got a barn burner of a fight coming up.
50:25And that'll be in November.
50:27And there is the sequence.
50:30Scott Frank trying to inform the referee, Tony Perez, that he got the thumb in the left eye.
50:38His left eye was bothering him earlier.
50:41Perez could have given him the standing eight.
50:43Did not.
50:44Gave it the mandatory eight.
50:46The fight continued.
50:47Frank covers up.
50:49And you'll see Perez come in and say, that's it.
50:51Here it is.
50:52All over.
50:54Well done by Perez.
50:55I don't think there was an argument there.
50:57If there was anything, Perez could have given him some time to recover from a thumb in the eye.
51:02Once again, we see the thumb in the eye, which should never be if we had thumbless gloves.
51:08Not that it was a factor in this fight, because the end was preordained from that first round on
51:13when we saw a new and different Larry Holmes intent on knocking out his opponent as soon as he could,
51:18rather than play with him as he did with Witherspoon.
51:22So that was it, as Tony Perez called it at 128 of round five.
51:29Scott Frank not pleased about the way it ended.
51:33He felt the fight could have continued.
51:35But, of course, that is his point of view.
51:37And certainly a night for a lot of work for the New Jersey Commission doctors
51:42as there were many cuts.
51:45Aquino suffered a perforated eardrum in his win over Steve Heron,
51:50who had to go to the hospital to get sewed up.
51:52Kirkland Lang had to go to the hospital to get checked up,
51:54although the doctors assure me that he was perfectly all right,
51:57and it's just a routine neurological checkup.
51:59So we saw a lot of different lacerations and injuries in an evening frock with upsets.
52:05The most serious could have been Kirkland Lang,
52:09who was stopped by a good-looking prospect out of Stockton, California,
52:13by the name of Fred Hutchings, who put Lang down in round ten.
52:17And Lang made heavy contact with his head on the canvas,
52:20but fortunately is all right.
52:22But in the main event, it was defending successfully for the 16th time in his career,
52:28Larry Holmes stopping Scott Frank in round number five.
52:33And I wonder if Holmes will come in as heavy for Marvis Frazier in November.
52:38Want to make a bet that he doesn't even come close to being as heavy?
52:41You're going to see a slick Larry Holmes in November.
52:44Larry Holmes by TKO in round five.
52:48So this is Barb Albert, along with the fight doctor,
52:51Bernie Pacheco saying thank you for tuning in.
52:53A reminder tomorrow at 12.30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time,
53:20NFL 83 will start the day with a look at Baltimore's controversial coach,
53:25Frank Cush, and Denver's lurking sensation, John Elway.
53:30And then an NFL doubleheader featuring an inter-conference battle
53:34between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
53:39And at 3.30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time,
53:41quarterback Jim Zorn and top rookie running back,
53:44Kurt Warner taking on Richard Todd, Freeman McNeil,
53:47as the Seattle Seahawks visit the New York Jets at Shea Stadium.
53:52Check your local listings for the games and times in your area.
53:57Big day of football tomorrow here on NBC.
54:03Larry Holmes successfully defending his WBC heavyweight title,
54:09stopping Scott Frank in round five here in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
54:15So, for Larry Holmes, in retaining the title, the dream continues.
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