- 2 days ago
Stevie Johnston defends the WBC Lightweight Title against Angel Manfredy on HBO Boxing After Dark
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00:00:00And still to come tonight, our other Manfredi was knocked out in the second round by Floyd Mayweather Jr.
00:00:05So why is he now favored over a tough veteran champion like Stevie Johnston?
00:00:11Well, for one thing, he's not fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr.
00:00:14And for another, he looked better in his last fight than Stevie Johnston did in his,
00:00:20and that normally doesn't mean a whole lot with fighters of this class.
00:00:24Finally, there's still another reason, which is that Manfredi is arguably a more colorful personality,
00:00:33attracting more fans, literally colorful with tattoos and scars all over his body.
00:00:40Johnston has none of that.
00:00:42And Johnston is such a little guy, he is easy to overlook.
00:00:47But Johnston can fight, he knows how to win, and he's the champion here tonight.
00:00:53Manfredi has said that he eats up southpaws, but nobody has ever found Stevie Johnston very digestible, Jim.
00:01:01No, that's right.
00:01:02Stevie Johnston, a very tough fighter with only one loss, but Manfredi, in addition to being so colorful,
00:01:07is also one of the most hyperactive fighters in the sport.
00:01:10He loses to Mayweather in December, throws in a fight in the Chicago area,
00:01:15has a tough, route-going performance against the outstanding Ivan Robinson.
00:01:18Another fight in the Chicago area.
00:01:20Now he's back against a veteran tough champion, Stevie Johnston.
00:01:23Too many fights too soon for Manfredi?
00:01:25No, I don't think it's too many fights too soon.
00:01:27I think Manfredi's job is to get back, regain what he lost.
00:01:32He lost ground when he lost that fight to Floyd Mayweather.
00:01:34Now he wants to get back into top contention.
00:01:36He wants to be a world figure in the sport of boxing at 130 or 135 pounds.
00:01:42If he gets a win over Stevie Johnston tonight,
00:01:44that puts him right back in line to maybe avenge himself against you-know-who.
00:01:48Yeah, if he can lure Mayweather up to 135 because he says he wouldn't go back
00:01:53and fight him again at 130, of course, dollars may determine more about that
00:01:58than Angel is letting on.
00:01:59Tale of the tape between Stevie Johnston and Angel Manfredi,
00:02:02and you can see the two-year age advantage for Manfredi,
00:02:05who's also one inch taller.
00:02:07Tonight, Johnston has gained eight pounds since the weigh-in,
00:02:10Angel only five, and Manfredi with a one-inch reach advantage.
00:02:14Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
00:02:17The Stevie Johnson, Angel Manfredi fight is scheduled for 12 rounds
00:02:20using the unified rules of the Association of Boxing Commissions.
00:02:24There is no standing eight count.
00:02:26The three-knockdown rule.
00:02:27Only the referee can stop the fight,
00:02:29and you cannot be saved by the bell in any round,
00:02:32including the 12th and final round.
00:02:34Jim.
00:02:34We are in a ballroom at the world's largest gambling casino,
00:02:44the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut,
00:02:49and here is the devil mask that the born-again Christian Angel Manfredi
00:02:53wears into the ring.
00:02:55Manfredi says that in some way the mask is a symbol of his Christianity
00:02:58because it illustrates to believers and non-believers
00:03:02the two choices which are available.
00:03:05Confused?
00:03:05Good.
00:03:06So am I.
00:03:08Didn't he come in as an angel on one occasion,
00:03:11perhaps even for Mayweather,
00:03:12and that proved to be disastrous?
00:03:16Well, if he did come in as an angel against Mayweather,
00:03:21and I don't recall that,
00:03:22it was disastrous.
00:03:24You know, picking up from what Roy was saying earlier
00:03:28about these three fights he's had since he lost to Mayweather,
00:03:32I think he's to be admired for that,
00:03:34that he got right back up on the horse,
00:03:37went right back to work.
00:03:39A lot of fighters get crushed by that kind of loss,
00:03:43and you don't see them back at this level for a long while.
00:03:46And he proves that he doesn't only fight for money
00:03:51because when he fights in the Chicago area,
00:03:55he's taking a giant pay cut from his larger appearances
00:03:59here on HBO and in championship fights.
00:04:02And a lot of fighters refuse to step back and do that
00:04:05to keep themselves in fighting trim,
00:04:08to keep their names out there.
00:04:09They don't understand that sometimes you take a step back
00:04:13to take two or three steps ahead.
00:04:16A closer look at Devil or Angel Manfredi.
00:04:27Larry?
00:04:28Here is our closer look.
00:04:31Just to show you how much colorful means,
00:04:34he had the highest rated boxing after dark ever
00:04:38in his last fight with Ivan Robinson.
00:04:41This will be his second title shot.
00:04:43And Stevie Johnson will be the fourth southpaw he has faced.
00:04:49He's defeated the other three.
00:04:53Stevie Johnston, 254 amateur fights.
00:04:57He won 242 of them.
00:04:59Two-time national champion.
00:05:01Pan American Games gold medalist.
00:05:03Accomplished everything as an amateur,
00:05:04short of making it to the Olympics.
00:05:10As a professional,
00:05:11rolled up an impressive unbeaten record.
00:05:16Wins over James Page and Charm Bay Mitchell,
00:05:19as Larry will tell you in just a little while.
00:05:22And now he takes a walk all the way around the ring
00:05:27to the far corner.
00:05:29Unanticipated.
00:05:29But, hey, as soon as you step between the ropes,
00:05:32you're there.
00:05:33Right on to the route you took.
00:05:34He's also trying out his new shoes.
00:05:37He forgot to bring shoes to the arena,
00:05:39if you can believe that,
00:05:41because he likes to wear new shoes every time,
00:05:43and they were borrowed from a fighter in a preliminary.
00:05:45Bobby Tomasello gets his name on HBO tonight
00:05:49because he loaned a pair of shoes to Stevie Johnston.
00:05:52How about a closer look, Larry?
00:05:54All of his seven title fights have gone the distance.
00:05:58But keep in mind,
00:05:59he has fought better fighters than Manfredi.
00:06:02Two of them, Mitchell and Page,
00:06:05went on to win titles at bigger weights.
00:06:09And he is co-trained by his uncles,
00:06:12Richard and Chris, who introduced him to boxing.
00:06:14Also in the corner, the outstanding Miguel Diaz,
00:06:18who unabashedly says,
00:06:20we have a stronger corner because I'm in there.
00:06:23And now let's go to ring announcer Mark Barrow
00:06:25to set it up.
00:06:28Ladies and gentlemen,
00:06:30from the wonder of the Connecticut woods,
00:06:33Foxwoods Resort Casino,
00:06:35Cedric Kushner Promotions,
00:06:37in association with Top Rank Incorporated,
00:06:41and Miller Beer,
00:06:43makers of Miller Lite,
00:06:44present the HBO Boxing After Dark
00:06:48main event of the evening,
00:06:5112 rounds for the WBC Lightweight Championship
00:06:55of the World.
00:06:57Ring officials assigned by the World Boxing Council,
00:07:01President Jose Zuliaman,
00:07:03Representative tonight, Steve Crossan.
00:07:06Your judges at ringside are from Brick, New Jersey,
00:07:11Tommy Kazmieric,
00:07:13from Belgium, Bob Logis,
00:07:16and from Sacramento, California, Terry Smith.
00:07:21Your referee for this event,
00:07:24working his 78th championship fight,
00:07:27the tough but fair-minded Frank Cappuccino.
00:07:35Introducing now the principals first,
00:07:38in the blue corner to my right,
00:07:40wearing the red, white, and blue trunks,
00:07:43weighing in at 135 pounds,
00:07:47his professional record reads,
00:07:4928 victories,
00:07:51three defeats,
00:07:52one draw,
00:07:53and 22 wins coming by way of knockout.
00:07:57He now hails from Hobart, Indiana.
00:08:01Here is the challenger,
00:08:02Angel El Diablo Manfredi.
00:08:09Manfredi.
00:08:12His opponent in the red corner,
00:08:15wearing the blue trunks with the white trim,
00:08:18he also weighs in at 135 pounds,
00:08:23his professional record,
00:08:2427 victories,
00:08:27one defeat,
00:08:2814 wins coming by way of knockout.
00:08:31He hails from Denver, Colorado,
00:08:35introducing the WBC lightweight champion of the world,
00:08:41Stevie LittlebuttBad Johnston.
00:08:47Johnston,
00:08:49Kyle Browns for the WBC lightweight championship of the world.
00:08:54Look at him.
00:08:55I want to see you.
00:08:57Angel,
00:08:58Stevie,
00:08:59good evening,
00:09:01gentlemen.
00:09:02You were both given your instructors in the dressing room.
00:09:06Protect yourself at all times.
00:09:08Touch gloves.
00:09:11Okay.
00:09:12when I asked Johnston what part of Manfredi's armor he had to take away from him tonight,
00:09:23he gave an unusual answer,
00:09:25Roy.
00:09:26His confidence.
00:09:28manfredi is nothing if he is not confident.
00:09:35He's got a towel up there.
00:09:39Stevie Johnston's last fight against a contender named Aldo Rios was a total stinker.
00:09:47They got booed in Las Vegas.
00:09:49Johnston doesn't like that.
00:09:51He's an aggressive fighter who likes to please the crowd.
00:09:53He's hoping to reverse anybody's bad memories of that fight with a rousing performance tonight.
00:10:04Manfredi was too strong and too quick for Ivan Robinson.
00:10:09Twice conqueror of Arturo Gatti.
00:10:11So already his credentials at 135 pounds are impressive.
00:10:18And Johnson comes out seemingly determined to work early to the body.
00:10:25He's a very poised fighter, Jim.
00:10:27He's beat a lot of good fighters already.
00:10:29He's not afraid of a guy like Manfredi.
00:10:31And Freddie says,
00:10:38I'm not bothered by southpaws because I just fight them.
00:10:41I'm not worried about their stance or their tactics.
00:10:43I don't care where I put my foot.
00:10:45I'm going forward and taking it to these guys.
00:10:48It's always worked.
00:10:49It'll work again.
00:10:51Good body work by both fighters so far.
00:10:56Good left hand.
00:10:57Good job.
00:11:08Johnston firing a straight left hand through the guard of Manfredi.
00:11:12Manfredi with the three-punch combination to the body a moment ago.
00:11:19Ah, ah, ah, ah.
00:11:20And Freddie fighting more or less flat-footed as Stevie bounces up and down
00:11:29and fires the left over the top with commitment.
00:11:36Right now, that bouncing up and down is not a line of air failure to come forward like he wants to do.
00:11:40Johnston, who normally trains in Denver,
00:11:50act up and moved his family to Las Vegas to train for this fight
00:11:55so that he could have the best possible sparring partners.
00:11:59He says young Vegas lightweight Augie Sanchez
00:12:03did a more than passable imitation of Manfredi.
00:12:06Now Manfredi pins Johnston against the ropes
00:12:08and looks for opportunities to work to the ribcage.
00:12:11And Stevie fights his way off the ropes.
00:12:14This is great stuff we're seeing here from both fighters.
00:12:22This is the fight Stevie Johnson actually wants
00:12:25because he's a short-of-the-two fighter, so he wants the inside game.
00:12:28Manfredi digging his left hook to the body.
00:12:35Johnston with the left of the body
00:12:36and digs his right hook to Manfredi's ribcage.
00:12:39They trade again at close range.
00:12:41Manfredi landing two to Johnston's one
00:12:44in the last face-to-face exchange.
00:12:46Very good, breathe deep, breathe deep.
00:12:54Very good first round.
00:12:57Breathe deep, breathe deep, breathe deep, breathe deep.
00:13:02Big ones, big ones, big ones.
00:13:04All right, boy.
00:13:06Stevie, you didn't come back with the right hook
00:13:08like we told you, okay?
00:13:10It's all what we got to tell you.
00:13:11He's dropping that next hand, baby.
00:13:13That right hook is right here.
00:13:14You got to throw it.
00:13:15That's what we saw here, buddy.
00:13:16Don't worry.
00:13:16He's on water.
00:13:17He's on water.
00:13:19Damn it.
00:13:20Listen, listen, you're reaching a little bit.
00:13:23You want to step in, okay?
00:13:25Throw your hands in this.
00:13:26You need to step in right there.
00:13:29Throw yours.
00:13:29Beat him to it.
00:13:30Get off first, okay?
00:13:31You got to beat him first.
00:13:34Okay, guys, let's go.
00:13:38Stay good.
00:13:38All the way back.
00:13:40CompuBox numbers in round one.
00:13:48Johnston, 15 out of 70.
00:13:50Manfredi, 19 out of 67.
00:13:53Harold Lederman likes Stevie's action in round one.
00:13:57CompuBox had Manfredi with a 16-9 edge in power punches.
00:14:01Johnston backing Manfredi up.
00:14:18You heard Angel trainer Sam Colonna asking him to step in closer so that he wouldn't have
00:14:23to reach for his punches.
00:14:24Right now, Angel is fighting behind Stevie Johnson.
00:14:28He's not going to do very well fighting behind him like that.
00:14:31What do you mean, fighting behind him?
00:14:33Well, he said, Stevie Johnson's fought all the exchanges.
00:14:35And if Stevie's fought all the exchanges, more than likely, he's going to get the better
00:14:38of them.
00:14:40And also, the fact that he's a champion, if it's a close fight, might give him an advantage.
00:14:46He's going to look much better for the champion being in control of the majority of the fight.
00:14:50And this is what Stevie meant by taking Manfredi's confidence, not letting Manfredi do what
00:14:55he wants to do and what he's used to doing.
00:14:59Now, you heard Stevie Johnston's corner asking him to come back with the right hook to finish
00:15:04his combinations.
00:15:05He nodded, but he...
00:15:07And there's the right hook.
00:15:08They're looking for that punch at the end of the exchanges.
00:15:11Although he's backing up, he's still out in front of Manfredi.
00:15:14See, Manfredi has to change it.
00:15:15That's what's going to happen if he stays in front of him right there.
00:15:18A solid straight left hand up the middle by Stevie Johnston into the mouth of Manfredi.
00:15:24And now Manfredi chopping Johnston back with the right hand.
00:15:33Second time Manfredi has gotten Johnston backed into the ropes.
00:15:36And the second time, Johnston pounded his way out to the middle of the ring for space.
00:15:41I tell you, Jim, a lot of people underestimate little Stevie Johnson.
00:15:45It doesn't always look good, but he gets it done.
00:15:47And he's a very effective fighter.
00:15:48He doesn't look like he punches with authority, but his punches have effect.
00:15:52Yes, they do.
00:15:53And they make his opponents respect him.
00:15:56And you also have to remember that James Page is a big puncher as a welterweight.
00:16:00So you know he had to be a big puncher at 135.
00:16:03And that doesn't mean that Angel Manfredi's wife and manager, Yvette, disdainfully said Angel will knock out Stevie within five rounds.
00:16:15Johnston has never even been knocked down.
00:16:18And that doesn't mean that Angel couldn't do that because Angel is a good puncher himself.
00:16:22But it doesn't seem like that would be very difficult.
00:16:32Johnson once again moving up on the balls of his feet, beating Angel Manfredi to the punch.
00:16:37And Freddie coming back to the body and to the head.
00:16:41Angel needs something big.
00:16:42Oh, left hand by Johnson momentarily wobbles him at Freddie as the second round comes to a close.
00:16:50Listen.
00:16:51You're giving this guy too much respect.
00:16:52You know what I'm saying?
00:16:53Don't worry.
00:16:54I don't want you.
00:16:55I don't want you to give this guy no respect.
00:16:56No, I'm doing good time.
00:16:59Keep your hands up.
00:17:00Watch that lady strong.
00:17:01You've got to get off first.
00:17:02Okay?
00:17:03Don't give this guy no respect.
00:17:04You're scared about that shaking hands.
00:17:05I want you to get off.
00:17:06You understand?
00:17:07I want you to have that killer instant in here.
00:17:08Yes, yes, yes.
00:17:09Understand?
00:17:09Yes.
00:17:11I don't want him near you.
00:17:12I want you on the...
00:17:12Left to that body.
00:17:13Come back there right here.
00:17:14All right?
00:17:15All right?
00:17:15Down here right here.
00:17:16Down here right here.
00:17:18Double up for it.
00:17:18Open it down.
00:17:19You're looking great.
00:17:19You're looking great.
00:17:21So far, this is shut up.
00:17:23So far, this is shut up.
00:17:24But you've got to keep working.
00:17:26You've got to keep working.
00:17:27When you get inside, you cannot be just waiting for him to punch first.
00:17:30You punch first.
00:17:31All right?
00:17:31All right?
00:17:32All right.
00:17:33Comfy.
00:17:35Stay in your corner.
00:17:36Johnson bookended that round with left hands.
00:17:41That was early in the round, and this is late in the round once again.
00:17:48Johnson, according to CompuBox number, 27 out of 81 in the second round.
00:17:52Manfredi only threw 59 punches.
00:17:54Hold it.
00:17:54Hold it.
00:17:55Hold it.
00:17:58Stevie Johnston had it going the way he wanted, particularly in the closing seconds of the round.
00:18:05The one thing Stevie Johnson also knows is that it's very difficult for you to hit a moving target.
00:18:09He won't stand still for Manfredi, so it's harder for Manfredi to hit him.
00:18:12Manfredi boxes him in
00:18:15and goes body head with the right and the left.
00:18:23Manfredi wants to trap
00:18:25Stevie Johnston against the ropes,
00:18:27but just as trainer Sam Colonna pointed out,
00:18:29Manfredi's still giving Stevie a lot of respect
00:18:31as he backs away
00:18:33from the frontal assault by Johnston.
00:18:42Let him go, let him go, let him go.
00:18:50Johnston pushing Manfredi back.
00:18:53Still starting most of the exchanges.
00:18:55Let him go, let him go.
00:19:00Against Ivan Robinson,
00:19:02Manfredi had the time to pick spots.
00:19:05Johnston is not giving him that time, Roy.
00:19:08He's a very busy fighter.
00:19:09That's what I mean when I say he's out in front of Manfredi.
00:19:11He's not allowing Manfredi to think,
00:19:13and he's slowly sort of taking Manfredi out of this fight.
00:19:16Manfredi needs something big to happen
00:19:18to change things around a little bit.
00:19:20And Stevie is able to fire punches
00:19:22while still moving his head,
00:19:24making it hard for Manfredi
00:19:26to find a way to set and land.
00:19:30One, two, three by Manfredi.
00:19:32Gets a response from his rooters in the crowd.
00:19:35Andy Diggs with a right-hand body shot,
00:19:37and Stevie Johnston tries to come back
00:19:39with the left hand.
00:19:41Upstairs, down to the belly.
00:19:42To the belly again.
00:19:43Again upstairs.
00:19:44Johnston setting up the left with the right
00:19:46and seizing the momentum once again.
00:19:48He won't let Edgar get into this fight, Jim.
00:19:50Every time Edgar grab something,
00:19:51he does something best to make up for it.
00:19:54Johnston rallying and rallying
00:19:56to keep momentum under his control.
00:19:59Backing Manfredi up now in the latter stages
00:20:02of round number three.
00:20:03All this is happening because he's out in front of Manfredi.
00:20:06He's out in front of Manfredi.
00:20:07He's not being steel for Manfredi.
00:20:08Manfredi's a steel target for him.
00:20:09Manfredi digging concertedly to the body with the right hand.
00:20:15Trying to take some of the steam out of the very busy
00:20:18Stevie Johnston.
00:20:19Angel, keep it up.
00:20:20Angel, keep it up.
00:20:21Angel, going too low.
00:20:22Angel.
00:20:23Frank Cappuccino warning Manfredi to keep his punches up.
00:20:27Right now, Manfredi is getting tattooed in the ring
00:20:34rather than outside the ring as he normally does.
00:20:37Johnston with a right to the body
00:20:39and then snaps Manfredi with a little right hook.
00:20:42Ah!
00:20:44Some sizzling rallies in the third round for Stevie Johnston.
00:20:48Now we talking, baby!
00:20:49Now we talking, baby!
00:20:50Now we talking, baby!
00:20:51You take him to that part.
00:20:52You take him to that part.
00:20:53You take him to that part.
00:20:54You take him to that part.
00:20:55He did.
00:20:56You take him to low.
00:20:57Another good round for Stevie.
00:20:58No.
00:20:59Where are you on?
00:21:00He's on here.
00:21:01He's on here to go.
00:21:02No.
00:21:03When he kills you low, you kill him low.
00:21:04Why are you waiting for it, Wabi Chacon?
00:21:05When I tell you Wabi Chacon left that's because you got him.
00:21:07You know what you have to do.
00:21:08Yeah, bye.
00:21:09Hit him back, you know, right?
00:21:10He's like in a gym.
00:21:11He hit him a little nut, he hit him back in his nut.
00:21:14Once you start getting that rhythm, you got to start bunching, okay?
00:21:17It's too fast for you to come, and you got to make the opening.
00:21:20Don't wait for the opening. You make the opening.
00:21:22You understand? You push it back.
00:21:23You start to hold the right uppercut on the right hook, okay?
00:21:26You're not doing it, okay?
00:21:28You're waiting for that counter, and by the time you throw, he's out of there.
00:21:31Okay, move in here, okay?
00:21:33Stay relaxed, stay relaxed.
00:21:35Sit down, sit down, sit down.
00:21:44Harold Lederman, how do you have it scored through the first three rounds?
00:21:5130 to 27.
00:21:53Three rounds to nothing if ever the champion Stevie Johnson.
00:21:56I think he's doing a great job, I'll tell you.
00:21:58And the reason I like him so much is to be effective, aggressive.
00:22:01Landed a cleaner, harder shots, and it's that right hand.
00:22:03Southcars generally don't have great hands.
00:22:05He does have a great hand. Look at that right-left combination.
00:22:08I think Stevie Johnson's carving him up so far, Jim,
00:22:10based on aggressiveness and clean punching.
00:22:13I have it two rounds for Johnson, one round even the first.
00:22:21Manfredi with a little mouse under the right eye.
00:22:25Good body shot by Manfredi.
00:22:27Excellent body shot.
00:22:28Left to the right.
00:22:36Johnston pounding his left hand to the body,
00:22:38and then just sticking and poking upstairs,
00:22:40keeping the punch count up.
00:22:42Ah!
00:22:43Go, go, go, go, go, go!
00:22:45Manfredi whacking to the body.
00:22:46Cappuccino was about to warn him for a low blow
00:22:48and realized it wasn't.
00:22:53Stevie Johnson controlling his fight with a jab right now.
00:22:55Angel Manfredi's trying to change the momentum
00:22:58by going to the body almost exclusively.
00:23:00All right, stop punching both of you.
00:23:02Stop punching both of you.
00:23:03Stop punching both of you.
00:23:04Stop punching both of you.
00:23:05Stop punching both of you.
00:23:06I want you both to keep your punches up.
00:23:07You're going low and you're going low.
00:23:09Go.
00:23:10Go!
00:23:11Go!
00:23:12Go!
00:23:13Go!
00:23:14Go!
00:23:15Go!
00:23:16Go!
00:23:17Go!
00:23:18Go!
00:23:19Go!
00:23:20Go!
00:23:21Go!
00:23:22Go!
00:23:23Go!
00:23:24Go!
00:23:25Go!
00:23:26Go!
00:23:27Go!
00:23:28Go!
00:23:29Go!
00:23:30Go!
00:23:31Go!
00:23:32Go!
00:23:33around his right eye.
00:23:34He's been scoring since round two.
00:23:40And Freddie is good and quick with the left hook.
00:23:44If he can get to Johnston's right eye with it,
00:23:47and Freddie going back to the body again.
00:23:49Too low, brother.
00:23:50Let's go, let's go.
00:23:51Cappuccino again warns Freddie for a low blow.
00:23:53I think it was pretty borderline.
00:23:55No, it was low, but he didn't try to do it.
00:23:58I don't know whether he tries, man.
00:24:00Trying or not, you go low, you go low.
00:24:04Let him out, break, step back.
00:24:07I think that the referee is doing an excellent job
00:24:10of warning them just to avoid problems later on.
00:24:15And now Manfredi begins to close the distance
00:24:18between himself and Stevie Johnston.
00:24:20He's closing the distance,
00:24:21but he's still not landing punches right now, Jim.
00:24:25He's closing, but he's still missing.
00:24:29Are you ready to go?
00:24:30Gotta make the pen.
00:24:32Good fighting shot by Manfredi.
00:24:35Left hand missed upstairs by Stevie Johnston.
00:24:38Manfredi made him pay with a right hand to the body.
00:24:42Bell!
00:24:42Johnston swelling around the right eye man.
00:24:50Freddie with a mouse under his right eye.
00:24:55Breathe deep.
00:24:56Breathe deep.
00:24:57Fellas, let me do my job.
00:24:59Please.
00:24:59Let me do my job.
00:25:01I let you do your job at a four or five times.
00:25:04Remember what we say in the rules meeting?
00:25:06Please.
00:25:06Two times and take a point.
00:25:07Keep trying to show you, baby.
00:25:11Deep breath.
00:25:11Deep breath.
00:25:12You're looking great.
00:25:13You're looking great.
00:25:14Okay?
00:25:14But you gotta keep coming back.
00:25:15Listen up.
00:25:15And throw your punches really late.
00:25:17There you see Angel Manfredi's shoes.
00:25:19Come on, man.
00:25:20If he forgot his shoes,
00:25:21you can be sure he couldn't get those
00:25:23from some preliminary fighter.
00:25:25As Stevie Johnston did.
00:25:27You're talking no shot.
00:25:28You got the right hook.
00:25:29I want you to control it.
00:25:30It's short.
00:25:31Stay relaxed.
00:25:32Stay relaxed.
00:25:34Stay relaxed.
00:25:35Good.
00:25:36Good.
00:25:36Good.
00:25:36Good.
00:25:41Good look at Stevie Earl Johnston.
00:25:43But as Spike Lee would say,
00:25:45it ain't the shoes.
00:25:48Stevie lives down the street
00:25:49from the mayor in East Denver.
00:25:51If you've been to the Natural History Museum,
00:25:54it's that neighborhood.
00:25:55Rather lovely.
00:25:58In round four,
00:25:59by CompuBox numbers,
00:26:00Johnston was 22 out of 87.
00:26:02Manfredi was 23 of 68.
00:26:0521 of the 23.
00:26:06Power punches.
00:26:07Many of them to the body.
00:26:16Round five of a scheduled 12.
00:26:19Stevie Johnston's World Lightweight Championship
00:26:21on the line.
00:26:22Now Johnston not throwing enough
00:26:24and Manfredi getting a chance
00:26:26to put some combinations together.
00:26:28Yeah, but you can believe
00:26:28Stevie's not going to allow Manfredi
00:26:30to get his confidence.
00:26:31Anytime Manfredi does something,
00:26:32he comes right back at Manfredi
00:26:34to let him know,
00:26:34so you challenged me
00:26:36and I am the champion.
00:26:37I'm getting mine back.
00:26:38Johnston determined
00:26:39to back Manfredi up now.
00:26:41Angel backing off the ropes.
00:26:44Backs to the other side of the ring.
00:26:46Stevie Johnston going forward.
00:26:47L'aliena, L'aliena, L'aliena.
00:26:56L'aliena.
00:26:57I
00:27:25i don't think i've seen two guys go at each other's bodies like this in a long time
00:27:31really just hacking away at each other it's a war in there
00:27:36high contact lightweight belt
00:27:43johnston's an aggressive fighter he's not exactly difficult to find likewise manfredi
00:27:47johnston came in the more determined let's see who weathers the middle rounds with all this body
00:28:03punishment being traded back and forth get him loose get him loose
00:28:17this is the fight i'm sure stevie johnson won anyway with manfredi being the lighter fighter
00:28:23moving up from the adrenal lightweight division to lightweight
00:28:31good combination by angel and a hard right hand up the middle the angels starting to get
00:28:38three and four punch combinations put together a good deal more than was the case in the early going
00:28:47i keep going to your body now stevie for some reason you punch three times and then you stop why
00:28:59are you tired no okay let's go then i'm gonna give you nothing over here you see the referee
00:29:05hi he's with him hi okay let's go four five six punches don't throw no two punches okay come on you
00:29:14gave him that round i don't want to give you nothing over here hi
00:29:20thank you no i want him backing up okay because when he backs up that's when you do your best
00:29:24all right okay pick your shots and throw that string right hand in the chest okay right in the
00:29:29chest are you listening to me yes all right let's go okay guys
00:29:38well so much for yvette manfredi's prediction of an angel manfredi knock out of stevie johnston
00:29:44within the first five we go now to the sixth round of the schedule 12. i don't think anybody
00:29:49took that prediction terribly seriously given johnston's long record of never having been knocked down
00:30:03vicious right hand body shot by manfredi and he has two um uh johnson has two brutal fights with
00:30:10a big punch and sees a bizarre
00:30:15and was never close to being knocked down that's what i'm saying
00:30:19good by the shot by johnston reaching forward with the left hand
00:30:35johnston seizing the energy momentum here in the first minute of round number six
00:30:41manfredi not punching nearly as often as he did in rounds four and five
00:30:44manfredi was able to boost his work rate considerably in the two preceding rounds
00:30:53stevie johnston backed off just a little bit now johnston comes out aggressively again in the first
00:30:58round and again he's bouncing on his feet when he does that manfredi has trouble finding when johnston
00:31:03stopped bouncing manfredi froze three punch combinations
00:31:17well you heard his corner asking him to keep going forward and back johnston up
00:31:32there's been a war of wills about that throughout much of the fight some moments manfredi's been able
00:31:37to drive johnston backward some moments it's been the other way around
00:32:00johnston's corner seems to have
00:32:02stopped for the moment the swelling of johnston's right eye doesn't seem to be getting any worse manfredi's right eye
00:32:08gradually closing from round to round but it hasn't really bothered his vision yet
00:32:15right now right now
00:32:27both fighters seem to be very disciplined they're both doing what they're calling his ass for
00:32:30manfredi's coming forward like he's going to answer okay combination by johnston one two three four
00:32:36and the left hand landed solidly
00:32:41and then frady trying to get back with a left hook
00:32:46good round for stevie
00:32:47can you fight the whole fight like that you think that you can fight the whole fight like that
00:32:58okay let's do it now
00:33:00you hit him with a plate right hand and you didn't come back
00:33:12there's that combination early in the round
00:33:32left right to the head left to the body and at the end of the round
00:33:36which is a good time to do it from the point of view of influencing the officials it's johnson who
00:33:42comes on with a four punch combination
00:33:44so round seven of a scheduled 12 both fighters have had their moments harold vlademan how do you have
00:33:52it so far four rounds to two 58 56 in favor of the champion little stevie johnson steve i'll tell you
00:33:59like larry says i was impressed stevie johnson's very elusive i swear to god he makes asian manfredi
00:34:04miss and he counters beautifully and he's still using that right hand beautifully but i love that side
00:34:08to side movement and you just can't get set to stevie's always moving beautiful defense and good
00:34:13shots for stevie johnson so you gave manfredi the fourth and fifth that was fairly clear johnston
00:34:19took the sixth and that's the way it is on the letterman scorecard incidentally you may have noticed
00:34:26during pre-fight introductions one of the three official judges scoring the bout
00:34:33previous to uh this one the gaddy bout earlier this evening was harold's daughter julie but it only
00:34:38went one round so we didn't get a chance to see the disparity in their scoring now back to this one and
00:34:43johnston rallying again as benfredi backs him against the ropes
00:34:50all right break step back break
00:34:57good body shot by manfred he's doing very good body work in this fight
00:35:03i like the body work by angel stevie's able to block some of the body punches with his arms and elbows but
00:35:09you go ahead and pound away right rolling can't block them all that's for sure but stevie's doing
00:35:13pretty good body work here himself well as larry pointed out previously both fighters determined
00:35:19to get to the ribcage there's a right hand landing for manfredi and now a left hook inside as well
00:35:24right hook lead by stevie johnson there we haven't had a fight like this in a long time
00:35:32oh good double hook two quality professional prize fighters standing there and testing each other
00:35:38good body shot again as you saw between rounds neither swelling eyes likely to be a big factor
00:35:56unless something changes both eyes seem to be under control now manfredi's vision not bothered
00:36:01neither is that of stevie johnston the problem the problem is the edge is hitting stevie with
00:36:09everything he wants to hit him with and stevie just seems to come even harder like a truck just coming
00:36:14right at him coming through that body punishment which did so much damage to ivan robinson out in the desert
00:36:31in the desert
00:36:34stop punching and step back both of you
00:36:48good fight in the best traditions of boxing after dark and earlier this evening
00:36:53arturo gatti made his return to the hbo airwaves
00:36:57and scored a one-round knockout over reyes muñoz a journeyman from erie pennsylvania
00:37:04getting by far the biggest paycheck of his career but muñoz was so troubled after the
00:37:11right-left combination that knocked him out at the end of round one that authorities here took
00:37:17absolutely no chances stabilizing muñoz on a stretcher and removing him to a nearby hospital where
00:37:24we're told he is in stable condition and will undergo a cat scan his entire family his mother
00:37:29who made the trip up from new jersey his five brothers his wife his two children all with him at this
00:37:36time as they watch him carefully for any signs of neurological damage
00:37:40round eight of the schedule twelve lightweight championship of the world on the line title
00:37:52holder stevie johnston in the blue trunks seemingly holding a small margin on the scorecards to this
00:37:59point against angel manfredi good fight both fighters doing a lot of damage to the body yeah steve johnson has
00:38:05a cut of his left of his right eye right now jim that could be a problem later on
00:38:14stevie johnston has gone the distance in eight of his last ten fights
00:38:18all of his seven championship fights have gone the distance his trainer miguel diaz whom you've
00:38:23heard a lot tonight quite outspoken predicted this one would go the distance now there's a little
00:38:28trickle of blood on the face of stevie johnston
00:38:35could be that swollen right eye which no you'll have begun to bleed he has a cut over his right eye
00:38:40yeah cut over his right eye yeah looks like it's in the corner of the right eye
00:38:48so a new concern for johnston now just under two minutes to go on the eight
00:38:58johnston was cut over that right eye twice in 1997 against jean-baptiste mandy and saul duran
00:39:06incidentally in the duran fight he threw 1 259 punches tonight stevie's averaging over 80 punches around
00:39:13which is a high work rate yep these body shots can lessen that johnston going to the body after manfredi
00:39:21comes at him and credit goes back to stevie's body they trade ribcage assaults at close range
00:39:31two well-schooled fighters
00:39:42double left hook upstairs by manfredi again stevie johnston walks right through it and drives angel
00:39:55back and always lands his own punches at the end of every exchange
00:40:03straight left hand by johnston
00:40:05manfredi pounding to the ribcage out of the peekaboo
00:40:21look at the champion keep his man off balance just throwing too many punches
00:40:26for angel to get an accommodation and here comes manfredi with a big left hook
00:40:35supporters of both fighters on their feet as round eight comes to a close both then trying to rally
00:40:42and the man is doing all the talking in stevie johnston's corner angel miguel diaz is also the cut man
00:41:04and he's gone to work on stevie's right eye across the ring there's a look right back down to the bar
00:41:09right there hey steve you kill him
00:41:14absolutely the same place where it was cut against mendy you see what you're doing when you're throwing
00:41:18punches he's vulnerable anytime you throw punches it's vulnerable okay that means that when you throw
00:41:26it he catch them here's that incredible exchange the end of the round watch johnson as he
00:41:34ducks punches finds his target beautiful exhibition of not getting hit and hitting
00:41:43and you saw manfredi catching johnston with a hook
00:41:47as that exchange came to a close brilliant round eight they combined to throw 180 punches
00:41:52according to copy box numbers landed 64 of them 57 were power shots now into the ninth
00:41:58hard right hand by manfredi drives johnston back
00:42:05okay okay give me give me your gloves
00:42:08stay away from the center of the ring
00:42:12now that's interesting cappuccino tells him to stay away from the center of the ring
00:42:16because that the sign is very stupid once it gets whipped
00:42:22well that's an instruction i never heard before but it's a good one if in fact it is slippery from
00:42:28all of the water falling off of both fighters
00:42:34good left hand straight left hand by stevie johnston right into the mouth of manfredi
00:42:39stevie johnston
00:42:43stevie johnston used a good amount of movement he'll not to let manfredi back him against the roof
00:42:52good time shot by manfredi
00:43:05and crazy blocking the johnson left
00:43:15the movement a lot of movement always makes it hard for manfredi see right here where stevie gets
00:43:34in the way you can't really get off how about the energy of stevie johnson we're in the ninth round
00:43:41of a pitched battle against a terrific fighter and johnston still
00:43:45is able to get up move around on his feet create angles turn away from manfredi
00:43:51and create a puzzle in there for angel to solve his condition is one of his strongest points jim
00:43:55he's not a big puncher he's not the most skillful guy you ever seen but he's always in very good
00:44:00condition he stays busy fights the full three minutes of the full 12 rounds
00:44:06that's the stevie johnston style that's his commitment
00:44:10and so manfredi has never had a knockout past the eighth round
00:44:28good luck here by by johnson international judging panel brought here by the governing body
00:44:35one from california one from new jersey one from belton all the way back all the way back
00:44:43all right more and more it looks as though those three judges will be making
00:44:47a tough decision throughout this month hbo sports continues to present fists of freedom the story of
00:44:54the 68 summer games okay throw a punch like you mean something you throw a punch like you don't want
00:44:59to hurt the guy leave the championship round you know what the wife's the wife say they're gonna
00:45:04take the breath out of your kids that's what they're talking about when she say they're gonna kick you
00:45:09they're gonna kick your ass and fight around okay
00:45:16we often see when a fighter is fighting a southpaw their feet meet you saw manfredi step on the front
00:45:22foot of johnston and land the right hand right yeah don't these punches hurt i mean they're really
00:45:31hitting each other yeah but your adrenaline is so so pumped right now until you it doesn't really
00:45:36bother you especially a guy like stevie johnson round 10 of a scheduled 12 harold how do you have
00:45:41it through now jim to me it's not a close fight seven rounds to two 88 83 favorite champion little stevie
00:45:50johnson's jim in my eyes he's out boxing him beautifully he sticks that right hand out he gets
00:45:55him off balance but friddy will score one good hook maybe so let him go let him grab him we'll tie him
00:46:00up but he's totally off balance stevie johnson just carrying the fight to him totally outboxing and
00:46:04making him look bad i think johnson's winning the fight i have it five rounds to three and one even for johnson
00:46:11you're both holding let him out
00:46:30with shane mosley having abandoned his lightweight title to move up
00:46:35in weight to the well-await division basically these two fighters are fighting for recognition as
00:46:40the best lightweight in the world right now manfredi was the one who openly said i'm going to take
00:46:50over where mosley left off he beat everybody in this division i'll do the same stevie johnston
00:46:57openly said for years that he wanted to fight with jane mosley now mosley has gone too far north
00:47:03johnston will satisfy himself trying to beat manfredi
00:47:06he's going to fight with jane mosley
00:47:22oh good right hook
00:47:27both of these guys are taking some enormous punches here in this fight jim
00:47:32both of these guys take punches pretty well
00:47:36although miguel diaz said he thought manfredi's chin was questionable
00:47:40at the right hand from mayweather that hurt him in setting up the second round knockout
00:47:44mayweather's a pretty special talent
00:47:46oh good left hand excellent across the top by stevie johnston
00:47:51johnston
00:47:57johnston ducking and slipping along the ropes firing back and landing against manfredi
00:48:04he's little but bad jim another good stevie johnston rally and they're standing in colorado
00:48:10maybe the best fighter ever to come out of denver no doubt in my eyes
00:48:23and frady coming back with a couple of solid body shots
00:48:26but stevie johnston's fans are cheering with
00:48:2910 rounds in the bus
00:48:37pretty deep put some water in the car
00:48:40put some water in the car
00:48:45manfredi you got it man
00:48:47can you think this is that body every chance you did hard stevie step one two
00:48:51step here step here with me
00:48:55stevie you see what you're doing when you go in power you don't miss a bench
00:49:00okay you got to step it up these next two rounds
00:49:04it's got to come within here right here
00:49:06right here it's got to come
00:49:08one around for stevie johnston in the 10th look at the compu box numbers johnston
00:49:1350 of 98 in the 10th round landing 51 of his punches fighting with a swollen and bleeding right eye
00:49:21but limiting manfredi to only 24 connects and 70 blows around dominated by johnston go go go go
00:49:30frank cappuccino says go ahead and fight the 11th round has begun
00:49:36manfredi switches to a southpaw stance
00:49:43and now manfredi goes back to the southpaw stance
00:49:49and now manfredi goes back to his conventional stance
00:50:04and now manfredi goes back to the southpaw stance
00:50:26fighters love to boast
00:50:28but yesterday manfredi bragged to us that
00:50:31in the wake of the robinson fight where he earned the decision and he didn't think anybody should go the distance with him again
00:50:38if he really believed that
00:50:40he and his people dramatically underestimated stevie johnston
00:50:44i think everybody underestimates stevie johnson
00:50:47everybody except me guys
00:50:49i know him from a long ways back
00:50:51you saw him in the amateurs for years and years
00:50:53very very very very few times i saw stevie lewis fight he always found a way to win in the amateurs
00:51:00he fought three times with mosley and the amateurs and won one of them
00:51:06which tells you that he was a classy amateur
00:51:09and as we pointed out before
00:51:11he's beaten page and mitchell early in his career
00:51:16big guys and that he has fought and beaten better fighters than manfredi has
00:51:26angel manfredi
00:51:27seems determined to fight almost all of the 11th round in the southpaw stance now he goes back to his
00:51:32conventional stance i don't know what he got out of the southpaw action other than a couple of hard
00:51:38left hands from stevie johnston and he's about to catch another one
00:51:45johnston with a right hand lead
00:51:47i told you he's about to catch another one
00:51:49johnston's confidence soaring as he sees manfredi resorting to what probably appears to him to be a
00:51:56desperation tactic it is just like he told you he wasn't gonna let manfredi get his confidence and
00:52:01that's exactly what he's not doing hard right hand by manfredi he's not letting manfredi get any confidence
00:52:07three punch combo by stevie
00:52:13missed with that one
00:52:17both of manfredi's eyes now swelling under the 11th round the south of johnston
00:52:26he's trying as hard as he can
00:52:31johnson is a little bit too much
00:52:33too much experience there
00:52:34you're talking about everything man you got to fight man
00:52:37do the same
00:52:38mother-fucking thing you're kidding
00:52:40you do the same thing and you'll still
00:52:42you'll still have the feeling okay
00:52:44you'll do the same thing and you're still
00:52:46i don't want any other difference
00:52:48don't put him like that you got to stay on top of him
00:52:50you're going to be right with him
00:52:52you're a little bit too far away stay with him
00:52:56okay don't tell me all right you know you're going to do it okay
00:53:00you're going to do it around
00:53:07that's it baby this is it right here
00:53:11be careful what you wish for because you may get it
00:53:16and freddie wished for johnson and he is getting him later in the round straight hard jab
00:53:26over here over here
00:53:29a gutsy performance go ahead
00:53:32by man freddie an outstanding performance by johnston so far
00:53:37and harold lederman with stevie johnston well ahead on his car
00:53:41and freddie trying to mount a last round rally
00:53:43if you're looking at it from our angle you suspect it has to be a knockout
00:53:57and stevie johnston seems to have had the edge in quite a number of rounds
00:54:01all right
00:54:04break focus step out you have to give man freddie an a for effort though
00:54:07he definitely deserves an a plus well he's an honest fighter all the way through so he's trying
00:54:12everything he can he just can't quite break through steve but he's trying everything that he knows how
00:54:16steps into that southpaw stance again and fires away with the right hand of the body
00:54:20and freddie trying to set something up johnston grabbing him and wrestling him aside cappuccino steps in and says box
00:54:30all that's about is confidence all that's about is not let him gain any confidence
00:54:33no no no come on come on stevie's grabbing and bouncing
00:54:39all of this stuff is about confidence right now john
00:54:42so make sure he doesn't let manfredi get too confident
00:54:53all right break
00:54:56angel manfredi lost two of the first five fights of his career and then cruised
00:55:01for years before losing to floyd mayweather
00:55:05in a lightning second round knockout in december of this past year
00:55:08two of his three losses by knockout he's only fallen
00:55:14on the scorecards one time step back step back angel stevie johnston is quite accustomed to working
00:55:20his way to decisions left hook lands for manfredi johnston comes forward off the right turn
00:55:28manfredi with a little bit the better of it here in the closing round as his energy
00:55:33lifts him to rally after rally but stevie johnston
00:55:36believing he's in control looks to be just trying to finish the fight safely
00:55:42which is very smart he's a pro
00:55:49hard left hook by manfredi
00:55:53but johnston's chin has proven more than equal to the occasion
00:55:57a granite chin a granite chin but like i told you you got to look at his record you beat james
00:56:02page and shabay mitchell these are two of the biggest punches you're going to find for your
00:56:06respective weight divisions both of them knocking out opponents regularly at 140 mitchell and 147 page
00:56:22johnston with a little early celebration
00:56:24and the bell sounds and the bell sounds to end a barn burner of a fight in the woods of connecticut
00:56:32outstanding effort by both fighters two well-conditioned boxers
00:56:38and freddie's body language tells you that he
00:56:54is aware he may not have gotten the best of it here stevie johnston is smiling and celebrating
00:57:01what's your final number here well jim i just didn't think it was a close fight
00:57:09117 119 rounds to three little stevie johnson you know jim you can't hit what ain't there
00:57:17and stevie johnson wasn't there when angel manfredi threw his power shots stevie was moving bob and
00:57:23weaving keeping that right jab in angel's face keeping him off balance never giving him a chance to get
00:57:28an opportunity to get that right to get that right to say i thought stevie johnson did a beautiful job
00:57:31and out boxing the power puncher i mean i i just can't see how i can take the title from stevie johnson
00:57:36i really believe he won this fight with just better movement a harder punching cleaner
00:57:41punching and more effective punching
00:57:44as we await the decision and if you're with us for the first bout of the evening we can report now that
00:57:50reyes munoz was given a cat scan at nearby hospital after being knocked out in the first round
00:57:56by Arturo Gatti, the CAT scan showed that Munoz did, in fact,
00:57:59suffer a concussion, but he is now fully conscious
00:58:02and recovering well, and there appears to be
00:58:05no significant neuro, uh, uh, you know, brain damage,
00:58:14that stuff, to Reyes Munoz.
00:58:17Momentary loss of concentration by the announcer, though.
00:58:21We're ready now for the decision.
00:58:22Let's go to ring announcer Mark Biro to find out who won.
00:58:26Manfredi lifts Stevie Johnson in the air.
00:58:37Ladies and gentlemen, we have a unanimous decision.
00:58:46Judge Tommy Kazmarek scores it 116-112.
00:58:52Judge Terry Smith scores it 116-112.
00:58:58And Judge Bob Logis scores it 118-111.
00:59:04To the winner by unanimous decision and WBC lightweight champion of the world,
00:59:12Stevie Littlefitt Johnson!
00:59:24Yeah!
00:59:25Yeah!
00:59:25Yeah!
00:59:26Ooh!
00:59:26Yeah!
00:59:28Yeah, James!
00:59:31.
00:59:35general agreement among all three judges a clear decision for stevie johnston the champion final
00:59:50punch stat numbers bear this out johnston's landing more throwing more and landing at a
00:59:56similar connect percentage to manfredi all in all it was johnston's energy his commitment
01:00:01throughout the bout the way he sees the initiative from the first round on and made manfredi fight
01:00:07his fight a textbook example of how a champion maintains control en route to a clear decision
01:00:14in holding on to his title and larry merchant is standing by with the champion stevie johnston
01:00:19right now thank you very much jim congratulations stevie thank you before the fight you said you
01:00:25had to take his confidence in a way did you achieve that i want to thank god my two uncles
01:00:31and miguel diaz pat berry don steve ford's augie sanchez there's a whole bunch of people in las
01:00:37vegas that helped me get ready for manfredi and back to your question uh yes because in the press
01:00:43conference he was talking stuff and i told you i hate people that talk stuff so that was a motivation
01:00:49for you to make sure he couldn't get off fast or what well it's always a motivation when somebody
01:00:56wolf their mouth to me i just hate that for some reason because i think it's a sport i don't think
01:01:00you need the bad mouth i just think people need to go out there and box get it over where shake
01:01:05hands give each other a hug after the fight you don't need talk stuff what won the fight for you
01:01:10when he started talking stuff i knew i had it in the bag yeah but in the in the ring what did you see
01:01:17uh that enabled you to exploit him i hit harder i hit harder than he was talking how strong he was
01:01:23you know i'm on eas that's the best stuff in the world and i know he wasn't stronger than me 135
01:01:29pounds where did you find him most vulnerable um on the outside uh he said he had fast hands
01:01:37and i'll just throw my jazz out there and when he throws right i seen the counter with my left
01:01:41you know i think it was the outside boxing ability in the early rounds it seemed like both of you were
01:01:48intent on chopping each other down in the bodies what was the result of all of that because remember
01:01:54yesterday when you talked to me he said he's gonna go to my body and i told you i was gonna go back to
01:01:57his body i was just playing a mind game with him and uh it didn't affect me none because i was still
01:02:02have my legs i was still moving but i think in the sixth round because he said he's gonna knock me
01:02:06out in the fifth but in the sixth round he was breathing hard i felt him breathing hard then he
01:02:10started winging his punches at me and i was just blocking him you had a slight cut over your right eye
01:02:16it looks like he's gonna need some stitches he was here but i think in the fourth round did it bother
01:02:21you at all the blood coming down when it first happened because you know it trickles real quick
01:02:25but then miguel's the best come in there is and he stopped it right away miguel diaz at one point in
01:02:31the fight said to you you have to stop throwing just two punches i want to see three four five six
01:02:36immediately you started to try to follow those orders and and then you pulled away was that the key
01:02:42i hurt my hand uh i hurt my left hand they wanted me to come with a jab left hand with a right hook
01:02:49either to the body or to the head but every time i threw the uh left i was just pawing it out there
01:02:53when did you hurt it i think in the fifth round i think we went real hard at each other in the fifth
01:02:58round because he said that was the round he was gonna knock me out in all right thank you you gave
01:03:01a you gave a pretty good exhibition of a guy who has two two good hands thank you for a wonderful
01:03:07fight stevie jim and it'll be back to the drawing board for angel manfredi and his wife and manager
01:03:15yvette they'll go back to their new home in hobart indiana and figure out what to do next well uh
01:03:23maybe he'll get a little bit more respect terrific performance by great young pro stevie johnston
01:03:27yeah i think it's time that the world wake up and realize that stevie johnston is right now the
01:03:31best lightweight in the division there's no question no doubt about it he's beat some enormous
01:03:36fighters he always finds a way to win if a champion can always find a way to win i think he is truly
01:03:42deserving of that title and unlike the number of champions in the sport who win a title fight and
01:03:48then are looking to move up to uh go to another weight class because they're having trouble making
01:03:52weight or looking for bigger money stevie johnston's a lightweight who's staying a lightweight
01:03:56and he's very content with that let's go back up to larry merchant with the loser angel manfredi
01:04:01thank you again jim angel it was a bristling fight you gave it your all he he seemed to be beating
01:04:09you to the punch very often well first i'd like to thank my lord my savior jesus christ and i let
01:04:14let the kids know out there you pick the side the devil's side or the angel's side you want to go down
01:04:20and be the devil or you want to go to want to go on the lord's side and be successful in life
01:04:24uh it was it was a good fight you know stevie fought a good fight i thought i pulled it out
01:04:29you know a split decision i thought i had it though he was in a lot of the glove a couple shots he got
01:04:33off with little little flurries and got the crowd real hyped up and all and that probably gave him a
01:04:37little edge but i i cut him and i worked the body real good i just couldn't get off like i wanted to
01:04:43but yet i still i thought i still wanted to fight do you think you did enough to take it away from
01:04:49the champion was it was it that much of a margin on your part no no i thought the fight was real real
01:04:54close you know stevie's a good champion he's a good fighter and uh it was a good it's a good fight but
01:04:58i thought i landed more effective shots he threw a flash here flash there you've gone for two titles now
01:05:04in the last eight or nine months you have not achieved your goal what's your thoughts about that now
01:05:10well it does not matter i'm not a failure i'm not gonna let this put me down
01:05:14no i'm not gonna just because you lose you shouldn't let it put you down you know i'm a
01:05:19true fighter i'm a true warrior and i'm a i'm god's soldier and i'm gonna keep on going and keep
01:05:24on going and keep on going until i have my title is there a possibility of a rematch with gaddy now
01:05:30most definitely i mean we could do anything like i said i told you we could do goddy we could do
01:05:34there wouldn't be true cardholder spada for we could do anything you want to do you know angel
01:05:38gives hbo what they want and not fight anybody anytime any any place you know it thank you very
01:05:43much for it thank you very much just this final thought here with shane mosley an absolutely
01:05:52wonderful fighter having left the lightweight division it's without the same kind of sensational
01:05:59sizzle shall i say that it had before but in stevie johnson it has a fiery little warrior
01:06:07and uh i want to see the guy that's going to beat him it may take mayweather to do it but right now
01:06:15stevie johnson is the king of his world jim nothing he'd like better than to lure floyd mayweather up
01:06:22from 130 to 135 maybe in the next couple years we'll get a chance to see it we'll have a final word on
01:06:28what happened here in the ring in just a moment right now let's look ahead to an upcoming special
01:06:33program here on hbo jim nothing he'd like better than to lure floyd mayweather up from 130 to 135
01:06:41maybe in the next couple years we'll get a chance to see it we'll have a final word on what happened
01:06:45here in the ring in just a moment right now let's look ahead to an upcoming special program here on hbo
01:06:51i've got rhythm i've got music i got my man who could ask for anything more i'm gonna make her a star
01:07:01the public isn't ready for a colored leading lady i've got more talent than anybody in this town
01:07:06halle berry this isn't a tan i'm a negro a colored girl you did happen to notice that didn't you
01:07:11klaus maria brandauer i will make them love you introducing darthie dandridge
01:07:17saturday august 21st only on hbo when you've worked so hard to attain the throne
01:07:25you're not about to give it up without a fight now recently crowned champion david reed defends
01:07:32his super welterweight title against the tenacious kate mullings it's a major challenge for reed
01:07:37one of the sport's shining young stars as he clashes with former world champion mullings in a fiery
01:07:43showdown be there live saturday august 28th hbo boxing after dark some of the best in the business
01:07:50work the night shift this month sports of the 20th century presents visits of freedom a documentary
01:07:56which looks back at the origin the individuals the after effects of the moment when african-american
01:08:01athletes competing at the 1968 summer games changed the face of sports forever real sports with brian
01:08:06gumbel premieres august 23 some of the stories featured an investigation into the rampant use and
01:08:11hazards of the training supplement and drove now taken by high school students across the country
01:08:15and a look at dolphin head coach jimmy johnson and how he plans to deal this season with the
01:08:20stresses and pressures that nearly forced him out of the game real sports where nothing is out of
01:08:24bounds here at the foxwoods casino in ledyard connecticut tonight life and death arturo got he
01:08:30returned to the ring after an eight-month layoff against a hand-picked carefully chosen journeyman
01:08:36opponent reyes muñoz who had nothing to bring to the party and was knocked out by gaddy at the end
01:08:41of the first round on a two-punch combination and then stevie johnson and angel manfredi fought a
01:08:48pitched battle contesting johnston's version of the world lightweight championship and johnston
01:08:53stamped himself as the number one man in 135 pound weight class with a clear unanimous decision victory
01:09:00over manfredi coming up immediately following tonight's coverage boxing after dark stay tuned
01:09:06for oz and now for larry merchant roy jones and harold letterman i'm jim lampley saying so long
01:09:12from the foxwoods resort casino in mashantucket connecticut the executive producer of hbo sports
01:09:18is ross greenberg tonight's telecast of boxing after dark was produced by rick bernstein and directed
01:09:23by mark payton the associate directors kendall reed and max siegel assistant to the producer rodney
01:09:29burford production manager john mccalli technical supervisor sal morielli and the technical director
01:09:34was dug gets
01:09:35so
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01:10:26this has been a presentation of hbo sports the network of champions
01:10:52since i was nine years old i've always thought about boxing as an art form that if
01:11:02i were to paint some paint under my shoes and dance around the ring i can paint this beautiful
01:11:10portrait on the canvas it's not just a physical sport where two guys are throwing punches and hitting
01:11:18hitting each other it really is some kind of art that we feel inside of us
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