- 2 days ago
Roy Jones Jr defends his IBF Super Middleweight Title against Bryant Brannon on HBO Boxing from the Theater at Madison Square Garden.
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00:00...of HBO Sports, the network of champions.
00:05We awarded this thing.
00:07Had enough?
00:08I didn't think so.
00:10Champion Roy Jones Jr. moves up in weight against three-time champ Mike McKellen,
00:15plus featherweight sensation Marco Antonio Barrera.
00:19Live Friday, November 22nd on HBO.
00:22You want it?
00:23You got it.
00:25Weakness as a fighter, Gil, is that he lacks a mean streak.
00:27He doesn't really have a powerful desire to hurt his opponents in there.
00:31You see that?
00:32That's not the same thing that I've seen in his fights, Jim.
00:35He's one of the best finishers I've ever seen in boxing.
00:38He's a real mean guy in there.
00:40All right.
00:41Well, we'll be watching to see what Jones does with his relatively unorthodox style tonight.
00:46You saw the great jab out of Quartey.
00:48Jones doesn't generally have to throw too many jabs,
00:51often because he's just overwhelming his opponents, Larry, with power shots.
00:55But we've waited and waited to find quality opposition for Roy Jones,
00:59somebody who could really give him a fight.
01:01We haven't seen it in a long, long time.
01:03Can Bryant Brannan do any better than the Eric Lucases of the world
01:06and Antoine Byrdes of the world have been doing against Roy Jones?
01:09I think the trick, perhaps, with all Roy Jones opponents,
01:14but especially for this one,
01:16is to just have very low expectations
01:18so that if we do get some kind of competition,
01:22we'll be pleasantly surprised.
01:25Because he has limited experience,
01:27Brannan has to be an underdog,
01:32a big underdog and an overwhelming underdog.
01:35But because he's a Philadelphia-trained fighter,
01:38you know he's going to be tough.
01:39How tough?
01:41Well, ten years ago,
01:42he got into a fight with a drug dealer,
01:44beat the drug dealer up,
01:46after the drug dealer pumped five bullets into him,
01:49one of which went through an eye
01:51and is now lodged in the back of his neck.
01:54Another one is floating around in his body as well.
01:57That's tough.
01:58He's going to have to be that tough
02:00to bring out the best in Roy Jones.
02:02All right, let's take a look at the tail of the tape now
02:05for Roy Jones against the very interesting Bryant Brannan.
02:08Brannan has an Adonis-like body.
02:10You're going to be impressed with his imposing physicality
02:13when he gets in there.
02:15Jones is three years younger,
02:17two and a half inches taller.
02:18They weighed in within range of the 168-pound
02:21super middleweight limit,
02:23and Jones has a two-inch reach advantage against Brannan.
02:26And now, for the rules of the bout,
02:28back to ringside cult figure Harold Letterman.
02:31The Roy Jones-Briant Brannan fight
02:33is scheduled for 12 rounds.
02:35There is no standing eight count,
02:37but in this fight, there is no three-knockdown rule.
02:40Only the referee can stop the fight,
02:42and you cannot be saved by the bell in any round,
02:44including the 12th and final round.
02:46Jim.
02:48And we're told that the fighters have had difficulty
02:51making their way out of the tunnel from the dressing rooms
02:54because of the congestion in there.
02:56Forte and Carr going in.
02:59Brannan and Jones trying to get out.
03:00Now here comes Brannan.
03:04Five years in Rahway State Prison,
03:06starting at age 20.
03:08He got both religion and boxing while he was in there.
03:11It's got to be the number one boxing prison in the United States,
03:14having also produced James Scott and Reuben Hurricane Carter.
03:18In fact, he was the boxing champion at Rahway,
03:21and that in itself is a worthy title.
03:24Before Roy Jones did his little song and dance in the ring
03:29before the fights tonight,
03:31I went in and visited Brannan.
03:34He was resting on the floor with a pillow under his head.
03:39He didn't seem very put out by the whole circus.
03:42So not necessarily ruffled in the way that Gil Clancy was by...
03:50Just happy to be here, and why not?
03:53By our showcasing of Roy.
03:56And Brannan steps into the ring.
04:00He's from nearby Trenton,
04:01so he has a lot of local support here in the crowd.
04:04The record's 16 wins.
04:06He's unbeaten.
04:0710 KOs.
04:09He won every round of his bout with Eric Lucas.
04:12Lucas is the guy you saw in the ring earlier this year with Jones
04:16on the day when Jones played a basketball game as well.
04:19Today, no basketball game for Roy Jones,
04:21just that meet-the-press appearance.
04:23I thought he did pretty well with that appearance.
04:25I'd like to see if President Clinton and former Senator Dole
04:28can do as well this coming Sunday night.
04:30Well, maybe they ought to get into some debates
04:33like the one we're going to see right after.
04:37That would really get us going on the election.
04:39I think even Clinton is a little old for that.
04:50Some verbal fisticuffs on Sunday.
04:52We've got real fisticuffs here.
04:54Roy Jones' record, once again, is the same as Ike Cortez was
05:04when Cortez stepped into the ring.
05:06Now Cortez is 33-0 with 28 knockouts.
05:09Jones is 32-0 with 28 KOs.
05:13And some interesting punch stat numbers, Larry,
05:15that seem to show the degree to which opponents have a difficult time
05:21getting off against Roy's unusual style.
05:24His most recent opponents against Roy Jones
05:28have actually thrown roughly half as many punches as they normally do.
05:34For obvious reasons, Jones is a good defensive fighter
05:38and Jones' offense is so potent
05:41that their instinct for survival kicks in early in their fights.
05:47And Brian Brannan has been averaging 63 punches per round
05:50in his fights coming in.
05:52We'll track it as the fight goes on
05:54to see if his numbers drop,
05:56as has been the case for other Jones opponents.
05:58Now let's go up to ring announcer Michael Buffer
06:00for the pre-fight introductions.
06:02Ladies and gentlemen,
06:04Square Ring Incorporated along with
06:06your undisputed, undefeated King of Beers, Budweiser.
06:10This Bud's for you.
06:12Present 12 rounds of boxing
06:13for the IBS Super Middleweight Championship of the World.
06:20Co-promoted with Pelt's boxing promotions
06:22and sanctioned by the New York State Athletic Commission,
06:25Chairman, Olympic gold medalist
06:27and former two-time heavyweight champion
06:29of Lloyd Patterson.
06:31Commissioners in attendance,
06:32Rose Trenchman and Melville Southerd.
06:35Deputy Commissioner in charge, Michael Pascal.
06:38First executive, Tony Russo.
06:40Chief physician at ringside, Dr. William Latham.
06:43Attending physicians are Dr. Richard Estico
06:46and Dr. Rupus Sadler.
06:48The timekeeper is Jim Borzell.
06:50Counting for the knockdown seconds is Wayne Kelly.
06:52This belt is also sanctioned by
06:54the International Boxing Federation President,
06:57Robert W. Lee Sr.,
06:59IBF Supervisor at ringside is Darryl Peoples.
07:03The three judges scoring this bout
07:05on a 10-point must system will be
07:08Don Ackerman,
07:10Don Nodeker,
07:11and Joe A. Ware Sr.
07:13And when the bell rings,
07:15the referee in charge of the action,
07:17championship veteran Ron Lipton.
07:20And now, ladies and gentlemen,
07:24from the mecca of boxing,
07:26Madison Square Garden,
07:27here in New York City,
07:29let's get ready to rumble!
07:40Introducing first,
07:42in the blue corner,
07:43wearing blue and red
07:45and weighing 168 pounds,
07:48he comes to us tonight with a perfect record
07:50of 16 victories without a loss,
07:53and 10 of those are by knockout.
07:55Tonight,
07:56he comes to Madison Square Garden
07:58looking to shock the world.
08:00Ladies and gentlemen,
08:01from Trenton, New Jersey,
08:03here is
08:04the IBF
08:05number one right super middleweight
08:08in the world,
08:10the undefeated challenger,
08:12Bryant
08:13BB
08:14Brenna!
08:22And his opponent across the ring
08:24in the red corner,
08:26wearing black and silver
08:27and weighing 147 and one-half pounds,
08:31a 1988 Olympic silver medalist
08:33who now, as a professional,
08:35has 32 victories without a loss,
08:3828 by knockout,
08:39and he has captured two world title belts.
08:43Tonight,
08:43he plans to demonstrate to the world
08:46that pound for pound,
08:48he is the best.
08:50Ladies and gentlemen,
08:51from Pensacola, Florida,
08:53presenting
08:53the two-time world champion
08:56and reigning,
08:58undefeated,
08:59super middleweight champion of the world,
09:03Roy
09:04Charles
09:05Jr.
09:09Merck and Roy
09:15only.
09:17Okay,
09:18Muggsy
09:18Bryant
09:19only.
09:20Okay.
09:23Gentlemen,
09:23we've been given the rules
09:24of the IBF.
09:25No matter what happens
09:26out here,
09:27respect each other,
09:28obey my commands,
09:29let's keep it strictly professional.
09:31Good luck to you both.
09:32Good luck to you both.
09:32We'll see if Roy Jones
09:38is more effective
09:39than those bullets
09:40that lodged
09:42in Bryant Brannon.
09:44Faster than the speeding bullets.
09:48Roy,
09:48you've got to start
09:48in that corner.
09:51Bryant,
09:52you ready?
09:53Well, there's a look
09:53at Brannon.
09:54All right.
09:55Roy,
09:55you ready?
09:56He's got the great physique.
09:57You can see the muscles bulging
09:59as he races
10:00across the ring
10:01and launches a wild
10:03right to the body
10:04and Roy Jones
10:05stands in a peek-a-boo
10:06as Bryant Brannon
10:07throws about
10:08eight winged punches
10:10in a row.
10:11Well,
10:12that's a new strategy.
10:13Nobody's tried that
10:14that I've seen.
10:15Have you,
10:16have you killed
10:17a bus Roy Jones?
10:18He threw eight punches
10:19but none of them landed.
10:21I guess if you fear
10:22something sometimes
10:23the best way
10:24is to get right
10:25as close as you can.
10:26Yes,
10:26I did see this once before.
10:28Do you remember
10:28who got rid of the name
10:29of McNeely
10:30that fought Mike Tyson?
10:31Yep.
10:32Well,
10:33he's keeping Jones
10:33from getting off
10:34to a fast start.
10:35Meanwhile,
10:35Roy threw one punch
10:36but it landed.
10:38Now he lands
10:38another little quick
10:39left hook in there.
10:41A counter.
10:42As Brannon
10:43continues to pound
10:44the way
10:44with winged shots
10:45from the outside
10:46trying to get
10:47to Jones' body.
10:48Landed one
10:49with the left hook
10:50to the chin
10:51of Roy Jones.
10:54Trying to neutralize
10:56one of Roy Jones'
10:57best weapons
10:58which is his
10:59his quickness of foot.
11:04Maybe trying to take away
11:05some of the punching
11:06power by crowding him too.
11:08And he's catching
11:08some heavy shots
11:09inside from Roy Jones.
11:11I think he might be
11:13getting under Roy's
11:14skin a little bit though.
11:15I mean,
11:16Roy hasn't seen this
11:17too often
11:17and probably doesn't
11:18like it much.
11:19He's been very calm
11:20I think though, Jim.
11:21Good left hook
11:21by Roy Jones.
11:22Oh, he rocked
11:23Brannon with a solid
11:24left hook
11:25and now he's got
11:26Brannon wobbled.
11:27Here we go.
11:28Here we go.
11:301, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
11:39And I think the punch
11:40that started that
11:41was a left
11:42to the body
11:43that started
11:44that whole combination.
11:46We mentioned
11:46that Jones
11:47was so calm
11:48weathering that storm
11:50blocking punches
11:50just looking
11:51to set the other guy up.
11:55And you mentioned
11:56Larry
11:56that despite
11:58the fact
11:58that Brannon
11:59was slowing punches
11:59he was getting
12:00hit with some short
12:01good solid punches
12:03by Roy Jones.
12:05Well, in some instances
12:08it's not how many
12:09you land
12:10but how much
12:10they hurt.
12:12And there's that
12:12snap and left hook
12:13by Roy Jones again.
12:15And there it is again.
12:16Wobbles Brannon again.
12:17Brannon having trouble
12:18for the moment
12:18staying on his feet
12:19lifting, watching closely.
12:22Jones blinding
12:24Brannon
12:24with his
12:24overwhelming
12:25hand speed.
12:34He's getting hit
12:34with some solid
12:35punches, Brannon.
12:39Will he make it
12:40through the round?
12:41Well, he's holding up
12:42about as well
12:43as is possible
12:43under the circumstances.
12:45Got hit two
12:46solid body punches
12:47by Roy Jones.
12:48He's wobbling
12:49right now, Brannon.
12:51Looks like he might
12:51make it out
12:52around one
12:52but he's paid
12:53a heavy price
12:53for the privilege.
12:57And the not-so-terrific
12:58news is he gets
12:59to come back
12:59for round two
13:00against Roy Jones.
13:04That was a pound
13:06for pound round.
13:08Do you think
13:09that that was the same
13:10as getting hit
13:10with the five bullets,
13:11Larry?
13:13Well, those are bombs.
13:14Oh, that's right.
13:15I forgot that.
13:16Hand grenades.
13:18Don't walk in
13:26without that jib.
13:27You're walking in
13:28without the jib.
13:28Let's see the first
13:29punch that started
13:31the fuselage
13:32of punches
13:33and there you see it.
13:35Left hook to the body.
13:36Left hook to the body.
13:37Just under the ribcage.
13:39Good eyes, Larry.
13:40Roy Jones often
13:49There was the one
13:49that left hook
13:50right on the chin.
13:51Roy Jones often performs
13:53like a virtuoso
13:55jazz artist
13:56with incredible riffs
14:00coming from all directions
14:03always unexpected.
14:05Again, there was
14:06the Roy Jones
14:07left hook.
14:08He never sets it up
14:09with the jib.
14:10He just comes in
14:11with it,
14:11but he's so quick.
14:12I've never seen a guy
14:13that can land left hooks
14:14from the outside
14:14the way Roy Jones can.
14:16He's Oscar Peterson
14:17with boxing gloves.
14:20Now, Brandon's
14:20going to make this
14:21look at how calm
14:21Jones is in there.
14:23Hands up,
14:23blocking punches.
14:24Look, look.
14:26Brandon's just pounding
14:27away at Jones' arms
14:28and gloves.
14:30I mean, at least
14:30it gives him the right
14:31to throw a lot of punches,
14:32which not too many people
14:33can do against Jones.
14:35But he's getting hit
14:36so much in return.
14:38He's nailed Jones
14:38with a couple of right hands.
14:40But again,
14:41it doesn't seem
14:42to bother Roy at all.
14:44Give Brandon credit
14:45for standing in.
14:46He's a hard man
14:47who's done hard time
14:48and he's worked hard
14:49to get to this point.
14:51He's a very appealing guy.
14:54Wonderful personal
14:55turnaround in his life.
14:57Kind of person
14:58you can root for.
15:02Jones in the first round
15:03after that relatively
15:04slow start
15:05when pinned to the ropes
15:06by Brandon's rush
15:07through 102 punches.
15:24Again,
15:25they're wide punches
15:26by Brian Brannon
15:27and Jones is picking them off
15:29with his arms.
15:31Easy to see them coming.
15:33They lose their power
15:34over that extended arc.
15:36Every punch is being blocked
15:37by Roy Jones.
15:39He lets the guy
15:39throw his punches
15:40and he's like,
15:41okay, now it's my turn.
15:41One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
15:55Well, he's literally had a bullet
15:57line in his neck.
15:58Now he's got a bomb there.
16:00The Trenton crowd
16:02can't believe what they're seeing.
16:04They were so psyched
16:05for the possibility
16:06of Brian putting up
16:06a big fight
16:07against Roy Jones.
16:08And their man is just
16:11getting hammered
16:12in there now.
16:13Ron Lipton watching
16:14as Roy Jones
16:16tattoos Brannon.
16:17And then Jones says,
16:18look, you want more?
16:19Okay.
16:20That's it.
16:20That's it.
16:24A convincing case.
16:27Oh, I'm with you.
16:28Oh, I'm with you.
16:31Awesome.
16:32You want to ask again
16:33who's the best fighter
16:34in the world?
16:35No, I don't know.
16:35That's that.
16:36So he stepped away
16:42and looked at Lipton
16:43as though he didn't
16:43want to hurt Brannon
16:44and said,
16:44must I do this?
16:46And Lipton says,
16:47yes, you must.
16:48And Roy says,
16:48okay.
16:49And he starts his to go.
16:50How about that, Larry?
16:53Well, I thought
16:54one of the qualifications
16:56for the best fighter
16:57pound to pound
16:57in the world
16:58is that a fighter
16:59has to be willing
17:00to fight anyone,
17:01anywhere,
17:02anytime.
17:02I question that
17:04about Roy Jones
17:06and his recent fights.
17:07But after a performance
17:09like this
17:10against a brave,
17:11tough guy,
17:13you know,
17:13we saw what we saw.
17:15There's nobody else
17:16who can do this.
17:18What an incredible gift.
17:20You can't teach
17:25the stuff
17:25that Roy Jones does, Gil.
17:27No, I've never seen
17:28like triple left hooks,
17:30seven left hooks
17:31in a row
17:32so quick
17:32and so accurate.
17:33I mean,
17:34it's unbelievable.
17:36And he just seems
17:37to have so much confidence
17:38in himself.
17:39Even when Brannon
17:39came out
17:40the way he came out,
17:41it didn't bother him
17:42a bit.
17:42Stayed calm,
17:43picked off the punches.
17:44He's okay,
17:45now I'm going to
17:46show you how to do it.
17:47And you can see
17:49the amount of attention
17:50that's being paid
17:51to Bryant Brannon
17:51as the New York State
17:52Athletic Commission
17:53doctors do everything
17:54possible to ensure
17:56that Brannon
17:57doesn't leave
17:58the ring damaged.
18:04Second round KO
18:06for Roy Jones.
18:07No count necessary
18:09after Jones
18:10with one final flurry
18:12flattened
18:14Bryant Brannon.
18:15Now here's the first
18:16knockdown
18:17that took place
18:17in the second round,
18:18Gil.
18:20Now let's watch this.
18:21I thought it was
18:21a flurry of left hooks
18:23where the left hook
18:23has the decisive punch
18:24but there might have
18:25been a right hand
18:26in there too.
18:27Left, left, left,
18:28boom.
18:29Left uppercut,
18:30double left hook
18:31right on the button.
18:32How many fighters
18:33do you know
18:33that can do that?
18:34There's the left uppercut,
18:35left hook, left hook.
18:37I mean,
18:38absolutely unbelievable.
18:39There's a new combination
18:40that he just invented.
18:42And each punch
18:43with power.
18:44None of them taps.
18:45And they're short
18:46to the mark.
18:50Now here's the second
18:51knockdown.
18:52This is
18:52after Jones has
18:54looked at,
18:55now there he looks
18:55at Lipton.
18:56You see that?
18:57Yeah.
18:57What do you want me to do,
18:58ref?
18:58Oh, okay.
19:00Fine.
19:00What the heck?
19:01Boom.
19:07Here you can see
19:07Bannon doesn't have
19:08a leg under him.
19:09There's no reason
19:10why this fight
19:11had to go on.
19:11I mean,
19:12Jones could see it.
19:13I don't know why
19:13the referee couldn't see it.
19:14Beautiful left hook
19:18to end the fight.
19:19Short to the mark.
19:21I wish we could read lips
19:22and understand exactly
19:23what Roy said
19:24to Ron Lipton.
19:25I'm sure that Larry
19:26will ask him
19:27in the post-fight interview.
19:29And there's a guy
19:30that was an undefeated fighter.
19:32Good job, man.
19:33Yeah, that's right.
19:3316-0 with 10 knockouts
19:35coming in.
19:36Obliterated in two rounds
19:37by Roy Jones.
19:39And once again,
19:40let's point out
19:41before we go back
19:42into the ring,
19:43Jones designated
19:44all of tonight's
19:45live gate money
19:46minus expenses
19:47to go to charity.
19:49That's the kind
19:50of a guy he is.
19:51Right now,
19:52let's go to ring announcer
19:53Michael Buffer
19:53for the official decision.
19:55Ladies and gentlemen,
19:56the end comes
19:56at 2 minutes and 23 seconds
19:58of round number two.
20:00The winner by knockout victory.
20:02His record now
20:0233-0, 29 K.O.
20:06Still the undefeated
20:08super middleweight champion
20:10of the world,
20:12Roy Jones Jr.
20:19Now here comes
20:20an unusual punch stat
20:21profile of the fight.
20:23Roy Jones landed 102
20:26out of 177 punches
20:28in less than two rounds.
20:3058% connect percentage.
20:32Here's the astonishing thing.
20:34Didn't land a single jab,
20:35Gil.
20:36All 102 landed punches
20:38were power shots.
20:39Well, that's God's gift.
20:40He can throw these punches
20:41so quick.
20:42You can always see
20:43the opponent
20:43the first time
20:44they get hit
20:44with that quick left hook.
20:45They say,
20:46my God,
20:46what happened?
20:47Where'd it come from?
20:47He doesn't have to set them up
20:49I guess with the left jab.
20:51I don't think we've seen
20:52too many fights
20:53that extended
20:53that many minutes
20:54in which
20:56the winning fighter
20:57did not connect
20:58with a single jab.
20:59It's rare.
21:01It may be unprecedented.
21:03And to me,
21:03the most important
21:05punch in boxing
21:06is the lift jab.
21:07Well,
21:08not for this guy.
21:09Let's go to Larry Merchant.
21:10Thank you, Jim.
21:12Congratulations, Roy.
21:14Strong fighter
21:15came out,
21:17rushed you,
21:18swinging wild punches.
21:20What went through your mind
21:21at that moment?
21:22Well, I knew he wanted
21:22to come out and see
21:23could he
21:23either he can take me out
21:26or make it happen quick.
21:27Whatever was going to happen,
21:28he wanted to go ahead and see.
21:28First of all,
21:29I'd like to thank God
21:30for giving him an opportunity
21:30to come out
21:31and do all I do.
21:32Say we're Seth in Pensacola.
21:34And thank you,
21:35thank you everybody
21:35for supporting me.
21:36Thank you everybody
21:37for helping out
21:37with this core thing
21:38and the police association
21:39and all.
21:41Were you surprised?
21:42How did you cope with it?
21:43Have you run into fighters
21:44that have tried that on you
21:46before to try to
21:47either to intimidate you
21:49or to get you
21:51out of your game?
21:52Yeah, when I was amateur,
21:53that was the best way
21:54to try to fight me
21:54was to try to blow me
21:56out of my game.
21:56But most of the guys
21:58quickly found out
21:59that that wasn't going to happen.
22:00I like this type of fight.
22:02He was screaming like,
22:04come on Roy, come on Roy.
22:05I'm like, hey,
22:05this is right down my head.
22:06All right.
22:07Let's take a look
22:08at the knockdowns.
22:09You describe what started
22:11the knockdowns
22:12in the first round.
22:13I hurt him with a left hook,
22:14right?
22:15And after I hurt him
22:17with a left hook,
22:17I knew I had him
22:17pretty much right there,
22:18I think.
22:19And I had him
22:19and I could have
22:20speeded up on him
22:21and hurt him a little quicker,
22:21but I didn't really
22:22want to hurt him.
22:22I just wanted to kind of
22:23land enough to get him down.
22:24But the hard-headed joker
22:25wouldn't fall.
22:26So I just had to keep pushing
22:27and keep pushing,
22:28and he fell.
22:30Well, this was a charity night
22:31and I guess your way
22:32of showing charity
22:34This is nice here,
22:35a double hook.
22:35Oh, that's nice.
22:36Was to try to get rid of him
22:37as fast as possible.
22:38It takes the old fighters
22:39to go back and be able
22:40to throw a combination
22:40like that, son.
22:41I mean, it just doesn't
22:42get any better than that, dude.
22:44I mean, watch this double.
22:45It's a double left hook.
22:46Well, you're complimenting
22:47the old fighters
22:48because not many of them
22:49could throw their hands
22:50as fast as you.
22:51Man, look at this.
22:52The old fighters,
22:52they were good.
22:53They showed me a lot
22:53and I tried to take
22:54everything that they used to do
22:55and put it into
22:56my modern-day stuff
22:57and make it even better.
22:58You indicated coming here
23:00that you really wanted
23:01to put on a show
23:03both, I think,
23:05for yourself
23:05as well as boxing fans
23:07as well as for New York
23:08in this fight.
23:09Are you sad?
23:10Why did you want to do that
23:11and are you satisfied
23:12that you did?
23:13I wanted to do it
23:13because I felt as though
23:14I owe it to the public
23:15to put on the show
23:16as much as possible
23:17and as often as I can.
23:19I thought New York
23:19would be the best place
23:20since the thing happened
23:21with Bo Gallardo last time.
23:22Kind of clean up the scene
23:23and show that
23:24just because sometimes
23:25stuff gets blown out
23:26of proportion
23:27that it doesn't happen
23:28that way all the time.
23:29Hope to see you
23:30back in here soon
23:31and not just for interviews,
23:32Roy.
23:33Thank you very much.
23:34All right.
23:35Back to you, Jim.
23:38All right.
23:38Thanks very much, Larry.
23:39What a tremendous performance
23:40by Roy Jones
23:41as we were walking up here, Gil.
23:43We walked past
23:44Russell Peltz,
23:45the very excellent promoter
23:46from Philadelphia
23:47who's the promoter
23:47for Bryant Brand
23:48and he looked at me
23:49and he said,
23:49too much speed.
23:50I'm thinking to myself,
23:52speed?
23:52That's not all
23:53there is there.
23:54It's too much everything.
23:56Speed, power,
23:58the fact that he's
23:59so cool in the ring.
24:00He knows what he can do.
24:01He has so much confidence
24:02in himself.
24:03You can't take that
24:04away from him.
24:05And the unorthodoxy
24:06of it all.
24:06How do you prepare
24:07a fighter for someone
24:08who does not throw jabs,
24:10doesn't need to,
24:12just steps in,
24:13befuddles you,
24:13whirls, fires power punches
24:15and knocks you out?
24:16Jim, earlier in his career,
24:18he was in with
24:19some pretty good fighters
24:20and in the first round,
24:21sometime during the first round,
24:23he'd land that quick jab
24:24and you could just see
24:25the surprise look
24:27come on the opponent's face
24:28like, my God,
24:29where did that come from?
24:31And he just showed
24:31that again tonight.
24:32I've never seen
24:33anybody else ever
24:34that can do that.
24:35Again, the basics of boxing,
24:37you set up everything
24:38with a left jab,
24:39not Roy Jones.
24:40All right,
24:41another great job tonight
24:42filling in for George Foreman Gill.
24:43Pleasure to have you with us.
24:45Took a little fall this week
24:46and hurt your back.
24:46I hope it gets better
24:47in a hurry.
24:48Let's hope so, Jim.
24:49All right.
24:50Larry Merchant,
24:51we talked about
24:52the difficulty
24:53that Roy Jones faces
24:55in finding quality opponents
24:56who are willing to fight him.
24:58The number of fighters
24:59who have now been offered
25:00seven-figure paydays
25:01to fight Jones
25:02and who have recently
25:03turned those offers down,
25:05this ain't going to make it
25:06any easier.
25:07No, it isn't.
25:08And I think
25:09the reason is connected
25:10to what Gill was saying
25:12and what Angelo Dundee,
25:14the famous trainer,
25:15has said about Roy Jones,
25:17which is that
25:17he is the fighter
25:18of the future.
25:19And my interpretation
25:21of that is
25:22that he is a great athlete
25:24who can get away
25:25with doing things
25:26that are not in the textbooks
25:28about boxing.
25:30This is a kind of genius
25:33that, as Gill has said,
25:35is born into you
25:36and somehow it was nurtured,
25:38developed through the years
25:39with his father
25:40and he is taking it
25:42steps further.
25:44One story about Roy
25:45coming to New York.
25:47This has never been
25:48his favorite town.
25:49But the other day
25:50he was in a taxi cab
25:51and he drove by
25:52and saw on a wall
25:54a big painting
25:54of Michael Jordan.
25:56And he thought to himself,
25:57damn, Michael Jordan
25:58from Chicago
25:59and here he is in New York
26:01with a 30-foot painting
26:03of himself.
26:04And he was telling this
26:05to a taxi cab driver
26:06and he says,
26:07well, I've seen a bigger
26:07one of you downtown.
26:08And the cab driver
26:10drove him several miles down
26:11and showed him
26:12a 60-foot picture
26:14of himself
26:15painted on
26:16to a giant building.
26:18And Roy said,
26:19this is my town now.
26:22Things are going
26:22so good for me.
26:24It's scary.
26:26But I think it's scarier
26:27for everybody else
26:28in any division
26:29near the super middleweight division.
26:31You suspect
26:32that 60-foot portrait
26:33of Roy has now grown
26:34to 70 or 80 feet
26:35in the past few minutes?
26:37Naturally.
26:38He's flexing his muscles
26:39on that building
26:40as we speak.
26:41All right.
26:41We don't know
26:42what happens yet in November.
26:44We're endeavoring
26:44to try to find
26:45an opponent for Roy Jones
26:46on November 22.
26:48But that date
26:48has not yet been made.
26:50And after what we saw tonight,
26:52who knows
26:52whether we'll be able
26:53to coax one of the other
26:54super middleweight
26:56168-pound fighters
26:57in the world
26:58to take on the assignment
26:59of fighting Roy Jones.
27:01Well, we had one
27:01terrific 12-round battle
27:03and one overwhelming performance
27:06by an overwhelmingly
27:07great fighter.
27:07We'll be back
27:08to comment further
27:09on both of those
27:10ring stories.
27:11But first,
27:12let's turn our attention
27:13to some upcoming
27:14and it's only on HBO.
27:17In the first
27:18of our world championship
27:19boxing doubleheader
27:20this evening,
27:21Ike Corté
27:22remained unbeaten
27:23and retained
27:23his welterweight championship
27:24with a 12-round
27:26majority decision
27:27over the valiant
27:28Oba Carr.
27:29The Motor City fighter
27:31who gave everything
27:31he had
27:32didn't have quite enough
27:33to ward off
27:34Corté's great strength
27:35and explosiveness
27:37and then Roy Jones
27:38after designating
27:39the entire Livegate
27:40minus expenses
27:41for two police charities,
27:44CORE,
27:44Congress of Racial Equality
27:46and his old buddy
27:47Gerald McClellan
27:47went out and destroyed
27:49Bryant Brannan,
27:50a quality opponent,
27:51in less than two rounds.
27:53Another knockout for Jones,
27:54the 29th of his
27:56unbeaten career.
27:57Coming up immediately
27:58following tonight's coverage
27:59of world championship boxing,
28:01stay tuned for HBO
28:02Comedy Half Hour,
28:03Adele Givens
28:03on the East Coast
28:04and The Net
28:05on the West Coast.
28:10So now for Gil Clancy,
28:12Harold Letterman
28:13and Larry Merchant,
28:14I'm Jim Lafley
28:15saying so long
28:16from the theater
28:17at Madison Square Garden
28:19in New York City.
28:22The executive producer
28:23of HBO Sports
28:24is Ross Greenberg.
28:25Tonight's telecast
28:26of world championship boxing
28:27was produced by
28:27Rick Bernstein
28:28and directed by
28:29Mark Payton.
28:30The feature producer
28:31was Kendall Bridges-Reed.
28:33The associate producer
28:34Adam Berger.
28:35Assistant to the producer
28:36John Crystal.
28:37Production manager
28:37John McCallie.
28:39And the technical supervisor
28:40was Bob Hunter.
28:58The executive producer
29:07of coordon
29:08of the U.S.
29:09and The amo
29:10and the technical
29:10of Army
29:11and the sons
29:11were Stephen
29:12of the day's
29:13and the host
29:14of the Ellen
29:14and the people
29:15of the heavy
29:16We willhilfe eight
29:16in.
29:17on the history
29:17of his epic
29:18of surveying
29:19the huge
29:19and sharp
29:19of his
29:20and his
29:21were nacional
29:22of his
29:22up responsibility.
29:23And the
29:24spoilers
29:24and unknowns
29:25This has been a presentation of HBO Sports.
29:55The Network of Champions.
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