- 53 minutes ago
Harry Simon defends his WBO Jr Middleweight Title against No 1. Contender Rodney Jones on Showtime Boxing
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00:00:30tonight showtime championship boxing comes to you from north of the border we're at casino rama
00:00:40in rama ontario canada about 90 minutes north of toronto in beautiful cottage country and this
00:00:46evening we are set to bring you a world championship doubleheader let's give you a rundown of tonight's
00:00:52fight card in our main event undefeated slugging sensation asilino freitas of brazil defends his
00:00:58wbo junior lightweight championship against reigning south american featherweight champ carlos rios of argentina
00:01:06and in our co-feature we'll get things going with the wbo junior middleweight title fight as
00:01:12unbeaten harry simon of namibia takes on number one contender rodney jones
00:01:19sellout crowd of about 3 500 on hand we make our way indoors under the big top the
00:01:25the event center here at casino rama it's the highly anticipated showtime championship boxing
00:01:30debuts of two emerging stars world champions asilino freitas and harry simon yeah we look forward
00:01:37to this night of the fights as the crowd settles in for a championship twin bill
00:01:44hello again everybody steve albert ringside in ontario canada tonight the focus falls on a pair
00:01:49of undefeated champions asilino freitas and harry simon however few people in the united states have
00:01:54heard of or actually seen these two fighters in action they come in with impressive credentials
00:01:59but tonight an opportunity to introduce them to the american audience and a chance to see for
00:02:04ourselves what kind of fighters they actually are and where they fit into the big picture now simon is
00:02:10the first boxing champion from namibia a country of less than two million in southern africa he's 19-0 with
00:02:1816 ko's as he makes his north american debut he averages less than five rounds freitas perhaps the
00:02:25most popular and charismatic sports personality to come out of brazil since the legendary soccer star
00:02:30pele he's the only current world champion with a perfect knockout record 26-0 26 knockouts and he
00:02:36averages less than three rounds per fight and with that let me bring on my ringside partner former
00:02:44world champion bobby chezz and bobby tell me are these guys actually as good as their records indicate
00:02:50well steve at face value at least records only indicate how many fighters they've beaten they beat
00:02:53them by decision or they beat them by knockout there's an old saying in boxing you're only as good
00:02:57as the fighters you've beaten so who's on the resume of who we've beaten or who's not on might be more of a
00:03:01telling thing both of these fighters 45 and 0 combined wins without a loss 42 knockouts
00:03:06that says something but again it doesn't tell the whole story because they've never beaten proven
00:03:10fighters you can't prove yourself till you've beaten one so bobby chezz reserving judgment let's see
00:03:15where harry simon fits in with the top fighters in the world as we take a look at the champions of the
00:03:19154 pound division and some very impressive names at judah middleweight or super welter three of the
00:03:26four are unbeaten including simon wba champ felix trinidad of puerto rico he is 38 and 0 ibf champ fernando
00:03:34vargas of the u.s 20 and 0 the least known wbc champ javier castillejo of spain 50 and 4. bobby the
00:03:41name that stands out of course is the man called tito who meets vargas in december you know right now
00:03:45steve felix trinidad has to be the name after the debacle with vargas and uh winky right i think
00:03:51vargas in stock slipped at least a little trinidad's the guy meanwhile 130 pound champ oscelino freitas
00:03:58finds himself in the only division in boxing whose champions are all undefeated a talent rich
00:04:02competitive division known as junior lightweight or super featherweight
00:04:05freitas and the highly skilled company of cuban born joel casamayor he's 23 and 0 americans floyd
00:04:11mayweather the wbc champ at 23 and 0 and ibf champ diego corrales who's 33 and 0 and bobby
00:04:18casamayor looked very impressive on showtime last week but many feel the man to beat at 130 is corrales
00:04:24yes steve this is one of my favorite divisions corrales is the man above and below anywhere near that weight
00:04:29i don't believe he can be beat prince nazim joked about the fact that tappy wouldn't come up a few
00:04:33pounds to fight him i dare nazim to go up a few pounds and face corrals he's the man you heard it
00:04:38here he dares you a loaded division with some potentially very outstanding matchups all right
00:04:45as usual for you showtime subscribers with internet access once again we invite you to log on to show.com
00:04:50where you can score tonight's bouts the results will be shown on the web page and announced during the
00:04:55course of this telecast online scoring will not influence the outcome of the fight and it's only
00:05:00available to viewers of our east coast live feed so to score tonight's fights and to learn more about
00:05:05upcoming showtime boxing events log on to show.com once again the web address is s-h-o dot com
00:05:14let's get to it we close in on our first bout the wbo junior middleweight championship between
00:05:19undefeated harry simon number one contender rodney jones
00:05:21and how about a brief biographical sketch of harry simon it's not pretty when he was three years old
00:05:30his father left his family one of eight children his mother passed away when he was 15. his brother
00:05:35died in 1997 and in 98 he lost his sister to asthma because she couldn't afford the medication very tough
00:05:42life for this former street fighter who took up boxing at the age of nine tonight a soft-spoken harry simon
00:05:48makes his third defense of the wbo junior middleweight title
00:05:58i work very hard and i put all all my mind into boxing and i really think that
00:06:07i don't have a mother and i don't have a father there's nobody to take care of me i'm the only one
00:06:13who can take care of myself and the only way i can get something great my bread and butter is boxing
00:06:23when i fought winky that's a it was in a different level the only way to beat him is just to be on top
00:06:32of him and we were always i was just giving him pressure i didn't give him a break see i didn't give
00:06:40him i didn't let him do what he wants to do i'm going there to win the fight i'm here to win i'm here
00:06:49i'm here to defend my title and i'm not gonna jump in on that plane on sunday without my belt no
00:06:56i'm gonna hold it with me the champion harry simon a national hero in namibia but one of boxing's
00:07:09best-kept secrets the only other famous athlete from namibia olympic sprinter frankie fredericks
00:07:14simon went to the 92 barcelona olympics did not medal won the belt in an upset in 98 outwork slick
00:07:20southpaw winky right uh aforementioned by uh mr chess that was a majority decision in south
00:07:26africa two of simon's last three bouts have come against southpaws jones is also a lefty and while
00:07:31he's undefeated the knocks on simon as you know bobby are inactivity and quality of opposition but a
00:07:37dynamite puncher when he's on he's razor sharp but just not many recognizable names on his resume
00:07:43well steve he certainly hasn't taken on any of the terrific talent in this division and there is
00:07:47some so it's very difficult to gauge how good as well as how tough he is he throws in an abnormal
00:07:52amount of punches for a guy this weight he's pressure he likes to be in the game all the time
00:07:57no rest so if he's on his game it's time to step up though and even he says that's the guy he wants
00:08:02that's a huge step well there's no doubt he's a crowd pleaser let's get your keys to victory
00:08:07well for harry simon it's real simple he has to set that pace he loves the fast pace also good body
00:08:12work he wants to tear down the tall southpaw and throw punches and bunches it will act as offensive
00:08:17defense all at once keeping face punches in the face of jones and speaking of the tall southpaw let's
00:08:23take a look at rodney jones stockton california by way of louisiana number one wbo contender
00:08:28career plagued by promotional problems fighting only twice in two years unbeaten his last 19. his
00:08:34first title shot he's never faced a world champion 24 and 2 the losses in consecutive uh fashion back
00:08:41in 93 to future contenders ross thompson and alfred ankema hasn't fought many big names but for what
00:08:47it's worth he sparred with terry norris laurent bedwani and bernard hopkins and the good news bobby
00:08:52he's an aggressive kind of awkward non-stop puncher but limited exposure to world-class competition
00:08:59the recent inactivity lack of put-away power how big a step up is this for him well i'll tell you
00:09:04what steve this isn't somewhat of a proving ground this is the big proving ground even in a loss here
00:09:09rodney jones could make his stock go up and go up significantly but if he feels that fails badly
00:09:14he could really plummet and you know what it would really be demoralizing to a young fighter to step up
00:09:18this big and come up real short all right let's check out your keys to victory for this young man
00:09:23well he has to set off with a jab use that southpaw style jab and also he's got great height and reach
00:09:27for that weight use it put it to his advantage make simon miss and then counter it's got to make simon pay
00:09:33or simon's gonna keep on coming we check the numbers as we go to the tail of the tape simon
00:09:39in at 27 five years younger the rangy challenger three inch height advantage a one and a half inch
00:09:44edge in reach for jones at yesterday's weigh-in simon right on the money jones just under four on
00:09:49the official weights in a moment and the key wbo rules for this title fight no standing eight no three
00:09:55knockdown rule a fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round if an accidental headbutt occurs
00:09:59before the end of the fourth it's a technical draw after the end of the fourth we go to the scorecard
00:10:04now here in canada the fighters had to weigh in against again at 11 this morning and in accordance
00:10:09with local rules they got to be within eight pounds of each other so we give you the initial
00:10:15weigh-in the second weigh-in and the present weights before the fight there they are so here
00:10:21at casino rama in ontario canada we're getting ready for the wbo junior middleweight championship
00:10:27harry simon roddy jones the formal intros from our ring announcer jimmy lennon jr
00:10:33ladies and gentlemen a very good evening to you and welcome to casino rama in ontario canada
00:10:41as we have a big night of action coming your way a dual main event two world championship bouts coming
00:10:47away and it's all brought to you by frank warren sports network and banner promotions in association
00:10:53with showtime championship boxing and casino rama the first of our world championship attractions
00:11:00ladies and gentlemen is sanctioned by the world boxing organization the president francisco valcarcel
00:11:06supervisor jesson bryant la vega along with the ontario boxing commission commissioner ken hayashi
00:11:12time keepers frank sabine keeping count of the knockdowns dave pallet introducing you are three judges
00:11:19scoring this bat from ringside from toronto ontario william budu also from toronto harry davis
00:11:27and from merida yucatan mexico hugo peniche introducing to you now our referee in charge the
00:11:34third man of the ring he is working in this his 18th world title bout mark nelson
00:11:40all right fans here we go 12 rounds of boxing for the wbo junior middleweight championship of
00:11:48the world introducing to you first the challenger on my right fighting out of the blue corner entering
00:11:55the ring wearing red trunks with dark blue trim from stockton california he weighed in at a ready 153 and
00:12:03one half pounds with a record of 24 wins and two losses he has 13 wins coming by way of knockout
00:12:10ladies and gentlemen here is the wbo number one ranked junior middleweight contender introducing the
00:12:16challenger smooth rudney jones
00:12:25and his opponent across the ring on my left is the defending world champion fighting out of the red
00:12:31corner he is wearing blue trunks with gold trim as the very first world champion to come from his
00:12:37home country he proudly represents walrus bay namibia he weighed in at the limit of 154 pounds
00:12:45he is undefeated in his campaign in the ring with 19 wins no losses 16 wins coming by way of knockout
00:12:53tonight he is making the third defense of his title please welcome the undefeated wbo junior middleweight
00:12:59middleweight title i expect a clean championship fight just obey my command
00:13:05and the world champion of the world champion of the world the germinator
00:13:07terry simon
00:13:10once again a referee in charge mark nelson now to give instructions 12 rounds of boxing schedule
00:13:16bring him in here simon
00:13:20gentlemen you've already received your instructions in the dressing room for the wbo junior middleweight title
00:13:25the wbo junior middleweight title i expect a clean championship fight just obey my commands and protect
00:13:30yourself at all times touch gloves good luck to both of you all right harry simon a straight ahead
00:13:37busy pressure fighter throws a lot of punches good power with fast hands he's got physical strength good
00:13:43body puncher and volume of punches are his assets but his defense uh kind of average
00:13:49and rodney jones a busy guy relies on his awkward southpaw style he's had plenty of time to prepare
00:13:55this fight originally scheduled for august the 12th and the 19th finally it's here here we go
00:14:02big story here also the weight situation you notice they both weighed in close to 154 they have
00:14:07to then they're both up a little over 160 164 161 but after 164 the champion came back down four and a
00:14:14half pounds from earlier today that's amazing it's amazing and roddy jones is almost a super middleweight
00:14:21at this particular juncture actually that's a full-blown super middle 168 would be the limit
00:14:26well harry simon dedicating this fight he told us to his mother who passed away 12 years ago
00:14:32by his account he's 11 and 0 including two of his last three with southpaws he spars with a southpaw
00:14:38heavyweight south african heavyweight champ jacob mofa king he's wearing the blue with the gold trim
00:14:45says namibia his home country and how will he combat jones busy awkward southpaw style he said
00:14:52he'll box him he'll pressure him he will not give the guy a chance he'll confuse him and use his hand
00:14:57speed you know steve he's coming inside to the right with the right hand to the body is the champion
00:15:02right there and then he's backing all the way out it's a lot of work to get all the way back in
00:15:06against those long arms that jones has he should come up stay inside throw the left hook to the
00:15:10body or the right up cut to the chin and bobby if you'll pardon the expression simon says no question
00:15:16he will stop jones but wouldn't say what round well i believe he believes that and i'm pretty sure that
00:15:21rodney jones has a different idea you know i think about that weight maybe during the course of that day
00:15:26he uh just dehydrated a little or maybe was nervous but i can't imagine losing four pounds fight day
00:15:31and what he do go out and run doesn't make sense to me rodney jones how will he combat simon's
00:15:37straight ahead style well he said by being aggressive himself giving him angles by boxing jones said he
00:15:43has a surprise in store well we'll see we hear that all the time from fighters i'm very very surprised
00:15:48right now jones is doing his best to work that right jab you see it but when simon throws right
00:15:53hand underneath it's just a right hand there's no counter left hand by jones he just backs off
00:15:57well jones feels uh he doesn't think much of the defense of harry simon saying his defense is
00:16:05mostly his offense jones's manager is joe syatovich remember joe from the uh the terry and orland
00:16:12norris days he says simon's defense consists of headbutts and low blows well jones says he'll
00:16:20utilize his long reach and stiff jabs we'll see well you see a very wild right hand right now by
00:16:25simon he's throwing an overhand right the one to the body was pretty nice but again nothing up top
00:16:30he's landing right to the body but he's not turning anything upstairs simon with a right hand that
00:16:35was just a grazing blow simon keeps changing the color of his hair if you'll notice earlier you saw
00:16:41he was a a golden and now he's got it back to its natural color the heavy right hand that was
00:16:48partially blocked by jones but jones goes back to his corner i think his corner should tell him when he
00:16:53leaves that right and drop that left hand straight into him you got the leverage you got the height
00:16:57you got the reach you'll run into it first so far no one came from jones except there there you go
00:17:03there's the bell for round one
00:17:05that's it baby that's it way to work with the bassling deep breath deep breath
00:17:15deep breath relax relax okay relax
00:17:18look around man double up that jab you don't like that double jab in his face okay
00:17:23double it up all right put the ice pack on his back okay what you got to do now he's throwing a
00:17:28little while that right hand okay so you got to wait for he throws that right hand you step back
00:17:31him keep working that body you're doing the right thing that you're on the inside get on the
00:17:35outside of him okay don't follow him around that ring all right come here come here yeah that's
00:17:43okay all right working down with it good okay yeah that's out get the water here okay baby
00:17:52seconds out let's go keep working come on get the water dean powell in the corner there of harry
00:17:57simon used to be with brian mitchell for many many years but they split after the winky right
00:18:03story according to simon that was a strange fight prime minister was on hand all these dignitaries in
00:18:10south africa simon seemingly won but the ring announcer announced it was a majority draw keeping the title
00:18:16for ron winky right and then they found out several minutes later that the ring announcer announced the
00:18:23wrong score of the american judge and then they had to do it all over again not the fight but the
00:18:27announcement and uh simon actually won the fight there you saw jones after that big right hand by
00:18:33simon you saw jones fired a left hand and hit and hit jones even hit simon but he doesn't have a lot
00:18:38on his punches he's moving backwards consistently taking something off of power he does have he's not a big
00:18:42knockout punch harry simon in just a tremendous division 154 with trinidad vargas the wbo champ but
00:18:52castillejo not as highly regarded kid from spain
00:18:59something that doesn't make a lot of sense to me when simon comes in lands every hand to the body
00:19:03he comes all the way back out he's got to work that much more just to get all the way back in there
00:19:06he's wasting energy and compromised himself by staying outside where he's on the tail end of the
00:19:11punches that was a wild looping right hand that got in by harry simon simon sometimes sticks his chin
00:19:20out perilously he'll have to be careful there from the southpaw simon with a left hand there he's got
00:19:28you notice how simon kind of just lowers his head and then just flails he does that with a fighter like
00:19:34trinidad he'll get picked apart that's just not something he can do he says he's ready has the
00:19:39ability to beat tito trinidad right now he didn't even he wanted to bypass jones he told us in the
00:19:46meetings yesterday and go right to felix maybe a little premature joe jones needs to be a little
00:19:56more active with his left hand there he tried to throw a half-hearted left hand but he needs to
00:20:00really throw it there he goes maybe he's listening he's got good ears neither fighter has ever been
00:20:09down jones has never been down as a pro amateur and i'll tell you what simon just winning punches
00:20:16but most of those are hitting there now he's getting on the inside and going to the body which
00:20:19is more effective so much better round for jones though he's making simon miss quite a bit landing
00:20:26some of his own not that big of punches but landing
00:20:33less than 30 seconds remaining in round two scheduled for 12 for the wbo junior middleweight belt
00:20:43simon in the blue 19-0 with 16 knockouts roddy jones in the red 24 and 2 13 k.m his first world title
00:20:53shot wild swings and misses by simon but he doesn't let up this keeps coming forward figuring one of these
00:21:02he'll get through and that's it for round two
00:21:10mouthpiece out
00:21:13okay
00:21:19okay right good hold that now listen listen to me his left his left jab is coming out very very slow okay
00:21:27very slow a little lateral movement and whip that left hook over the top okay
00:21:34simon does have a tendency to really load up and win those punches that one
00:21:37almost headed south of the border but you see his punches are wide swinging wide way around
00:21:42i know the man's taller but he the shortest way to a point is a straight line and that straight right
00:21:47hand or the straight left would probably be better suited bobby you notice the head
00:21:51hands to him awfully close as well and that's going to happen with the southpaw from time to time
00:21:55hey okay rob don't let it happen if he's just hanging in the body because you're standing right in front
00:21:59of him okay you got to move well in the first two rounds rodney jones has been able to avoid most
00:22:06of harry simon's punches
00:22:11basic reason for that too is harry simon is starting those punches from the outside trying to leap in with
00:22:15him he's not working his way in and then punching from the inside he's punching those big punches from
00:22:20the outside
00:22:25simon strongly built as you can plainly see against the long-ranging lanky southpaw jones
00:22:32mark nelson telling simon to keep the punches up
00:22:38one of those right uppercuts found his way south of the border
00:22:45good left right combination
00:22:46and then just got away from it started headhunting with big shots and i thought it
00:23:01crossed in the second round because he missed so many and there was some decent counter punching by
00:23:05jones and that last flurry simon nailed him a good one with a right hand but again wide looping i'm
00:23:10surprised we don't see jones try to come more down the middle
00:23:15particularly coming from that awkward lefty angle
00:23:27simon's trying uppercuts now but they're not finding a hole
00:23:30out of there guys
00:23:33rodney jones has been for the most part being able to ward off those flailing wide punches by harry simon
00:23:44and many of them just not even making contact right there part of the problem for jones is that
00:23:49simon's not he's not showing any respect whatsoever he's just walking to him and jones is not
00:23:53standing his ground getting some good footing and letting him feel some power not that he has a lot
00:23:58but he's got to let him feel something got to get that pound of flesh oh a low blow there by harry simon
00:24:03but the rep didn't see he was at a different angle that was definitely right into the protective cup
00:24:09he's got to get that pound of flesh oh a little peppering jabs by a jones that are pesky getting
00:24:22into the face and a swift left hook to the jaw by jones
00:24:27i'm still somewhat amazed why simon doesn't jab him with a double triple even quadruple jab
00:24:32push jones in the corner and then unload the body shots and head shots instead of
00:24:35leaping with big right hands from the outside it just doesn't make sense yeah there's a sense that
00:24:40he's holding back with certain punching harry simon
00:24:50again jones measuring simon out with that right jab sort of a probing jab there's not much power behind it
00:24:58and you can see right before simon goes to throw the right hand he jabs he hitches his shoulder and bends
00:25:04and that's when rodney jones should fire lift him the difference is simon has more power and he's
00:25:09trying to make use of that we'll see if that is a factor coming up next our main event the wbo junior
00:25:14lightweight title fight ocelino freitas carlos rios really looking forward to seeing freitas we go into
00:25:21his dressing room the young man from brazil a hero in his native country one of the top young fighters
00:25:26to come out of south america in years extremely offensive minded exciting part of a very talented 130
00:25:33pound division which consists of all unbeaten champions greater says his plans are to unify
00:25:38the division to fight prince nasim hamed perhaps but about with hamed kind of doubtful given the
00:25:43weight differences and the feeling that freitas may be too heavy a puncher but he'd love to get mayweather
00:25:48he's got that golden smile that hollywood smile from brazil he's not lacking in confidence
00:25:54steve you talked about unifying and then fighting prince in the same day that's right it's going to
00:25:59be a busy day all right round four the champion has been most effective when he's backed rodney jones
00:26:08into the ropes but he hasn't done that often enough
00:26:17once again from the outside when he leaps in with the right hand he doesn't have anywhere to go he
00:26:21can't step that is the champion simon can't step to the side cut off the ring and then fire because
00:26:25he's already laid out there with his arms and he's bent over look out that was a trip then the legs
00:26:32came together the feet came together a collision and that again the product of uh conventional
00:26:38versus southpaw for the most part now simon keep in mind averages 4.7 rounds he's been 10 rounds or more
00:26:47just three times in his 19 professional bouts and we're now into the fourth
00:26:54see a little hitch in his shoulder yes he does that every time he's ready to throw right hand i would
00:26:59think that rodney jones might pick up on it behind one of those jet when the hitch starts fire to left
00:27:03hand and you know what the champion might run right into him
00:27:14pretty good action there by simon but just about only one of those punches got in good left hook there
00:27:18though he uh now he's jumping on the challenger he continues to fire away well he does punch in bunches
00:27:26when he gets it going simon's corner yelling do it again
00:27:43big roll in the action absolutely you can hear now the rodney jones corner oh there's a heavy right
00:27:58hand right on the button by harry simon but it really didn't seem to uh phase the challenge
00:28:04you that much about a minute to go in round four
00:28:14from the inside that's where simon needs to be totally has the leverage everything is in his favor
00:28:20but he's not jabbing into what he's laying there he's jumping from the outside these big punches
00:28:23they're not landing effective well the other guy jones with the height and the reach advantages
00:28:28so simon looking to get inside that punch was was blocked by the arm of jones now jones going back
00:28:36to that right jab let's see if he follows it up with the left hand it's not even a stinging jab he's
00:28:41not even stepping with the jab it's more of a keep away keeping away from me kind of jab
00:28:46you stay over there i'll stay over here just a little bit of a bothersome jab but it's certainly not
00:28:50hurting the champion simon has the hands down awfully low but he's got very good hand speed so he's able
00:28:59to get him back up there look out a little kickboxing action there as the bell sounds
00:29:03he's getting frustrated man just keep it cool stay focused believe me he'll run into that damn left hand
00:29:31especially when you fight a sap or teeth the feet do get tangled there's just a spin and his heel
00:29:36came out from under him simon winds up on the floor from the overhead watch his foot just
00:29:41comes right out from under the heel just catches the floor and slides
00:29:48one of the better punches was a nice left hook with the champion landed right there on the jaw
00:29:54of jones but again he can't land the second third one because jones is a mover
00:29:57come on let's go as we enter round five bobby do you get the feeling that simon's punches are
00:30:04beginning to find more range well not necessarily find more range but what he's doing is he's closing
00:30:09the gap a little bit it takes a lot of energy move like that so as jones gets tired he won't be able
00:30:14to move as readily out of the way but he's got to keep the pressure on he's got to keep the pressure
00:30:18on i'm sure he's finding his timing he's a southpaw he's pretty quick it'll take a little time to gauge
00:30:23feel free shimon has been the aggressor throughout but not necessarily the effective aggressor throughout
00:30:34but you see he's starting to gain in confidence really bouncing around his punches are beginning to
00:30:39to connect more.
00:30:50Two of his last three opponents were southpaws,
00:30:53so Jones really shouldn't be much of a puzzle to Simon.
00:30:56Jones' best combination probably so far
00:30:58to the fight was just a few seconds ago.
00:31:00Had a nice combination that he started
00:31:03and then countered Simon a couple of times,
00:31:04and very effective, not real hard, but he landed.
00:31:09Simon told us by his record he's 11-0 with southpaws.
00:31:17But Jones with a very awkward style,
00:31:20so that's got to count for something.
00:31:22Hey, hey, hey, get down here, get down.
00:31:24The referee, Mark Nelson, telling some of the members
00:31:27of the Jones Corner to get down from the perch,
00:31:30they're too high.
00:31:34They are an expressive bunch.
00:31:39Jones from Stockton, California, born in Lafayette, Louisiana,
00:31:44came to Stockton as a young kid.
00:31:48See, with a fighter like Winky Wright,
00:31:50Simon would have no punch after punch,
00:31:52and they would either hit arms, shoulders, or the body
00:31:54where he met at him in the jaw or the head,
00:31:56but they hit something.
00:31:57He's missing a lot here, which will make him be
00:31:59prematurely fatigued, because he'll have to also use energy
00:32:02to stop the punch.
00:32:03He's starting to connect a little more now
00:32:06with regularity here in round five.
00:32:09Simon very aggressive, continues to press the attack.
00:32:14Jones doing all he can to fight him off,
00:32:18but it's been Harry Simon on the forward march.
00:32:25Jones was having a better round, but Simon just turned it around
00:32:28and he was just out hustling him.
00:32:31Simon just smothering Jones, reining Jones with punches
00:32:36here in round five.
00:32:44Tremendous volume of punches by Simon here in the fifth,
00:32:48and that has to wear out an opponent, the accumulative attack.
00:32:52A couple seconds here.
00:32:53You don't know what to do!
00:32:54You don't know what to do!
00:32:57Do you agree with the Jones corner that he,
00:32:59that Simon doesn't know what to do?
00:33:00Well, no, but I do agree with the Jones corner
00:33:02that Simon's getting a little tired,
00:33:04and he's still questioning certain moves
00:33:06he's not making right away.
00:33:09He's hesitating regularly.
00:33:12Tuck that wing up.
00:33:13Now listen to me.
00:33:14It's time to put, listen.
00:33:16It's tucking over me again.
00:33:17Tuck it in plenty of more.
00:33:19Right, good.
00:33:20Now listen.
00:33:21You've got to start putting a show on for these people, OK?
00:33:24Now listen.
00:33:25Don't fight the fight at his pace.
00:33:27Make him fight the fight at your pace, OK?
00:33:30He can go all day long flicking that pretty little cat out.
00:33:33Simon's turning up the volume a little bit,
00:33:35but the numbers that are landing are not always
00:33:38indicative of what he's throwing.
00:33:40He's throwing a lot of punches,
00:33:41and a lot of them are hitting air,
00:33:42or missing the mark by hitting arms and elbows.
00:33:46There you see punches, a couple of them glancing,
00:33:48a couple of them missing completely.
00:33:51Throwing a lot, not landing a lot, Steve.
00:33:52Hey, guys.
00:33:53Yep.
00:33:54Clean the water.
00:33:55It's too much here.
00:33:56Simon's trainer, Dean Powell, urging him on,
00:33:59telling him that Rodney Jones is dictating the pace.
00:34:02He says, come on, you've got to put a show on for this audience
00:34:05here and start stealing the pace away from Rodney Jones.
00:34:09But Jones, he keeps talking about his awkward style,
00:34:13but it seems to be having an effect here on the champions.
00:34:18You know, that last round, Rodney Jones started out well,
00:34:20won the first minute clean, started to lose the latter part of it,
00:34:23but he started to land some shots a little more clean.
00:34:26Again, he's not a puncher, though, so if you don't see the punches,
00:34:28you have to really pick them off.
00:34:30Simon will walk through him, but there you see another left hand
00:34:32that lands on the jaw of Simon, but he walks through it
00:34:35because Simon doesn't have any respect for Jones' power.
00:34:38And Simon does have a good chin to boot,
00:34:41but Simon's the one with the power.
00:34:4316 of his 19 wins with no losses by KO.
00:34:46This is third defense of the belt.
00:34:53Well, we're into the sixth, and as mentioned before,
00:34:57Simon averages 4.7, just under five rounds, so...
00:35:03He's above average.
00:35:05Based on the styles, based on the amount of energy it's taken to Simon,
00:35:09he closed the gap and landed one or two shots.
00:35:11Based on the range, this looks like it could very well be a distance fight.
00:35:15Good straight left hand there by Rodney Jones,
00:35:17perhaps his best punch of the night.
00:35:19Right, but nothing on it, no power.
00:35:22It didn't seem to have much effect on Harry Simon,
00:35:28who just continues to come forward.
00:35:35He's above average.
00:35:36Of Jones, 24 wins, just 13 by knockout.
00:35:40He's lost two times.
00:35:41They were early in his career, back-to-back in 1993.
00:35:48He has won 19 in a row.
00:35:52He hasn't lost in about seven years, but he's had a lot of inactivity.
00:35:59And you can see why, too.
00:36:00He's a southpaw, he's tall, he's thin.
00:36:02Who wants to fight him, right?
00:36:03Ranging, he's got to make you look bad no matter who's fighting you.
00:36:08Simon continues to be the aggressor, but the quickness of Jones making Simon look silly
00:36:21at times.
00:36:22He's missing by a mile.
00:36:27Much better round for Jones, but by all appearances, if Jones wins this fight,
00:36:35he's going to be on points, because he just doesn't have that knockout punch.
00:36:39Simon does.
00:36:40I don't think Jones has the ability to knock out Simon, but now he's just going to hurt.
00:36:44Simon really jumping on Rodney Jones, and he has shaken him up.
00:36:49Little blood from the nose of Jones.
00:36:52But Jones, with a lot of guts, he hangs right in there.
00:37:01Time.
00:37:04And that's it for round six.
00:37:08Well, Showtime Championship boxing returns in two weeks.
00:37:12The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino will be our venue in Las Vegas.
00:37:16Four-time world champion Johnny Tapia, mi vida loca, tries to avenge his only loss, suffered
00:37:22at the hands of Pauli Ayala.
00:37:24Remember that fight?
00:37:26The rematch Saturday, October 7th at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific Tapia, Ayala.
00:37:31It's a battle you won't want to miss.
00:37:33I'll tell you, if that's anything like the first one, look out.
00:37:37What a great fight the first one was, and it was razor close.
00:37:40I said it before, I thought Tapia won, but in my heart, no losers in that fight.
00:37:45Just a great fight.
00:37:46Keep focused.
00:37:47Just fight swords, man.
00:37:48Keep focused.
00:37:49Just fight swords, man.
00:37:50Just fight swords, man.
00:37:51Just fight swords, man.
00:37:52Just fight swords, man.
00:37:53Just fight swords, man.
00:37:54Well, we're halfway through this championship bout unofficially, Bobby.
00:37:59How do you see it?
00:38:00Four to two.
00:38:01I give four to the champion.
00:38:02Two rounds to Jones.
00:38:03I gave Jones.
00:38:04Second round, I gave him the sixth round.
00:38:06I thought he just got work.
00:38:08Simon made Simon miss, made Simon pay, and Simon looked really bad and immature.
00:38:14And the folks at home online see it this way.
00:38:19There it is, Harry Simon in command, five rounds to one.
00:38:24Five to one, four to two, we're on the same page.
00:38:27They have Jones winning round five.
00:38:33So, in your estimation, halfway through the fight, it is Rodney Jones at least sticking
00:38:38to his strategy more than Simon.
00:38:40Well, Simon really wanted to keep the pressure on him.
00:38:43He's trying to pressure, but what he's doing is somewhat odd.
00:38:46He's pressuring from the outside, so he's leaping in, leaping all the way out, leaping
00:38:49in, leaping out.
00:38:50He's defeating himself.
00:38:51What he needs to do is step to him, as we would say in the gym, walk him down, hands
00:38:55up, step.
00:38:56And as soon as he's punches hit, fire, react, and he's keeping pressure backward.
00:39:00Which, Bobby, doesn't that surprise you?
00:39:02Because of the mere fact that Jones really doesn't have knockout power.
00:39:06So what is he afraid of?
00:39:08I completely agree.
00:39:09He's trying to get out of the way of every shot.
00:39:11There you see him trying to slip an entire combination.
00:39:13Why?
00:39:14Just block it and stuff him.
00:39:15It doesn't make sense to me.
00:39:17It's odd.
00:39:19Let's see if he steps it up and gets inside more frequently here against Jones.
00:39:24Well, one thing, too, when you watch tapes of fighters and you study, or even if you
00:39:28don't watch tapes, you just listen to your corners and you study, if you have a certain
00:39:31mindset, sometimes for a fighter, myself included, when I was fighting, you found it very difficult
00:39:35to take yourself out of a certain mindset, and all of a sudden, 8-9 has begun in that room
00:39:39and you've got to change something.
00:39:40It's not work.
00:39:41Right.
00:39:42Which really is the true measure of any great champion being able to adjust
00:39:48in midstream.
00:39:49I don't care if it's boxing or team sports.
00:39:53That's what separates the great ones from the others.
00:39:58Well, round seven.
00:40:00See, the Trinidads and the Vargas' would be on the outside.
00:40:03They'd counter.
00:40:04They'd step in behind the double jab.
00:40:05They'd go to the body, come up the head, and step around, step to the side, counter again.
00:40:09They would not do this one at a time, big, looping bombs from the outside.
00:40:12They wouldn't do it.
00:40:13Well, Jones' awkward southpaw style and his speed have been a problem.
00:40:19They've been puzzling the man from Namibia, Harry Simon, who's undefeated.
00:40:23And even that, Steve, his speed is not that blazing.
00:40:25It's not real quick punches, and they're not hard for sure.
00:40:30Maybe it's the angles.
00:40:31He said that would be a key to us yesterday.
00:40:34Here goes Harry Simon now.
00:40:36Opens up a little bit.
00:40:37He's starting to land a little more.
00:40:39Some of those got through.
00:40:41Now holding by Simon.
00:40:43What he did was change his M.O. a little bit.
00:40:46Came in with the right hand, but this time he came up with the left hook, the right hand,
00:40:49the left hook, and they all landed.
00:40:51Ten seconds.
00:40:52Riles swinging a miss with the right hand by Simon.
00:40:56But Jones just doesn't have, you know, he has the wherewithal.
00:40:59He just doesn't have the power to do anything about it.
00:41:07Arms in your lap. Arms in your lap.
00:41:11Yeah?
00:41:15Okay?
00:41:18Right.
00:41:19Hold that.
00:41:20Now listen.
00:41:22All you got to do is keep your game plan you got going right now, and you got him beat.
00:41:27Okay?
00:41:28You beat him every round.
00:41:30He's lost every round.
00:41:31He don't have a clue how to fight you.
00:41:34Hey.
00:41:35Use the jab and circle.
00:41:36You got to start throwing more punches, right?
00:41:38Start throwing more punches.
00:41:39When he gets tired of doing good arm regroup.
00:41:41Left hand, baby, sir.
00:41:42He's turning them and you're just still.
00:41:44Rodney Jones has his moments.
00:41:46Using that jab, using that height, there's a straight left hand.
00:41:49Once again, Simon trying to slip all those punches.
00:41:52Not slipping all of them.
00:41:53And not make himself look too good.
00:41:56Later in the round, they're digging into the body.
00:41:59Digging the right hand.
00:42:00There's no one underneath.
00:42:01Left hook in the ear.
00:42:02Time!
00:42:03Big power shots are being landed by Simon, that's for sure.
00:42:06Round number eight.
00:42:07Well, in the last round, the fighters continued to step on each other's feet.
00:42:11There's some moisture in the Simon corner.
00:42:13Dean Powell takes Scarlett.
00:42:16Counted seven times, their toes tangled in round seven.
00:42:20And here comes Harry Simon.
00:42:22Three big right hands that Simon actually wobbled.
00:42:25Jones, you can see it.
00:42:26A little shaky on his legs, but there are three right hands looping right hands in a row.
00:42:30There's a heavy right hand by Harry Simon right on the Adam's apple.
00:42:36Round eight opens in brisk fashion in Simon's favor.
00:42:41So you notice right there, Simon threw a double jab in the right hand, and it worked,
00:42:44because the double jab, first of all, it stuffed something in the face of Jones.
00:42:49Give him something to watch and look at, and kept his hands busy by being up.
00:42:52As soon as he peaked, the right hand hit him.
00:42:54I think Simon is beginning to really wear down the challenger right now.
00:42:59You can see it in his face.
00:43:03Come on, baby!
00:43:04Come on!
00:43:05Come on!
00:43:06He's tired now!
00:43:07He's tired!
00:43:08Jones' corner is bellowing karate.
00:43:12Simon's tired.
00:43:13I don't think so.
00:43:14I think it's Jones who's starting to look a little wobbly.
00:43:16Actually, I think they're correct.
00:43:17I think that Simon's a little bit tired.
00:43:20I think you can see that.
00:43:22But...
00:43:23I think Jones is too.
00:43:24I was just gonna say, it's not to say, Jones is not a little tired.
00:43:26Right.
00:43:27All right.
00:43:30Simon may have just punched himself out there for the moment, trying to, uh, regroup.
00:43:36Get his win back.
00:43:39Get revitalized.
00:43:40Nice body shot there by Simon.
00:43:43You know what, though?
00:43:44Maybe he...
00:43:45Oh, he just...
00:43:46Jones has walked into a left hand, didn't he?
00:43:47It was the left hand I was talking about three rounds ago.
00:43:49Every time he jumps through the right hand line, he just fired a left down the middle.
00:43:52And he did, and you saw what happened.
00:43:54He stood Simon up.
00:43:55But what I don't understand again, Bobby, in a series of we don't understand things here
00:43:59in this fight, when Simon was just taking that obvious wrestling, why didn't Jones jump
00:44:05on him?
00:44:06Because he was tired, probably.
00:44:07Probably because he's a little tired, and he has a lot more respect for the power, because
00:44:10he's felt it.
00:44:11He doesn't have any for Simon to feel.
00:44:14And that was a golden opportunity for Jones to, uh, try to make some, some hay.
00:44:21There's a nice combination.
00:44:22Right uppercutter, left hook by the champion.
00:44:27See, he's still laying the bigger, cleaner shots.
00:44:30But he's still looking awful.
00:44:32And Simon with a second win here, towards the end of round eight.
00:44:35He took some time off, and, uh, now he climbs back on Jones.
00:44:40Crowd, uh, very quiet here, although it's, uh, a sellout, 3,500 or so.
00:44:47At Casino Roma.
00:44:48Oh, a left hand that staggered the champion.
00:44:51He's never been down in his career.
00:44:54Fatigue makes cowards of his soul.
00:44:57When you get tired, even those little punches will hurt.
00:44:59But he comes back, showing a lot of win.
00:45:01Final seconds of round eight.
00:45:04And a big finish for the challenger, Rodney Jones.
00:45:11Ten seconds, guys.
00:45:13Come on, come on.
00:45:14Come on, come on.
00:45:21Well, that may have been a long round.
00:45:23Fix the tape. Get it good.
00:45:27That clock was 21 seconds over the lemon.
00:45:31Get your arms in your lap.
00:45:32A three-minute, 21-second round.
00:45:34Timekeeper started enjoying the fight.
00:45:36Stop watching the watch.
00:45:37All right, you got it.
00:45:38Now, listen.
00:45:39Listen.
00:45:40When you throw the right hand, throw it straight.
00:45:42Listen to me.
00:45:43When you throw the right hand, throw it straight.
00:45:44Harry.
00:45:45Harry.
00:45:46Throw the right hand straight and come back with a left hook.
00:45:47Come on.
00:45:48Come on.
00:45:49Come on.
00:45:50Come on.
00:45:51Don't bowl it like a cricket ball.
00:45:52Throw the right hand straight and come back with a left hook.
00:45:53Come on.
00:45:54Come on.
00:45:55Harry, throw the right hand straight and come back with a left hook.
00:45:57Come on.
00:45:58Come on.
00:45:59Don't bowl it like a cricket ball.
00:46:00Throw the right hand straight and come back with a left hook.
00:46:01Come on.
00:46:02Rodney Jones working nice.
00:46:05Not real power.
00:46:07Second sound.
00:46:08That big punch really wasn't as awkward as it appeared.
00:46:13I mean, just there's a lot of push and a lot of flailing.
00:46:15They're off bounds.
00:46:16They're banging into each other.
00:46:17It's very awkward to explain how these punches are not even laughing.
00:46:21They're just pushing.
00:46:22Well, Jones was the more effective of the two in the final 30 seconds of round eight,
00:46:28and then some.
00:46:29He scored in the bonus time as well.
00:46:32An extra 20 or 21 seconds.
00:46:35So he was, he took advantage of that extra time when the timekeeper fell asleep.
00:46:40It was the best part of the round, and it wasn't part of the round.
00:46:45It was.
00:46:46Mike Tyson would have enjoyed that.
00:46:51Round nine.
00:46:52There's that little jab by Jones, but it just doesn't have much effect.
00:47:04All right, Simon.
00:47:05Simon's punch is much more hurtful.
00:47:07That was more of a trip when Simon went back.
00:47:10Simon's own feet got tangled up, and he got hit on the button while he was moving backward.
00:47:14Once again, it's, this is an awkward type of fight.
00:47:18This is one of those fights where you wind up with bumps and bruises all over your body from different places being hit, hands flailing.
00:47:27That is the voice of experience, right?
00:47:28Not a textbook.
00:47:29I'm telling you.
00:47:30I've been in a couple like this.
00:47:31You must have hated fighting guys like this.
00:47:32Oh, he would give me fits.
00:47:33I would actually have fits with guys like this.
00:47:34The last toss-up I fought beat the starch out of me, so I don't even want to tell him.
00:47:35Okay, we won't go there.
00:47:36Simon missing with the left.
00:47:37You see, there's nothing coming back from, from Jones.
00:47:38There's a, you know, Ronnie throws me in a token left out there and he walks into a left hook.
00:47:42The significant work is being done by the champion.
00:47:47Well, it looks like he's picking up the points, accumulating points, Harry Simon.
00:47:53And he walks into a left hook.
00:47:54The significant work is being done by the champion.
00:47:58Well, it looks like he's picking up the points, accumulating points, Harry Simon.
00:48:06But he's very frustrated by this awkward fighter.
00:48:11He just can't put him away.
00:48:13He'd love to.
00:48:14Bobby's punch is being blocked, though, by Rodney Jones.
00:48:18He comes back with a double and triple jab, but again, having no real effect on the champion.
00:48:23He's just no steam behind that.
00:48:25It's amazing to me, too, if you watch Simon, he keeps following around to the right,
00:48:33which is a south post path of...
00:48:35Exactly.
00:48:36He should be going the other way, right?
00:48:37And he should be going the other way.
00:48:39Yeah.
00:48:40Straight right hand there that got through by Simon.
00:48:42Now Simon going to the body, but not much behind that punch.
00:48:45Good job.
00:48:46Well, let's see if he circles more to the left.
00:48:50He just doesn't...
00:48:51If he has a plan, I don't know where it is.
00:48:54His plan is just pressure and punches.
00:48:56It's pretty simple.
00:48:57Go forward.
00:48:58Get out of there.
00:48:59Keep the pressure on him and throw punches and wear him down.
00:49:01But how would this do against, you know, a Trinidad or something?
00:49:05He could pick the putt on the way in.
00:49:06You know what I mean?
00:49:07He'd probably get destroyed.
00:49:08Vargas would do the same thing to him.
00:49:10He needs more of a plan.
00:49:12He needs more polish.
00:49:13He needs more skills.
00:49:14He needs more experience.
00:49:15Oh, he just got there with the left uppercut on the chin.
00:49:23Did Harry Simon at the bell?
00:49:26I didn't even hear the bell.
00:49:28I just made it up, folks, because I didn't either.
00:49:32There's some weirdness going on here.
00:49:34Coming up next, our main event, the WBO Junior Lightweight Championship.
00:49:37Ocelino Freitas and Carlos Rios.
00:49:40Let's go into the challenger's locker room.
00:49:42Carlos Rios making final preparations for his biggest fight ever.
00:49:45He goes against undefeated Ocelino Freitas, Brazilian Idol, who's 26-0 at 26 KOs.
00:49:52A daunting task for Rios, who's 0 for 3 in world title fights.
00:49:56He cannot win away from his homeland, Argentina 0 for 4,
00:49:59but the reigning South American featherweight champ rated number 9 by the WBO.
00:50:05He's a tough kid.
00:50:06One of the things about Rios, I looked at his record,
00:50:08and there's a couple guys in here for three times a piece,
00:50:10so it's no wonder he's winning at home.
00:50:12That's right.
00:50:13You're looking at a very frustrated Harry Simon.
00:50:21He's got to be frustrated.
00:50:23Round 10.
00:50:24There's been no knockouts in this fight,
00:50:26and that's what's really frustrating Simon too.
00:50:28All he needs to do is step with his left foot,
00:50:30put it outside the right foot of Jones,
00:50:32throw the hook to the body, bring the hook up.
00:50:34Step outside.
00:50:35Jones won't be able to move so readily out of the way.
00:50:38Force him to go against his brain,
00:50:40it'll make it more awkward for him to give him the leverage.
00:50:48Again, he's moving to his right,
00:50:50which is the strength of Rodney Jones, Harry Simon.
00:50:55That is the most basic fundamental thing.
00:50:58Against the southpaw, move to your left.
00:51:01Well, I've heard over and over again that you only do that,
00:51:03but there were a couple of southpaws that I used as far
00:51:05that you actually could be more effective moving to the right.
00:51:07But generally speaking,
00:51:08the one who establishes the jab in the outside foot has the lead.
00:51:12Mm-hmm.
00:51:14Great, come on.
00:51:15No, no, no.
00:51:16I got it.
00:51:20A minute gone by in Round 10, scheduled for 12,
00:51:22the WBO Junior Middleweight Championship on the line.
00:51:27Simon again.
00:51:28Nice body work by Simon,
00:51:29and he caught him in the right hand at the end of the sequence.
00:51:31Stunned Jones a little bit, but again,
00:51:34he's not getting through with several punches in a row cleanly.
00:51:37One here, one there.
00:51:41Simon's third defense won the title over Winky Wright.
00:51:45And his best wins aside from Wright over Kevin Lushing,
00:51:49a knockout in the third.
00:51:50Former British, he floored the British puncher three times.
00:51:53And then a 10th round KO over Enrique Areco,
00:51:57a 37-year-old Argentine who was a late substitute for Rodney Jones.
00:52:04Simon closed both Areco's eyes and scored one knockdown,
00:52:07but he can't seem to duplicate that here against the southpaw Jones.
00:52:12Jones ranked number one.
00:52:24You know, I always wonder with the rankings how certain guys get to be rated
00:52:27number one by never fighting a fighter in the top ten.
00:52:30Beating a fighter in the top ten never mind even fighting one.
00:52:33And get the number one rating.
00:52:35I don't mind being rated seven, being eight, ten, five even.
00:52:38But to be number one without ever facing a top ten opponent to me is incredulous.
00:52:43Well, you open up a whole can of worms there.
00:52:45We would need at least an hour to try to...
00:52:48It wouldn't be the first time I ever did that.
00:52:50Amazing.
00:52:56Coming in, Jones said he would try to match Simon Punch for Punch,
00:53:01saying he moves more than fellow left-hander Winky Wright,
00:53:04who was outpointed by Simon in 1998.
00:53:07I don't know if he's matching him punch for punch,
00:53:10but he certainly is doing a lot of moving.
00:53:15Again, a lot of activity by the champion Simon,
00:53:19but the challenge of Jones eluding most of that action.
00:53:23Good job, man.
00:53:35You've got to make him miss, baby. Make him miss.
00:53:36Now, he knows, his corner knows he's got to try and knock you out.
00:53:40Nice.
00:53:41I'll tell you what, what you're going to see here now,
00:53:46you have the tall man coming in, throwing a punch up at the champion Simon.
00:53:50Now, what Simon does is duck down, come up under here,
00:53:52but what he wasn't doing before was throwing an uppercut.
00:53:54Now, he brings the left uppercut right in the middle,
00:53:56and watch what happens when he goes to the body,
00:53:58and then comes up to the head.
00:53:59There's the body shot. Now, here comes the head.
00:54:02Something we talked about before.
00:54:04Why isn't he coming up with the uppercut, Steve?
00:54:06There he did. You saw how clean he landed.
00:54:08He does that a little more often.
00:54:09This fight might not be.
00:54:11That's enough. You can earn your drink of water now.
00:54:13Come on, get on your face.
00:54:15Well, Dean Powell giving him a couple of slaps on the face there,
00:54:19Harry Simon.
00:54:20Come on, let's go.
00:54:21Try to get him going.
00:54:22Well, Simon has only been past ten rounds once in his career,
00:54:27a victory over Winky Wright, as mentioned back in 1998.
00:54:31Jones has had two fights go past ten,
00:54:34and he won both of them by late knockouts.
00:54:39That is unlikely here, though,
00:54:41a knockout against Harry Simon.
00:54:44The way he punches.
00:54:47He doesn't punch.
00:54:49Yeah, that's right.
00:54:50No, he's not a puncher, but you know,
00:54:51a guy like that can make you get tired,
00:54:53and there could be nutrition factor.
00:54:54Jones got rocked momentarily there.
00:54:56I think it was a combination of slip and a punch.
00:54:59I don't think he was really rocked.
00:55:01He kind of landed high off the top of his head,
00:55:02and his foot just came out from under him
00:55:04in the white corner over there.
00:55:05Looked a little disoriented.
00:55:07Keep it up! Keep it up!
00:55:12Keep it up!
00:55:14He's backing up!
00:55:16This is rare that Simon is moving backwards.
00:55:20Keep it up!
00:55:22But Jones doesn't do anything about it.
00:55:28Watch ahead.
00:55:29Looks like Simon's tired again,
00:55:32but Jones doesn't jump on him.
00:55:38Again, Jones able to elude a big left hand by Simon.
00:55:43Stay up his neck.
00:55:44Hey, come on!
00:55:45Stay up his neck, okay?
00:55:46All right.
00:55:50Both fighters showing that they're a little tired
00:55:51and a straight left.
00:55:52Straight left hand by Rodney Jones.
00:55:54And now tripling up on the jab,
00:55:56missing with the right.
00:55:57Back comes Simon,
00:55:59but can't get anything done.
00:56:01Most of those punches being blocked by Jones.
00:56:03They hit nothing but Aaron elbows.
00:56:05Look out of there.
00:56:06Now this is where Simon would do best on the inside,
00:56:09digging to the body, uppercuts.
00:56:10Great!
00:56:11Don't punch.
00:56:15Couple of nice body shots,
00:56:16but again, nothing up top.
00:56:17Good job.
00:56:18Jones must be in excellent condition.
00:56:19Has to be in great shape,
00:56:20despite the bouts of inactivity.
00:56:36Big round for Jones.
00:56:39Jones leading some of his better punches
00:56:41standing and fighting for the first time in many rounds.
00:56:45Blocking that punch by Simon,
00:56:47the right hand.
00:56:48Simon just loading up.
00:56:51But those punches are being warded up.
00:56:54Real low blow by Simon.
00:56:55Got him in the thigh.
00:56:56Wow, is that low.
00:56:57Almost got him on the knee.
00:57:01Simon on the inside,
00:57:03but getting tangled up by the long,
00:57:05gangly arms of Jones.
00:57:06Missing with that flailing right, Simon.
00:57:08Under 10 seconds, round 11.
00:57:10Very good round for the challenger.
00:57:13But perhaps not enough of those rounds
00:57:15to win this thing on points.
00:57:17Well, we're gonna head to the last round.
00:57:19Easy!
00:57:20Right, now you listen to me, now listen to me.
00:57:33You've got three minutes.
00:57:34Now listen,
00:57:35this guy's gonna come at you like a train.
00:57:37Okay, listen.
00:57:38This guy's gonna come like a train,
00:57:41so you gotta go with him.
00:57:42Okay, now listen.
00:57:43Keep your hands up.
00:57:45Last round, Perry.
00:57:46Good job.
00:57:47Perry, listen to me.
00:57:48Get your arms in your lap.
00:57:49Let this shit get away from you, baby.
00:57:50All right, don't let him steal this.
00:57:51Larry, if he broke into your house
00:57:53and damaged your...
00:57:54Stay focused, huh?
00:57:55Okay.
00:57:56Water.
00:57:57Give him some water.
00:57:58Give him some water.
00:57:59All right?
00:58:00You've got to listen to me, son.
00:58:01You've got to take it big.
00:58:02Don't let him do nothing.
00:58:03And do it the way you've been doing it.
00:58:04Make him mess.
00:58:05Big, big, big, big.
00:58:06Make him mess.
00:58:07Hey, when he jumps back,
00:58:09don't wait on him.
00:58:10Make him look bad.
00:58:11Well, Simon, you know, seems to be ahead.
00:58:13Boy, there's a lot more sense of urgency
00:58:15in that Simon corner than in the Jones corner,
00:58:18which is much more low key.
00:58:20Jones on the left.
00:58:21Simon on the right.
00:58:22Here it is, round 12.
00:58:23They'll touch gloves.
00:58:25Jones' corner thinks they have it wrapped up.
00:58:28Well, I don't know about that.
00:58:31I overheard Joe Siderich say he won every round.
00:58:33That was after the seventh round.
00:58:35I disagree with him, but...
00:58:37I do, too.
00:58:38Possibly trying to convince the judges
00:58:39that Jones is ahead,
00:58:41that Simon's tiring,
00:58:42that he's missing,
00:58:43that he doesn't have anything left
00:58:46when they talk out loud.
00:58:49Keep your head up.
00:58:50Keep your head up, Rodney.
00:58:51Well, what a pep talk by Dean Powell
00:58:53in that Harry Simon corner.
00:58:56He said, what if this guy goes into your house
00:58:58and robs you?
00:59:01That's how you have to react here in the 12th round.
00:59:11Well, they're both throwing wildly here in the 12th,
00:59:15and it's nonstop action.
00:59:16Very busy.
00:59:17For the most part, though,
00:59:18you see who's going forward right now is Jones.
00:59:20Jones.
00:59:21He's got a little more juice left.
00:59:22Jones landing with a straight left hand.
00:59:24Jones in tremendous condition.
00:59:26But so, so seems to be the champion.
00:59:31Non-stop.
00:59:34Well, Simon's trying, that's for sure.
00:59:36He wants to knock him out.
00:59:37He's trying.
00:59:39But Jones won't go.
00:59:40It won't be for lack of bad intentions, Steve.
00:59:42He's trying to hit him with that right hand,
00:59:43something awful.
00:59:45He got the message from Dean Powell,
00:59:48that's for sure.
00:59:49Get up his neck.
00:59:51But this Jones is just too awkward.
00:59:55You're gonna have two tired fighters for this bell sounds.
01:00:04In at 15.
01:00:06You gotta wonder what's behind those Simon punches at this stage.
01:00:18I got it.
01:00:19Here we go.
01:00:20Good job.
01:00:21He's gotta be exhausted.
01:00:22I thought that he wasted a ton of energy throughout this fight,
01:00:28not fighting a smart fight.
01:00:30Strategy-wise, costing himself an awful lot of energy
01:00:34and possible points.
01:00:35He didn't get inside enough when he had to.
01:00:37He didn't move to the right side against the southpaw.
01:00:40Actually, in this case, the left side.
01:00:42He was moving to the right side.
01:00:43He didn't move to the correct side.
01:00:45He didn't move to the right side.
01:00:46That's when he got to the right side.
01:00:48He got to the right side.
01:00:49Jones all over Simon.
01:00:50But then Simon got in with an uppercut.
01:00:51But Jones keeps pressing forward.
01:00:53He's got Simon on the road,
01:00:54where you don't wanna be.
01:00:5525 seconds.
01:00:56Unfortunately for Jones, he hits so lightly
01:01:00that some of the punches will probably be discounted
01:01:03just because they don't look like they've landed.
01:01:04because they don't look like they've landed.
01:01:09Jones is fighting this last few seconds
01:01:12as if the final 30 seconds will decide the fight.
01:01:15They may very well, Steve. We don't know what the judges see.
01:01:18True.
01:01:21You really don't. That's it. There's the bell.
01:01:24We finally hear it.
01:01:26And this one is in the box.
01:01:34Who won this fight?
01:01:51I believe Harry Simon won. I think Bobby Ches feels the same way, but...
01:01:55But not by a lot, Steve. Not by a lot.
01:01:57Could be close. Could be a split decision.
01:01:58115-113 type fight. Not a very strong performance.
01:02:03Not a performance that warrants a Felix Tito Trinidad showdown.
01:02:08Could be a split. Could be a majority. Could be a draw.
01:02:11In that case, this man would retain his title.
01:02:14Yes. Yes.
01:02:17But who knows how these judges saw the fight.
01:02:20Let's see. It's in the hands now of William Voodoo of Toronto,
01:02:24Harry Davis of Toronto, and Hugo Panisio, Morita Mexico.
01:02:27Good job, Harry.
01:02:29Good job, Harry.
01:02:30Good job, Harry.
01:02:31Good job, Harry.
01:02:32Good job, Harry.
01:02:33Good job, Harry.
01:02:38Simon certainly controlled, for the most part, I think,
01:02:40the first half of the fight, but then Jones came on.
01:02:42Don't you think more so in the second half?
01:02:44Oh, clearly the second half.
01:02:45You saw that the champion, he got tired, and he just,
01:02:49I don't know, he kind of gave up in certain situations.
01:02:51Whereas he would throw a second, third shot,
01:02:53and he threw one, and he just stopped.
01:02:54You know, going back to a point you made,
01:02:55very valid point, we both saw it, black and white.
01:02:59You think the weight fluctuations
01:03:01may have anything to do with this with Simon?
01:03:03You know, it's just hard to tell.
01:03:04I can't imagine a fighter losing four pounds
01:03:06during the course of the day.
01:03:07If he just ate regularly, he should at the very least
01:03:09maintain an even keel.
01:03:11Nerves, I don't know.
01:03:12They have taken something out of him, the weight of the situation.
01:03:17He just, he couldn't put this guy away.
01:03:19He prepared well.
01:03:20And he was very awkward and elusive.
01:03:22Rodney Jones and he had to be very frustrating to this man,
01:03:25Harry Simon, throughout the fight.
01:03:27And he was really getting an earful from his trainer, Dean Powell,
01:03:31who's on the left of your screen, just out of your ship.
01:03:33Well, I don't think any statement was made here today by the champion.
01:03:39I think, though, that Rodney Jones' stock has gone up,
01:03:42albeit not tremendous, it didn't skyrocket, but his stock went up.
01:03:47He just showed that he could stay in there with one of the best in the world,
01:03:50who's undefeated with the majority of his wins by knockout, and hold his own.
01:03:53All right, we are set to hear the decision.
01:03:58We will get it up to our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr.
01:04:02Ladies and gentlemen, after 12 rounds of boxing, we have a majority decision.
01:04:07Hear the score totals.
01:04:08Judge at ringside, Hugo Beniche, scores about 114, 114, even a draw.
01:04:16Judges at ringside, William Boudou and Harry Davis,
01:04:19both scored about 117 to 111 in favor of the winner,
01:04:26and still the WBO...
01:04:28You talk about the difference in scores.
01:04:31Harry Simon.
01:04:33We called it Harry Simon by majority decision,
01:04:36but one guy has a 114, 114, the other two 117, 111.
01:04:41Two completely points of view.
01:04:45117, 113, 8 to 4.
01:04:47And, you know, I had a 7 to 5.
01:04:51Now, 7 to 5 and even is a swing in one round.
01:04:54If two close rounds of swing, it's 115, 13 in one way, 115, 113,
01:04:58but 117 or 118, whatever it was, it's just too many points.
01:05:02Interesting.
01:05:03Strange.
01:05:04So, Harry Simon wins by majority decision with some freaky scores.
01:05:11Coming up next, our main event, it's the WBO Junior Lightweight Championship,
01:05:17unbeaten KO artist, Asilino Freitas,
01:05:19puts his title and perfect knockout record on the line
01:05:22against number nine rated Carlos Rios.
01:05:25We take you into the dressing room of the champion Asilino Freitas.
01:05:28While he's not yet famous in the U.S. or here in Canada, for that matter,
01:05:31he's extremely popular in his homeland in Brazil,
01:05:35burgeoning superstar who has seized the fancy and attention of his native country
01:05:40almost overnight.
01:05:41Extremely heavy handed, vicious power, all 26 of his wins by knockout, no losses.
01:05:47Tonight he takes on fellow South American Carlos Rios in defense of his WBO 130 pound belt.
01:05:53He looks ready, and we're set for post-fight reaction from our opening bout,
01:06:00so let's go to Larry Michael in the ring.
01:06:02Larry.
01:06:02All right, so Harry defends the title successfully.
01:06:05He is 20-0.
01:06:06What do you think of your performance tonight, Harry?
01:06:08Well, first of all, I'd like to thank God for giving me the strength,
01:06:15and I'd like to thank my manager, my promoter, Frank Warren,
01:06:19Frank Warren for giving me this opportunity, especially on Showtime.
01:06:24And I'd like to thank, also, my family who always support me,
01:06:29and my three kids at home, Bryony and Kathy and Kendi.
01:06:32I love you, my babies.
01:06:33Harry, tougher fight than you expected tonight from Jones?
01:06:37Yeah, for sure.
01:06:40He really, he was a different fighter as for what I saw him fighting on the tapes.
01:06:47What's next for Harry Simon?
01:06:48We know that you would like to go after one of those other major belts.
01:06:52Will that be next for you?
01:06:54Yeah, well, let's start here for Rodney Jones' fight.
01:06:59I was, I did prepare, I did prepare, but I prepared very well,
01:07:04and I just took a long time, a long, short time without another fight.
01:07:09You can look, it's like my second fight this year,
01:07:11and my first fight was like February, and I couldn't ever fight because of other private things.
01:07:20And now for the next one, I'm thinking about somebody like Trinidad,
01:07:26and I will be, go back to the gym and train and be focused on the Trinidad fight.
01:07:30He's the man I want now.
01:07:34Will you take a fight before that possible opportunity?
01:07:37For sure.
01:07:38I will take him any time.
01:07:40Wherever the fight can take place, I will go there.
01:07:43Because I really need him, and I really want that belt from him.
01:07:46Good job.
01:07:47Thanks, sir.
01:07:47Simon says he's still the champ, guys.
01:07:51All right, thank you very much, Larry.
01:07:54Let's check out the online scoring results from our opening bout, Simon versus Jones.
01:07:59First, let's check the judges' scores.
01:08:01The two local judges had it 117-111.
01:08:04They had Simon winning it fairly convincingly.
01:08:07Meanwhile, the judge from Mexico had it even 114-114.
01:08:11It was clear that Jones came on strong in the second half of the fight after, for the most part,
01:08:16Harry Simon controlled the first half.
01:08:19But Simon was obviously perplexed and confused and frustrated by the awkward Southpaw style,
01:08:26the elusive style of Rodney Jones.
01:08:28He couldn't put him down.
01:08:29He's a knockout guy, for the most part, is Harry Simon.
01:08:33And he just could not solve the dilemma of Jones.
01:08:36Let's check the folks at home.
01:08:39117-111, he was nine rounds to three.
01:08:42Certainly, Jones won more than three.
01:08:44You talk about a difference.
01:08:45Our home morning saw a little more the way we did.
01:08:45I had it seven to five.
01:08:48Yeah, Jones won the last five rounds, according to the online scorers.
01:08:52So if you took part, we thank you for your participation.
01:08:55The online voting will continue with the start of our main event.
01:09:00So I don't know if Simon was too thrilled with that performance.
01:09:03And he is definitely not in the class or yet ready for a guy like Felix Trinidad.
01:09:07All right, looking ahead, coming up in October, we'll bring you the rematch of 1999's fight of the year.
01:09:17This fight had it all.
01:09:2012 rounds of drama.
01:09:2212 rounds of non-stop action.
01:09:2412 rounds of toe-to-toe determination.
01:09:26It was the best fight of 1999.
01:09:31Now, Johnny Tapia wants to avenge his only loss.
01:09:35Paulie Ayala wants to prove it wasn't a fluke.
01:09:37The first time was for the title.
01:09:39This time, it's a matter of pride.
01:09:40Don't miss the explosive rematch of Tapia versus Ayala 2, Saturday, October 7th and 10, only on Showtime, America's number one boxing network.
01:09:54And we just got word this fight is now a 12-rounder for the IBA belt.
01:09:58Not a 10-rounder, but who cares?
01:10:00What does that matter?
01:10:01This should be a great fight no matter what.
01:10:03Tapia Ayala 2, Saturday, October 7th at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, a battle you won't want to miss.
01:10:07And this one, too, Friday, October 20th, SCT pay-per-view presents two of the most feared and compelling fighters in boxing, former Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.
01:10:17Mike Tyson takes on the enigmatic Andrew Gulotta in a long-awaited heavyweight matchup.
01:10:22Tyson versus Gulotta live on pay-per-view Friday, October 20th, 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific.
01:10:29That's what we have in store for you in the near future.
01:10:31But the fans are pumped up here tonight as we come to you from Casino Rama, about 90 minutes north of Toronto, here in the Canadian province of Ontario.
01:10:40We are one down, one to go in our world championship doubleheader here in the event center.
01:10:45Coming up next, our main event.
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