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Oscar De La Hoya defends his WBO Lightweight Title against former Super Featherweight Champion Genaro Hernandez on TVKO HBO PPV
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00:00...butterbean delivered some ham hock blows.
00:03All right, folks, as Jim says, we've got some serious boxing coming up.
00:07The main event between Oscar de la Hoya and Gennaro Hernandez.
00:10Coming up next, it is, in fact, the main event between Oscar de la Hoya and Gennaro Hernandez.
00:16Finally, their fists will do the talking.
00:20Welcome to East L.A., the other Los Angeles.
00:24The Hispanic hotbed of Southern California.
00:26A place where the word rivalry takes on a far deeper meaning.
00:31Where pride and machismo are two of the most important things in life.
00:37This isn't about the sharks and the jets of West Side Story.
00:41This is about a real-life neighborhood duel.
00:45One in which friends and relatives take opposite sides.
00:49One in which two aspiring fighters grew up just miles apart,
00:54attended rival high school,
00:56and as amateurs, even sparred one another.
01:01As the years passed, it became more and more evident
01:04that their paths might one day cross again.
01:07At an early age, one turned professional,
01:09and over the next 12 years battled his way to a perfect 32-0 record.
01:14The other's path would be littered with gold,
01:17an Olympic medal,
01:19a beautiful smile,
01:20and a knockout punch.
01:21He seemed to have it all.
01:24Except for one thing,
01:26to be king of East L.A.
01:29Everyone knew that one day they would have to meet again.
01:33But who would have foreseen that both would be undefeated
01:35and world champions?
01:36Tonight, Oscar de la Hoya faces Gennaro Hernandez
01:40in a world-class neighborhood rivalry
01:43unlike any that you have ever witnessed before.
01:46The End
01:47The End
01:48The End
01:50As evening falls upon us,
02:19the time has come for our main event
02:21between two champions, both undefeated,
02:24both in the prime of their careers,
02:26and both hoping to become the champion of East L.A.
02:29Oscar de la Hoya versus Gennaro Hernandez
02:32for the lightweight championship of the world.
02:36This TVKO presentation, The Rivals,
02:38is brought to you by Beachwood-aged Budweiser.
02:41It's always been true.
02:42This Bud's for you.
02:44And with the sun having set here in the West,
02:47temperatures are mercifully cooler.
02:49The strip in Las Vegas is abuzz with activity and excitement,
02:53but none more so than that which will take place
02:55here at Caesars Palace
02:56as fight fans start to turn their attention
02:58to the upcoming battle between Oscar de la Hoya
03:01and Gennaro Hernandez.
03:04And, folks, you know, indeed,
03:06this fight has very much a number of the same kind
03:09of characteristics and elements
03:10as the Oscar de la Hoya-Raphael Ruelas fight
03:13that took place back on May 6th.
03:15Two fighters from Los Angeles, neither likes the other.
03:19Oscar de la Hoya, the media darling, the golden boy.
03:22Of course, he has the Megawatt smile and the movie star looks
03:25and is indeed a terrific young fighter.
03:28Many folks dislike him and are jealous because of those reasons.
03:31Hernandez may not be as well-known as Oscar de la Hoya
03:34to the general public,
03:35but, folks, until he was stripped of his title recently
03:38because he moved up in weight to take on this fight
03:41with Oscar de la Hoya,
03:42he was a junior lightweight champion for three and a half years.
03:46A skilled technician in the ring,
03:48he can elude the big punch,
03:50and with a 32-0-1 record,
03:51he obviously is dangerous.
03:53And while Oscar de la Hoya is a little miffed
03:55that Hernandez isn't more appreciative of the fact
03:58that Oscar is giving him his biggest payday to date,
04:01folks, the bottom line is that Hernandez
04:03has earned the right to be here.
04:05And finally, four years of talking
04:07will come to a head right here in the ring
04:09at Caesars Palace.
04:10And for more on the main event,
04:12let's take it back downstairs to Jim Lampley.
04:15All right, thank you very much, James Brown.
04:17And once again, we get ready for the central drama
04:19of the evening,
04:20the latest tough test, defining test,
04:22for Oscar de la Hoya
04:23on his way toward potential Hall of Fame stuff
04:26in the sport of boxing.
04:28Larry Merchant, James mentioned how this fight
04:30has been talked about for as long as four years
04:33when de la Hoya left Barcelona
04:34with his gold medal in 1992.
04:36One L.A. boxing writer suggested
04:38that he was ready to fight Gennaro Hernandez
04:40in his very first professional fight.
04:43On the other hand,
04:43some skeptics suggested
04:44that Oscar would dodge this fight
04:46for his entire career
04:47and simply never face the issue.
04:49Is the timing right for de la Hoya
04:51to fight a fighter like Gennaro Hernandez?
04:54Jim, the timing is never exactly right
04:57to fight an experienced,
04:59unbeaten fighter like Hernandez
05:01who has successfully defended
05:03that 130-pound title
05:05on eight different occasions.
05:09The first time when they suggested
05:10that they meet was plainly the wrong timing.
05:13But even a year later,
05:15they were thinking of matching
05:16these two fighters
05:18and the management of de la Hoya
05:20went to scout Hernandez.
05:22He stopped the guy with one punch
05:23to the body.
05:24They decided the timing wasn't right then
05:28and they were right then as well.
05:31But now Oscar de la Hoya
05:32has evolved from a great amateur
05:35to a great young professional prospect
05:37and now to probably a great young fighter.
05:42Even Hernandez admits
05:43he's quicker and he's stronger than he is.
05:46But let's remember something, Jim.
05:48Last night, Danny Romero,
05:51a fighter who is regarded
05:53equally as well as de la Hoya
05:55in the flyweight and bantamweight title
05:58classification,
06:00lost to a journeyman.
06:03And Hernandez isn't a journeyman.
06:06Another bizarre event
06:07in the theater of the unexpected last night.
06:09Romero's loss.
06:10It would certainly be no huge upset
06:12if Gennaro Hernandez
06:13were able to fulfill
06:14what many people see as his great talent
06:16by beating a de la Hoya.
06:18Big George, you've been watching Oscar develop
06:19for three years along with Larry and me.
06:21You've made your own glowing evaluations
06:23along the way.
06:25Some would say,
06:26hey, he's never faced a guy
06:26who's as tall as he is,
06:28a southpaw, a great technician.
06:30How dangerous is this fight?
06:31Oscar's been able to rise.
06:32He's right to everything,
06:34every challenge.
06:35He's been able to rise up
06:36and knock it down.
06:37When he needed a left jab,
06:38something I'd never seen in his arsenal,
06:40he delivered.
06:41Now he needs some body touching.
06:43I think he's able to do it.
06:44Oscar de la Hoya should be
06:46one of the best fighters of all time.
06:48All right, let's get both fighters
06:49into the ring
06:50and get ready for this next big moment
06:52in the career of Oscar de la Hoya.
06:57Tale of the tape
06:58between the two East Los Angeles rivals.
07:01De la Hoya listed at 5 feet 11 inches tall.
07:04Hernandez clearly is that tall.
07:06Oscar, we think,
07:07maybe a half inch short of Hernandez.
07:09We'll see when they get into the ring.
07:10Seven-year difference in age.
07:12Oscar still, amazingly, only 22.
07:15De la Hoya had to work just a little bit
07:18at the weigh-in to get down to 135.
07:21Hernandez coming up in weight
07:22made it up only to 133.
07:26And we'll take a look at what happened
07:27at the weigh-in
07:29just a little bit earlier in the evening.
07:32This is the Nevada State Athletic Commission weigh-in.
07:34They like to see how much weight a fighter gains
07:37between the weigh-in and the time of the fight.
07:39De la Hoya tonight weighed 142.
07:41So we put on seven pounds
07:43between yesterday's weigh-in
07:45and tonight's assignment in the ring
07:4627 hours later.
07:49Bunch that numbers, Larry.
07:51And the profile of the activity of these fighters,
07:55and you can see that the numbers are very close.
07:57De la Hoya a little bit more accurate.
08:03Jabs.
08:04Hernandez uses it as his weapon.
08:07Rules of the bout
08:11with our unofficial ringside scorer,
08:13Harold Letterman.
08:14Oscar de la Hoya and Jannero Hernandez
08:16will box 12 rounds.
08:17There is no standing eight count.
08:19The three-knockdown rule is in effect.
08:22Only the referee can stop the fight,
08:23and you can be said by the belt
08:25only in the last round.
08:26Jim.
08:28All right.
08:29Thank you very much, Harold Letterman.
08:30Time now for the two fighters
08:31to enter the ring.
08:33And since it is De la Hoya's title,
08:35which is at stake tonight,
08:36Hernandez will enter first.
08:39Last fight, March 31.
08:40TKO of Jorge Piaz in round eight.
08:43De la Hoya KO'd Piaz in two rounds.
08:45We have not mentioned the one major chink
08:48in Jannero Hernandez's armor,
08:50and that is his hands.
08:52Very brittle.
08:53He has had five hand operations
08:55in his boxing career.
08:57Three on the right hand,
08:58two on the left hand.
08:58He freely acknowledges
09:00that in this latter stage of his career,
09:02he is quite frequently
09:03a one-handed fighter in there.
09:06In a way, he represents
09:08all those fighters
09:09who have to get to this stage
09:11of their careers the hard way.
09:14Fighters who think that life is unfair
09:17when an Oscar de la Hoya,
09:18before he has even been tested
09:20as a professional,
09:22has been swamped with money offers.
09:25But rather than be jealous
09:28of an Oscar de la Hoya,
09:31they ought to find out
09:32what he did to earn that money
09:34and emulate him.
09:38Hernandez himself relaxed enough
09:40about this assignment
09:41that he chose to insult de la Hoya
09:45quite salaciously
09:46at a news conference
09:47a couple of days ago.
09:49De la Hoya seethed
09:50through the affair
09:51and told one of our people
09:53afterward,
09:53I hate his guts.
09:54I never hated an opponent more.
09:56in this
11:26Little Chicano, Little Mexican-American.
11:28The record, 32 wins.
11:30No losses.
11:32One technical draw against Raul Perez.
11:34Later, he knocked Perez out.
11:3616 KOs in the 33 fights.
11:41Fighter's records here are brought to you by the ring, the Bible of boxing.
11:46And it will be fascinating to observe the reception from this largely Mexican-American crowd for Oscar De La Hoya.
11:59How many converts did he win over with his two-round destruction of Ruelas in May?
12:07Now, early in his career, because he was so highly touted, people were questioning the caliber of his opposition, even in his first five or ten professional fights.
12:23But Hernandez represents the third well-regarded champion in a row that he's fighting.
12:29And this is only his 19th professional fight.
12:33It's sort of amazing, actually.
12:34The modal Bob Arum really acknowledges the blueprint for this kind of career building evolved during the career of Ray Leonard.
12:44He says, we learned how to do it with Leonard.
12:46Now we take every step carefully and calculatedly with De La Hoya.
13:21Bum seems like an odd company for a fighter to get an endorsement from.
13:30He ain't no bum.
13:34So many expectations ride in the career of this young man.
13:39Can he win titles in six different weight classes as he once suggested he would?
13:44Will he end the career of Julio Cesar Chavez?
13:47Will he get a shot at Purnell Whittaker by going up the welterweight 147 pounds?
13:52He is treated as boxing royalty.
13:55And he's fought like it so far.
14:03Tender years.
14:0422 years old.
14:0518 wins.
14:06No losses.
14:0816 KOs.
14:09He shows many of them pure dynamite.
14:15And now let's go to ring announcer Michael Buffer for the free fight introductions.
14:21Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the main event of the evening.
14:26This contest is brought to you by Top Rank Incorporated, along with your undisputed undefeated King of Beers, Portweiser.
14:35This buzz for you.
14:37This contest is sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Chairman Dr. James May.
14:43Commissioners, Nat Karasali, Dr. Elias Ghanom, Luther Mack, and Crispin Rivera.
14:49Executive Director, Mark Ratner.
14:51Three positions at ringside.
14:53Lead position, Dr. Flip Womanski.
14:55Attending positions, Dr. Rummer Boy and Dr. Margaret Goodman.
14:59The timekeepers and counting for the knockdown sentence are Al Bysic and Mike Flachella.
15:04This ballot is also sanctioned by the World Boxing Organization, President Francisco Bancacet.
15:11Supervisor at ringside for the WBO, Nick Carasotis.
15:14The three judges aside, scoring the ballot on a ten-point must-system are Chuck Jampa, Mike Lana, and Jerry Roth.
15:24And when the bell rings, the man in charge of the action referee, Richard Steele.
15:30And now, ladies and gentlemen, from the site where legends are made, Caesars Palace, here in Las Vegas, Nevada.
15:38And now, let's go, ready, Caesars Palace!
15:50Twelve rounds of boxing for the WBO.
15:53Lightweight championship of the world!
15:58He's producing first.
16:00Fighting out of the blue corner.
16:02Wearing the white, trimmed with red and green.
16:05And weighing in at 133 pounds.
16:07His professional record, 32-0 with one draw, 16 K.O.s.
16:14Ladies and gentlemen, here's the pride of South Central Los Angeles, California,
16:21presenting the challenger, the former, under-finished, junior, lightweight champion of the world,
16:29and his opponent across the ring, fighting out of the red corner, wearing the black, trimmed with white letters, and weighing in at 135 pounds.
16:51In 1992, he captured an Olympic gold, and now, as a professional, he has earned three world titles in two different weight divisions.
17:00His record, 18-0, 16 by K.O.
17:05And he is the pride of East L.A.
17:10Preserving the champion, the WBO, lightweight champion of the world, the golden boy,
17:19Oskar de la Oya!
17:24Oskar de la Oya!
17:26Oskar de la Oya!
17:28Oskar de la Oya!
17:34Oskar de la Oya!
17:40Xander!
17:41Let's go, Oskar!
17:44Let's go, Oskar!
17:50I spoke to both fighters in the dressing room.
17:52Im reminding you again, obede my commands at all times. Shake hands and good luck!
17:57Alright, let's go, Oskar!
17:59Damon Runyon said the battle does not always go to the strong or the race to
18:04the swift but that's the way to bet and Oscar De La Hoya is the strongest and
18:10the fastest of the two fighters and if De La Hoya is the golden boy the golden
18:16arm is his lightning left hook which has separated him and talent from most of his
18:21opponents
18:29hernandez claimed all week that he would come in and pressure De La Hoya few
18:42believed it in most of Chicanito Hernandez's fights he is cautious in the
18:46first three rounds
18:49De La Hoya has not thrown
18:59Oscar's doing a lot of moving but ending his movement with his legs straight
19:05together so I don't understand what what is this car you time a guy as soon as he
19:09get both feet together you hit him then Hernandez in a conventional stance George
19:14the southpaw coming out conventional reminiscent of marvelous Marvin Hagler
19:19against Sugar Ray Leonard from 1987
19:21Oscar decided to settle down
19:24De La Hoya still not throwing a real punch we're more than a minute into the
19:30round
19:32and I think De La Hoya didn't expect the conventional stance
19:36the first left jab to the body by Oscar
19:39kind of a half-hearted winging right hand
19:44Hernandez's greater reach may be a factor De La Hoya not used to fighting fighters his own
19:49height and size and when you're trying to go to the body of a father guy it's
19:53pretty rough because you can't measure they've got to touch you before you can
19:57decide to throw this guy's quick he touches you and then moves out of the way
20:02looks like he intends to fight the entire round in a conventional stance and that
20:07will occasion some discussion between De La Hoya and Robert Alcazar
20:12he's fighting an educated fighter this time Oscars against a guy who has a bit of
20:17education in the ring oh this guy's a technician George he can do it all box and
20:23punch
20:24De La Hoya a little off balance and hesitant here in the first round
20:32Hernandez having established a tactical advantage early by surprising De La Hoya with
20:37a conventional fighter stance firing the left jab
20:44Oscar's trying hard to duck underneath that jab so we get a left hook that left hook was intended
20:50for the body
20:52and a left coming up underneath
20:59and a left coming up underneath
21:07and a left coming up underneath
21:11and a right coming up next to him
21:13and it's the same arm
21:19in the back
21:20of the ground
21:22vs the other
21:24vs the other
21:26vs the other
21:30vs the other
21:31vs the other
21:33vs the other
21:34vs the other
21:35You're boxing very well, keep your shoulder in front and keep your hands on the distance.
21:41When you're boxing, you're connecting it very well.
21:44Just don't throw this.
21:46Be careful with the right hand.
21:48He comes from the right and the upper.
21:50That's all he has.
21:51Be careful.
21:52When are you going to the left?
21:54Better come to your left behind.
21:56How are you doing?
21:58Good.
21:59Good.
22:00One.
22:01One.
22:02Two.
22:03Just relax, just relax.
22:04He won't be right enough.
22:07That's the brilliant thing for you.
22:09Hernandez' brother is his trainer.
22:12Rudy Hernandez.
22:13What he said was there, let him find you.
22:16He wants his brother to be the counterpuncher.
22:21two fighters got a pretty good look at each other in round number one
22:35delahoy was considerably more aggressive in round two in each of his last three bouts
22:42fernandez doing what most experts expected staying outside using his reach and his jab to
22:55control the tempo the thing about at the moment choosing the box with him the thing about being a
23:01young fighting you just duck your head and put it down too low the other guy knows you're going
23:04to throw body punch oscar kind of deceive him a bit pick his head up a little bit and then go
23:09for the body punch and you think that i still have delahoya may have uh may not have the height
23:21advantage but both guys bend their knees and you have a tendency to just stay up a little
23:26bit you have the height advantage
23:39hard left hand by jenaro hernandez doubles up with it
23:51because oscar spent so much time in training trying to get the body shots he just can't seem to get
23:59off because he hasn't landed the body shots he was assured by his corner to be able to land at this
24:03time and it throws you off a little bit so what do you do you forget about the body and just do your
24:08fight he's got to jab his way in doesn't he george but uh they've told me he hasn't uh the superior
24:16jab tonight it's gonna be wrong short right hand landed inside for delahoya short left hand for
24:21fernandez and there goes the left hook and jenaro hernandez took the left hook on the chin and
24:26grinned back at delahoya as if to say your bomb didn't faze me
24:29oscar's got his right foot almost out of the ring there
24:38fernandez hasn't been down in a fight in nearly 11 years since november of 1984 against martin escobar
24:55something interesting just happened he was able to counter oscar delahoya's left jab
25:02that's the one thing a puncher don't like is you countering his left jab it can make the puncher
25:07hesitant yep and then a hesitant puncher
25:09delahoya sneaking in the left hook again hernandez trying to finish the exchanges with his long race
25:17Georges
25:19Geshege
25:21delahoya
25:24delahoya
25:26delahoya
25:30delahoya
25:31delahoya
25:36delahoya
25:39delahoya
25:42I don't think Delaware is going to
26:12out-box Hernandez he's got to start pressuring him
26:20two rounds in mostly boxing mostly a display of technique and artistry by
26:27Gennaro Hernandez De La Hoya has landed one hard left hook
26:37Hernandez has conceded he's not going to throw the harder punch it but he's
26:41holding back a little more than he ought to also
26:45and he's determined to counter when De La Hoya comes in and succeeding at it for
26:49the moment Oscar De La Hoya just did something smart he threw a punch without
26:53power sometimes when you're fighting an experienced fighter forget about the
26:56power the power is already in your fist
27:04what about the confidence that comes from just starting to land George that's what
27:08has to happen get your confidence that you can hit this guy take the power off
27:12the punches just slap in there which is what another should be doing also
27:18Hernandez reaching to find De La Hoya
27:22De La Hoya as you saw between rounds landing the jab more accurately than
27:30Jenna Hernandez
27:31my heart is made
27:41now Oscar's spilling him out throwing the punches out there with out trying to knock
27:44him out great now you can see the fight change yes the league once he knows he can hit this
27:48out and whenever Hernandez smile that means it hurts well you do the same thing don't try to continue
27:57Don't try to continue. Start all over and do it again.
28:06Hernandez got a right hand into the body.
28:09De La Hoya trying to give him angles and make himself hard to find as he goes back to the ropes.
28:13De La Hoya landing in close quarters. Another smile from Hernandez.
28:23Oscar should be smart and take the power off the punches.
28:26Just get the connection going.
28:27Eventually, the power would be in the shots.
28:32He's only landed one.
28:34Right hand at the body. Sets up the flurry.
28:37De La Hoya landing on the ropes.
28:40Gets in a right and a left.
28:41Some of these are glancing blows, but Oscar De La Hoya with about ten shots in a row.
28:46Now he gets back, catches his win.
28:48Don't back up and give the guy confidence.
28:50Oscar should be making a circle with his body.
28:53He's landed the right shots. He didn't finish him, so started all over again.
28:56All those punches missing for Hernandez.
29:06The jabs are short.
29:08The cross went over the top.
29:09And De La Hoya, after the heavy flurry against the ropes, choosing to stay away, punctuates the round with a couple of body shots.
29:21QuÃm you to lay theåŠ æ¡ˆ and catch some more.
29:22Si, Con.
29:22Don't let it be more, stay away.
29:26A little bit more, Pack.
29:27Big run on the floor.
29:28When you have him there like the sides, look.
29:30Put him where confronts and only go back.
29:32Put him or go there!
29:32OK.
29:33ays in a little more.
29:34Take a look at Delahoya at his best as he finally gets the range starting with a good
29:54body shot two more good body shots takes his time right left this is the work of a very
30:03talented young talent
30:11but in Hernandez favor he took some heavy shots from the biggest stronger kid and didn't seem to
30:17be moved by them Hernandez the busier fighter he more than double Delahoya's punch out put in round
30:24number three Oscar only 234 but he landed 15 that was a very experienced move he made after
30:33being hurt you jump back on the guy you only have to get that only with experience
30:39all right hand uppercut
30:40and let's see about the finishing count
30:43Hernandez is wobbled he's buying time in there Delahoya looking to land another shot
30:50and he walks away telling Steele that he thinks Hernandez hit it below the belt
30:55very wise move by Oscar Delahoya you in with an experienced fighter who knows how to work those
31:02ropes get out of there you're going to miss him with your power wait start it all over again
31:06it's the hardest thing in the world to teach a young fighter don't waste your energy
31:11oh that's true if Hernandez had regained his equilibrium and I guess you think he had George
31:18no he hasn't but you got to start it off the way it started
31:21don't waste your energy on a guy who's going to recover on those ropes
31:26he's one of old guys sneaks in another right hand and Hernandez grins at him again I'm not sure all this grinning is going to redound to Gennaro's advantage
31:35Oscar tapped him with his right hand to let him know he's assured now that he's going to beat up on power shot
31:41he's looking to land a left hook
31:44Hernandez got in a couple of blows there neither of them heavy
31:57Oscar because he's trained so hard with going to the body first
32:02he's not getting off anything unless he goes to the body to finish up first
32:06to start at the body
32:07right hand lead by Hernandez landed on Delahoya's gloves
32:10Delahoya show you a lot of head and body movement making himself an elusive car
32:20that Oscar Delahoya is a gentleman he expected a guy not to hit on the break and he did
32:28he should reconsider all that
32:35that took landed for Hernandez as he came in
32:40he's leaving openings that may pay off for Delahoya down the road he's trying to throw power shots now so the the shoe is on the other foot
33:00Delahoya instantly tried it in the first few rounds and was not a not successful
33:06when Hernandez tries to throw power shots Delahoya chooses to box when Hernandez goes back to boxing
33:12Delahoya attacks with power shots
33:14he's leaving and there's a little bit of there
33:28I'm going to go, I'll go
33:30you see a little bit of that
33:32this is a little bit of a
33:35this is a bit of a
33:38early in the round Delahoya landed a quick uppercut right on the nose best
33:55punch of the fight so far but Hernandez is showing his quality and class as a
34:00fighter avoiding any further damage
34:20good round to the schedule 12 Delahoya in the black trucks Gennaro Hernandez in the white
34:25quickly your score 38 to 38 two rounds apiece the first two rounds for Gennaro Hernandez what
34:35is beautiful boxing the third and fourth Oscar De La Hoya with that power beautiful triple left
34:40hooks to the body in that fourth round by De La Hoya real power I have it two rounds one in one
34:46even for De La Hoya now Hernandez is doing what Oscar De La Hoya should be doing and started
34:53doing the last couple rounds throw punches without power temperature hovered over a hundred degrees much
35:06of the day here in Vegas it's cooled off considerably now extreme heat shouldn't be a factor in the fight
35:15to well trained fighters like this thing that is not known as the heat generated on that canvas so it
35:23goes in your feet and go all the way up to your body so that ring has been out there all day in that hot
35:27sun Delahoya trying to land the right to the body that sneaks in a right cross up top that's what you
35:35do you keep sneaking any in without power and eventually you sneak some power in on that shot that you've been
35:40able to land right hand glancing blow by Gennaro Hernandez after going back to the job because
35:49Hernandez is not using he's using the jab right hand over the top by Hernandez went to the back of
35:55De La Hoya's head there's a left hand to De La Hoya's keep not a lot of power Oscar still limiting his punch
36:01output good chance challenge yeah Bob you don't allow you there's the right hand to the body
36:14can you imagine that people thought that Delaware could fight this fighter right out of these Olympics
36:22or even a year later well they weren't correct with it not a chance this one that knows how to box
36:31he's in the ring he's at home he's the most schooled fighter De La Hoya has been in with yet and as I
36:38said there were skeptics in LA who thought that Oscar would simply dodge the fight and go his whole
36:43career without taking Genaro Hernandez
36:45to mark of De La Hoya's confidence and his handlers confidence in him that they went ahead
36:52Richard Steele a quiet presence in there so far that's good
37:09tactical fight Oscar De La Hoya against Genaro Hernandez good counter right inside best punch of the round
37:21is it all right
37:34and then nobody's talking about Bill globally
37:39they putando la derecha ok Oscar they get without the IRS okay
37:44Swallow it, Doctor. Swallow it.
37:46Swallow it.
37:48Swallow it.
37:50You're working very well, Oscar. You're well controlled.
37:52The whole fight is yours, okay?
37:54You can do that work when you come.
37:56It's made at a field.
37:58He's pulling the rope.
38:00He's pulling the rope.
38:02He's pulling the rope.
38:04He's pulling the rope.
38:06He's pulling the rope.
38:08He's pulling the rope.
38:10He's pulling the rope.
38:12He's pulling the rope.
38:14He's pulling the rope.
38:24In the last two rounds,
38:26De La Hoya has greatly improved his defense.
38:28Hernandez's connect percentage going way down.
38:32Now De La Hoya comes back with offense to begin round six.
38:36Flurries and moves away.
38:38Takes a counter right, lands a left of the body.
38:40And De La Hoya putting combinations together.
38:44Again, gets to Hernandez's face.
38:46And the smart thing, Oscar De La Hoya goes right back to the body.
38:50Hey, this guy's gonna be around for a few rounds.
38:52Make sure I take his energy out of him.
38:54You just don't expect young fighters to do these things.
38:58De La Hoya showing some maturity in there tonight.
39:04And he'll need all the maturity he can muster.
39:14Bloody nose.
39:16Fernandez, no danger.
39:18Oscar De La Hoya starting to use his fakes now.
39:20Fakes never really helps.
39:22I heard a tall guy.
39:24But when you fake, you gotta make him pay.
39:26Don't just fake him like you're not gonna do anything afterwards.
39:28This side of the bloody nose should at the very least bolster De La Hoya's confidence.
39:32As he disciplines himself to fight a tactical fight.
39:36Now, I don't like the dropping of the left hand by a fighter when you're in there with an experienced fighter.
39:50Keep your hands up at all times.
39:52Well, isn't he trying to tempt Hernandez to throw right hands so he can counter with a left hook?
39:58Yeah, but you don't want an experienced fighter who's been in this position again.
40:02Give him respect throughout.
40:04Hernandez wrestling De La Hoya to the ropes.
40:08Landing as he pushes off.
40:10Some of the kinds of tactics that De La Hoya faced against John John Molina in one of his toughest fights.
40:18Oscar De La Hoya is jabbing.
40:21He's suddenly moving to his left.
40:23So that he can put that right hand on top of this attack that Hernandez is doing.
40:27That Hernandez is giving.
40:29The old Sugar Ray Robinson step and move.
40:33Step in the hand, circling.
40:43Oscar's confidence should come up and now he's able to land to the body.
40:46Something his trainers told him he'd be able to do.
40:48And once you get a young guy confident that his trainers are right to get back trouble.
40:53Right hand lands over the top for De La Hoya.
40:56He goes a lead right.
40:58Showing a lot of different tactical flair.
41:02Tactical efforts in what has been a disciplined boxing effort so far.
41:08And there's the left hook.
41:10More of those faces at Oscar De La Hoya you're putting in there.
41:12Probably some of the most effective stuff he's doing tonight.
41:16Go away his best round.
41:22Here, here, here, here.
41:23Come here.
41:24Come here.
41:25Come here.
41:26Come here.
41:27Come here.
41:28Come here.
41:29Come here.
41:30Gennaro Hernandez quits.
41:31What happened?
41:32He quit.
41:33He quit.
41:34He quit.
41:35Gennaro Hernandez never went all the way back to his corner.
41:37Walked to Richard Steele and said, I've had enough.
41:38I'm stunned.
41:39What was that?
41:40The only thing I can figure is this, Jim.
41:42His hands are hurt.
41:43His hands may be hurt for two.
41:44He is the boxer in this bout and he found out in the last round.
41:45That Delahoya can out box him.
41:46That Delahoya can out box him, He gets too heavy for him.
41:47But that is still not an excuse to quit.
41:50What was that?
41:52The only thing I can figure is this, Jim.
41:55His hands are hurt.
41:57His hands may be hurt or two.
41:59He is the boxer in this bout, and he found out in the last round that Delahoya can outbox him.
42:07Gets too heavy for him, but that is still not an excuse to quit.
42:12This is the last thing that seasoned boxing observers in Los Angeles would have expected.
42:21This guy was supposed to be the real man in Delahoya's dossier.
42:26I mean, this is a fellow who's fought for X number of years, never lost a fight.
42:31I don't get it.
42:33Well, that's what happened with Sugar Ray Leonard.
42:35You start dropping your hands and pot-shotting on guys who think, hey, this is supposed to be an even match, and they don't know how to deal with that.
42:40He was pot-shotting on him just the way Leonard was doing Duran.
42:45Guys, just don't come to box for that purpose, and it will make you quit.
42:48Was Oscar Delahoya about to take him apart the next three rounds?
42:51He was taking him apart already.
42:52He was stepping to the side, pot-shot, uppercut, overhand right.
42:56I mean, so you don't say it's right to quit, but hey, what else can you do?
42:59I hate to see it in a boxing match, but sometimes when you can't do anything else, you get out of there.
43:04George, punching power is the most definitive commodity in the game.
43:09Does Oscar Delahoya simply hit too hard for other 135-pound fighters?
43:14That's true.
43:15It seems like he has a piece of iron in those gloves.
43:17You look at his body and you say, no way, but hey, he's got it in that power.
43:22Oscar Delahoya has the power to his end.
43:24So after six rounds and before the bell to begin the seventh,
43:29Jannara Hernandez decides he's seen enough of the golden boy and called Delahoya tonight because of this performance, the golden man.
43:38He was all man in there, George, and he proved that he can follow a fight plan with extreme discipline.
43:44There were opportunities to go wild, and he didn't do it.
43:47I'm telling you, he broke this guy's nose tonight.
43:49That pain can get kind of hard, and you think he's just going to drop his hand and keep doing it.
43:53Let's go to Michael Buffer for the official particulars on this one.
43:57Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please.
44:00Following the end of round number six,
44:03Hernandez told referee Richard Steele he was unable to continue.
44:07Referee stops the bout at the end of six rounds.
44:11The winner and still lightweight champion of the world, still undefeated, the golden boy, Oscar Delahoya.
44:28Well, everyone in Los Angeles wanted to see it end with a bang one way or the other,
44:32and it ended with a whimper, but there were several bangs leading up to the whimper.
44:38Yeah, I thought the other fellow Hernandez thought it would be a closer fight.
44:41Oscar Delahoya seemed not to have any holes in that armor of his.
44:46He starts dropping his hands and pot-shotting you.
44:48You know, we kept hearing for weeks, George, what a great technician Gennaro Hernandez is.
44:53There aren't too many better technicians than Oscar Delahoya.
44:56He goes to the body with a straight right hand.
44:59How do you do that against a champion?
45:02And Larry Mertzen stands by with the man who, in effect, kicked it in, Gennaro Hernandez, right now.
45:09Larry?
45:10Gennaro, why did you quit?
45:13Well, I've already had a nose injury with Shane Mosley.
45:17I just got it broken the day by Oscar.
45:20I mean, you know, every punch that he was landing and every punch that was hurting me on the nose.
45:24I had trouble breathing.
45:25I didn't want to damage it more.
45:26I know the audience and everybody's out there.
45:28You know, I know they're going to turn their backs on me, but I'm playing it smart.
45:34It's so surprising because you had a long, distinguished, unbeaten career that you would retire in the middle of such a big fight.
45:43Explain that to the public.
45:45Well, you know, it's good to lose to somebody who's better than you.
45:51Today, Oscar was better than me.
45:54He's a true world champion.
45:56He defeated me, and I respect him.
45:57My respects go to him and to all his camp.
45:59You know, people don't understand.
46:01They're going and everything, but, you know, it's for my own safety.
46:04I have to protect myself.
46:05Were you surprised that he was able to box you so well?
46:10I wasn't surprised.
46:11You know, we worked out before, and I knew he had a little bit of movement.
46:14Now he's getting a little bit more technique.
46:17He's improved and everything.
46:18And, I mean, you know, he's just on his game plan today.
46:22And, you know, hats off go to him.
46:24Thank you very much, Gennaro.
46:25Now we know why Gennaro Hernandez retired after the sixth round.
46:30Jim?
46:31All right, thank you very much, Larry.
46:34What do you think of that, George?
46:35You got a broken nose, but I think, hey, before I quit a boxing match,
46:39I'm going to have to have more than that broken on me.
46:41I should say so.
46:42I've seen you fight through much worse than that, George.
46:45Gennaro Hernandez, a family man, lives in Mission Viejo, California.
46:49The next phase of his life is not too far down the road.
46:52Maybe that's what he had on his mind.
46:53Total punches.
46:54You see that De La Hoya threw far fewer punches than Hernandez,
46:58landed at a much higher rate, and it's now obvious that it was the power
47:03behind those 94 blows that brought the difference in the fight.
47:07Jabs, De La Hoya landing 27 out of 61,
47:10and there aren't too many better jabs in the sport.
47:13You got to give it all you got.
47:15You got kids out there, you know, they understand the doctor stepping in
47:18and the referee stepping in, but don't ever step in for yourself.
47:21Well, this was supposed to be for the pride of East L.A.
47:24Instead, it's just another demonstration of De La Hoya's special talent.
47:28He's a talented fighter.
47:30That De La Hoya is great.
47:31Well, let's see what he says to Larry Merchant.
47:33Larry?
47:34All right, Oscar, were you surprised, even shocked, by the way this fight ended?
47:40You know what?
47:41I was barely warming up, but you know what?
47:43To tell the truth, in the first round,
47:44my back is killing me, my shoulder.
47:47I guess the wind hit me.
47:50I was so warmed up that when the wind hit me after the first round,
47:53something went wrong with my back and it's killing me right now.
47:55It hurts so much.
47:56All right, we'll get to that in a moment.
47:58But you had certainly warmed up by the sixth round,
48:00which was your best round.
48:02But do you expect from a professional like Gennaro Hernandez,
48:06undefeated over a long, really distinguished career,
48:10and this neighborhood rivalry,
48:12that he would just say, I'm sorry, you're too good for me tonight.
48:15You broke my nose.
48:17I'm going home.
48:18You know what he said after when they announced me the winner,
48:21that I haven't been hit hard ever in my career.
48:25And I got him with a great shot right on the nose, right on the button.
48:28And he felt it.
48:29And he told me he broke my nose.
48:30And, you know, what can I do?
48:32So you felt that you showed him through that sixth round
48:36that he couldn't out-box you and he certainly couldn't out-hit you
48:39and that he knew he couldn't beat you.
48:42You know what?
48:43After the first round, like I told you, my back went out.
48:45And I didn't do much movement on my waist.
48:48I was forcing my back.
48:50I was forcing to move my head a lot.
48:51I did it a bit, but I didn't show the public what I wanted to show for this fight.
48:55But it was a great showing.
48:56Where exactly in your back were you hurt and how did it limit you?
49:02You know, after my first round, I was so warmed up.
49:05I was sweating.
49:06And when I stood up, I stood up about 20 seconds before the bell rang for the next round.
49:10And the wind just came in and zoomed right in the lower back.
49:14And it hurts so much right now.
49:15I guess I'll go to the doctor right now and take care of that.
49:17What did you do in this fight?
49:22What kind of a hurdle do you think you went over in this fight against an experienced champion
49:29like Hernandez?
49:30Genaro Hernandez is a very experienced boxer.
49:33He was at his prime.
49:34He was a great, great boxer.
49:36And it was very difficult for myself to get inside his defense.
49:39He's a tall, lanky fighter.
49:40He knows how to use his jab.
49:41But I was working inside.
49:43I connected with great uppercuts, left hook.
49:45I almost dropped him, I believe, in the third, fourth round.
49:48And I felt strong.
49:49I felt very strong.
49:50I'm ready for the big boys because, you know, I think I feel strong.
49:54I think I'm ready.
49:54But I guess my trainer will say maybe two more years, maybe two more years or three more years
49:58before I go in with the big guys.
50:01Are you, in a sense, disappointed after the buildup of this fight, this fight has been
50:06talked about for so many years in Los Angeles, that it would come to this kind of conclusion
50:13rather than being settled with this in the ring?
50:17It was settled with this, and I broke his nose, and he couldn't take it.
50:21I mean, he's a great fighter.
50:22He's a great person.
50:23He told me, you know, congratulations.
50:24You know, may God be on your side.
50:26And, you know, what can I say?
50:27I put on a good performance.
50:28I boxed the way I wanted to box.
50:30And hopefully I gave a good show for the people.
50:32People got their money's worth.
50:33And, you know, let's move on to the next one.
50:35Thank you very much, Oscar.
50:36And now up to James Brown.
50:38All right, Larry, thank you very much.
50:45Indeed, a very disappointing end to a fight that many thought was going to be a lot more
50:49sensational than it turned out to be.
50:51But, heavens, one has to take a hat off to Gennaro Hernandez.
50:55As Clint Eastwood once said in one of his movies, a man must know his limits.
50:59And only Gennaro Hernandez understood and knew how much pain he could accept.
51:04As far as Oscar de la Hoya is concerned, no question about it.
51:07You have to say this is a nice work in progress.
51:10Here's a young man who clearly has speed.
51:12He's got power.
51:14He's got intelligence.
51:15He's shown discipline.
51:16And tonight he displayed some movement in that ring against what was to have been an
51:20excellent boxer that I hadn't seen to date.
51:23Oscar de la Hoya is on a nice path.
51:24As a matter of fact, he has indicated, Oscar de la Hoya, that he is trying to follow the
51:29blueprint for success that Sugar Ray Leonard set out for everyone to follow.
51:33And thus far, Oscar is following it perfectly.
51:36All right, coming up next, we've got James Toney, who is trying.
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